Labena morda 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 : 21-24

Labena morda Gauld, 2000

Figs. 32−34

Labena morda Gauld, 2000: 354 ; Yu et al. 2016 [database on flash-drive]. Holotype ♀, Costa Rica, (INBio) [original designation].

Material examined (5♀). BRAZIL, Amazonas, Novo Airão,/ AM-352, Km 68, Igarapé / Mato Grosso, 02º48’58”S / 60º55’18”W, Arm. [Trap] Suspensa / 20m, 03-17.VII.2017, J.A/. Rafael & F.F. Xavier Fº leg (1♀, INPA) ; Pará – Alter do Chão / Malaise / 09-11.IX.1991 (1♀, INPA) ; Roraima – Alto Alegre ESEC/ [Ecological Station] Maracá / 03º21’59” N, 61º26’04” W / Malaise , 01-15.II.2016 / R. Boldrini & J.A. Rafael leg. [collectors] // REDE BIA (1♀,

INPA); same, except 10-25.XII.2015, Malaise grande, Projeto Bionorte, J.A. Rafael e equipe e cols.[collectors] (1♀, INPA); Amajari, / Tepequém, 01-15.III.2016, / Arm. [Trap] Suspensa, Projeto / Bionorte, J.A. Rafael e / equipe cols.[collectors] (1♀, INPA) .

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from other Neotropical Labena species by a combination of the following characters: propodeum with clearly outlined area superomedia anteriorly, small and square; hind coxa more elongated and slender, marked black on the inside.

Remarks. Additional characters from the material examined from the states of Amazonas, Pará and Roraima ( Brazil). Body length 14.6 mm, except ovipositor. Overall coloration is yellow ( Figs. 32A–D ; 33A–D ). Head. ( Figs. 32B–C ; 33B–C ). Transverse black band between the occipital carina and occiput; transverse black band on ocelli, not extending to the side of frons. Antenna with 49 flagellomeres, measuring 10.1 mm, with cylindrical apex; flagellum dark brown, flagellomeres I and II ventrally light brown. Mandible bidentate with a striate base, the upper tooth larger than the lower tooth; mandible basal width 0.33–0.38 mm. Malar space width 0.08 mm. Ocellus diameter 0.37–0.56 mm; distance between anterior and posterior ocellus of 0.08 mm; shortest distance between posterior ocellus and compound eye 0.25 mm; distance between the posterior ocelli of 0.27 mm. Compound eye length 1.94 mm. Face weakly convex, finely punctate with fine, sparse setae, width 1.11 mm. Face slightly striate, width 0.88 mm. Wing. Fore wing length 11.28 mm, hyaline with a light brown spot at apex; areolet shorter than the length of distal abscissa of M, with 3rs-m slightly shorter than 2rs-m. Hind wing length 8.62 mm. Mesosoma ( Figs. 32E – 33E ). Mesoscutum with black border, with three longitudinal black bands. Pronotum without epomia, with the upper posterior part punctate, and with sparse fine setae. Propleuron finely punctate, with sparse fine setae. Scuto-scutellar groove black, shallow, smooth. Scutellum slightly convex, punctate with dense setae, yellow without black posterior part. Metanotum (postscutellum) with the black posterior part. Propodeum with the anterior part without a black transverse band extending laterally to ⅓ of the total length of the propodeum; area basalis rectangular, wider than long completely yellow; area externa as wide as long, without black diagonal spot; area dentipara without spot; area postero-externa without dark brown spot; area petiolaris obliterated by lateromedian longitudinal carina and without black upper part; area superomedia slightly longer than wide, with outlined anterior transverse carina, posterior transverse carina absent; lateral longitudinal carina complete. Fore legs with one tibial spur, tarsomeres with apical fringe of setae; mid legs with medially dilated tibiae, with two tibial spurs and scattered thin setae on outer surface; hind legs slender, not medially dilated, coxa with one spot on outer surface; tibiae and tarsomeres darker with two tibial spurs. Metasoma. Tergite I 2.52 mm in length, basal width 0.43 mm and apical width 0.81 mm; tergite II 1.73 mm in length, basal width 1.01 mm and apical width 1.26 mm; tergite III 1.20 mm in length, basal width 1.28 mm and apical width 1.62 mm. Metasoma yellow with tergite I yellow, without central spot; tergite II completely yellow. Ovipositor laterally compressed, apex slightly tapered; upper valve with marked teeth and transverse striae; lower valve with transverse striae.

Distribution. Costa Rica, Brazil ** (Roraima *, Amazonas * and Pará *) ( Fig. 34 ) (Gauld 2000; Yu et al. 2016).

Discussion. Labena morda is morphologically similar to L. polemica Gauld, 2000 in that both have scutellum somewhat flattened; area superomedia more or less defined, generally subquadrate. However, it differs in L. morda differs from L. polemica in having propodeum with area superomedia delineated anteriorly, small and square; posterior transverse carina is complete centrally; hind coxa more elongate and slender, marked in black on the inside. In contrast, in L. polemica the propodeum has a large and almost regular hexagonal area superomedia; posterior transverse carina incomplete centrally; hind coxa elongated and robust and not marked in black on the inside. This species belongs to the gloriosa species-group.

Figures

FIGURE 32. A–F. Female of Labena morda 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 33. A–F. Male of Labena morda Gauld, 2000. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Head, dorsal view. C. Head, front view. D. Habitus, dorsal view. E. Propodeum, dorsal view.

FIGURE 34. Distribution of Labena morda Gauld, 2000 (yellow star= type locality, blue triangle= previous records, red circle= new records).