Ophion slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892, 2019

Johansson, Niklas & Cederberg, Björn, 2019, Review of the Swedish species of Ophion (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae), with the description of 18 new species and an illustrated key to Swedish species, European Journal of Taxonomy 550, pp. 1-136 : 96-97

Ophion slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892 stat. rev.

Figs 7E, I , 9E , 14B , 21F , 46 A–C

Ophion slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892b: 233–234 .

Ophion pictus Kokujev, 1906a: 159–160 .

Ophion calcaratus Morley, 1915: 269 .

Material examined

Lectotype, ♂, of Ophion slaviceki ( ZSM); lectotype, ♀, of Ophion calcaratus ( BMNH);> 750 ♀♀,>350 ♂♂ ( Sweden); 2 ♀♀ (Great Britain); 2 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂ ( Estonia); 11 ♀♀, 6 ♂♂ ( Norway); 5 ♀♀, 8 ♂♂ ( Lithuania).

Diagnosis

Fore wing length 13–17 mm. Antenna with 49–59 flagellomeres. First flagellomere about 4.0 times as long as wide. Central flagellomeres about 1.5–1.6 times as long as wide. Subapical flagellomeres approximately 1.5 times as long as wide. Temples slightly buccate in females. Head in lateral view with temple about 0.4–0.6 times as long as compound eye, more buccate in males. Gap between compound eye and lateral ocellus small or absent, at most 0.2 times the diameter of ocellus ( Fig. 14B ). Ocellus large, central ocellus in female 2.0 times as wide as distance between margin of central ocellus and inner eye margins. Malar space about 0.2 times as long as mandibular base in female and about 0.2–0.3 times in male ( Fig. 21F ). Mandibles often worn, with the gap between teeth acute angled and internal angles absent ( Fig. 7I ). Wing membrane transparent. Ramellus usually short, but occasionally longer, reaching 0.1–0.5 times the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius sinuous. Structure of mesopleuron in most cases shining or weakly shagreened, with distinct, very regular punctation consisting of small punctures. Interstices between punctures about equal to their diameter. Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles obviously anterior to sternal angles. Pleurosternal angles rounded, obtuse to right angled ( Fig. 9E ). Scutellum usually without lateral carinae, but rarely with lateral carinae in basal half. Propodeum posterior to anterior transverse carina mostly shining. Anterior transverse carina always present centrally, anterior to area superomedia, but often also present laterally, though rarely strongly raised (as in Fig. 10A ). The part adjacent to area superomedia often distinctly convex. Posterior transverse carina usually only present laterally, widely interrupted centrally. Petiolar carina and longitudinal carina delimiting area superomedia often strong and forming a narrow triangular area. Sclerotised part of first sternite ending level to spiracle. Legs normal with hind femur about 6.0–6.5 times as long as wide. Hind trochantellus usually as long as wide in dorsal view ( Fig. 7E ). Inner spur of hind tibia about 0.3–0.4 times as long as hind metatarsus.

Colour

Body testaceous. Head with inner and outer orbits often distinctly and broadly yellow, especially in males. Mandibular teeth black. Frequently in southern males with narrow yellow stripes on mesoscutum reminiscent of Ophion obscuratus but more yellow in colour. Ovipositor sheath testaceous, concolourous with posterior metasomal segments.

DNA barcode

The DNA barcode sequences of eight Swedish specimens of Ophion slaviceki are available at the BOLD systems database (www.boldsystems.org, BIN. BOLD: ACF9514. Specimen codes: STI-NJBC: 53, 55–57, 62, 264, 325, 327).

Ecology

This species occurs from July to October in a variety of habitats, but seems to prefer open or semiopen areas. Broad et al. (2015) list Agrotis exclamationis ( Linnaeus, 1758) and A. segetum (Denis &

Schiffermüller, 1775) as hosts. In Swedish collections (NHRS, MZLU) there are several specimens reared from A. exclamationis .

Distribution in Sweden

A very common species in Southern Sweden, becoming rare or absent further north.

