Vulgichneumon leucaniae ( Uchida, 1924 )

Vulgichneumon leucaniae ( Uchida, 1924) View in CoL

( Figs 64–68 View FIGURES 64–68 )

Material. Kagoshima Pref.: Yakushima Isl. , Malaise trap ( AC1 ) , 150 m alt., 3 ♂♂ 19–22. VII. 2006 , 2 ♂♂ 22. VII. – 22. VIII. 2006 , 2 ♀♀ 1 ♂ 25. VIII. – 22. IX. 2006 , 2 ♂♂ 25. IX. – 23. X. 2006, 1 ♂ 27–30. III.2007 , 1 ♀ 2–10. V. 2007 , 1 ♂ 8–28. VI.2007 , 3 ♂♂ 28. VI. –29. VII. 2007 , Malaise trap ( AC2 ), 150 m alt., 1 ♂ 19–22. VII. 2007 , 2 ♂♂ 22. VII. – 22. VIII. 2006 , 1 ♀ 30. III. – 29. IV. 2007 , 2 ♂♂ 29. IV. – 2. V. 2007 , 1 ♀ 2 ♂♂ 2–10. V. 2007 , 1 ♂ 8–28. VI. 2007 , Malaise trap ( AC3 ) 150, m alt., 3 ♀♀ 1 ♂ 19–22. VII. 2006 , 3 ♂♂ 22. VII. – 22. VIII. 2006 , 2 ♀♀ 25. VIII. – 22. IX. 2006 , 2 ♀♀ 22–25. IX. 2006, 1 ♀ 29. IV. – 2. V. 2007 , 8 ♂♂ 2–10. V. 2007 , 1 ♀ 5–8. VI. 2007 , 9 ♂♂ 8–28. VI. 2007 , 1 ♂ 29. VII. – 25. VIII. 2007 , 1 ♀ 25–28. VII. 2007 , Malaise trap ( AN1 ), 170 m, 6 ♂♂ 28. VI. – 29. VII. 2007 , Malaise trap ( AN2 ), 170 m alt., 2 ♂♂ 2. V. – 5. VI. 2007 , 1 ♀ 5–8. VI. 2007 , 3 ♂♂ 8–28. VI. 2007 , 2 ♂♂ 28. VI. – 22. VII. 2007 , 1 ♂ 22. VII. – 22. VIII. 2007 , 1 ♂ 28. IX. – 2. XI. 2007, 1 ♀ 2. XI. – 1. XII. 2007 , Malaise trap ( AN3 ), 170 m alt., 2 ♀♀ 2. V. – 5. VI. 2007 , Malaise trap (H1), 250 m alt., 1 ♂ 26. IX. – 24. X. 2006, 1 ♂ 1–25. XII. 2006 , 1 ♂ 31. III. – 28. IV. 2007 , 2 ♀♀ 1. V. – 5. VI. 2007 , 1 ♂ 25. VIII. – 28. IX. 2007 , 1 ♂ 28. IX. – 2. XI. 2007, Malaise trap (H2), 250 m alt., 1 ♀ 29. IX. – 24. X. 2006, 1 ♂ 31. III. –28. IV. 2007 , 1 ♀ 28. IV. – 1. V. 2007 , 6 ♀♀ 1 ♂ 1. V. – 5. VI. 2007 , 4 ♂♂ 8–28. VI. 2007 , 1 ♂ 28. IX. – 2. XI. 2007, 1 ♀ 2. XI. – 1. XII. 2007 , Malaise trap (H3) 250 m alt., 1 ♂ 22. VII. –22. VIII. 2006 , 1 ♂ 27. X. – 28. XI. 2006, 3 ♂♂ 8–28. VI. 2007 , 1 ♂ 28. VI. – 30. VII. 2007 , Malaise trap (K1), 220 m alt., 1 ♂ 31. III. – 28. IV. 2007 , 1 ♀ 28. IV. – 1. V. 2007 , 1 ♀ 1. V. – 5. VI. 2007 , Collision trap (K2), 1 ♀ 19–22. VII. 2006 , Malaise trap (K2), 220 m alt., 1 ♂ 22. VII. – 22. VIII. 2006 , 1 ♂ 8–28. VI. 2007 , 1 ♀ 28. IX. – 2. XI. 2007, Malaise trap (K3), 220 m alt., 1 ♂ 19–22. VII. 2006 , 2 ♀♀ 1 ♂ 1. V. – 5. VI. 2007 , 1 ♀ 5–8. VI. 2007 , 10 ♂♂ 8–28. VI. 2007 , 1 ♀ 28. VI. – 30. VII. 2007 , 1 ♀ 25. VIII. – 28. IX. 2007 , Malaise trap (Y1), 1200 m alt., 1 ♂ 25. VIII. – 22. IX. 2006 , Malaise trap (Y2) 1 ♂ 2. V. – 4. VI. 2007, T. Yamauchi et al. leg . ( Kanagawa and coll. Riedel).

