Virgichneumon hinzi, Riedel, 2024

Virgichneumon hinzi nov.sp. (figs 9, 19, 31, 51, 86, 92)

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Holotype: (♀) 30.VII.1983, Saillagouse (Pyr.) F; E020400 N422900; ♀, 2672 ( ZSM) . Paratypes: (♀) Interneppo-Friaul , 1960 3.7., leg. Max Schwarz ( ZSM); (♁) Mt. Ventoux (1450 m), 1.8.1994, Wall (coll. Riedel); (♁) Glasenbach Au , Salzburg 25.6.55, P. Babiy leg. auf Dolde ( ZSM) .

E t y m o l o g y: The species name refers to the collector of the holotype (and many other interesting Ichneumoninae ), R. Hinz.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀. Body length 10.0-11.0 mm (fig. 19). Flagellum with 37-38 segments, moderately lanceolate; 1 st flagellar segment 1.7-1.8× as long as wide; 6 th or 7 th segment square; widest segments 1.6-1.8× as wide as long. Temple strongly and roundly narrowed behind eye (fig. 9). OED 1.2-1.5× and OOD 1.4-1.8× ocellar diameter. Frons densely rugose-punctate. Face densely punctate. Clypeus slightly convex, 2.2× as wide as long, with sparse punctures and subapical row of fine punctures; apical margin sharp and straight. Seen from lateral, gena almost parallel to compound eye and slightly sinusoid in ventral half, 0.8× as wide as eye, with rather dense punctures (fig. 86). MI 1.1-1.4. Hypostomal carina moderately elevated (about as wide as distal maxillary palpomere).

Mesoscutum densely punctate, median lobe rugose-punctate. Notaulus impressed in frontal 1/6 of mesoscutum. Mesopleuron rugose-punctate, speculum punctate. Epicnemial carina moderately elevated behind fore coxa (about as wide as distal maxillary palpomere), dorsally reaching frontal margin of mesopleuron. Subtegular ridge narrow and with sharp margin. Scutellum almost flat, about as wide as long, with sparse punctures and lateral carina in basal 0.2. Area basalis with central tubercle. Area superomedia heart-shaped, slightly longer than wide or as long as wide, finely rugose, at its middle with costula (fig. 31). Area petiolaris strongly impressed, rugose, with ± distinct lateral carina. Hind coxa densely punctate, with small but distinct scopa ventro-apically (length 1/5 of coxal length) (fig. 92). Hind femur 3.5-3.6× as long as wide. External surface of hind tibia with several (5-6) denticular spines. Areolet pentagonal, frontal distance between veins 2rs-m and 3rs-m 2× their width; vein 2m-cu reaching distad its middle. Vein 1cu-a interstitial.

Postpetiole moderately widened, with weak latero-median carina; median field slightly elevated and densely rugose-punctate. Gastrocoelus almost triangularly impressed, with 3-4 ridges. Thyridium oblique, 0.6× as wide as interval between thyridia (fig. 51). 2 nd tergite 1.3-1.4× as wide as long; 2 nd and 3 rd tergites densely punctate; 2 nd tergite rugose-punctate medially (fig. 51). Following tergites with superficial punctures and ± shining. Ovipositor sheath extending beyond metasomal apex by 1.0-1.5× length of 7 th tergite.

Color: black. Setae of head grey and of mesoscutum brownish. Flagellar segments 7/8- 13/14 dorsally, scutellum and wide dorsal spots on 6 th and 7 th tergites ivory. Vertex with indistinct dark reddish (in holotype) or yellowish (in paratype) spot opposite lateral carina. Postpetiole, 2 nd and 3 rd tergites entirely and 4 th tergite baso-laterally red. Legs black; fore and mid tibiae and fore tarsus reddish; hind tibia reddish in basal half. Wings hyaline, pterostigma ochreous. ♁. Body length 10.0- 10.5 mm. Flagellum with 32-39 segments, bristle-shaped; 1st

flagellar segment 2.7× as long as wide. Tyloids on flagellar segments 6-15, long-oval, maximally 0.7× as long as their segment. OED 1.2× ocellar diameter. MI 0.7. Hypostomal carina moderately elevated.

Mesoscutum densely punctate, median lobe rugose-punctate. Mesopleuron densely punctate, speculum with finer punctures. Epicnemial carina ± elevated behind fore coxa. Scutellum moderately elevated, wider than long, with coarse sparse punctures and lateral carina in basal 0.5. Fore metatarsus without apical tooth. Hind femur 3.8× as long as wide. Areolet pentagonal, frontal distance between veins 2rs-m and 3rs-m 1× their width; vein 2m-cu reaching distad its middle. Vein 1cu-a interstitial.

Postpetiole densely punctate. Gastrocoelus impressed, with longitudinal ridges. Thyridium slightly oblique, 0.6× as wide as interval between thyridia. 2 nd and 3 rd tergites with coarse dense punctures; punctures of 4 th and 5 th tergites dense but ± superficial.

Color: black. Palps brown. Flagellum black. Facial orbit, spot on vertex opposite lateral ocellus, sometimes spot on collar and hind edge of pronotum, spot on tegula and subtegular ridge, scutellum sometimes, narrow transverse apical stripe on 5 th tergite, large spots on 6 th and 7 th tergites and sometimes spot on paramere ivory. 1 st to 3 rd tergites red, petiolus ± black basally. Coxae, trochanters and trochantelli black; fore and mid legs reddish or blackish; fore and mid tibiae yellowish frontally; hind femur black; hind tibia sub-basally or in basal 2/3 reddish; hind tarsus black. Pterostigma ochreous.

Taxonomical remark: This new species is intermediate between Virgichneumon and Vulgichneumon. The narrow and sharp subtegular ridge in both sexes and ivory color pattern of the metasoma in ♁ would be typical for Vulgichneumon, but the form of gastrocoelus and thyridium is characteristic of the genus Virgichneumon .

S t u d i e d m a t e r i a l: from Austria *, France * and Italy *.