Remarks

The oldest available, and therefore correct name for the species with an acute angled mandibular gape, long hind trochantellus and quite narrow head in lateral view with a small gap between the lateral ocellus and compound eye, widely known as Ophion luteus by modern authors, is Ophion slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892 . One specimen from Sölkäsaari in Haparanda (NJBC327) in Northern Sweden is slightly genetically different from the southern population ( Fig. 3 ). The locality is far beyond the northern distribution limit for any of the known hosts of O. slaviceki and this specimen might represent a northern form of the species. For further comments, see Discussion: “The Ophion luteus aggregate”.

Figures

Fig. 7. A–D. Occipital carina posterior view. A. Ophion confusus Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008637). B. O. mocsaryi Brauns, 1889. C. O. ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926. D. O. areolaris Brauns, 1889. E–G. Hind trochanter and trochantellus dorsal view. E. O. slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892. F. O. obscuratus Fabricius, 1798. G. O. costatus Ratzeburg, 1848. H–I. Mandible ventral view. H. O. obscuratus. I. O. slaviceki. J–K. First tergite, aberration O. artemisiae Boie, 1855. J. Dorsal view. K. Lateral view. L–M. Head in posterior view showing generalized shape of occipital carina. L. O. obscuratus. M. O. variegatus Rudow, 1883. N–O. Central flagellomeres in males. N. O. obscuratus. O. O. variegatus.

Fig. 9. Epicnemial carina, antero-ventral view of female. A. Ophion splendens Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008708). B. O. mocsaryi Brauns, 1889. C. O. dispar Brauns, 1895. D. O. parvulus Kriechbaumer, 1879. E. O. slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892. F. O. angularis Johansson & Cederberg sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (MZLU 6366:3). G. O. crassicornis Brock, 1982. H. O. areolaris Brauns, 1889. I. O. kallanderi Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (MZLU 6371:5).

Fig. 14. A–B. Head, dorsal view of female. A. Ophion luteus (Linnaeus, 1758). B. O. slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892. C–D. Propodeum, posterodorsal view. C. O. borealis Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008627). D. O. crassicornis Brock, 1982. E–F. Head, anterior view of female. E. O. borealis Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008627). F. O. crassicornis Brock, 1982.

Fig. 21. A–B. Mesoscutum, anterior part of female, dorsal view. A. Ophion ellenae Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (MZLU 6370:1). B. O. matti Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008679). C–D. Head of female, lateral view. C. O. ellenae Johansson sp. nov., paratype ♀ (MZLU 6370:1). D. O. perkinsi Brock, 1982. E–F. Head of male, anterior view. E. O. kevoensis Jussila, 1965. F. O. slaviceki Kriechbaumer, 1892.

Fig. 46. Ophion slaviceki, 1892, holotype, ♂ (ZSM). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Mandibles, anteroventral view. C. Labels. Scale bar: A = 5 mm; B = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 10. Generalized carination of propodeum in females, posterodorsal view. A. Ophion luteus (Linnaeus, 1758)/O. scutellaris Thomson, 1888/O. obscuratus Fabricius, 1792. B. O. costatus Ratzeburg, 1848. C. O. brocki Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008633). D. O. confusus Johansson sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008637). E. O. crassicornis Brock, 1982. F. O. artemisiae Boie, 1855. G. O. ellenae Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008655). H. O. perkinsi Brock, 1982. I. O. ocellaris Ulbricht, 1926. J. O. areolaris Brauns, 1889. K. O. dispar Brauns, 1895. L. O. tenuicornis Johansson sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NHRS-HEVA000008743). M. O. longigena Thomson, 1888. N. O. brevicornis Morley, 1915. O. O. forticornis Morley, 1915.

Fig. 3. Phylogeny of the Ophion luteus aggregate (BIN. BOLD:ACF9514) as obtained from cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI) sequences. Maximum likelihood tree is shown with clade support based on 150 bootstrap iterations using the General Time Reversible model and analysed with MEGA-X. The sample ids “NJBC” refer to the BOLD database.