Ophion longigena Thomson, 1888

Ophion longigena Thomson, 1888 View in CoL

Figs 10M View Fig , 20 View Fig C–D, 35A–B

Ophion longigena Thomson, 1888: 1191 View in CoL .

Material examined

Lectotype, ♂ ( ZMLU); 20 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂ ( Sweden); 11 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂ ( Germany); 1 ♂ ( Estonia).

Diagnosis

Fore wing length 14–16 mm. Antenna in females with (52) 54–58 flagellomeres, 47–52 in males. First flagellomere 3.0–3.5 times as long as wide. Temple in female, and especially male, very strongly buccate, in lateral view temple at least as long as compound eye ( Figs 20D View Fig , 35 View Fig A–B). Head in frontal view distinctly transverse (width/height measured from the apical margin of clypeus to the top of head = 1.40–1.45 ( Fig. 20C View Fig ). Face relatively wide, inner orbits almost parallel. Face densely punctate, the interstices 0.2–0.5 times the diameter of punctures. Malar space about 0.4 times as long as mandibular base in female and about 0.6–0.7 times in male. Mandibles in about 90% of the studied specimens more or less worn. Wing membrane weakly yellowish. Ramellus relatively short, reaching 0.1–0.3 times the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius sinuous. Mesopleuron polished or weakly shagreened and densely punctate with small punctures. Interstices between punctures about equal to their diameter. Pleurosternal angles slightly anterior to sternal angles, quite distinct, right angled or slightly acute, but apically rounded. Scutellum with distinct lateral carinae at least in basal half (as in Fig. 6C View Fig ). Propodeum distinctly punctate, often polished with anterior and posterior transverse carina often strong. Longitudinal carinae delimiting area superomedia often weak or absent ( Fig. 10M View Fig ). Central longitudinal carinae often distinct basally. Hind trochantellus shorter than wide in dorsal view. Sclerotised part of first sternite ending level to spiracle. First metasomal segment in lateral view rather stout (as in Fig. 20E View Fig ). Inner spur of hind tibia as long as 0.5 times hind metatarsus.

Colour

Body testaceous. Mandibular teeth black. Head with inner and outer eye margins yellow. In female metasoma with posterior segments from fifth segment onwards mostly infuscate, dark brown or black at least in the ventral 0.5 ( Fig. 35A View Fig ). Ovipositor sheath brownish-blackish, concolourous with posterior metasomal segments.

DNA barcode

The DNA barcode sequences of two Swedish specimens of Ophion longigena are available at the BOLD systems database (www.boldsystems.org, BIN. BOLD: ADF9569. Specimen codes: STI-NJBC: 130, 298).

Ecology

Brock (1982) refers to rearings from Cucullia chamomillae (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) , which is also confirmed by multiple Swedish rearings (by H. Elmqvist in NHRS). In the studied material there are also additional rearings from Cucullia lychnitis (Rambur, 1833) and Cucullia scrophulariae (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) . Schmidt et al. (2012) refers to a rearing from Cucullia verbasci ( Linnaeus, 1758) . The species is active during late May–July.

Distribution in Sweden

Rare in Southern Sweden including Öland and Gotland. Older records from Central Sweden (Uppland) which indicate a wider distribution.

Remarks

In its typical appearance a distinct species. Closely related to Ophion paukkuneni Johansson sp. nov., but with head and face usually wider in anterior view, temple slightly more buccate and first metasomal segment stouter. The face below the antennal sockets is more densely punctate than in O. paukkuneni Johansson sp. nov., distinctly denser than on the clypeus, while the punctation on the clypeus and face below the antennal sockets is of almost the same intensity and size in O. paukkuneni Johansson sp. nov. The females usually have more flagellomeres, in the range of 54–55 while O. paukkuneni usually has 50–51. A frequent characteristic is that the mandibles in O. longigena are worn, while they are unworn in all known specimens of O. paukkuneni Johansson sp. nov.