Liosphex boreus Lohrmann, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Lohrmann, Volker
name: Ohl, Michael
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2010
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Rhopalosomatidae
Liosphex
Liosphex boreus

description: Liosphex boreus Lohrmann sp. nov.
(Figs 3–6, 22, 25, 32–34)
Holotype. Female. USA: Kentucky, Louisville, August 1982, Fitton, Quinlan & Riegler (BMNH).
Paratypes. MEXICO: Chiapas, 20mi N. Huixtla, 3000ft, 2 June 1969, W. R. M. Mason (1 3, CNCI) USA: same data as holotype (4 Ƥ, 9 3, BMNH, 1 Ƥ, 1 3, USNM); same data as holotype, but August 1981, S. Riegler (1 Ƥ, 1 3, BMNH); Mississippi, Bolivar County, Dahomey National Wildlife Refuge, 12.1mi W. of Boyle on 466, 7–20 July 1997, N. M. Schiff (1 Ƥ, LOHR); same data, but 12.2 mi W. of Boyle on 466, 6–20 July 1998, Collector: N. M. Schiff (1 3, LOHR); same data, but 21 June – 5 July 1998, Malaise trap, N. M. Schiff (1 Ƥ, 1 3, IRCW, 2 Ƥ, 1 3, LOHR); Mississippi, Lowndes County, T 1 7N, R 1 6E, sec. 34, Black Belt Prairie, 19 July 1993, R. L. Brown & D. Pollock, Blacklight sunlamp in Oak-Hickory forest (1 Ƥ, 3 3, MEMU).
Diagnosis. Liosphex boreus can be differentiated by its tergites III–IV which have a posterior median longitudinal section free of setae (Fig. 25; not in all specimens visible on all three tergites). This character state is only found in some specimens of L. varius but the latter species is predominantly reddish brown and black whereas L. boreus is black with some stramineous markings. A more detailed discussion for separating this species from L. varius, mainly based on the different color pattern, can be found in the diagnosis of L. varius.
Although L. boreus resembles L. bribri in most characters, especially in coloration, they can easily be distinguished by the anterior margin of the propodeum which is notched in L. bribri.
Description of the female. Head (Fig. 32). Maximum width in frontal view 1.5 mm [1.5–1.7 mm]. UID 1.5× [1.45–1.55×] LID. Flagellomeres short, flagellomere II 3.5× [3.15–3.5×], flagellomere VII 2.15× [2– 2.35×] as long as wide. Apical bristles present on flagellomeres I–V, longer bristle on flagellomere I 0.5× [0.5–0.7×] its length. OOD 2.0× [2.0–2.4×], IOD 1.2× [1.1–1.4×], MOD 1.0× [0.9–1.0×] LOD.
Mesosoma: Length of mesosoma: 2.6mm [2.5–2.8mm]. Anterior margin of pronotum without median notch (as in Fig. 20).
Wings (Figs 3–6): Maximum length of forewing: 5.7 mm [5.5–6.6 mm], 2.15× [2.15–2.4×] as long as mesosoma. Forewing 1cu-a distad by M by 2.0× [1.3–2.0×] its length. M-cu distinctly curved. 1Rs 1.8–2.2× as long as high, its basal angle almost rectangular (Fig. 10, in most specimens it is 90°).
Legs: Forebasitarsus short, its antennal cleaner 0.4× its length. Hindtibia with two bristles on only one side of inseration of shorter apical spur (Fig. 22).
Metasoma: Tergite I 1.5× [1.5–1.75×] as long as wide. At least Tergite III or IV posteromedially with a longitudinal polished and asetose area (Fig. 25).
Color (as in Figs 33–34): Basically dark brown to black with some yellowish to orange or pale brown markings. Area in eye notch, clypeus, basal 0.65 of mandible, apical part of palpi, anterior, ventral section of gena, posterior margin of pronotum, tibia, tarsus, posterior margin of tergite I and anterior section of metasomal segments II–III yellowish. Wings weakly infuscate at its distal apex.
Pilosity: Body, including legs, largely covered with dense setae. Setae slightly shorter on head, mesoscutum and scutellum, and lacking on following structures: occiput, ventrolateral side of pronotum, median area of mesepisternum, ventral part of metepimeron, anteroventral of metepisternum, median part of lateral side of propodeum and posteroventral half of hindfemur and the posterior median section of tergites III–V.
Description of the male. Head, mesosoma and metasoma as in female except the following:
Head: Maximum width in frontal view 1.2–1.5 mm. Flagellomere II 2.3–2.75×, flagellomere VII 1.8–2.2× as long as wide. Apical bristles present on flagellomeres I–V (sometimes present on I–VI or I–VII), longer bristle on flagellomere I 0.3–0.45× its length. IOD 1.9–2.2× LOD.
Mesosoma: Length of mesosoma: 2.0– 2.5 mm.
Wings: Maximum length of forewing: 4.5–5.6 mm, 2.2–2.35× as long as mesosoma. Additional cell (1Ma) present at apex of 1M in two specimens from Mississippi.
Legs: Tarsomeres II–IV with plantulae.
Metasoma: Tergite I 1.45–1.6× as long as wide. Setae regularly distributed on metasoma, median asetose areas on tergites narrower; sometimes only visible from oblique lateral angle.
The three males from ‘Black Belt Prairie’ in Mississippi have the scutellum and metanotum brownish.
Life history. Almost nothing is known about the life history of Liosphex boreus. Only 12 females and 18 males are known, which were collected from June to August. Some of the specimens were collected in an oakhickory forest with a blacklight sunlamp. Latter circumstance may indicate that this species is nocturnal.
Etymological note. The specific epithet ‘ boreus ’ comes from Greek meaning north or northern, referring to the most northern record of the genus.
Note. There are three more specimens in the MEMU listed by MacGown (1998) not included in this work, but they are presumed to belong to this species. Since the coloration of some specimens from Mississippi clearly differ from those specimens from Kentucky, further studies will have to verify whether there might be a second species hidden in this series.
description: Published as part of Lohrmann, Volker & Ohl, Michael, 2010, World revision of the wasp genus Liosphex Townes, 1977 (Hymenoptera: Rhopalosomatidae), pp. 1-43 in Zootaxa 2384 on pages 14-16, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.193731