A new species of Umanella Gauld (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Ecuador 77 A new species of Umanella Gauld (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from Ecuador

Recently collected specimens of the distinctive pimpline genus, Umanella, from Colombia and Ecuador are assigned to Umanella caerulea Gauld (now known from Costa Rica and Colombia) and Umanella giacometti Broad & Sääksjärvi, sp. n. (from Ecuador). Variation within and between species is evaluated.


Introduction
South America is home to several large, metallic ichneumonids, mostly in the subfamily Cryptinae. Within the subfamily Pimplinae, metallic blue pimplines were known in the genus Pimpla, then Ian Gauld described a large, distinctive, metallic blue pim-pline from Costa Rica as a new genus and species, Umanella caerulea (Gauld, 1991). Since then, several more specimens of Umanella have been collected in Colombia and Ecuador but no other specimens are known from older collections. As Umanella are large and likely to attract attention there are probably not many undescribed species. Here we evaluate the variation between specimens and describe those from Ecuador as a second species, Umanella giacometti Broad & Sääksjärviq sp. n.

Materials and methods
Specimen depositories are abbreviated as follows: BMNH Natural History Museum, London NMNH National Musuem of Natural History, Washington ZMUT Zoological Museum, University of Turku, Finland IAVH Entomological collection, Instituto Alexander von Humboldt, Villa de Leyva, Colombia Most images of specimens in BMNH were taken with a Canon EOS 450D digital camera attached to a Zeiss Stemi SV11 stereomicroscope. Several partially focused images were combined using Helicon Focus v. 4.80 software. Layer photos of one male paratype (USNM / ZMUT) were taken with an Olympus SZX16 stereomicroscope attached to an Olympus E520 digital camera. Images were combined using the programmes Deep Focus 3.1 and Quick PHOTO CAMERA 2.3. Morphological terminology follows Gauld (1991). Fore wing length is given from the hind edge of the tegula to the apex of the wing. Ovipositor length is measured from the base of the ovipositor, i.e. anterior to the end of the metasoma.

Taxonomy
Th e specimen base for this study is small as Umanella are rarely collected and apparently sparsely distributed. 'We have examined a total of 21 specimens, 12 from Costa Rica (10 females, two males) (BMNH, IAVH), four from Colombia (two females, two males) (BMNH, IAVH) and fi ve from Ecuador (two females, three males) (BMNH, USNM and ZMUT). Female specimens of U. caerulea predominate.
Although specimens from Ecuador are noticeably larger than those from Costa Rica and Colombia there are no discrete morphological diff erences between these populations. Umanella specimens lack most carinae, the integument being mostly unsculptured and metallic-looking. Th e only structural diff erences we could fi nd between females were (1) the shape of the sides of the swelling on the second tergite, and (2) overall size and the relative length of the ovipositor, as compared to fore wing length. In addition, there are distinct colour diff erences, concerning (3) the presence or absence of a violet tinge on the metasoma, (4) the colour pattern of the mid tibia and, (5) in the amount of white on the fore trochanter (see Table 1). Th e few known males off er some small diff erences between populations: the colour pattern of the mid femur and tegula diff ers between those from Ecuador and those from Costa Rica / Colombia. It seems that the single paratype of U. caerulea in BMNH is anomalously small and has a much broader fi rst tergite than the other males examined. Smaller specimens of both sexes are distinctly brown on the metasoma. Table 1 describes the characters that vary between specimens from Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador: we consider variation between Colombian and Costa Rican specimens to be minor, whereas there are distinct diff erences in several characters when comparing these specimens with those from Ecuador. Th erefore we are describing the Ecuadorean specimens as a new species.
