Xanthopimpla ciboisae, Klopfstein, 2022

Klopfstein, Seraina, 2022, High diversity of pimpline parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) from the lowermost Eocene Fur Formation (Denmark), Geodiversitas 44 (23), pp. 645-664 : 659-660

Xanthopimpla ciboisae n. sp.

( Fig. 10 )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:412A6A93-542C-4326-83F6-BFBC29358A4D

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype female: FUR-10046 (leg. M. Breiner).

ETYMOLOGY. — This wasp is dedicated to Alice Cibois, to honour her dedication as president of the Swiss Systematics Society and her creative and innovative efforts to promote our craft among the general public. She especially drew attention to the ongoing discovery and naming of new species through the curated list “New Species Swiss Made”, which year after year feature dozens to hundred new species across the tree of life.

TYPE HORIZON AND LOCALITY. — Denmark, Jutland, Limfjord region, Skive Kommune , Fur. Silstrup member.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Tentatively placed in this species: FUR- 14684 .

DIAGNOSIS. — Taxonomic placement: while many of the characters that can be used to diagnose Pimplinae are well visible in this specimen ( Table 1 ), the most unequivocal evidence stems from generic placement: an association with Xanthopimpla is evidenced by the colour pattern (especially the paired dark marks at least on tergite 3, robust legs, very short hind wing 1-Cu compared to cu-a, stout metasoma, and robust ovipositor. Forewing vein 2m-cu furthermore shows a zig-zag pattern that is very rare outside that genus.

Species diagnosis: this species is very similar both in colour pattern and wing venation to many extant species of the genus, but has a more extended light mark at the base of the pterostigma. It is much larger than the two fossil species from Messel, even than X. biamosa (forewing 8.0 mm), from which it can be further distinguished by the lateral dark marks on T 1 in the latter. From Epitheronia stigmatica n. comb., it can be distinguished by the larger size, light coloured mesoscutum, more sinuous 4Rs in the front wing, and even shorter 1-Cu compared to cu-a in the hind wing.

DESCRIPTION

Preservation

Dorsal view. Head partially preserved, including extreme base of antennae. Mesosoma rather well preserved, including propodeal carination; all four wings nearly complete, partial hind legs visible.Metasoma almost complete; ovipositor partly, sheaths nearly entirely preserved.

Body 11.3 mm. Yellow to light orange, with dark brown compound eyes, wing base, wing veins except basal c. 3 rd of pterostigma; dark paired spots evident on T3, seemingly absent from the other tergites (see also discussion of colour preservation); ovipositor light orange, sheaths brownish.

Head. Distorted, with compound eyes overlapping; scape, pedicel and part of first flagellomeres preserved, of normal dimensions.

Mesosoma. Rather short and stout; deep notauli converging on basal ¼, then parallel; dark patches at fore wing base probably corresponding to axial sclerites; scutellum rather short, with transverse carinulae in prescutellar groove; propodeum with distinct carination, corresponding to nearly complete basal and probably also apical transverse, lateromedian and maybe lateral longitudinal and pleural carinae. Fore wing 9.2 mm; areolet closed, slightly petiolate above, quadrate with uneven sides (4-M very short, 2r-m a bit shorter than 3r-m); 2m-cu with two bullae, with a weak zig-zag that anteriorly is bent outwards, then inwards in front of the posterior bulla; pterostigma 3.5 × longer than wide; 1cu-a meeting M + Cu opposite 1-M; 3-Cu a bit longer than 2cu-a; radial cell 3.5 × longer than wide. Hind wing with 1-Rs about 3 × longer than 1rs-m, 1-Cu 0.3 × as long as cu-a. Hind leg not well preserved, but rather stout.

Metasoma. With T1 about 0.7 × longer than wide, with strong median longitudinal carina converging at least on

basal two-thirds; T2 0.4 × as long as wide, with basal oblique grooves indicated and maybe a preapical transverse groove present. T3 with paired dark patches on basal half and preapical transverse groove indicated. T4 with weak shadows of paired marks, unclear on remainder of tergites. Ovipositor sheaths c. 0.35 × as long as fore wing; rather broad, covered with very dense and short hairs.

Figures

FIG. 10. — Holotype of Xanthopimpla ciboisae n. sp. (FUR-10046), photograph and interpretative drawing, where dotted lines represent uncertain and/or interpolated interpretations. Scale bar: 2 mm.