Dimophora evanialis

Seraina Klopfstein, 2016, Nine new species of Dimophora from Australia (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): new insights on the distribution of a poorly known genus of parasitoid wasps, Austral Entomology 55, pp. 185-207 : 91-92

Dimophora evanialis (Gravenhorst |829a, p. |6) ( Mesoleptus )

cognata Brischke 1880: 177

annellata ( Thomson 1890, p. 1458) ( Dimophorus ) prima ( Cushman 1920, p. 280) (Oligotmema) meridionator ( Aubert 1959, p. 163) ( Dimophorus ) Figure 4

Diagnosis

Forewing length 2.9–3.4 mm (European specimens: 2.7–3.7). Antenna in females with 27–30, in males with 25–26 flagellomeres. Head between eye and antennal base flat, without protrusion. Ocelli of male not enlarged, distance of hind ocellus to compound eye about 1.5 times diameter of ocellus. Mesoscutum 0.8–1.0 times as long as wide. Mesopleuron smooth and shining between strong punctures, sometimes with some restricted coriaceous areas, and with moderate impunctate area around speculum. Area superomedia of propodeum longer than wide; areas of propodeum smooth and shining between strong punctures. Portion of ovipositor that protrudes from metasoma 0.7–1.0 times as long as hind tibia.

Description

Head Clypeus moderately large, convex when viewed from side, margin convex; mandibles with lower tooth longer than upper tooth. Occipital carina complete, evenly arched to angled above. Genal carina joining oral carina briefly before reaching base of mandible. Whole head coriaceous and matt, face and clypeus with dense and strong punctures, vertex with some sparse punctures. Antenna with last flagellomeres wider than long, scape excised at an angle of about 45°.

Mesosoma Pronotum with epomia weak to absent; mesoscutum with notauli absent to barely visible; mesopleuron with sternaulus weakly to distinctly impressed; scutellum not carinate. Propodeum with complete set of carinae, longitudinal carinae sometimes weak medially; metapleuron with short vertical carina arising above mid coxa. Mesosoma smooth and shining and with strong and dense punctures, mesoscutum but not scutellum strongly coriaceous between punctures. Wings slightly tinged, radial cell along anterior margin of wing 1.0– 1.15 times as long as stigma, areolet large, almost rhombic; hind wing with outer veins reduced, usually not pigmented except at base. Legs simple, hind coxa coriaceous and matt.

Metasoma First tergite 1.6–2.0 times as long as second tergite, second tergite 1.5–1.8 times wider apically than basally. First tergite with rather shallow but long glymma, petiolus flattened; first sternite reaching to about half length of tergite, its sides parallel. Third tergite with laterotergite separated by crease at most at base; metasoma weakly compressed from tergite 3 onwards. Tergites smooth and shining, almost impunctate, tergites 1 and 2 with weak longitudinal striae. Ovipositor weakly down-curved, laterally compressed, with subapical notch; male clasper bluntly rounded.

Colouration of female

Head black, orange often on clypeus, orange or yellow in malar space and on mandibles, antenna dark. Mesosoma black, legs orange, dark brown to black basally on mid and sometimes fore coxae, most of hind coxa, and often most of hind femur, hind tibia orange or dark brown; forewing with stigma often lighter in anterior half. Metasoma black or dark brown, lighter basally on tergite 3, and posterior segments often with light apical bands.

Colouration of male

As in female.

Material examined

ACT, Canberra, Black Mountain; ix.1981; leg. I. Gauld; BMNH: 1#f. ACT, Wallaroo Rd, near Hall, Malaise trap; Mar Apr or May 1999–2003; leg. Mark Short; ANIC: 1#f. NSW, Offord; 31.i.1961; leg. D.H. Colless; ANIC: 1#f. NSW, Pearl Beach, Crommlin Biological Field Station, 33.5511°S/ 151.2978°E; xii.2009; leg. Andy Austin; WINC: 2#f. NSW, Pearl Beach, Crommlin Biological Field Station, 33°55′0 30″– 49′613″S/151°29′795″–68′22″E; 18–24.ii.2008; leg. Andy Austin; WINC: 1#m. QLD, 28 km S Miles; 23.ix.1980; leg. D.H. Colless; ANIC: 1#f. VIC, Dinner Plain, 11 km from Hotham Heights; 27.ii.1980; leg. I. Naumann, I. Cardale; ANIC: 1#m. VIC, Victoria; 1912; leg. C. French; BMNH: 1#f. WA, Yallingup; xi. 1913; leg. R.E. Turner; BMNH: 1#m. Unknown locality, leg. J.A. Berry, ANIC: 1#f.

Material from Europe: United Kingdom, British Isles; BMNH: 1#m. Channel Islands, Brecqhou Island; 21.viii.1967; leg. C.I.E.A.; BMNH: 1#f. England, Sussex, W. of Arundel; 20.viii.1984; leg. M. Edwards; BMNH: 1#f.

Notes

The Australian specimens differ slightly from the specimens seen from Europe, which often lack the yellow colouration on the malar space and have fewer flagellar segments. However, these differences do not seem to justify the erection of a new species; they might merely represent regional differences.

Figures

Fig. 4. Australian specimen of Dimophora evanialis Gravenhorst. (a) Habitus. (b) Head. (c) Mesoscutum and head. (d) Head and mesosoma from lateral, showing mesopleural sculpture. (e) Propodeum. (f) Metasoma. Scale bars represent 2 mm (a) and 0.5 mm (b, c, d, e, f).