Umanella Gauld, 1991Gauld (1991 provides an excellent description of the genus Umanella, which we are not repeating here, and provides a key to Costa Rican Pimplinae genera which serves to diagnose Umanella anywhere in South America. Of the South American Pimplinae, Umanella is the only genus with a long ovipositor, metallic blue colouration ( Fig. 1) and lacking the epicnemial carina (Fig. 2). Some Pimpla are metallic blue but can be easily separated by the relatively short ovipositor (less than half as long as fore wing), generally stout body and presence of the epicnemial carina. Some Neotropical Dolichomitus resemble Umanella in body shape but are never metallic blue in colouration and lack the lateral denticles on the apex of the upper valve of the ovipositor. Gauld, 1991 Description. See Gauld (1991). Essentially similar to U. giacometti but diff ering in the characters listed in Table 1. Only characters that are useful in diff erentiating U. caerulea from U. giacometti are emphasised here, although complete descriptions of female and male colour patterns are given.
Colour: metallic blue, duller towards apex of metasoma, fading to dark brown. Metasoma with purple tinge, sometimes strongly so. Ground colour of metasoma brown. Female from Colombia (BMNH) with metasoma largely brown, but with some blue and purple gloss. Antennae black, except for white, sub-apical annulus on fi ve to seven fl agellomeres. Maxillary palps dark brown basally and apically, dull white on third and fourth segments.'Tegula centrally metallic blue, brown around edges. Wing venation, including stigma, dark brown. Wing membrane slightly infuscate basally, distinctly infuscate in apical quarter. Legs with coxae, trochanters and trochantelli shiny, metallic (dark) blue. Fore leg with large apical patch on trochanter (or entire front side) creamy white, extreme apex of trochantellus brown, conspicuous creamy streak along front edge of femur (from apical half to entire length); fore tibia with basal 0.6 brown (slightly paler sub-basally); fore tarsus brown fading to yellowish on third and fourth tarsomeres, fi fth tarsomere black. Mid femur with tiny basal patch to conspicuous basal streak creamy; mid tibia brown with dull yellowish mark sub-basally and fading to yellowish on apical quarter (black at extreme apex) (Fig. 4A, B) or almost entirely white (black very apically (Fig. 4C). Legs otherwise marked as in U. giacometti but pale markings are duller, usually more yellow.
Paratype male (BMNH). Whole insect: Fig. 6. Fore wing length 7.5 mm, body length (from antennal insertion to apex of genitalia) 7.8 mm. Submetapleural carina complete. First metasomal tergite 2.2 × as long as maximum width (Fig. 5A), second tergite 1.6 x as long as wide. Second and third tergites with strong diagonal, basal grooves cutting off raised, central section which is raised posteriorly. First and second tergites with strong setae laterally, fi rst tergite and basal half of second smooth dorsally, metasoma setose dorsally from second half of second tergite. Sclerotized part of fi rst tergite extending to 0.2 of distance between spiracle and hind edge. Some dorsal punctures on apical half of second tergite, following tergites regularly punctate and setose dorsally.
Colour: head and mesosoma metallic blue. Antennae black, white on 7 (22nd to 28th) fl agellomeres. Maxillary and labial palps white. Tegula brown. Wing venation, including stigma, dark brown. Wing membrane clear basally, slightly infuscate in apical quarter. Fore leg white on fore side, except apical tarsomere brown. Hind side of fore leg basally white, trochantellus and femur brown; fore tibia pale brown over basal quarter, apex narrowly dark brown; fore tarsus pale brown except apical tarsomere dark brown. Mid leg with coxa and trochanter white, trochantellus brown, fore side of femur brown on basal 0.15, remainder white, fore side of mid tibia vaguely infuscate brown basally and medially, dark brown at very apex, hind side of femur brown, hind side of tibia brown over basal 0.6, slightly paler patch sub-basally, mid tarsus dark brown on fi rst, second and fi fth tarsomeres, third and fourth white. Hind leg with metallic blue coxa, metallic darker blue on trochanter and trochantellus, turning to black on femur; apex of hind trochantellus and base of femur narrowly brown; hind tibia black with narrow annulus sub-basally, white on outer side, brown on inner side; hind tarsus dark brown on fi rst, basal 0.7 of second and apical 0.5 of fi fth tarsomeres, remainder white. Metasoma with fi rst tergite metallic blue, second and third tergites brown with dark brown apical rims, remaining tergites dark brown; fi rst sternite with sclerotized part metallic blue, sclerotized sections of other sternites brown, membranous parts of sternites white.
