Townesia dioryctirae Sheng, Li & Lü, 2025

Li, Tao, Lü, Jun & Sheng, Mao-Ling, 2025, A new species of genus Townesia Ozols (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae) parasitizing Dioryctria rubella, Zootaxa 5647 (2), pp. 145-150 : 146-149

Townesia dioryctirae Sheng, Li & Lü , sp. nov.

( Figures 1–10 )

Etymology. The name of the new species is based on host’s name.

Material. Holotype, Female , CHINA: Kuandian Manzu Autonomous County, Liaoning Province, 5 July 2020, reared from Dioryctria rubella Hampson by Jun Lü.

Diagnosis. Face ( Fig. 2 ) 1.5 × as wide as long. Malar space approximately 0.2 × as long as basal width of mandible. Postocellar line approximately as long as ocular-ocellar line. Ratio of length of hind tarsomeres from first to fifth: 11.4:5.1:2.6:1.0:2.5. Fore wing vein 1cu-a opposite M&RS. Tergite 2 ( Fig. 9 ) approximately 1.8 × as long as anterior width. Ventral lobe of lower valve of ovipositor ( Fig. 1 ) with 14 ridges, anterior 5 ridges strongly reclivous, remainder vertical or almost vertical.

Description. Female ( Fig. 1 ). Body length approximately 14.1 mm. Fore wing length 9.8 mm. Ovipositor sheath approximately 26.8 mm.

Head. Face ( Fig. 2 ) approximately 1.5 × as wide as long, with fine dense punctures and yellowish white setae; upper median portion distinctly convex; dorsal median margin evenly concave, with a small tubercle. Area between antennal socket and eye longitudinally concave. Clypeus 2.8 × as wide as median length; smooth, shiny, along upper margin with yellowish brown setae; transversely convex medially; apical margin with median deep concavity. Mandible shiny, with uneven punctures and yellow brown setae; upper tooth shorter than lower tooth. Malar space approximately 0.2 × as long as basal width of mandible. Gena smooth ( Fig. 3 ), with uneven fine punctures on posterior portion; in dorsal view, evenly converging to occipital carina. Vertex ( Fig. 4 ) with distinct uneven punctures. Stemmaticum with fine longitudinal groove, postocellar line approximately as long as ocular-ocellar line. Upper portion of frons with dense punctures and yellow brown setae; lower portion slightly concave, smooth. Antenna with 31 flagellomeres, ratio of length from first to fifth flagellomeres: 1.5:1.1:1.1:1.0:1.0. Occipital carina complete, joining hypostomal carina above base of mandible, dorsal median portion evenly concave.

Mesosoma. Pronotum ( Figs 5 , 7 ) with uneven dense punctures, lateral median portion smooth shiny, unpunctate. Epomia strong. Mesoscutum ( Fig. 6 ) almost shiny, with uneven punctures and whitish yellow setae, distance between punctures 1.0–3.5 × diameter of puncture. Notauli distinct anteriorly, reaching almost to middle of mesoscutum. Scutoscutellar groove deep, shiny, with sparse thin setae. Scutellum evenly convex, with fine punctures. Postscutellum almost smooth, anterior portion distinctly concave, posterior convex transversely. Mesopleuron ( Fig. 7 ) with fine punctures; speculum and its surrounding areas smooth, shiny. Upper end of epicnemial carina reaching to 0.7 distance to subtegular ridge. Metapleuron convex, with fine dense punctures and yellowish white setae. Ratio of length of hind tarsomeres from first to fifth: 11.4:5.1:2.6:1.0:2.5. Wings ( Fig. 1 ) slightly gray, hyaline. Areolet oblique quadrangle. Vein 1cu-a opposite M&RS. Postnervulus intercepted slightly below middle. Hind wing vein 1-cu slightly longer than cu-a. Propodeum ( Fig. 8 ) evenly convex, shiny, with roughened sculpture, punctures dense, blurring; postero-median portion with weak transverse wrinkles, antero-median smooth, shiny; base of lateromedian longitudinal carina vestige; pleural carina complete; propodeal spiracle circular.

Metasoma. Tergite 1 1.2 × as long as posterior width, approximately 0.7 × as long as tergite 2; posterior portion with dense punctures, anterior smooth, shiny, anteromedian concave; latero-median carina present, reaching beyond middle of tergite 1; dorso-lateral and ventro-lateral carinae complete; spiracle small, circular, located approximately at 0.4 of tergite 1. Tergites 2–5 with dense punctures. Tergite 2 ( Fig. 9 ) approximately 1.8 × as long as anterior width, distance between punctures 0.1–1.0 × diameter of puncture; posterior margin smooth, approximately 0.2 × as long as tergite 2. Tergites 3–5 with punctures denser and finer than that of tergite 2. Lateral tubercles distinct. Tergite 6 almost shiny, with indistinct fine transverse wrinkles and fine punctures. Ovipositor sheath ( Fig. 1 ) approximately 7.6 × as long as hind tibia. Ventral lobe of lower valve of ovipositor ( Fig. 10 ) with 14 ridges, lower portions of anterior 5 strongly reclivous, remainder vertical or almost vertical.

Coloration ( Fig. 1 ). Black, except for the following: clypeus, maxillary and labial palpi, dorso-posterior portion of pronotum, tegula yellowish brown. All coxae reddish brown except bases brownish black. Fore and middle trochanters yellow. Fore legs browish yellow. Basal portion of middle femur, dorsal profiles of femora and tibiae blackish brown. Middle tarsus, hind tibia almost entirely and tarsus brownish black. Hind femur yellowish brown, basal ventral profile of tibia slightly brownish. Pterostigma except base and veins brownish black.

Host. Dioryctria rubella Hampson.

Host plant. Pinus koraiensis Siebold et Zuccarini.

Remarks. This new species is similar to T. sulcata Sheng & Li, 2019 : both with body entirely black, Gena smooth, shiny, fore wing 1cu-a opposite or almost opposite M&RS, tergites 2 and 3 with dense punctures. It can be distinguished from T. sulcata by the following combination of characters: face ( Fig. 2 ) with dense punctures; postocellar line as long as ocular-ocellar line; gena, in dorsal view, evenly converging to occipital carina; metapleuron with dense punctures; ovipositor sheath approximately 2.7 × as long as fore wing; lower portions of anterior 5 ridges of ventral lobe of ovipositor ( Fig. 10 ) strongly reclivous, upper portions vertical; clypeus and tegula yellow brown; hind tibia almost entirely and tarsus brownish black. T. sulcata : face smooth, with sparse, fine punctures; postocellar line approximately 0.8 × as long as ocular-ocellar line; gena, in dorsal view, slightly convex medially; metapleuron shiny, with sparse fine punctures; ovipositor sheath approximately 1.6 × as long as fore wing; ridges of ventral lobe of ovipositor almost entirely vertical; clypeus fusco-testaceous; tegula yellow; main portion of hind tibia yellowish brown to brown, apical portion dark brown; hind tarsus dark brown to black brown.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Townesia dioryctirae Sheng, Li & Lü, sp. nov. Holotype. Female. Habitus, lateral view.

FIGURES 2–5. Townesia dioryctirae Sheng, Li & Lü, sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 2. Head, anterior view 3. Head, lateral view 4. Head, dorsal view 5. Pronotum, lateral view.

FIGURES 6–10. Townesia dioryctirae Sheng, Li & Lü, sp. nov. Holotype. Female. 6. Mesoscutum 7. Mesosoma, lateral view 8. Propodeum 9. Tergites 2–3, dorsal view 10. Apical portion of ovipositor, lateral view.