Ichneumonosoma quadripunctata Chen & Freidberg, new species

Ichneumonosoma quadripunctata Chen & Freidberg, new species

(Figs. 31–40)

Diagnosis. Head with 1 frontal seta and polished black triangular mark over ocellar tubercle and dorsomedian portion of occiput and vertex. Scutum with 2 pairs of large round sublateral dark spots, one just presuturally and one just anterior to scutoscutellar suture. Anepisternum without brown markings. Wing nearly completely hyaline, with narrow fuscous costal band extending from pterostigma to beyond apex of vein R4+5; crossveins not infuscated. Abdomen yellow to yellow-brown, with 1 medial irregular dark-brown mark on tergites1+2 and 2 lateral irregular dark-brown marks on tergites 4–5. Oviscape slightly longer than tergites 5+6.

Description. A large predominantly yellow species (Figs. 31, 38). Female: body length 11.0 mm; wing length 7.6 mm.

Head (Figs. 32, 34). Completely yellow to fulvous except for nearly rectangular opaque black mark on anterior median portion of frons, large polished black anteriorly acute, posteriorly rounded subtriangular spot over ocellar tubercle and dorsomedian portion of occiput and vertex. Head broader than thorax in dorsal view and slightly higher than wide in lateral view. Frons about 1.5 times as long as wide, and about as wide as eye in dorsal view. Antenna slightly shorter than face; 1st flagellomere about 3 times as long as pedicel, 3 times as long as wide, apex rounded; arista short plumose. Occiput convex, distinctly swollen ventrally. Head setae black: 1 frontal, 1 orbital, 1 medial vertical (setae missing, but sockets present) and 1 lateral vertical setae. Postocellar and genal setae absent. Orbital plates non-setulose.

Thorax (Fig. 37). Mostly yellow except scutum with pair of large round black presutural sublateral spots and similar, slightly smaller black sublateral spots near posterior margin. Scutum slender, about 1.8 times as long as wide, with transverse suture complete and deep. Thoracic chaetotaxy: 2 pairs scapular, 1 dorsocentral, 1 scutellar, 2 notopleural, 1 postsutural supra-alar, 1 postalar, 1 intra-alar setae present; prescutellar acrostichal seta absent. Scutellar seta situated slightly closer to base than to apex of scutellum. Wing (Figs. 35, 36) almost completely hyaline, with narrow fuscous costal band extending from pterostigma to beyond apex of vein R4+5; cells bc and c hyaline; veins R1 and R4+5 setulose dorsally, the latter to beyond level of crossvein DM-Cu; crossvein R-M situated beyond middle of cell dm; cell bcu with posterodistal lobe short and broad, forming angle of nearly 45º (Fig. 36). Legs completely yellow; mid tibia with 1 large and 1 small black apicoventral spur.

Abdomen. Yellow to yellow-brown, but with 1 medial irregular dark-brown mark on tergites 1+2 and 2 lateral irregular dark-brown marks on tergites 4–5. Oviscape cylindrical, slightly longer than length of tergites 5+6; aculeus (Figs. 33, 39, 40) laterally compressed at tip, with median dorsal and ventral ridges bearing distinct and minute serrations, lacking preapical setae (tip of aculeus short triangular in lateral view, very acute in dorsal view).

Distribution: Australia (northern Queensland).

Type data: Holotype ♀ (QMB), AUSTRALIA: Cairns, N Qld, 24–30 December 1967, G.Monteith.

Etymology. The name of this species is an adjective in reference to the 4 spots on the scutum.

Remarks. This species is similar to I. heinrichi, which differs by lacking the pair of large round black spots near the posterior margin of the scutum, having a black mark on anepisternum, abdomen without irregular darkbrown marks, and head with 2 frontal setae. This species is also similar to I. consors, which also differs by lacking the pair of postsutural round black spots on the scutum and 1 media irregular dark brown mark on syntergite 1+2, and cell bcu of wing with posterodistal lobe less acute.