Stethantyx altamira Khalaim et Broad

Khalaim, Andrey I. & Broad, Gavin R., 2013, Tersilochinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) of Costa Rica, part 2. Genera Megalochus gen. nov. and Stethantyx Townes, Zootaxa 3693 (2), pp. 221-266 : 234-236

Stethantyx altamira Khalaim et Broad , sp. nov.

( Figs 16 , 29 , 31 )

Comparison. Similar to S. curvator sp. nov. as both have a very slender base of the flagellum ( Fig. 16 ), and a long and apically sinuate ovipositor ( Fig. 31 ), but differs from this species by the mesopleuron and the dorsolateral area of the propodeum more or less smooth (mesopleuron also distinctly punctate), stronger foveate groove of mesopleuron ( Fig. 29 ), propodeum dorsally with basal median groove (basal longitudinal carinae absent), and somewhat shorter ovipositor.

Description. Female. Body length 4.3 mm. Fore wing length about 3.25 mm.

Head rounded behind eyes in dorsal view; temple almost half as long as eye width. Mandible distinctly narrowed towards apex, upper tooth much longer than lower tooth. Clypeus lenticular, almost flat in lateral view, smooth on lower part and very finely granulate on upper part, with distinct punctures on its upper half. Malar space 0.65× as long as basal width of mandible. Flagellum of antenna with 23–26 flagellomeres (24 flagellomeres in holotype), very slender basally; flagellomeres 2–4 about 2.5, mid flagellomeres 1.5–2.0, and subapical flagellomeres about 1.2× as long as broad. Inner eye orbits weakly convergent ventrally. Face with very weak central prominence, with small tubercle in upper part, finely granulate, dull, impunctate or with very indistinct fine punctures. Frons and vertex finely granulate, dull, impunctate. Temple finely granulate to almost smooth, impunctate or with very fine, indistinct punctures.

Notaulus absent or rarely as small tubercle distant from anterolateral margin of mesoscutum. Mesoscutum finely granulate, dull, sometimes with indistinct punctures. Scutellum with lateral longitudinal carinae very short, developed only at extreme base of scutellum. Foveate groove of mesopleuron deep, S-curved, situated more or less in centre of mesopleuron, usually reaching neither anterior nor posterior margin of mesopleuron ( Fig. 29 ). Mesopleuron moderately densely punctate, smooth and shining between punctures. Propodeum finely granulate to almost smooth, dorsolateral area very finely (sometimes indistinctly) and sparsely punctate. Basal part of propodeum about 0.75× as long as apical area. Basal area absent, propodeum dorsally impressed along midline (with longitudinal basal groove), usually without any wrinkles. Propodeal spiracle separated from pleural carina by ≤ 0.5× diameter of spiracle. Apical area flat, anteriorly broadly rounded; apical longitudinal carinae weak, sometimes not reaching transverse carina anteriorly.

Fore wing with veins Rs +2 r and Rs angled at about 100°. Vein 2 rs-m shorter than abscissa of M between 2 rs-m and 2 m-cu; vein 2 rs-m sometimes slightly thickened. Hind wing with cu 1& cu-a distinctly reclivous. Hind femur 5.4× as long as broad, 0.89× as long as tibia.

First tergite 4.3× as long as posteriorly broad, mostly smooth, with petiole striate laterally and sometimes partly dorsally. Glymma situated in posterior 0.6 of tergite, small, joining by distinct furrow to ventral part of postpetiole. Second tergite 2.4× as long as anteriorly broad. Thyridial depression shallow, more than 4.0× as long as broad. Ovipositor long and thin, weakly upcurved, apically sinuous ( Fig. 31 ); sheath 3.4× as long as first tergite and almost 3.0× as long as hind tibia.

Head black; palpi, mandible (teeth blackish) and clypeus yellow (clypeus fuscous or brownish on upper 0.3). Antenna black, scape and pedicel ventrally brownish. Mesosoma reddish, propleuron and anterior margin of pronotum yellowish, central lobe of mesoscutum sometimes infuscate. Tegula blackish. Legs yellow-brown; fore and mid legs with coxae and trochanters sometimes yellowish, tibiae and tarsi more or less infuscate; hind leg with femur reddish brown, tibia and tarsus fuscous. Pterostigma dark brown. Metasoma behind first tergite yellowish ventrally, dark brown dorsally (tergites 2, 3 and sometimes also following with yellowish posterior band).

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. Named after the type locality, [Estación] Altamira .

Material examined. Holotype female (INBio), Puntarenas Prov., Buenos Aires, Estación Altamira , 1 km SE of Cerro Biolley, 1400 m, IX.1994, coll. M. Segura.

Paratypes. Alajuela Prov.: 1 Ƥ (INBio) National Park Volcán Tenorio, N of volcano Tenorio, Guatuso, 1500– 1600 m, V–VII.2005, coll. J.A. Azofeifa. 1 Ƥ (ZISP) San Cristobal, 600–620 m, III.1997, coll. F.A. Quesada. Guanacaste Prov.: 1 Ƥ (INBio) Guanacaste National Park, La Cruz, 9 km S of Santa Cecilia , Estación Pitilla, 700 m, VIII–IX.1996, coll. P. Ríos & Moraga. Heredia Prov.: 3 Ƥ (BMNH) Braulio Carrillo National Park, 9.5 km E of El Tunel, 1000 m, IV–V, VII and XII.1989, coll. I.D. Gauld. Puntarenas Prov.: 4 Ƥ (INBio) Biological Reserve Monteverde, Estación La Casona, 1520 m, XII.1992, II.1993, IX.1993, III.1994, coll. N. Obando. 1 Ƥ (ZISP) 1.3 km NE of Embalse, 1200–1300 m, VI–VIII.1996, coll. E. Navarro. 1 Ƥ (ZISP) San Vito Las Cruces, 1200 m, VIII– IX.1988, coll. I.D. Gauld & P. Mitchell. San José Prov.: 1 Ƥ (MUCR) Braulio Carrillo National Park, 9.5 km E of El Tunel, 1000 m, VI.1989, coll. P. Hanson. 2 Ƥ (BMNH, ZISP) Biological Reserve Carara, Estación Bijagoal, 500 m, X.1989, coll. I.D. Gauld.

Distribution. Costa Rica ( Alajuela , Guanacaste, Heredia , Puntarenas, San José).

Figures

FIGURES 16 – 19. Stethantyx altamira sp. nov., Ƥ: 16 — head with antennae, left. Stethantyx orosia sp. nov., Ƥ: 17 — head, frontal. Stethantyx osa sp. nov., Ƥ: 18 — lower part of head, frontal. Stethantyx pseudoorossia sp. nov., Ƥ: 19 — head, frontal.

FIGURES 24 – 29. Stethantyx alajuela sp. nov., Ƥ: 24 — mesosoma, left; 25 — mesoscutum and scutellum, dorsal. Stethantyx aprica sp. nov., Ƥ: 26 — head, frontal; 27 — mesosoma and first metasomal segment, left; 28 — propodeum, posterolateral. Stethantyx altamira sp. nov., Ƥ: 29 — mesosoma, left. Scale bars (except Fig. 27) = 0.1 mm, scale bar for Fig. 27 = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 30 – 35. Stethantyx curvator sp. nov., Ƥ: 30 — propodeum, dorsal. Stethantyx altamira sp. nov., Ƥ: 31 — ovipositor, left. Stethantyx guanacasteca sp. nov., Ƥ: 32 — mesosoma, left; 33 — propodeum, dorsal. Stethantyx heredia sp. nov., Ƥ: 34 — mesosoma, left; 35 — mesoscutum and scutellum, dorsal. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.