Labena guanacasteca 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 : 29-30

Labena guanacasteca Gauld, 2000

Figs. 39−41

Labena guanacasteca Gauld, 2000: 362 ; Yu et al. 2016 [database on flash-drive]. Holotype ♀, Costa Rica, (NHM) [original designation].

Material examined (1♀, 3♂). BRAZIL, Amazonas, Novo Airão / AM-352, Km 68, Igarapé / Mato Grosso, 02º48’58’’S / 60º55’18’’W, Malaise, 16-/ 31.III.2017, J.A. Rafael & F.F. Xavier Fº leg. [collectors] (1♀, INPA) ; same, except 14-28.IX.2016 (2♂, INPA) ; same, except 04-17. VIII.2017 (1♂, INPA) .

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from other Neotropical Labena species by a combination of the following characters: propodeum with clearly delineated area superomedia anteriorly, posteriorly confluent with area petiolaris; mid tibia with scattered slender setae on the surface; sternite I with a transverse dilatation.

Remarks. Additional characters from the material examined from the states of Amazonas ( Brazil). Body length 6.47 – 10.05 mm, except ovipositor. Overall coloration pale yellow ( Figs. 39A–D ; 40A–D ). Head ( Figs. 39B–C ; 40B–C ). Transverse black band between the occipital carina and occiput; transverse black band on ocelli, extending to the side of frons. Base of the flagellum is dark brown dorsally, and light brown ventrally. Mandible bidentate with striate base, the upper tooth larger than the lower tooth; mandible basal width 0.32 mm. Malar space width 0.06 mm. Ocellus diameter 0.10 mm; distance between anterior and posterior ocellus 0.11 mm; shortest distance between posterior ocellus and compound eye 0.25 mm; distance between posterior ocellus 0.20 mm. Compound eye length 1.71 mm. Frons slightly convex, finely punctate with fine, sparse setae, width 1.02 mm. Face very striate, width 0.75 mm. Wing. Hind wing length 6.46 mm. Mesosoma ( Figs. 39E ; 40E ). Mesoscutum with black border, three longitudinal black bands. Pronotum without epomia, with punctate upper posterior part, and without dense setae. Propleura punctate and with dense setae. Scuto-scutellar groove black, shallow, smooth. Scutellum very convex, punctate with dense setae, yellow with a black posterior part. Metanotum (postscutellum) with black posterior part. Propodeum with anterior part with a black transverse band extending laterally to ⅓ of total length of propodeum; area basalis rectangular, wide than long, completely black; area externa wider than long, with black diagonal spot; area dentipara without spot, confluent with area postero-externa; area postero-externa without dark brown spot; area petiolaris not obliterated by lateromedian longitudinal carina, without black upper part; area superomedia much longer than wide, with very outlined anterior transverse carina, weakly outlined posterior transverse carina, almost absent; 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 outer surface; hind legs slender, not medially dilated, with darker tibia and tarsomeres, with two tibial spurs. Metasoma. Tergite I 1.24 mm in length, basal width 0.44 mm and apical width 0.78 mm; tergite II 1.13 mm in length, basal width 1.00 mm and apical width 1.45 mm; tergite III 0.78 mm in length, basal width 1.71 mm and apical width 1.91 mm. Metasoma pale yellow, with tergite I basally orange-yellow and apically pale yellow; tergite II basally orange-yellow and apically pale yellow. Ovipositor laterally compressed, tapering apex; upper valve with marked and sparse teeth, transverse striae at apex; lower valve with proximal teeth.

Distribution. Costa Rica, Brazil ** (Amazonas*) ( Fig. 41 ) (Gauld 2000; Yu et al. 2016).

Discussion. Labena guanacasteca is morphologically similar to L. marginata , as both have the antenna with a whitish-yellow band centrally, without a distal black spot on the fore wing, and the lateral area is strongly transverse. However, L. guanacasteca is distinguished by the propodeum having an area superomedia confluent with the area petiolaris, and sternite I having a low transverse ridge. L. marginata has a propodeum with a posteriorly closed area superomedia, separating it from the petiolar area, and sternite I do not have a low transverse ridge. This species belongs to the grallator species-group.

Figures

FIGURE 39. A–F. Female of Labena guanacasteca Gauld, 2000. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, front view. C. Propodeum, dorsal view. D. Head, dorsal view. E. Habitus, dorsal view. F. Apex of ovipositor, lateral view.

FIGURE 40. A–E. Male of Labena guanacasteca Gauld, 2000. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, dorsal view. C. Head, front view. D. Habitus, dorsal view. E. Propodeum, dorsal view.

FIGURE 41. Distribution of Labena guanacasteca Gauld, 2000 (yellow star= type locality, blue triangle= previous record, red circle= new record.