Description. Female. Body length 9.5–12.0 mm.

Head. Flagellum with 37–42 flagellomeres, lanceolate; 1 st flagellomere 1.5–1.6× as long as wide, 4 th or 5 th flagellomeres square, widest flagellomeres 2.3–2.5× as wide as long. OED 1.0× ocellar diameter. MI 0.6. Genal carina reaching hypostomal carina close to mandibular base.

Mesosoma . Scutellum with lateral carina in basal 0.3–0.5. Area superomedia dome-shaped, longer than wide. Hind femur 3.4–3.6× as long as wide. External surface of hind tibia with multiple denticular spines.

Metasoma. Postpetiole densely punctate, median field sometimes finely aciculate, moderately elevated, latermedian carina absent. Gastrocoelus impressed, with fine longitudinal ridges. Thyridium slightly oblique, 0.3× as wide as interval between thyridia. 2 nd tergite 1.0× as long as wide.

Color . Black. Flagellomeres 7/8–13/14 ivory dorsally. Mandible usually reddish centrally. Sometimes palps partly, wide spot at vertex opposite to lateral ocellus, often spots on fore and mid coxae and trochanters, hind trochanter and basal part of hind trochantellus, apical spurs of hind tibia, rarely posterolateral spot of postpetiole, sometimes posterolateral spots of 2 nd tergite, apico-dorsal spot of 6 th tergite and large dorsal spot of 7 th tergite ivory. Scutellum and postscutellum sometimes ± reddish. Fore femur, tibia and tarsus ± ochreous or reddish frontally. Wings slightly infuscate, pterostigma black.

Male. Body length 9.5–13.0 mm.

Head. Flagellum with 36–39 flagellomeres, bristle-shaped; 1 st flagellomere 2.2–2.4× as long as wide, central flagellomeres ± nodose. Tyloids on flagellomeres 6/8–15/16, long-oval, maximally 0.4–0.5× as long as their flagellomeres. OED 0.8–1.0× ocellar diameter.

Mesosoma . Scutellum moderately elevated, about as long as wide, densely punctate, with lateral carina in basal 0.5–0.7. Area superomedia heart-shaped, about as long as wide. Hind femur 3.6–3.8× as long as wide.

Metasoma. Postpetiole punctate, median field sometimes with smoothened surface and finely aciculate. Gastrocoelus longer than wide, with fine longitudinal rugae. Thyridium slightly oblique, 0.4–0.5× as wide as interval between thyridia. 2 nd tergite 1.1–1.2× as long as wide.

Color . Black. Flagellum blackish, ± reddish or ochreous ventrally, flagellomeres 14/15–17/18 ivory dorsally. Palps, mandible except teeth, clypeus, face, frontal orbit, often spot of vertex, stripe of outer orbit, scape ventrally, frontal and upper margins of pronotum ±, often spot of tegula, subtegular ridge, sometimes spot or stripe of ventral mesopleuron and spot of postero-dorsal edge of mesopleuron, sometimes spot of lateral margin of mesoscutum, usually side and apex of scutellum, postscutellum, usually posterolateral stripes of propodeum (sometimes including area petiolaris), usually apical bands on 1 st to 3 rd tergites (usually narrowed medially), rarely posterolateral spot of 4 th tergite, sometimes apical band of 6 th tergite and always dorsal spot of 7 th tergite. Legs black; fore and mid coxae mainly, all trochanters and sometimes apical margin of hind coxa ivory; femora often with ventral ivory stripes; fore and mid tibiae yellowish or ivory externally; apical spurs of hind tibia ivory. Wings slightly infuscate, pterostigma brown or blackish.

Remarks. This species seems to be very abundant in Yakushima at different altitudes. The extensive ivory coloration is variable and sometimes distinctly reduced in males from several collection sites: stripes of pronotum and mesopleuron, scutellum, propodeum and coxae black, but hind trochanter yellow.

The strongly lanceolate flagellum of females resembles the genus Melanichneumon Thomson but the form of area superomedia, subtegular ridge and thyridia of males are typical for Vulgichneumon Heinrich.

Distribution. Japan ( Hokaido, Rishiri Isl., Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Yakushima Isl. and Amamioshima Isl.), China and Far East Russia. New record for Yakushima Isl.