Labena zerita Gauld, 2000

Marinho, Luana S. & Fernandes, Daniell R. R., 2025, Taxonomy of Labena Cresson, 1864 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Labeninae) from Brazil, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 5660 (1), pp. 1-52 : 37-40

Labena zerita Gauld, 2000

Figs. 46−47

Labena zerita Gauld, 2000: 372 . Khalaim & Ruiz-Cancino 2009: 72 [Record]; Yu et al. 2016 [database on flash-drive]. Holotype ♀, Costa Rica (INBio) [original designation]

Material examined (4♂, 3♀). BRAZIL, Amazonas, Tefé, Várzea / 3º19’45”S – 64º41’13” W. 22.viiii{VIII}- 5.IX.2017, Malaise, J.A. Oliveira, D.M.M. Mendes, J.A. Rafael cols. [collectors] Rede BIA (1♂, INPA) ; Amapá – Calçoene / Balneário Asa Aberta / 02º31’07.2” N /{,} 50º58’16.8” W / Malaise, 17 – 18.IV.2014 / J.T. Câmara & J.A. Rafael / leg.[collectors] (1♀, INPA) ; Pará, Santarém / BR163, KM 19, Ramal das / Lavras , Sítio Recanto do Sabiá , / S 02º35’13.0” W 54º43’15.3”, 15- / 31.iiii{IV}.2019. M.L. Oliveira leg. [collectors] Malaise grande, Rede BIA (2♀, INPA) ; same, except 01-15.X.2019 (1♂, INPA) ; same, except 30.VII.2019 (1♂, INPA) ; same, except 30.IX.2019 (1♂, INPA) .

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from other Neotropical Labena species by a combination of the following characters: propodeum with a clearly defined, large and slightly elongated area superomedia; area lateralis elongated, not transverse; ovipositor with striate valve.

Remarks. Additional characters from the material examined from the states of Amazonas, Amapá and Pará ( Brazil). Body length 14.6 mm, except ovipositor. Overall coloration is yellow ( Figs. 46A–D ). Head ( Figs. 46B–C ). Brown transverse band between the occipital carina and occiput, widest in the middle; black transversal band on ocelli, not extending to the side of frons. Antenna with 47 flagellomeres, measuring 12.8 mm, cylindrical apex; flagellum dark brown, flagellomere I yellow. Mandible bidentate with a striate base, the upper tooth larger than the lower tooth; mandible basal width 0.38 mm. Malar space width 0.13 mm. Ocellus diameter 0.43 mm; distance between anterior and posterior ocelli 0.07 mm; shortest distance between posterior ocellus and compound eye 0.07 mm; distance between posterior ocelli 0.18 mm. Compound eye length 1.91 mm. Frons weakly convex, finely punctate with fine, sparse setae, width 0.98 mm. Face slightly striate, with median carina, a width of 0.78 mm. Wing. Fore wing length 10 mm, hyaline with a light brown spot at apex; areolet shorter than the length of distal abscissa of M, with 3rs-m slightly longer than 2rs-m. Hind wing length 6.5 mm. Mesosoma ( Figs. 46E ). Mesoscutum with weak black border, with three longitudinal black bands. Pronotum without epomia, with punctate upper posterior part and sparse setae. Propleura punctate and with dense setae. Scuto-scutellar groove black, shallow, with sparse setae. Scutellum slightly convex, punctate with dense setae, yellow with black dorsum. Metanotum (postscutellum) with black posterior part. Propodeum with anterior part with a black transverse band extending laterally to ⅓ of the total length of the propodeum; area basalis rectangular, wider than long, completely brown; area externa as longer than wide, with brown diagonal stain; area dentipara without spot, confluent with area postero-externa; area postero-externa without dark brown spot; area petiolaris obliterated by lateromedian longitudinal carina, with upper part brown; area superomedia somewhat wider than long, anterior transverse carina and posterior transverse carina very outlined; lateral longitudinal carina complete. Fore legs with one tibial spur, tarsomeres with fringe of apical setae; mid legs with the medially dilated tibia, with two tibial spurs, without scattered slender setae on the outer surface; hind legs slender, not medially dilated, with darker tibia and tarsomeres, with two tibial spurs. Metasoma. Tergite I 2.26 mm in length, basal width 0.48 mm and apical width 0.90 mm; tergite II 1.65 mm in length, basal width 1.11 mm and apical width 1.48 mm; tergite III 1.23 mm in length, basal width 1.51 mm and apical width 1.64 mm. Metasoma yellow with brown tergites VII-IX. Ovipositor laterally compressed with striae and tapering apex; upper valve with marked and sparse teeth, transverse striae; lower valve with marked proximal teeth and transverse striae.

Distribution. Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil ** (Amapá *, Amazonas *, and Pará *) ( Fig. 47 ) (Gauld 2000; Khalaim & Ruiz-Cancino 2009; Yu et al. 2016).

Discussion. Labena zerita is morphologically similar to L. humida in that both have metapleuron weakly convex, smooth, with submetapleural carina uniformly expanded, armed anteriorly, pleural carina absent anteriorly, leaving the area spiracular externally open, enveloping the area lateralis. However, it differs in L. zerita has propodeum has area petiolaris, area dentipara, and area posterior-external confluent. In contrast, in L. humida propodeum has area petiolaris, area dentipara and area postero-externa non-confluent. This species belongs to the grallator species-group.

Figures

FIGURE 46. A–F. Female of Labena zerita Gauld, 2000. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, dorsal view. C. Head, front view. D. Habitus, dorsal view. E. Propodeum, dorsal view. F. Apex of ovipositor, lateral view.

FIGURE 47. Distribution of Labena zerita Gauld, 2000 (yellow star= type locality, blue triangle= previous record, red circle= new record.