Corresponding author: Carol Castillo (
Academic editor: N. Johnson
A new species of Acaenitinae,
The Acaenitinae is one of the most conspicuous subfamilies of Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera). It is clearly monophyletic as defined by at least one striking synapomorphy: the very long and triangular hypopygium of the female, although less developed in some species of the
Many acaenitines are large in size, vividly coloured and possess long ovipositors. Despite this, little is known about their biology and specimens are rare in entomological collections. Many species of the subfamily live in ancient forests and in the Neotropics have been found in highlands (
The aim of the present paper is to describe a new species of
The only known specimen of the new species is deposited in The Natural History Museum, University of San Marcos, Lima, Peru (UNSM). The specimen is currently on loan to the Zoological Museum, University of Turku, Finland (ZMUT). We searched for more Neotropical specimens of
To verify the new species status of our Peruvian specimen, we examined specimens of 10 of the 15 previously described
Observations were made using Olympus SZX10 and SZ40 stereomicroscopes. Layer photos of the holotype were taken using an Olympus SZX16 with motorized focus drive attached to an Olympus E520 digital camera. Digital photos were combined by using the programmes Deep Focus 3.1 and Quick PHOTO CAMERA 2.3. Images of specimens in BMNH were taken with a Canon EOS 450D digital camera attached to a Leica MZ12 stereomicroscope and with a Canon EOS 450D with a Pentax 50 mm macro lens. Several partially focused images were combined using Helicon Focus v. 4.80 software. Digital photos at CNC were made using a Leica MZ16 stereomicroscope with motorized focus drive attached to a Leica DFC420 digital camera. Photos were combined using Leica Application Suites Montage Multifocus software. Morphological terminology and forms of description follow those of
Moderately large wasps, mostly black, black and white or black and yellow; legs may be reddish or yellowish in part; antennae with or without white band; fore wing with or without dark spots. Mandible with dorsal tooth equal to or slightly shorter than ventral tooth; clypeus with a pre-apical transverse ridge, the apical edge with medial tubercle in most species; subocular sulcus complete; face centrally swollen, with weak transverse ridges or weak central rugose ridges, and with median vertical ridge which extends between antennae and onto frons as distinct carina; occipital carina complete dorsally. Notaulus strong, reaching posteriorly to centre of mesoscutum; scutellum flattened, laterally carinate at least at anterior end; submetapleural carinae more or less complete, not expanded anteriorly; propodeum quite long, with more or less clearly defined area superomedia; propodeal spiracle elliptical. Fore wing without areolet, intercubitus distal to 2
Specimens at CNC with intermediate colour patterns indicate that
1 | Propodeum completely black ( |
2 |
– | Propodeum with at least some light colour ( |
8 |
2(1) | Fore wing with one or two discrete, dark spots ( |
3 |
– | Fore wing lacking discrete, dark spots, at most vaguely infuscate on apical margin; male antenna not broadly yellow-white apically | 7 |
3(2) | Fore wing with two discrete dark marks, one at apex of wing and one adjacent to pterostigma | |
– | Fore wing with only apical dark mark | 4 |
4(3) | Flagellum entirely dark | |
– | Flagellum not entirely dark: lighter ventrally than dorsally and/ or with a medial light band | 5 |
5(4) | Hind femurpredominantly orange-red | |
– | Hind femur predominantly black or dark brown | 6 |
6(5) | Hind tibia orange to orange-brown in basal half | |
– | Hind tibia pale yellow or ivory in basal half | |
7(2) | First and second tergites with light-coloured posterior margins | |
– | First and second tergites completely black | |
8(1) | Hind tibia entirely black except may be narrowly light coloured at extreme base | 9 |
– | Hind tibia broadly yellow/white at base, can be black apically, or mostly yellow or red | 10 |
9(8) | Antennal flagellum without white band ( |
|
– | Antennal flagellum with white band ( |
|
10(8) | Hind tibia completely yellow or orange, at most, slightly darker orange at apex | 11 |
– | Hind tibia with some dark colour (black or brown) | 13 |
11(10) | First sternite sub-basally strongly convex, like a tubercle | |
– | First sternite sub-basally weakly convex, not tuberculate | 12 |
