Polysphincta punctigaster Varga & Reshchikov

Varga, Oleksandr & Reshchikov, Alexey, 2015, New records of the genus Polysphincta Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) from the Oriental region, Zootaxa 3955 (3), pp. 435-443 : 436-439

Polysphincta punctigaster Varga & Reshchikov , sp. n.

( Figs 1–2 )

Material examined. Holotype: female, THAILAND, Chiang Mai, Doi Phahompok NP, Doi Phaluang, 20°1.06'N, 99°9.581'E, 1449 m, 7.–14.xi.2007, Malaise trap, leg. P. Wongchai, T6212, QSBG. Paratypes: Female, same locality as holotype, 28.xi–5. xii. 2007, Malaise trap, leg. P. Wongchai, T6209, QSBG; female, THAILAND, Chiang Mai, Doi Phahompok NP, Kiewlom1/montane forest, 20°3.549'N, 99°8.552'E, 2174 m, 28.x.–4.xi.2007, Malaise trap, leg. P. Wongchai, Т6182, QSBG; female, same locality as previous female, 7.–14.v.2008, Malaise trap, leg. P. Wongchai, T6098, QSBG.

Diagnosis. Polysphincta punctigaster is morphologically similar to P. boops and P. longa with yellow body marks and distinct pleural carina, but differs in having a more punctate metasoma (especially anterolateral swellings on tergites 3–4), more rounded temples compared with P. boops or P. l o ng a, a red mesoscutum, and slightly shorter ovipositor.

Description. Female ( Fig. 1 ): Body length approximately 7 mm, fore wing 4.5 mm, ovipositor 2 mm. Head: smooth, shining, and sparsely setose ( Figs 1 a, b, d). Antenna with 28 flagellomeres, first flagellomere 1.55 times longer than the second. Diameter of lateral ocellus 0.85 times ocellar-ocular distance. Frons smooth, with scattered setae. Face 0.8 times as high as wide, smooth, shining, with dense white setae and very sparsely punctate. Clypeus 0.55 times as high as wide, weakly swollen, apically and centrally truncate, with lateral margins straight. Malar space about 0.8 times basal width of mandible, with subocular sulcus. Upper tooth of mandible longer than lower tooth. Occipital carina complete, weakly raised. Temple rounded behind eye.

Mesosoma: smooth, shining, and sparsely setose ( Figs 1 b, c, d). Pronotum smooth. Epomia present, vertical and almost reaching upper margin of pronotum. Mesoscutum ( Fig. 1 d) bordered by a flange which is distinctly raised behind the tegulae, smooth, with short, dense, white setae, on the anterior part of central lobe and with sparser setae on lateral parts to tegulae, the rest of mesoscutum with scattered isolated setae, notauli present, weakly impressed on anterior 0.3 of mesoscutum. Scutellum strongly swollen, smooth, with sparse setae and lateral carinae absent. Mesopleuron ( Fig. 1 b) smooth, impunctate, with sparse setae on anteroventral part, epicnemial carina present on lower 0.6 of mesopleuron. Metapleuron smooth, with scattered punctures, with longer setae than on mesoscutum, pleural carina present. Propodeum ( Fig. 1 c) with the area apicalis longitudinally carinate apically, otherwise smooth and impunctate, with long setae, pleural parts with sculpture as on metapleuron. Propodeal spiracle round. Legs slender, hind leg with femur 6.0 times as long as wide, 0.75 times as long as hind tibia and third tarsomere about 1.1 times as long as the fifth tarsomere.

Wings ( Fig. 1 e): Fore wing with vein 3rs-m absent; hind wing with first abscissa of vein Cu1 approximately as long as vein cu-a; vein Cu1 present.

Metasoma ( Fig. 1 h): First tergite smooth, impunctate, approximately 1.56 times as long as apical width, with dorsolateral carina complete and dorsal median carina extending to the middle of the tergite; second tergite approximately 1.25 times the length of its apical width; basal and apical oblique grooves deep, swellings with isolated punctures posteriorly; tergite 3–6 with two anterolateral swellings, densely punctate anteriorly between the swellings and more sparsely punctate on swellings. All tergites with denser setae laterally and with sparser setae on swellings. Ovipositor strait, with proximal end of lower valve expanded to form a lobe approximately 1.15 times the length of the hind tibia, tip of lower valves with oblique ridges ( Fig. 1 f).

Colour. Generally black, except the extreme apex of mandible, palpi, upper corner of pronotum, subtegular ridge, tegula, scutellum laterally and apically, and metascutellum which are all yellow. Mesoscutum red. Antenna generally yellow-brownish, scape and pedicel yellow. Legs generally yellow, fore and mid coxae and hind tibia pale yellow, hind tibia with apical and subbasal brownish bands, tarsomeres apically banded with brownish. Pterostigma brownish. Metasomal tergites black, with lateral parts of tergites 5–7 brownish. Ovipositor reddish with sheaths black and densely pubescent.

Distribution. Currently known only from Doi Phahompok National Park ( Fig. 2 a).

Ecological note. Specimens were collected in an evergreen montane forest, at an altitude of 1500 to 2200 m.

Etymology. This species is named after the punctate swellings on metasomal tergites.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Polysphincta punctigaster sp. nov., paratype female: a) frontal view of head; b) lateral view of head and mesosoma; c) dorsal view of propodeum; d) dorsal view of mesoscutum and head; e) wings; f) lateral view of apex of ovipositor; g) lateral view of habitus; h) dorsal view of metasomal tergites 2 – 4.

FIGURE 2. Distribution map of Polysphincta spp.: a) P. punctigaster sp. n.; b) P. longa.