Variation. 'Th e single male in BMNH seems to be unusually small and stout, compared to male specimens from Colombia in IAVH and has deformed antennae (Fig. 7). One male in IAVH has the metasoma almost entirely metallic blue. Th ere is variation in the amount of white on the mid tibia of females (Fig. 4A, B, C), in the amount of metallic blue colouration on the metasoma and in the relative length of the ovipositor ( Table 1). Much of this variation we assume is size-related (smaller specimens seem to be more extensively white and brown), but one female specimen from Colombia in IAVH is particularly stout, with length to breadth ratios of the 1st and 2nd tergites of 3.4 and 2.1, respectively, and the ovipositor only 1.6 x the length of the fore wing (which is relatively large, at 14 mm). Th e mid tibia of this specimen is almost entirely white. Whether this specimen represents a third species or is just at the extreme end of variation within U. caerulea we are unable to say at present but it would be desirable to see more Umanella specimens from Colombia.
Biology. Nothing is known. Distribution. Known from from Costa Rica (see Gauld, 1991, Gauld et al., 1998 Epomia present for short distance across trough in pronotum. Notauli deep and long, converging but not meeting posteriorly, petering out at about half the length of mesoscutum. Epicnemial carina absent (Fig. 2). Mesopleurum with posterior suture weakly impressed dorsally, strong ventrally, smooth except for some weak crenulae, and deeply impressed furrow connnecting suture to episternal scrobe. Mesepisternal sulcus complete, strong and non-crentulate. Posterior transverse carina of mesosternum absent. Propodeum lacking all carinae except pleural and submetapleural carinae, which are complete, and stubs of median longitudinal carinae, present at posterior end of propodeum. Faint, narrow groove present on dorsal, ventral half of propodeum. Propodeal spiracle about twice as long as medially wide. Whole body elongate and integument entirely smooth and shining except mandible sparsely punctate basally, puncto-striate medially. Upper tooth of mandible slightly shorter than lower tooth. Hind coxa about 1.2 as long as dorsal face of propodeum. First tergite of metasoma 4.4 × as long as apically wide, second tergite 2.8 × as long as apically wide. First tergite with swollen, apical area, posterior end impressed behind it. Sclerotized part of fi rst sternite with low, raised bump just before level of spiracle; extends to half distance between spiracle and posterior end of tergite. Second tergite with deep, diagonal grooves cutting off anterior corners; narrow, drop-shaped median area defi ned, sides of raised area concave (Fig. 3C). Th ird and fourth tergites with deep, lateral grooves. Metasoma with strong setae laterally. All tarsal claws with acute basal lobe. Fore tibia with longitudinal patch of stronger, darker setae. Propodeum with coxal foramen narrowly separated from metasomal foramen by sclerotized bridge. Ovipositor with tip angled downwards. Lower valve of ovipositor apically slightly overlapping dorsal valve, with 13 visible teeth, regularly spaced and inclined. Dorsal valve with row of lateral denticles above teeth on each side.