12(11) | Mesoscutum black or orange, sometimes with restricted lighter coloured areas, but not a continuous lighter coloured stripe along notaulus; middle of pronotum just dorsoposterior to pronotal trough almost impunctate, punctures separated by much more than their diameter | |
– | Mesoscutum black with extensive yellow or white regions, notaulus completely encompassed by a wide yellow or white stripe; middle of pronotum punctate, punctures separated by their own diameter or less | |
13(10) | Mesoscutum black or orange, notaulus not completely encompassed by a wide yellow or white stripe | 14 |
– | Mesoscutum black with extensive yellow or white regions, notaulus completely encompassed by a wide yellow or white stripe | 16 |
14(13) | Metapleuron extensively rugose to rugoso-punctate ( |
|
– | Metapleuron finely to densely punctate without rugosity | 15 |
15(14) | Metapleuron polished with fine punctures separated by much more than their diameter ( |
|
- | Metapleuron sub-polished with coarser punctures separated by their own diameter or less; hind femur ventrally with a strong, subapical swelling that narrows abruptly towards apex; female with mesoscutum completely black | |
16(13) | Hind tibia with at least basal 0.4 light coloured (basal 0.6 light in some specimens) | |
– | Hind tibia with no more than basal 0.2 light coloured |
Peru, Dept. of Cusco, Manu National Park, Cosñipata valley, San Pedro,
Holotype female, pinned. Original label: “Peru, CU, San Pedro,
Habitus in
Yellowish species with black marks. Head light yellow with temple, frons and inner margin of occiput black; antenna black except infuscate tip on last flagellomere. Mesosoma mostly light yellow with dorsal and hind margins of pronotum black, mesoscutum black with yellow marks on lateral and hind regions of central lobe, U-shaped mark in dorsal view, lateral sides of mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum also yellow, hind margin of mesopleurum, mesosternum and anterior half of propodeum black. Wings slightly yellowish, with apex broadly infumate, pterostigma and veins black. Fore and mid legs with light yellow on dorsal surfaces of trochanters and femora, most of tibiae and all tarsi infuscate; hind leg black with yellow marks on lower half of coxa, two oval yellow marks on dorsal and lateral sides of coxa, most of trochanter and ventral half of femur light yellow. Metasoma black, tergites 1-2 with broad yellowish marks close to hind margin, tergite 3 almost entirely black, tergites 4+ with hind margins and lateral spots light yellow; subgenital plate infuscate with upper margin yellowish; ovipositor orange, ovipositor sheaths black with dull yellow tip.
Unknown.
The host of
The type locality is in a primary forest at the south east limit of Manu National Park. On the eastern slopes of the Andes, this altitude (1500 m) is considered as a major ecotone between the humid montane forest and the premontane forest belt (
Ucumari is the quechuan name for the only South American species of bear,
During the process of comparing specimens to verify the new species status of
In most ichneumonid species in which subspecies are recognized, the only indicator of subspecies is colour, not sculpture. For example,
Propodeum of neotropical species of
Habitus, lateral view.
Metapleuron, lateral view.
Whereas description of a species based on a single specimen is not ideal, we are confident that the species is distinct based on the unique combination of characters listed in the diagnosis and our assessment of species-specific characters within the genus
In our opinion, it is important to describe the new species now, rather than wait for additional material to be collected. Considering the extensive collecting done in this region, for example, the Colombian Arthropod Project (CAP) from 2001 to 2003, 188 Malaise trap months in Peru from 1998-2001 (
Key morphological differences between
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Frons with strong oblique striations extending from medial ocellus towards eye. Orbit with dense, coarse punctures near antenna ( |
Frons with weak striations or striations absent between medial ocellus and eye. Orbit with moderately fine, sparse punctures near antenna ( |
Scutellum and propodeum black. | Scutellum and propodeum marked with light colour (creamy-white to yellow). |
Head, dorsal view.
Personal funding for Carol Castillo was provided by the Turku University Foundation and the Kone Foundation, Finland (research grants to the research team of Ilari E. Sääksjärvi). The Amazon Conservation Association (Peru) awarded financial support for the field work. Research permits were issued by the Ministry of Environment (Peru). Diana Barnes (CNC) produced the images of