Clistopyga caramba sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae; Pimplinae), an astonishing example of mimicry in spider-attacking parasitoid wasps

Abstract

Clistopyga caramba sp. nov. Castillo & Sääksjärvi, collected from the tropical Andean-Amazonian interface in Peru, is described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by highly modified posterior metasomal tergites and a rare colour pattern of the metasoma. Two possible explanations for the bizarre metasomal morphology and colouration are proposed.

A checklist of Pimplinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) from the Estação Ecológica dos Caetetus in São Paulo state, with new records of Neotheronia Krieger, 1899 from Brazil

“…Recent studies show that the ichneumonid fauna of South America still contains many undescribed species (e.g., Palacio et al 2010, Valera & Días 2010, Veijalainen et al 2012, Gómez et al 2014, Gómez & Yabar-Landa 2015, Pádua et al 2015, Sääksjärvi et al 2015, Bordera et al 2016.…”

The Neotropical species of Clistopyga (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae). Part I: the C. chaconi species group, with the description of eleven new species

“…However, the genus is most species-rich in the New World where 19 species have been reported from North America (including Mexico) and 16 species from Central and South America. In addition, a large number of undescribed species are known to occur in South America (Gauld 1991;Sääksjärvi et al 2015). According to our unpublished data, the genus seems to be especially rich at the Andean and Amazonian interface.…”

“…Clistopyga Gravenhorst, 1829 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) is a moderately large pimpline genus, comprising currently 38 described species (Yu et al 2012;Bordera et al 2014;Sääksjärvi et al 2015;Varga & Reshchikov 2015), of which 2 have been recorded from the Afrotropical region, 3 from the Oriental region and 9 from the Palaearctic region. However, the genus is most species-rich in the New World where 19 species have been reported from North America (including Mexico) and 16 species from Central and South America.…”

“…It is also known that at least some Neotropical Clistopyga species belong to mimicry complexes. Sääksjärvi et al (2015) recently described a new species of Clistopyga from Peruvian Amazonia with a highly modified metasoma, C. caramba Castillo & Sääksjärvi, 2015, and proposed two possible explanations for its bizarre morphology and colouration. According to one of the hypotheses, the modified metasoma of C. caramba resembles an ant and could be mimetic.…”

First record of Clistopyga melanoptera Castillo, Sääksjärvi & Bordera (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae) in Brazil

“…Clistopyga Gravenhorst, 1829 is a small genus of the subfamily Pimplinae with only 49 recognized species worldwide (Yu et al 2012;Bordera et al 2014Bordera et al , 2016Sääksjärvi et al 2015;Varga & Reshchikov 2015). The genus is a parasitoid wasp which utilizes eggs in spider eggsacs (Nielsen 1929;Gauld & Dubois 2006).…”