Colour: metallic blue, duller towards apex of metasoma. Antennae black, except for white, sub-apical annulus on three and a half fl agellomeres (23rd to 26th) to fi ve (holotype, 23rd to 27th) fl agellomeres. Maxillary palps dark brown, a little paler centrally, ventrally. Tegula metallic blue. Wing venation, including stigma, dark brown. Wing membrane slightly infuscate basally (holotype) or distinctly brown, distinctly infuscate in apical quarter. Legs with coxae, trochanters and trochantelli shiny, metallic (dark) blue. Fore leg with apical edge of trochanter creamy white with white streak extending over basal half of anterior surface of fore femur, extreme apex of trochantellus and base of femur brown; fore tibia with basal 0.6 brown (slightly paler sub-basally); fore tarsus brown except apical half of third and fourth tarsomeres creamy, fi fth tarsomere black. Mid tibia black with small, dull creamy mark sub-basally and abruptly  white on apical quarter (black at extreme apex) (Fig. 4D); mid tarsus brown to black, except fourth and apical half of third tarsomere creamy. Hind tibia with white annulus sub-basally; hind tarsus black on fi rst, basal half of second and apical half of fi fth tarsomeres, remainder creamy. Paratype males. Whole insect: Figs 8, 9. Fore wing length 10-14 mm, body length (from antennal insertion to apex of genitalia) 15-21 mm. Submetapleural carina complete to about two thirds length of propodeum then abruptly weaker (barely traceable on smaller specimen) for remainder. First metasomal tergite 3.7 to 4.0 × as long as maximum width (Fig. 5B), second tergite 2.7 to 3.1 × as long as wide. Second and third tergites with strong diagonal, basal grooves cutting off raised, central section which is raised posteriorly (Fig. 10). First and second tergites with strong setae laterally but smooth dorsally. Sclerotized part of fi rst tergite extending to 0.5 of distance between spiracle and hind edge. Th ird tergite regularly punctate and setose dorsally. Fourth tergite onwards setose dorsally with inconspicuous punctures.
Colour: head and mesosoma metallic blue. Antennae dark brown to black, white on 3-11 (22nd to 32nd) fl agellomeres. Maxillary and labial palps cream coloured. Tegula white-transparent. Wing venation, including stigma, dark brown. Wing membrane clear basally, infuscate in apical quarter. Fore leg white on fore side, except apical tarsomere black or dark brown, other tarsomeres off white, basal half of fi rst tarsomere pale brown to white. Hind side of fore leg basally white, but coxa with slight brown hint, femur with broad ventral streak on apical 0.7, light or dark brown fading into metallic blue; fore tibia brown on basal half, apex narrowly dark brown. Mid leg with coxa and trochanter white, trochantellus dark brown to black, fore side of femur dark brown to black on basal 0.15, remainder white; mid tibia almost totally white or dark brown on basal half, except for slightly paler subbasal patch, narrowly black at apex; mid tarsus dark brown to black on fi rst and fi fth tarsomeres, second and third dark brown fading to off white, fourth white. Hind leg with metallic blue coxa, shiny black or dark brown trochanter, trochantellus and femur; inner apex of hind trochantellus off -white, base of femur narrowly whitish to brown; hind tibia black or brown with narrow white annulus sub-basally, but uniformly black or brown dorsally; hind tarsus dark brown to black on fi rst, basal Metasoma with fi rst to fi fth or sixth tergites metallic blue, fading to dark brown or near black, apical tergites dark brown to shiny black; fi rst sternite with sclerotized part metallic blue, sclerotized sections of other sternites shiny black to brown, membranous parts of sternites white. Variation. Th e male in USNM/ZMUT is smaller than the two males in BMNH and is more extensively white on the antennal fl agellomeres and mid tibia. Biology. No specimens of Umanella have been reared but the holotype and three paratypes (BMNH) were collected whilst fl ying around a standing, dead tree trunk. Th e hosts may be large coleopteran larvae. Th e ovipositor shape is rather similar to that of Dolichomitus species, which are parasitoids of beetle larvae in dead wood. Th ree specimens have been found at fairly high (1,100m) altitude whilst one male was collected by canopy fogging at fairly low (216 m) altitude. In this respect the new species resembles Umanella caerulea, which also inhabits tropical forests of various altitudes (Gauld et al., 1998 Etymology. We are pleased to give the name suggested by Mrs Jean Halperin, who won a competition to name this beautiful species in celebration of the opening of the Natural History Museum's Darwin Centre Two, where the holotype is housed. Th e    name refers to the wasp's resemblance to the slender, attenuated fi gures of the Swiss artist, Alberto Giacometti and is a noun in apposition.