Ateleute multicolor, Kasparyan, 2022

Kasparyan, D. R., 2022, A review of the genus Ateleute (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ateleutinae) of North America with description of a new species, Zoosystematica Rossica (China) 31 (1), pp. 98-110 : 103-105

Ateleute multicolor sp. nov.

( Figs 9–16)

Holotype. Female, Mexico, Veracruz, Xalapa, Unidad de Servicios Bibliotecarios y de Información ( USBI), 19°30′N 96°55′W, 1279 m a.s.l., Malaise trap T1 , July 2017, coll. M. López-Ortega ( UNAM).

Diagnosis. Ateleute multicolor sp. nov. can easily be distinguished from other American congeners by its brighter coloration ( Fig. 9): head and mesosoma completely reddish, metasomal tergites black with white apical bands on tergites 1, 2 and 6–8 (similar to that in the Amazonian species of the genus Tamaulipeca ; see Bordera & Sääksjärvi, 2012: 110, Fig. 9), antennal flagellum with 23 flagellomeres (vs. 28–37 in other American species of Ateleute ), and lateral part of prepectal carina present ( Fig. 13).

Description. Female (holotype) ( Fig. 9). Fore wing length 3.9 mm. Body length about 5 mm.

Antenna with 23 flagellomeres; flagellum 5.2 mm long, about as long as body. Flagellomeres 1–4 cylindrical, 6.0–8.0 times as long as wide; flagellomeres 5, 7 and 12 about 3.0, 1.8 and 1.2 times as long as wide, respectively; flagellomeres 5–9 (or 10) compressed, about twice as wide as minimum width of flagellomere 1; flagellomeres 11 to subapical ones more or less cylindrical, slightly flattened ventrally, with short dense sensory setae; flagellum from middle to apex strongly tapered. Head very strongly narrowed backward ( Fig. 11). Vertex and temple with very smooth fine granulation, almost polished on orbits. Temple narrow at middle, in profile about 0.4 times as long as compound eye. Frons distinctly and evenly granulate. Face matt, finely granulate, in lateral depression partly with thin transverse striation; punctures very small and sparse; setae moderately long, sparse ( Fig. 12). Clypeus convex, matt, finely granulate, with punctures sparse but larger than on face ( Fig. 12); lower margin of clypeus truncate; anterior margin of truncation thin, arcuate, with weak angulation at middle in profile. Malar space about 0.6 times as long as basal mandibular width. Mandible with lower tooth slightly longer than upper tooth, with subbasal convexity about 0.4 times the length of mandible. Occipital carina distinct laterally, absent dorsally, joining hypostomal carina before mandible. Shortest distance between lateral ocellus and eye subequal to maximum diameter of lateral ocellus.

Pronotum granulate with short longitudinal rugosity along hind margin and on pronotal transverse depression; epomia present behind anterior margin of pronotum, long and oblique, ending before transverse depression. Mesoscutum evenly and finely granulate; lobes with minute sparse punctures and sparse setae on lateral margins, median parts of lobes smoother and almost impunctate. Notaulus long and deep ( Figs 11, 13). Scuto-scutellar groove smooth, with transverse rugae. Scutellum with smoothed granulation; lateral carinae of scutellum short, extending to its anterior 0.35. Mesopleuron more or less evenly granulate, with some oblique longitudinal rugae below subtegular depression and in lower part above median part of sternaulus ( Fig. 13). Lateral section of prepectal carina (in front of sternaulus) distinct. Speculum with smoothed granulation. Mesopleural pit deep and large, situated far anterior to mesepimeron. Sternaulus sinuate, deep, reaching base of mid coxa. Posterior transverse carina of mesosternum complete. Metapleuron separated from propodeum by a distinct pleural carina; submetapleural carina present, anteriorly expanded into a distinct tooth ( Fig. 13). Metapleuron and propodeum with very fine granulation partly fused with fine striation. Basal area of propodeum absent; areola partly delimited by two longitudinal carinae just behind basal transverse carina; basal transverse carina present near middle of propodeum; apical transverse carina complete; apical area subdivided by weak median longitudinal carinae (these carinae stronger laterally) ( Fig. 16).

Fore wing with areolet large ( Figs 9, 15), receiving second recurrent vein in its basal 0.33; anterior side of areolet (second section of radial vein) 3.2 times as long as 2 rs-m; vein 3 rs-m almost unpigmented. Nervulus interstitial. Postnervulus intercepted slightly above its middle (in anterior 0.55). Hind wing with nervellus intercepted at lower 0.38; brachiella distinct in basal 0.4. Hind leg with second tarsomere 1.1 times as long as tarsomeres 4 and 5 combined.

First tergite of metasoma shining, with dense longitudinal striae, twice as long as its posterior width ( Fig. 14). Tergites 2–7 polished; tergites 2 and 3 with very sparse short setae, subsequent tergites with longer setae (laterally setae somewhat denser). Ovipositor sheath about half as long as hind tibia, or 1.1 times as long as first tergite; ovipositor with weak nodus; dorsal valve between nodus and ovipositor apex 1.05 times as long as hind tarsomere 2.

Coloration ( Fig. 9). Head, scape of antenna and mesosoma completely reddish ferruginous; pedicel and basal half of first flagellomere brownish ferruginous; flagellum black, flagellomeres 5–9 white (flagellomeres 5 and 9 black ventrally, white in apical 0.5 and in basal 0.4, respectively; Fig. 9). Fore and mid legs with coxae and bases of trochanters whitish; apical halves of trochanters and trochantelli completely brownish; femora brownish ferruginous, basally brownish; tibiae and tarsi dull brownish. Hind coxa and trochanter blackish (trochanter basally whitish); hind femur reddish brown, darker at base; hind tibia uniformly dull brownish; hind tarsus pale brownish. Metasomal tergites black; posterior 0.15 of first tergite, posterior 0.65 of second tergite ( Figs 13, 14) and hind dorsal margin of tergite 6 white; tergites 7 and 8 dorsally (at least in their exposed posterior halves) extensively white, laterally below spiracles pale brown.

Male. Unknown.

Comparison. The new species is morphologically apart from other Ateleute species because it possesses an antennal flagellum with 23 flagellomeres (vs. 26–37 flagellomeres in other Ateleute species), basal (anterior) transverse carina of propodeum distinct ( Fig. 15), and first tergite longitudinally striate (unlike other Neotropical species). The colour pattern of the new species ( Fig. 9) is also unknown among other species of Ateleute , but it is very similar to that of three

D.R. Kasparyan. A review of Ateleute of North America

West Amazonian species of the genus Tamaulipeca ( Bordera & Sääksjärvi, 2012: Figs 9A–C).

Etymology. The species name is a Latin adjective multicolor (many-coloured), due to its polychrome pattern of body coloration.