Zealochus Khalaim 2004
Creators: name: Khalaim, Andrey I.
name: Ward, Darren F.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Ichneumonidae
Zealochus

description: Genus Zealochus Khalaim, 2004
Type species: Zealochus supergranulatus Khalaim, 2004.
Description. Head and mesosoma entirely finely and evenly granulate, impunctate or with very fine inconspicuous punctures, dull; clypeus scabrous to almost smooth, with scattered distinct punctures.
Head in profile hypognathous with occipital foramen more or less at the centre. Head in dorsal view roundly tapered behind eyes (Figs 48, 54), with gena about 0.65× as long as eye width. Clypeus relatively small, with central part enlarged and apically rounded, often angularly so, so that clypeus appears subtriangular (Fig. 51). Antennal insertion, in profile, approximately at centre of head. Flagellum with 15–17 flagellomeres, basally very slender, apically clavate (Figs 46, 50, 53). Mandible strongly tapered basally, apically strongly twisted so that the mandible in front view appears unidentate; upper tooth much longer than the lower (Figs 47, 52). Malar space 0.8–1.0× as long as basal mandibular width. Occipital carina complete. Hypostomal carina absent.
Notaulus strongly impressed anteriorly, with strong longitudinal wrinkle on anterolateral side of mesoscutum. Scutellum weakly convex, with lateral longitudinal carinae developed only at its extreme base. Epicnemial carina reaching up about halfway, its upper end abruptly curved to reach anterior margin of mesopleuron. Foveate groove weak to moderately deep, with short transverse wrinkles, S-curved or weakly upcurved anteriorly (Figs 52, 53, 55). Propodeum (Fig. 49) evenly granulate, with posterior transverse carina distinct, arching from pleural carina across the propodeum. Propodeum without longitudinal carinae mediodorsally; basal area about as long as apical area; apical area very broad, widely rounded anteriorly; apical longitudinal carinae complete or incomplete. Propodeal spiracle small, round, separated from pleural carina by distance up to 2.0× diameter of spiracle.
Fore wing (Figs 5, 6, 56) with vein R1 reaching apex of the wing. Veins Rs+2r and Rs meeting at right or slightly acute angle. Vein 2rs-m short and thick. Vein 2m-cu strongly antefurcal to postfurcal, weakly pigmented anteriorly and distinct posteriorly. Posterior abscissa of postnervulus present, thus the brachial cell is closed posteriorly. Hind wing with nervellus (cu1&cu-a) weakly reclivous. Legs slender; hind coxa of female without a ventral ridge; tarsal claws not pectinate.
Metasoma with first tergite finely granulate; petiole cylindrical or slightly depressed, laterally sometimes longitudinally striate. Glymma small, situated more or less in centre of tergite and joining by furrow to ventral part of petiole. Second tergite weakly elongate, 1.1–1.2× as long as anteriorly broad. Thyridial depression elongate, about twice as long as broad. Female with ovipositor long and slender, upcurved, with two dorsal subapical teeth and fine teeth ventrally. Male with genital capsule of normal dimensions.
Remarks. Zealochus is endemic to New Zealand where it is represented by three morphologically very similar species. The genus differs from other New Zealand tersilochine genera by the combination of strongly twisted mandibles (so in front view they appear unidentate) and long ovipositor with a double nodus. It is also characterized by clavate antennae, strong notaulus, broad basal area of propodeum and unspecialized hind coxa of female.
Key to species of Zealochus
1. Ovipositor sheath 2.5–3.0× as long as hind tibia (Fig. 16). Fore wing with vein 2m-cu weakly to strongly antefurcal (Fig. 56). Foveate groove usually weak, situated in centre of mesopleuron and separated from anterior margin of mesopleuron by granulate area (Figs 53, 55). Head and mesosoma usually darkened with brown or dark reddish brown; if gena darkened then mesoscutum, mesopleuron and metapleuron are also darkened; female with mesoscutum often with three clearly delineated black marks.................................................................... Z. supergranulatus Khalaim
- Ovipositor sheath somewhat shorter, at most 2.4× as long as hind tibia (Figs 15, 17). Fore wing with vein 2m-cu postfurcal to weakly antefurcal (Figs 5, 6). Foveate groove distinct, crenulate and usually reaching anterior margin of mesopleuron (Fig. 52). Head and mesosoma sometimes extensively orange (Figs 46–48); female with mesoscutum without clearly delineated black marks.............................................................................................. 2
2. Head extensively dark reddish brown excepting yellow clypeus, orange lower face and yellowish orange spot at base of mandible (sometimes entire lower gena yellowish orange) (Figs 50–52). Flagellum almost uniformly fuscous, slightly clavate, with subapical flagellomere distinctly elongate, 1.2–1.3× as long as broad (Fig. 50). Fore wing with vein 2m-cu interstitial or slightly postfurcal (Fig. 6). Propodeal spiracle separated from pleural carina by 1.0–2.0× diameter of spiracle (Fig. 52). Ovipositor with apex strongly upcurved (Fig. 17).......................................................... Z. stepheni sp. nov.
- Head yellowish orange with only inter- and postocellar areas more or less infuscate (Figs 46–48). Flagellum basally yellowish, gradually darkening towards apex, less slender, conspicuously clavate at apex, with subapical flagellomere 1.0–1.2× as long as broad (Fig. 46). Fore wing with vein 2m-cu interstitial or slightly antefurcal (Fig. 5). Propodeal spiracle adjacent to pleural carina or separated from it by distance shorter than one diameter of spiracle (Fig. 49). Ovipositor with apex weakly upcurved (Fig. 15).......................................................................... Z. abominosus sp. nov.
description: Published as part of Khalaim, Andrey I. & Ward, Darren F., 2019, Tersilochinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from New Zealand. Part 2. Review of genera Kiwi gen. nov. and Zealochus Khalaim, pp. 521-545 in Zootaxa 4613 (3) on pages 538-539, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4613.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/3239895