Ampulex fronticarinalis Liu & Li 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Liu, Zhi-Zhi
name: Li, Qiang
name: Ma, Li
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Ampulicidae
Ampulex
Ampulex fronticarinalis

description: 1.Ampulex fronticarinalisLiu & Li sp. nov.
Figs 1, 2
Type material.
Holotype. • ♀, China, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Jinghong: Naban River, 22.1343°N, 100.7181°E; 2011. VII. 19, coll. Qiang Li.
Paratypes. • 2 ♂♂, China, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Mengla County, Baka Village, 21.8974°N, 101.3295°E, 2019. Ⅳ. 26, coll. Yi He; • 1 ♀, China, Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, Menghai County, 21.8639°N, 101.2366°E, 1982. X. 3, coll. Zongqi Chen. All type specimens are deposited in the Insect Collection of Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, P. R. China (YNAU).
Diagnosis.
The new species resembles A. quadraticollar Wu & Chou, 1985 in having pronotal collar nearly square, vein 1 rs-m incomplete and female clypeus with three teeth on anterior margin. It differs by the following characteristics (characters of A. quadraticollar in parentheses): frontal carina originating from each frontal lobe present, extended and enclosed into an elliptical area, including anterior ocellus (frontal carina originating from each frontal lobe present, not extended or enclosed into an elliptical area); pronotum with one median longitudinal carina (pronotum without median longitudinal carina); four propodeal posterior lateral angles evident (two propodeal posterior lateral angles evident); mid and hind femora red (only hind femora red).
Description of female.
Body length 21–23 mm. Body with bright metallic blue-green and purple luster. Mandible apically reddish brown, remainder dark brown. Antennae black. Wings hyaline, smoky brown; veins and stigma dark brown. Mid and hind femora red except for distal part; tarsi dark brown. Head and mesosoma densely covered with pubescence.
Head. Mandible sharp at apex; inner edge blade-like, without inner teeth (Fig. 1 B). Clypeus beak-like, anterior margin with three teeth (Fig. 1 B). Terminal segment of labial palpus normal. Frons with dense, fine punctures; frontal carina originating from each frontal lobe present, extended and enclosed into an elliptical area, including anterior ocellus (Fig. 1 B). Frontal line long, incomplete (Fig. 1 B). Vertex with median longitudinal groove, with dense, fine punctures (Fig. 1 C). Gena with dense, fine punctures. Ratio of EW: ID = 29: 15. Ratio of F 1: (F 2 + F 3) = 17: 21.
Mesosoma. Pronotal collar nearly square, with dense, fine punctures and one median longitudinal carina (Fig. 1 D); propleurum with dense, fine punctures, and with one transverse, narrow groove, posteriorly with several short, oblique rugae on each side (Fig. 1 E); prosternum with dense, fine punctures. Scutum with dense, fine punctures; notaulus long, extending to posterior margin, crenulate (Fig. 1 D). Mesopleuron with dense, fine punctures and sparse, large punctures (Fig. 1 F). Mesosternum with dense, fine punctures and sparse, large punctures (Fig. 1 F). Omaulus crenulate (Fig. 1 F). Sternaulus absent (Fig. 1 F). Scutellum with dense, fine punctures; anterior margin with one transverse, crenulate groove (Fig. 1 D). Metanotum with dense, fine punctures (Figs 1 D, G). Propodeal enclosure approximately trapezoid, medially with five strong, longitudinal carinae, including one median longitudinal carina, two strong, oblique, longitudinal carinae on either side, and two serrated oblique, longitudinal carinae located further out to sides, numerous nearly parallel transverse rugae connected five carinae and edge carinae on either side, forming distinct, regular reticulation except posterior central part with irregular reticulation; transverse rugae incomplete between two oblique, longitudinal carinae on both sides (Fig. 1 G). Posterior surface of propodeum with distinct, irregular reticulation. Upper part of lateral surface of propodeum with irregular reticulation, rest smooth, nearly not punctate (Fig. 1 F). Four propodeal posterior lateral angles evident (Fig. 1 G).
Wings and legs. Fore wings with three submarginal cells, vein 1 rs-m incomplete; vein M + Cu diverging before crossvein cu-a. Hind wings with vein M + Cu diverging at crossvein cu-a (Fig. 1 H). Claws bifid (Fig. 1 I).
Metasoma. T 1 - T 2 with sparse, fine punctures; T 3 - T 6 alutaceous, with dense, fine punctures. T 2 with one transverse groove near anterior margin. Metasomal apex laterally compressed.
Male. Differs from female as follows: Body length 18–20 mm. Mandible short, black, with one large inner tooth (Fig. 2 B). Clypeus approximately trapezoidal, covered with dense, white long setae; anterior margin truncate, with one distinct tooth medially (Fig. 2 B). Frons with dense, large punctures, and approximately irregular reticulation (Fig. 2 B). Ratio of EW: ID = 48: 31. Ratio of F 1: (F 2 + F 3) = 15: 22. Vertex, gena, pronotal collar, prosternum, scutum, mesopleuron, mesosternum, scutellum and metanotum with dense, large punctures (Figs 2 B-F). Propleurum with more and longer oblique ruga posteriorly on each side (Fig. 2 E). Propodeal enclosure with complete transverse rugae between two oblique, longitudinal carinae on both sides (Fig. 2 G). Lateral surface of propodeum almost entirely with irregular reticulation. Hind wings with vein M + Cu diverging before crossvein cu-a (Fig. 2 H). Metasomal apex not compressed laterally (Fig. 2 A); T 1 - T 3 with dense, large punctures.
Distribution.
China (Yunnan).
Etymology.
The specific name fronticarinalis originates from the Latin stem “ front ” and “ carina ” with the ending “ alis ” meaning “ belonging to ”, refers to frons with carina originating from each frontal lobe extended and enclosed into an elliptical area, including anterior ocellus.
description: Published as part of Liu, Zhi-Zhi, Li, Qiang & Ma, Li, 2025, Three new species and one new record of Ampulex Jurine (Hymenoptera, Ampulicidae) from China, with a key to Chinese species, pp. 355-380 in Journal of Hymenoptera Research 98 on pages 355-380, DOI: 10.3897/jhr.98.145619