Phrudus carpathicus Varga 2023, sp. n.

Phrudus carpathicus Varga, sp. n. (Fig. 4)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 4B84A25F-393B-4213-A0FD-3A81E8DA5B61

Material examined. Holotype: 1 ♀, UKRAINE: Transcarpathian Reg.: Vynogradiv Distr., Vynogradiv, beech forest, 48.138338, 23.073689, trunk trap on a dead Fagus sylvatica, 20.v–3.vii.2018. Paratypes: 1 ♀, the same locality and date as holotype; 1 ♀, idem, 280 m, oak forest, 48.138338, 23.073689, Malaise trap №1, 10.vi–2.vii.2017; 1 ♀, Tyachiv Distr., 6.5 km N of Mala Ugolka, 48.259464, 23.619672, 600 m, beech forest, Malaise trap №4, 13.vi– 8.vii.2015; 3 ♀, idem, 8.vii–6.viii.2015; 1 ♀, idem, Malaise trap №5, 12–31.v.2015, leg. O. Varga (SIZK).

Diagnosis. Phrudus carpathicus sp. n. is characterized by the combination of the following characters: body relatively stout, not strongly compressed laterally (Fig. 4A); head in lateral view with temple widest at the level of the upper end of the eye; antenna with 15 flagellomeres, flagellomeres 4–5 each with a white tooth-like projection on basal 0.2–0.3 of flagellomere (Fig. 4E); mesoscutum elongate, with notauli present anteriorly, but weak; scuto-scutellar groove with longitudinal wrinkles laterally (Fig. 4D); propodeum distinctly carinated, areas basalis, superomedia and apicalis are separated and transversely wrinkled (Fig. 4C); fore wing with vein 3rs-m almost complete, areolet only narrowly open apically (Fig. 4F); all femora brown.

Phrudus carpathicus sp. n. belongs to the P. defectus group in having flagellomeres 4–5 each with a white tooth-like projection on the basal 0.2–0.3 of the flagellomere, and the presence of notauli. The newly described species is similar to P. badensis in the shape of the temples (in lateral view) and leg colour, but the body is not strongly compressed. Phrudus carpathicus sp. n. differs from P. defectus in the elongate mesoscutum (round in P. defectus); scuto-scutellar groove with longitudinal wrinkles laterally (simple in P. defectus); separated areas basalis and superomedia (largely fused in P. defectus), fore wing with vein 3rs-m largely present (absent in P. defectus) and dark femora.

Description. Female. Holotype (Fig. 4). Body length approximately 3.9 mm. Fore wing 3.3 mm.

Head (Figs 4B, D–E) smooth and sparsely pubescent. Antenna with 15 flagellomeres, first flagellomere ca 1.2× as long as wide; flagellomeres 4–5 each with a white tooth-like projection on basal 0.2–0.3 of flagellomere (Fig. 4E). Face about 0.5× as long as wide, swollen centrally, transversely wrinkled and sparsely punctate; eyes weakly divergent to clypeus, pubescent. Malar space 0.9× basal width of mandible; subocular sulcus absent. Clypeus 0.35× as long as wide, same sculpture as face, weakly separated from face, rounded apically. Mandible bidentate, upper tooth slightly longer than lower tooth. Temples relatively long and straight, narrowed behind eyes (dorsal view); largest width of temple (in lateral view) at level of upper end of eye (Fig. 4E). Frons and vertex smooth, sparsely pubescent; ocellar-ocular distance 2.1× maximum diameter of lateral ocellus; occipital carina complete.

Mesosoma (Figs 4C–D) generally smooth and weakly sculptured. Propleuron smooth and densely pubescent. Pronotum smooth, weakly wrinkled centrally and along posterior edge, densely pubescent in upper half; epomia distinct. Mesoscutum elongate, smooth and densely pubescent; notauli present anteriorly, but weak. Scutellum with same sculprture as mesoscutum; scuto-scutellar groove wide, with longitudinal wrinkles laterally (Fig. 4D). Mesopleuron smooth, pubescent only anteriorly, weakly longitudinally wrinkled in lower half; epicnemial carina strong, reaching 0.5 of mesopleuron. Metapleuron smooth, strongly longitudinally wrinkled; pleural and submetapleural carinae distinct.Propodeum smooth, distinctly carinated, transversely wrinkled between lateromedian longitudinal carina; area superomedia weakly asymmetric, ca 1.2× as wide as long, separated from area basalis (Fig. 4C).

Legs relatively stout; hind femur 2.7× as long as wide; third tarsomere of hind tarsus about as long as fifth tarsomere; tarsal claws pectinate to apex.

Wings (Fig. 4F). Fore wing with vein 2 rs-m about 0.8× distance between 2 rs-m and 2 m-cu; vein 3rs-m largely present, areolet only narrowly open apically; vein 1cu-a opposite or weakly distad to M & Rs; hind wing with nervellus not intercepted, vertical.

Metasoma (Fig. 4G) smooth and minutely pubescent. First tergite 1.6× as long as apical width, longitudinally wrinkled; carinae distinct. Second tergite 0.65× as long as apical width with laterotergite separated by fold; remaining tergites lacking laterotergites, smooth, but relatively more denser pubescent. Ovipositor about 0.9× as long as hind tibia.

Colour. Body generally black. Antenna, mandible (except apices), legs (except coxae and femora) reddish. Coxae and femora brownish. Metasoma with tergite 1 black; remaining tergites brownish-black; tergites starting from third narrowly banded posteriorly with yellow. Ovipositor sheaths, pterostigma and veins brown.

Variability. One female is smaller (fore wing ca 2.5 mm), with a strongly sculptured mesopleuron and more distinct notauli.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. The new species is named after the type locality, the Carpathian Mountains.

Distribution. Currently known only from the beech and dry oak forests of Transcarpathia in Western Ukraine.