Labena madoricola Gonzalez-Moreno & Bordera 2015
Creators: name: González-Moreno, Alejandra
name: Bordera, Santiago
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Ichneumonidae
Labena
Labena madoricola

description: Labena madoricola González-Moreno & Bordera, 2015
(Figs 1C–D, 2B, 2D, 3C–D)
Diagnosis. Female of Labena madoricola can be distinguished from all other females of New World species by the following characters in combination: mesopleuron centrally smooth and shiny; metapleuron entirely smooth and shiny, without longitudinal striae; propodeum with lateral end of posterior transverse carina not raised into rounded flange (Figs 1C–D); area spiracularis open externally (Fig. 1C); area lateralis large, closed by a strong pleural carina, its surface greater than area coxalis, with abscissa of lateral carina bordering it internally, joining posterior transverse carina dorsally of centre of area coxalis (Fig. 1C); area superomedia hexagonal broaded centrally, strongly delineated anteriorly, posteriorly weaker and tending to be semicircular, very large, 1.1 × as broad as long (Fig. 1D); anterior transverse carina of propodeum joining area superomedia at centre (Fig. 1D); fore wing with a black spot at distal 0.3 of marginal cell and distal 0.7 of submarginal cell (Fig. 2D); areolet transverse, 0.63 × as broad as length of distal abscissa of M; vein 2 m-cu joining to areolet at mid part (Fig. 2D); mid tibia at distal 0.7 strongly inflated, with about five-seven conspicuous flattened bristles on outer surface; ovipositor slightly upcurved (Fig. 2B), sheaths 1.54 × the length of the hind tibia (Fig. 3C); flagellum in dorsal view entirely black or blackish brown (Fig. 3C); head orange without a transverse jet-black mark in front of occipital carina (Fig. 3D); hind leg and metasoma entirely orange (Figs 3 C-D).
Description. Female: Body length 20 mm. Fore wing length 14.5 mm.
Head. In dorsal view 2.0 × as wide as long; clypeus 1.8 × as broad as high, in anterior view, basally and laterally flat, strongly convex in the central apical region; clypeo-facial suture and central apical region with scattered and long setae; malar space 0.3 × as long as basal width of mandible; frons slightly biconcave with a median carina between antennal sockets, smooth and shiny; vertex and gena smooth and shiny with very fine setiferous punctures; gena, in dorsal view, rounded and weakly constricted behind eyes, 0.4 × as long as eye; lower part of gena moderately broad; interocellar area elevated; posterior ocellus separated from eye about 1.40 × its own maximum diameter; distance between posterior ocelli 1.40 × maximum diameter of posterior ocellus; occipital carina complete, reaching hypostomal carina far from base of mandible at same distance of width of mandible base; hypostomal carina from base of mandible to the union with occipital carina moderately raised and translucent; antenna with 49 flagellomeres (Fig. 3C), the apical one bearing a small flat sensillum.
Mesosoma. Pronotum smooth and shiny dorsally, with two lateromedian pits centrally, and with an area of close velvety pubescence anteriorly, upper lateral corner with dense fine setiferous punctures, lower part glabrous; epomia absent; mesoscutum finely and densely punctate, with notauli absent, with a very short and weak transverse crest at anterior end; scutellum very slightly convex with lateral carinae present anteriorly, strongly and densely punctate, punctures denser at apex; mesopleuron smooth and shiny; upper end of epicnemial carina curved towards anterior margin slightly below the centre of hind margin of pronotum; metapleuron entirely smooth and shiny (Fig. 1C); propodeum (Figs 1 C–D) shiny, almost glabrous dorsally, laterally densely and conspicuously punctate, setae moderately long; pleural carina absent anteriorly, so, the area spiracularis is open externally, present posteriorly and enclosing area lateralis; area spiracularis and lateralis strongly punctate, punctures denser in area spiracularis; area lateralis large, slightly broader than long, of greater surface than area coxalis, with abscissa of lateral carina bordering it internally, joining posterior transverse carina mesad of centre of area coxalis; area coxalis short and transverse 1.64 × as wide as long and about 0.65 × the length of area lateralis; area externa fully enclosed, 0.85 × as broad as long; area dentipara and posteroexterna separated by weak carina; area basalis quadrangular, about 1.2 × as broad as long; area superomedia hexagonal broaded centrally, clearly delineated anteriorly, posteriorly weaker and tending to be semicircular, very large, 1.1 × as broad as long; area petiolaris laterally weakly defined, with a faint median carina, lateral longitudinal carina complete; anterior transverse carina reaching area superomedia at centre; lateral end of posterior transverse carina not raised into rounded flange. Mid tibia at distal 0.7 strongly inflated, with about fiveseven conspicuous flattened bristles on outer surface, second tarsomere 1.30 × as long as broad and about same length of the following two tarsomeres; hind coxa about 2.83 × as long as deep; hind tibia with scattered bristles. Fore wing (Fig. 2D) with areolet transverse, 0.63 × as broad as length of distal abscissa of M, with 3 rs-m subequal to 2 rs-m; vein 2 m-cu joining to areolet at mid part; vein Cu -a slightly distad to vein Rs & M; abscissa of Cu 1 between 1 m-cu and Cu 1a 1.3 x as long as Cu 1b. Hind wing with vein Cu-a slightly longer than abscissa of M + Cu between M and Cu 1.
