Ophion matti Johansson sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 515CEEAD-824B-43BB-986C-BA08669504EA

Figs 18E, 21B, 36

Diagnosis

Superficially similar to Ophion inclinans Johansson sp. nov. and O. arenarius Johansson sp. nov., but never with the dorsal undulation on the first tergite. The face is usually more densely punctate below the antennal sockets, with more well defined and sharper pleurosternal angles and stouter flagellomeres. Very closely related to Ophion ellenae Johansson sp. nov., but distinguished by the more densely and distinctly punctate and less shiny mesoscutum, the more elongate area superomedia and the stouter basal flagellomeres.

Etymology

The species is named after the first author’s son, Matti Nystedt.

Material examined

4 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂ (Sweden); 1 ♀ (Norway).

Type material

Holotype

SWEDEN • ♀; Halland, Kungsbacka, Nidingen; 57.302° N, 11.900° E; 8 Aug. 2017; M. Oomen leg.; MV-light in coastal heath; STI-NJBC189; NHRS-HEVA000008678.

Paratypes SWEDEN • 1 ♀; Bohuslän, Tanums kommun, Hamburgsund, Stora Snixholmen; 58.564° N, 11.251° E; 17 Sep.–3 Oct. 2005; SMTP leg.; Malaise trap in semi-exposed coastal flat rock (coll, ev. id. 1535); STI-NJBC187; NHRS-HEVA000008679 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; STI-NJBC190; NHRS-HEVA000008680 • 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 in farmland; NHRS-HEVA000008681 • 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂; Halland, Kungsbacka, Nidingen; 57.302° N, 11.900° E; 10 Jul. 2018; U. Unger leg.; MV-light in coastal heath; NHRS-HEVA000008682 to NHRS-HEVA000008684.

NORWAY • 1 ♀; Vest Agder, Søgne, Trysnes; 58.061° N, 7.703° E; 5–6 Aug. 1996; E. Helbo and O. Lønnve leg.; coastland; NHMO:601.

Description

Fore wing length 15–16 mm. Antenna with 54–56 flagellomeres. First flagellomere 3.5 times as long as wide. Second flagellomere about 1.8 times as long as wide. Central flagellomeres stout, about 1.2–1.3 times as long as wide. Subapical flagellomeres approximately 1.5 times as long as wide (as in Fig. 8D). Temple quite short. Head of female in lateral view with temple 0.4–0.5, in males about 0.5–0.6, times as long as compound eye. Gap between compound eye and lateral ocellus 0.1 times the diameter of ocellus. Face below antennal sockets with dense punctures. Malar space about 0.1–0.2 times as long as mandibular base in female and about 0.3 times in male. Mandibular gape right-angled, with internal angles. Wing membrane clear. Ramellus disitinct, reaching 0.2–0.4 times the width of the discosubmarginal cell. Radius sinuous. Mesoscutum weakly shagreened with dense and distinct punctures, interstices distinctly smaller than the diameter of punctures or absent (Fig 21B). Mesopleuron strongly shagreened with deep, dense punctures, space beween punctures 0.5 times their diameter, Epicnemial carina, in antero-ventral view, with pleurosternal angles in level with sternal angles, pleurosternal angles right angled. Scutellum relatively wide with distinct lateral carinae in basal 0.8–0.9 (as in Fig. 6C). Propodeum with very weak rugose structure, shining with anterior and posterior transverse carina often strongly raised. Central longitudinal carinae strong, lateral longitudinal carina absent. Area superomedia more elongate than in O. ellenae Johansson sp. nov. (Fig. 18E). Hind trochantellus shorter than wide in dorsal view. Legs normal with hind femur about 6.0 times as long as wide. Sclerotised part of first sternite ending distinctly posterior to spiracle at a distance equal to that between hind margin of the sclerotised part of the first sternite and hind margin of the first tergite (as in Fig. 6D). Inner spur of hind tibia as long as 0.5 times metatarsus.

Colour

Body testaceous. Mandibular teeth black. Head with inner and outer orbits yellow. Ovipositor sheath testaceous.

DNA barcode

The DNA barcode sequences of three Swedish specimens of Ophion matti Johansson sp. nov. are available at the BOLD systems database (www.boldsystems.org, BIN. BOLD: ADM4635. Specimen codes: STI-NJBC: 187, 189–190).

Ecology

The species might have a connection to the noctuid moth Hadena caesia which in Sweden feeds exclusively on sea campion Silene uniflora Roth. Ophion matti Johansson sp. nov. occurs in coastal areas in Western Sweden and is active during late summer-early autumn.

Distribution in Sweden

Rare in the western coastal areas of Central Sweden.

Remarks

In the sequencing this species forms a separate group adjacent to O. ellenae Johansson sp. nov. (Fig. 4), but the two species share the same BIN. While the known host of O. ellenae is Hadena bicruris a possible host of O. matti Johansson sp. nov is Hadena caesia, which is the only abundant and resident noctuid species occuring on the island of Nidingen, where three females and two males were collected. The species status is motivated by a distinct genetic difference and the consistent morphological differences.