Ophion ellenae Johansson & Cederberg 2019, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Johansson, Niklas
name: Cederberg, Björn
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Ichneumonidae
Ophion
Ophion ellenae

description: Ophion ellenae Johansson sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 66D1B37B-DDE5-44DA-8B9E-968A65D91769
Figs 8D, 10G, 18F, 21A, C, 32
Diagnosis
Superficially similar to Ophion inclinans Johansson sp. nov. and O. arenarius Johansson sp. nov., but never with the dorsal undulation on the first tergite. Usually more densely punctured face below the antennal sockets, more prominent and sharper pleurosternal angles and stouter flagellomeres. Closely related and very similar to O. perkinsi and O. norei Johansson sp. nov., but with the head more narrowed behind the eyes, no gap between the eye and lateral ocellus, complete anterior transverse carina of the propodeum and more numerous flagellomeres. Most closely related, however, to O. matti Johansson sp. nov., but distinguished by the more shining and less densely punctate mesoscutum, the shorter area superomedia and the more elongate basal flagellomeres.
Etymology
The species is named in honour of the authors’ wife, Ellen Nystedt.
Material examined
30 ♀♀, 1 ♂ (Sweden); 2 ♀♀ (Finland); 1 ♀ (Estonia); 1 ♀ (Lithuania).
Type material
Holotype SWEDEN • ♀; Närke, Lerbäck, Hugghult; 58.949° N, 15.045° E; 15 Aug. 2003; A. Larsson leg.; Sweepnet; STI-NJBC188; NHRS-HEVA000008654.
ParatypesSWEDEN • 1 ♀; Gotland, Sundre, Suders; 56.945° N, 18.303° E; 14 Jul.–17 Aug. 2017; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap; NHRS-HEVA000008655 • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; Gotland, Sundre, Suders; 56.945° N, 18.303° E; 29 Jul.–18 Sep. 2017; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap in deciduous woodland; STI-NJBC307, STI-NJBC301; NHRS-HEVA000008656 to NHRS-HEVA000008658 • 1 ♀; Gotland, Tofta, Nasume myr; 57.537° N, 18.129° E; 23 Jul. 2016; J. Törnvall leg.; MV-light by mire; NHRS-HEVA000008659 • 1 ♀; Skåne, Klippan, Bonnarpshed; 56.087° N, 13.176° E; 5–30 Aug. 2007; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap in open grazed heathland; STI-NJBC87; NHRS-HEVA000008660 • 1 ♀; Gotland, Sundre, Barrshage; 56.922° N, 18.186° E; 28 Aug.–22 Sep. 2017; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap in wet meadows surrounded by deciduous forest; NHRS-HEVA000008661 • 1 ♀; Öland, Borgholm, Halltorps hage; 56.794° N, 16.573° E; 24–30 Jul. 1938; N. Bruce leg.; NHRS-HEVA000008662 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 1–5 Aug. 1939; N. Bruce leg.; NHRS-HEVA000008663 • 1 ♀; Uppland, Rådmansö, Bergholmen; 59.708° N, 18.955° E; 29 Jul.–18 Sep. 2017; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap in coastal mixed forest; NHRS-HEVA000008664 • 1 ♀; Öland, Mörbylånga, Räpplinge; 56.827° N, 16.660° E; 27 Jul.1975; L.-Å. Janzon leg.; MV-light; MZLU Type no. 6370:1 • 4 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 26 Jul. 1980; L.-Å. Janzon leg.; MV-light; MZLU Type no. 6370:2 to MZLU Type no. 6370:5 • 1 ♀; Gotland, Hamra, Långmyre; 56.962° N, 18.292° E; 2–25 Aug. 1997; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap; STI-NJBC305; NHRS-HEVA000008665 • 1 ♀; Gotland, Hamra, Tuvlandet; 56.966° N, 18.308° E; 15 Jul.–18 Aug. 2017; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg. MV-light trap in abandoned farmland; STI-NJBC306; NHRS-HEVA000008666.
Description
Fore wing length 15–16 mm. Antenna with 52–54 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 3.5 times as long as wide. Second flagellomere about 2.2 times as long as wide. Central flagellomeres stout, about 1.2–1.3 times as long as wide. Subapical flagellomeres approximately 1.5 times as long as wide (Fig. 8D). Temple relatively short. Head in lateral view with temple 0.4–0.5 times as long as compound eye (Fig. 21C). Gap between compound eye and lateral ocellus 0.1 times the diameter of ocellus. Face below antennal sockets with dense punctures. Interstices between punctures 0.5 times their diameter. Malar space about 0.1–0.2 times as long as mandibular base in female and male. Mandibular gape rightangled, with internal angles. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus short, reaching 0.2–0.4 times the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius sinuous. Mesoscutum shining with irregular and weak punctures, interstices between punctures about equal to their diameter (Fig. 21A). Mesopleuron shagreened with deep, dense punctures, space between punctures 0.5 times their diameter. Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles almost in level with sternal angles, pleurosternal angles right angled. Scutellum quite wide with distinct lateral carinae in basal 0.8–0.9 (as in Fig. 6C). Propodeum with very weak rugose structure, shining with anterior and posterior transverse carina often strongly raised. Central longitudinal carinae strong, lateral longitudinal carina absent. Area superomedia relatively short, almost square (Figs 10G, 18F). Hind trochantellus shorter than wide in dorsal view. Legs normal with hind femur about 6.0 times as long as wide. Sclerotised part of first sternite ending distinctly posterior to spiracle at a distance equal to that between hind margin of the sclerotised part of the first sternite and hind margin of the first tergite. Inner spur of hind tibia as long as 0.5 times metatarsus.
Colour
Body testaceous. Mandibular teeth black. Head with inner and outer orbits yellow. Ovipositor sheath testaceous.
DNA barcode
The DNA barcode sequences of six Swedish specimens of Ophion ellenae Johansson sp. nov. are available at the BOLD systems database (www.boldsystems.org, BIN. BOLD: ADM4635. Specimen codes: STI-NJBC: 87, 188, 301, 305–307).
Ecology
One male and one female kept in NHRS (Sweden, Upl, Sandhamn, Ljungdahl leg.) have been reared from the rare moth Hadena bicruris (Hufnagel, 1766). The available data for the parasitoid suggests a connection to open dry, sandy or rocky grassland, which also is the main habitat of the known host and some of its close relatives. Ophion ellenae Johansson sp. nov. is active from late July to early September.
Distribution in Sweden
Most frequently collected in coastal areas of the eastern parts of Central Sweden where it can be locally abundant. Older records are known from a wider area in Central Sweden (Uppland, Västmanland and Dalsland) indicating a decline during the last century.
Remarks
This species is very closely related to O. matti Johansson sp. nov. (Fig. 4). The two species are very similar and also share the same BIN. The slight but distinct morphological differences, supported by the barcoding results motivates the description of a separate species.
description: Published as part of Johansson, Niklas & Cederberg, Björn, 2019, Review of the Swedish species of Ophion (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae), with the description of 18 new species and an illustrated key to Swedish species, pp. 1-136 in European Journal of Taxonomy 550 on pages 64-66, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2019.550, http://zenodo.org/record/3476402