Metasoma. Tergite I, 2.2 × as long as posteriorly broad, smooth and shiny with lateral carinae present basally; sternite I reaching 0.3 of length of tergite, without a central transverse ridge; tergite II, 1.16 × as long as posteriorly broad, with fine and moderately dense pubescence; tergites III–IV with posterior margin straight not exposing membrane. Ovipositor (Fig. 2B) compressed, slightly upcurved, the apex of the lower valve with fine file-like teeth, and with a small scabrous area basal to these teeth; ovipositor sheaths 1.54 × the length of the hind tibia.
Colouration (Figs 1C–D, 2B, 3C–D). Body orange. Mesosoma laterally and ventrally and fore and mid legs, lighter. Face, clypeus, malar space and scape ventrally, yellow. Mesoscutum with three longitudinal fuscous marks. Flagellum, except first flagellomere ventrally, scutoscutellar groove, ovipositor and ovipositor sheaths, except basally, black. Wings hyaline; fore wing with a black spot at distal 0.3 of marginal cell and distal 0.7 of submarginal cell.
Taxonomic remarks. Labena madoricola belongs to the grallator species-group established by Gauld (2000) by having at dorsal part of pronotum, an anterior area of close short pubescence. Female is very close to females of L. tarsata Gauld 2000 and L. eremica Gauld 2000 by having, metapleuron smooth, without striae, notauli absent, with a very short and weak transverse crest at anterior end, area superomedia not strongly narrowed posteriorly (Figs 1B, 1D, 1F), propodeum with lateral end of posterior transverse carina not raised into a rounded flange (Figs 1A, 1C, 1E), area lateralis closed ventrally by pleural carina (Figs 1A, 1C, 1E), mid tibia at distal 0.7 strongly inflated, with about five-seven conspicuous flattened bristles on outer surface and by colour patterns such as head orange without black marks (Fig. 3D), flagellum, in dorsal view, black (Fig. 3C), and hind tarsus yellow brownish to orange in dorsal view. Females of these three species can be distinguished easily as follows:
1. Propodeum with area lateralis small, of somewhat less surface area than area coxalis and with abscissa of lateral carina bordering it internally, joining posterior transverse carina at about centre of area coxalis (Fig. 1A). Area coxalis as long as the rhombic area lateralis................................................................................ L. tarsata
-. Propodeum with area lateralis large, of greater surface than area coxalis, with abscissa of lateral carina bordering it internally, joining posterior transverse carina mesad of centre of area coxalis (Figs 1C, 1E). Area coxalis about 0.5–0.65 × length of area lateralis.............................................................................................. 3
3. Ovipositor slightly upcurved (Fig. 2B); sheaths 1.54 × length of the hind tibia (Fig. 3C). Propodeum with area superomedia hexagonal, broaded centrally, strongly delineated anteriorly, posteriorly weaker and tending to be semicircular, very large, 1.1 × as broad as long (Fig. 1D); anterior transverse carina of propodeum joining area superomedia at centre (Fig. 1D). Fore wing with areolet transverse, 0.63 × as broad as length of distal abscissa of M, vein 2 m-cu joining to areolet at mid part (Fig. 2D).
.......................................................................................... L. madoricola -. Ovipositor straight (Fig. 2C); sheaths 1.8–1.9 × length of hind tibia (Fig. 3B). Propodeum with area superomedia hexagonal 0.9 × as broad as long, broadened in the anterior third, strongly delimited, posteriorly straight (Fig. 1F); anterior transverse carina of propodeum joining area superomedia at anterior third (Fig. 1F). Fore wing with areolet transverse, 0.4–0.5 × as broad as length of distal abscissa of M, vein 2 m-cu joining areolet distad to mid part (Fig. 2E)...................... L. eremica
Biological remarks. This species was described from males collected in the Ria Lagartos Biosphere Reserve in a Savannah-type vegetation (González-Moreno et al. 2015), which grows where soils are flooded by rain and runoff from surrounding areas for almost 8 months of the year, allowing it to remain evergreen. Some common plants of this kind of vegetation were reported by González-Moreno & Bordera (2011). However, the female described here, and a new male also reported, have been collected in a dry semi-deciduous tropical forest, 50%– 75% of which drop their leaves during the dry season with dominant species of plants such as Neomillspaughia emarginata (H. Gross) S.F. Blake and Gymnopodium floribundum Rolfe (Polygonaceae), Bursera simaruba (L.) Sarg (Burseraceae), and Piscidia piscipula (L.) Sarg and Lysiloma latisiliquum (L.) Benth (Fabaceae) (Hernández- Stefanoni et al. 2014). The discovery of L. madoricola in a semi-deciduous tropical forest indicates that the species has a wider distribution in the Yucatan Peninsula than previously reported.
The capture dates of the new material agree with two yearly periods of activity reported by González-Moreno et al. (2015), just at the early rainy season (July-August) and in the north wind season (from November to February). As with many other species of Ichneumonidae, this species seems to be in low populations, considering that, with a sampling effort of 120 Malaise trap months, only a male and a female were reported.
Material examined. Mexico, Yucatán, Santa Rita, 20.VII–03.VIII.2016, K.22, Malaise T. 7, ref. 581, Leg. B. Rodríguez, 1 ♀ (CEUA); same locality, 27.X–17.XI.2016. K22, Malaise T. 5, ref.1366. Leg. A. González, 1 ♂ (CEUA).
description: Published as part of González-Moreno, Alejandra & Bordera, Santiago, 2017, Description of the female of Labena madoricola González-Moreno & Bordera, 2015 (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Labeninae), with new records of Labena species from Mexico in Zootaxa 4338 (1), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4338.1.11, http://zenodo.org/record/1035534