Thyreodon affinis Cresson

FERNÁNDEZ-TRIANA, JOSÉ L., 2005, The taxonomy and biogeography of Cuban Ophioninae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Zootaxa 1007 (1), pp. 1-60 : 18

4. Thyreodon affinis Cresson

Thyreodon affinis Cresson, 1865: 46 . Holotype ♂, Cuba (IES) [examined].

Macrophion affinis Morley 1912: 15 . [Synonymized by Townes & Townes, 1966: 185].

This is one of the five endemic species of Thyreodon known to Cuba and one of the rarest Ophioninae in the country. It has been collected in both WC & EC but not in CC, a pattern found in 5 other species of the subfamily and suggesting a disjunct distribution. The female is unknown. This species can be recognized by the following combination of features: small ocelli, notaular crests, and body color mostly orange­brown with just a black blotch on basal half of second tergite.

Based upon examined specimens, the number of flagellar segments in antenna varies between 50 and 51; and fore wing length between 15.0 and 16.5 mm. Two of the three non­type specimens showed no violet iridescence on wings (as noted by Cresson in his 1865 original description), but are simply infumated and very weakly iridiscent.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Holotype ♂, Cuba, MT: Cárdenas, J. Gundlach ( IES, Gundlach collection, type # 93).

WC. LH: Playa Caimito, San Nicolás , IX­1992, J. Genaro (1 ♂, MNHNCu) . MT: Maniadero, Ciénaga de Zapata , VI­1965, I. García (1 ♂, MNHNCu) . EC. GT: Guantánamo, V­1916, C. Ramsden (1 ♂, MNHNCu) .