Ophion confusus 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 confusus

description: Ophion confusus Johansson sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0619F1A2-3A6F-494F-AA8D-95E19990DF3C
Figs 7A, 8I, N, 10D, 29
Diagnosis
Very similar and closely related to Ophion mocsaryi, but with occipital carina centrally rounded, straight or with a central depression and face below antennal socket shagreened, usually with denser and deeper punctures. Lateral carinae delimiting area superomedia often weaker or missing anteriorly and area superomedia narrower. In Swedish specimens the flagellomeres are also usually slightly stouter.
Etymology
This species has, together with Ophion brocki Johansson sp. nov., been confused with Ophion mocsaryi in collections.
Material examined
45 ♀♀, 17 ♂♂ (Sweden); 2 ♀♀ (Finland); 1 ♀ (Germany); 5 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂ (Great Britain); 2 ♀♀ (Estonia); 4 ♀♀, 6 ♂♂ (Norway).
Type material
Holotype SWEDEN • ♀; Skåne, Ystad, Kåseberga; 55.385° N, 14.066° E; 24 May–28 Jul. 2016; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap in sandy coastal grassland; STI-NJBC133; NHRS-HEVA000008637.
Paratypes SWEDEN • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; Bohuslän, Tossene, Nordens ark/Tiger; 58.440° N, 11.435° E; 11 Mar.–30 Aug. 2014; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap in rocky mixed forest; STI-NJBC50, 296; NHRS-HEVA000008638, NHRS-HEVA000008639 • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; Blekinge, Karlskrona, Vallgatan; 56.158° N, 15.589° E; 28 May 2016; T. Lindberg leg.; MV-light in garden close to deciduous forest; ♂ STI-NJBC51; NHRS-HEVA000008640, NHRS-HEVA000008641 • 1 ♀; Skåne, Simrishamn, Spraggehusen; 55.442° N, 14.246° E; 15 May–9 Jul. 2017; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap in sand dunes, pine forest; NHRS-HEVA000008642 • 1 ♀; Öland, Mörbylånga, Strandskogen; 56.702° N, 16.494° E; 20 Jun. 2015; M. Andersson leg.; MV-light trap in garden on sand close to deciduous forest; NHRS-HEVA000008643 • 1 ♀; Västergötland, Habo, Gustaf Adolf, Aspåsen; 58.013° N, 14.133° E; 22 May–15 Jun. 2017; N. Johansson leg.; Malaise trap between wet deciduous forest and sandy meadow; NHRS-HEVA000008644 • 1 ♀; Blekinge, Karlskrona, Tullaretorpet; 56.227° N, 15.647° E; 31 May–1 Jun. 2016; C. Philipsson leg.; MV-light in deciduous oak dominated forest; NHRS-HEVA000008645 • 1 ♀; Blekinge, Karlskrona, Ingatorp; 56.239° N, 15.617° E; 22–23 Jun. 2016; C. Philipsson leg.; MV-light in deciduous forest; NHRS-HEVA000008646 • 1 ♀; Blekinge, Karlskrona, Tullaretorpet; 56.227° N, 15.647° E; 2–3 Jun. 2016; C. Philipsson leg.; MV-light in oak dominated forest; STI-NJBC43; NHRS-HEVA000008647 • 2 ♀♀; Blekinge, Karlskrona, Vallgatan; 2 Jun. 2016; T. Lindberg leg.; MV-light in garden close to deciduous forest; STI-NJBC48, 233; NHRS-HEVA000008648, NHRS-HEVA000008649 • 1 ♀; Blekinge, Karlskrona, Vallgatan; 56.158° N, 15.589° E; 1 Jun. 2016; T. Lindberg leg.; MV-light in garden close to deciduous forest; NHRS-HEVA000008650 • 1 ♀; Södermanland, Haninge, Tyresta nationalpark, Urskogsslingan; 59.176° N, 18.248° E; 21 Jun.–20 Jul. 2004; SMTP leg.; Malaise trap in Norway spruce forest with blueberry (Trap id 4, coll ev. id. 809); STI-NJBC341; NHRS-HEVA000008651 • 1 ♀; Bohuslän, Tossene, Stora Hultet; 58.446° N, 11.409° E; 27 May–19 Nov. 2014; N. Ryrholm and C. Källander leg.; MV-light trap; STI-NJBC229; NHRS-HEVA000008652 • 1 ♀; Blekinge, Karlskrona, Stora Boråkra; 56.217° N, 15.589° E; 18–19 Jun. 2016; C. Philipsson leg.; MV-light in deciduous forest; STI-NJBC185; NHRS-HEVA000008653.
Description
Fore wing length 12–13 mm. Antenna in both sexes with 53–59 flagellomeres. First flagellomere about 3.0 times as long as wide. Subbasal flagellomeres 1.4–1.5 times as long as wide (Fig. 8N). Central flagellomeres about 1.2–1.3 times as long as wide. Subapical flagellomeres approximately 1.5 times as long as wide. Head in female and male weakly buccate behind eye. Temple in lateral view 0.4–0.5 as long as compound eye. Lateral ocellus usually touching inner margin of compound eye. Occipital carina centrally rounded, straight or with central depression (Fig. 7A). Face below antennal socket shagreened with dense deep punctures (Fig. 8I). Malar space about 0.1 times as long as mandibular base in female and male. Mandibular gape right-angled, with internal angles. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus distinct, 0.3–0.5 times the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius sinuous, but often evenly curved in males. Nervellus broken distinctly below the middle. Mesopleuron weakly shagreened, distinctly punctate. Interstices between punctures about 1.0–2.0 times their diameter. Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles slightly anterior to sternal angles. Pleurosternal angles slightly acute (Fig. 9B). Scutellum without distinct lateral carinae in basal half. Structure of propodeum quite shiny and slightly rugose, basally and laterally with distinct punctures. Anterior transverse carina often absent laterally but frequently complete. Posterior transverse carina interrupted centrally and often weak laterally. Longitudinal carinae delimiting area superomedia weaker anteriorly, often dissolving against the shagreened or rugose background. Area superomedia slightly longer than wide. Hind trochantellus shorter than wide in dorsal view. Legs normal with hind femur 6.0–7.0 times as long as wide. Sclerotised part of first sternite ending level to spiracle (as in Fig. 6H). Inner spur of hind tibia as long as 0.4 times metatarsus.
Colour
Body testaceous. Mandibular teeth black. Head with inner and outer eye margins broadly yellow. Ovipositor sheath black or dark brown, contrasting in colour with posterior metasomal segments.
DNA barcode
The DNA barcode sequences of 11 Swedish specimens of Ophion confusus Johansson sp. nov. are available at the BOLD systems database (www.boldsystems.org, BIN. BOLD: ABV8262. Specimen codes: STI-NJBC: 43, 48, 50–51, 133, 185, 229, 233, 265, 296, 341).
Ecology
According to Brock (1982) O. mocsaryi s. lat. (most likely including O. confusus sp. nov.) has been reared from several species of Noctuidae. Several of these records probably refer to closely related species in the aggregate. One female in NHRS is reared from Agrochola lota (Clerck, 1759) which is also one of relatively few hosts listed by Brock. Ophion confusus Johansson sp. nov. seems to be most frequently collected in or near to semi-open forests. It is active mainly during May and June.
Distribution in Sweden
A quite common species in Southern Sweden, but rarer or absent in the Central and Northern parts of the country.
Remarks
According to BOLD the species also occurs in Britain, the Netherlands and Germany.
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 56-59, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2019.550, http://zenodo.org/record/3476402