Epirhyssa diatropis Porter 1978

Gómez, Isrrael C., Sääksjärvi, Ilari E., Puhakka, Liisa, Castillo, Carol & Bordera, Santiago, 2015, The Peruvian Amazonian species of Epirhyssa Cresson (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Rhyssinae), with notes on tropical species richness, Zootaxa 3937 (2), pp. 311-336 : 319-320

Epirhyssa diatropis Porter 1978

( Figs 2 E, 4C)

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from all other Neotropical Epirhyssa by the combination of the following characters: 1) large orange-yellowish species with fore wing length about 12 to 16 mm; 2) occipital carina joining the hypostomal carina; and 3) margin of clypeus slightly concave with apical tubercle weak (or with central swelling).

Distribution. Bolivia; Brazil; Colombia; Ecuador; French Guiana; Peru; Suriname.

Material examined. Bolivia: Female, ( BMNH) Santa Cruz, Puerto Grether, 280 m., 22. IX. 1981, M. Cooper.

Colombia: Female, ( BMNH) Amazonas, Leticia, 16–17, VIII.1974, M. Cooper. B.M. 1974-503. Female, Caqueta, Yuruyaco, 22.I.1979, M. Cooper. B.M. 1979-106.

Ecuador: Female, ( BMNH) Morona Santiago, Cord. de Cutucu, 1100 m., 3.VI.1981, M. Cooper. Female, as above but 27.VI.1981. Female, ( BMNH) Orellana, Nueva Roca fuerte, 22–28.III.2000, M. Cooper.

French Guiana: Female, ( ZMUT) men slam, 8.X.2011. Male, M´de Kaw, Patawa, O. Morvan leg., rec. IX.2003. Peru: Female ( MEKRB) Dept. of Madre de Dios, Los Amigos, 288 m., Isrrael Gómez leg., Malaise, 14–21.VIII. 2008. Female, as above but 31.VII–7.VIII.2008. Female ( UNSM), Dept. Cusco, Reserva comunal Amarakaeri, 17.IX–14.XI 2010, 333– 884m., 12° 55’ S, 70° 51’ W. Vilchez & Castillo leg. Female ( UNSM), Dept. Cusco, Pagoreni, 475 m., 11° 42´S, 72° 53´W. 21.V.1998, Castillo leg. Female, as above but 23. IX. 1998. Female, ( BMNH) Dept. Loreto, Estacion Genaro Herrera, 4° 53´S, 73° 39´W, 121m., 13–23. I. 2011 Karlson & Dale-Skey, 2011-72. Male ( BMNH), as above. Female ( ZMUT), Dept. Loreto, Allpahuayo Mishana, 3°58’29” S, 73°25’46” W, 124 m., Sääksjärvi et al. leg., Malaise, H1(11) 18.VIII.2000. Female, as above but D1/9, 17.XII–20.I.1998. Female, as above but D1(16), 21.XII.2000. Female, as above but H1(14), 17.X.2000. Female, as above but E1(12), 14.IX.2000. Female, as above but G2(10), 2.VIII.2000. Female, as above but G2(12), 14.IX.2000. Female, as above but J1, 1.XII.2000. Female, as above but K2(12), 19.IX.2000. Female, as above but F2(12), 14.IX.2000.

Male, as above but E1(15), 8.XI.2000. Male, as above but J2(1), 1–16.III.2000. Male, as above but J1(15), 8.XI.2000. Male, as above but H1(16), 21.XII.2000. Male, as above but I2 (8), 29.VI.2000.

Biological notes. This species is one of the most common Neotropical Epirhyssa and is widely distributed in South America. It is recorded for the first time from Colombia, Ecuador and French Guiana.

Epirhyssa electronigra Gómez & Sääksjärvi sp. n. ( Fig. 4 A)

Type material. Holotype female ( UNSM, currently on loan to ZMUT): Dept. Loreto, Allpahuayo Mishana, 3°58’29” S, 73°25’46” W, 124 m., Sääksjärvi et al. leg., Malaise, B2(4), 1–16.X.1998. Paratypes: Female ( ZMUT), as above but G2(9), XII.2000. Female ( ZMUT), as above but H1, 23.I.2001.

Female ( Fig. 4 A). Fore wing length about 8 mm. Head with occipital carina absent, posterior ocellus separated from eye by about 2.0 times its diameter; mandibles stout, lower tooth slightly longer than upper one; clypeus with margin slightly concave, lateral corners angularly weakly produced, medially with an apical tubercle; lower face transverse, about 1.3 times as broad as medially long; antennae slender with 29 flagellar segments; gena smooth and polished with sparse long setae ventrally. Mesosoma with strong epomia diverging from anterior margin of pronotum; mesoscutum with sparse, short, yellowish pubescence; mesopleuron polished, with sparse setiferous punctures; subalar prominence inflated; epicnemial carina ventrally strong, reaching above level of lower corner of pronotum; hind coxa in profile about 2.5 times as wide as deep; fore wing with cu-a slightly distal to base of Rs&M; first subdiscal cell moderately broadened distally, its width near outer end about 2.0 times its basal width; abscissa of M between 2rs-m and 2m-cu about 0.3 times as long 2rs-m, Rs weakly and evenly bowed; propodeum short, polished with sparse long setae laterally and with median longitudinal depression weak present only anteriorly; submetapleural carina sharp and complete. Metasoma with tergite I about 2.0–2.1 times as long as posteriorly broad, smooth and polished dorsally; tergite II polished and smooth, about 1.0–1.1 times as long as posteriorly broad, with indistinct thyridia, with sparse short setae, tergites III+ with sparse pubescence; ovipositor projecting beyond apex of metasoma about 4.3–4.7 times length of hind tibia.

Coloration. A primarily yellow-orange species, with the following areas blackish: interocellar area and transverse band from eye to eye, area close to occipital carina; mesosoma (except for small yellowish patches on pronotum and propodeum in one specimen); hind coxa and tergites VI onwards; and apical part of fore wing. Flagellum and ovipositor sheath brownish. Wings yellowish (apical part of fore wing blackish), pterostigma yellowish.

Male. Unknown.

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from all other Neotropical Epirhyssa by the combination of the following characters: 1) occipital carina absent; 2) mid coxa and tergite V yellowish; 3) propodeum smooth with longitudinal channel weakly present anteriorly; and 4) tergite II highly polished. Epirhyssa electronigra sp. n. closely resembles E. nigrithorax in size and coloration, the two species are very closely related. However, it can be distinguished from the latter by the absence of the occipital carina and tergite II smooth without wrinkling.

Biological notes. Only three specimens were collected from Northern lowland Peruvian Amazonia, nothing is known about its hosts.

Etymology. We are pleased to give the name suggested by Katja Rosvall ( Finland), who won the Finnish competition to name this beautiful species. The name refers to the wasp’s yellow-orange and black coloration.

Distribution. Peru, this lowland rain forest species is only known from the Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Head of Epirhyssa spp.: frontal view: A— E. cochabambae; B— E. braconoides (paratype); C— E. zaphyma; D— E. amazonica; E— E. diatropis; F— E. wisei, (female); G— E. isthmia; H— E. simpirae sp. n. (holotype).

FIGURE 4. Habitus of Epirhyssa spp.: (females): A— E. electronigra sp. n. (holotype); B— E. cuscoensis sp. n. (holotype); C— E. diatropis (paratype); D— E. wisei; E— E. isthmia; F— E. prolasia.