Helorus alborzicus Izadizadeh

Izadizadeh, Mohammad, Talebi, Ali Asghar, Achterberg, Cornelis Van & Rakhshani, Ehsan, 2015, First record of the family Heloridae (Hymenoptera: Proctotrupoidea) from Iran, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3946 (4), pp. 577-582 : 578-579

Helorus alborzicus Izadizadeh , van Achterberg & Talebi sp. nov.

Material examined. Holotype: Female ( TMUC)—Alborz province, Chalous Road, Arangeh (35º55′07.20″N, 51º05′09.24″E, 1891 m a.s.l.), 29-VI-2010, A. Nadimi.

Paratypes. 11♀ 4♂ ( TMUC, RMNH): same locality data as holotype, 1♀, 06-VII-2010, 3♀, Alborz province, Chalous Road, Sarziarat (35º55′10.38″ N, 51º06′51.24″ E, 1980 m a.s.l.), 29-VI-2010, 3♀ 2♂, 10-VIII-2010, 2♀ 2♂, 14-IX-2010, 2♀, A. Nadimi.

Diagnosis. Helorus alborzicus sp. nov. differs from the closely related species Helorus striolatus Cameron, 1906 by having the first tergite slenderer (stout in H. striolatus ) in lateral view ( Fig. 2 D), frons laterally, middle lobe of mesoscutum and vertex completely smooth and shiny (frons laterally finely and more or less densely punctate and middle lobe of mesoscutum and vertex moderately shiny and finely punctulate in H. striolatus ).

Description. Female—Length of body 4.9 mm, of fore wing 3.5 mm.

Head ( Fig. 2 A)—First flagellomere (excluding ring segment or anellus) 1.2 × as long as second flagellomere; first, second and penultimate flagellomeres 3.3, 2.8 and 2.0 × as long as wide, respectively; apical (fifth) segment of maxillary palp 1.6 × as long as fourth segment; face and clypeus smooth, densely and long setose; clypeus broadly semicircular; frons laterally and vertex completely smooth; length of eye in dorsal view 1.3 times as long as temple height in dorsal view; temple with long setae; OOL:OD:POL = 10:3.5:9; malar space 0.35 × as long as height of eye; malar sulcus present.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 2 B)—Mesosoma 1.45 × as long as high; sides of pronotum with strong longitudinal carinae; mesopleuron distinctly crenulate–rugose near anterior margin; posterior edge of mesopleuron with vertical, crenulate mesepimeral sulcus; median part of mesopleuron glabrous; anterior edge of metapleuron with vertical crenulate groove; metapleuron coarsely reticulate and with long setae; prepectal and postpectal carinae present; middle lobe of mesoscutum largely smooth and with short setae; notauli deep and finely crenulate; scutellar sulcus deep and coarsely crenulate; mesoscutellum smooth, weakly convex and without posterior crest or carina, but with narrow transverse crenulate groove; metanotum crenulate anteriorly, smooth and rounded posteriorly; median ridge on upper face of propodeum strong; propodeum coarsely reticulated.

Wings ( Fig. 1 B)—Fore wing pterostigma slender, 3 × as long as its maximum width; fore wing vein 1-R1 slightly longer than pterostigma; Fore wing vein 2-SR widened and straight; base of fore wing SR1 widened.

Legs ( Fig. 1 A)―Length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 5.0×, 7.5× and 9.8× their width, respectively.

Metasoma ( Figs 2 C, 2D)—First metasomal tergite slender, with longitudinal wrinkles; first tergite in dorsal view narrowed apically and 3.2× as long as its maximum width; first metasomal tergite in lateral view 3.5× as long as its maximum width; syntergite narrowed basally; hypopygium punctate.

Colour ( Fig. 1 A)—General colour of body black; tegulae, palpi, apical 0.25 of fore femur, apical 0.1 of middle femur, fore and middle tibiae and tarsi brownish-yellow; flagellum brown; hind tibia and tarsus dark brown to black; pterostigma and wing veins brown.

Male. Very similar to female.

Variations (paratypes). Length of body of female 4.1–4.9 mm (of male 3.9–4.2 mm); length of fore wing of female 3.0– 3.5 mm (male 2.9–3.1 mm); length of first metasomal tergite 3.1–3.3× (in dorsal view) and 3.2–3.5× (in lateral view) maximum width.

Biology. Unknown.

Etymology. The name of the new species is derived from the name of the type locality, the Alborz mountains in northern-central Iran.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Helorus alborzicus Izadizadeh, van Achterberg & Talebi sp. nov. A. Lateral aspect of female general habitus, B. Fore wing.

FIGURE 2. Helorus alborzicus Izadizadeh, van Achterberg & Talebi sp. nov. A. Dorsal aspect of head, B. dorsal aspect of mesosoma, C. Dorsal aspect of metasoma, D. Lateral aspect of metasoma.