Ophion

Belongs within: Ichneumonidae.

Ophion is a primarily Holarctic genus of ichneumon wasps, members of which are common parasites on noctuid moths. Members are characterised by the presence of a bowed first abscissa on vein Rs of the hind wing, and a long membranous flange on the fore tibial spur (Gauld 1984).

Characters (from Gauld 1984): Moderately large to large, fore wing length 9–17 mm; mandible weakly tapered, not twisted; occipital carina usually complete; interocellar area black. Posterior transverse carina of mesosternum broadly interrupted before each mid cosa; propodeum from completely carinate to with only transverse carinae discernible. Fore tibial spur with a membranous flange behind macrotrichial comb; mid and hind trochantelli simple. Fore wing with 1m-cu centrally angled, often with a trace of ramellus; discosubmarginal cell with a small glabrous area in anterior corner, without detached sclerites. Hind wing with first abscissa of Rs curved; distal hamuli of more or less similar size and shape.

Ophion Fabricius 1798 (see below for synonymy)G84
    |--*O. luteus (Linnaeus 1758)G84, L58 [=Ichneumon luteusG84, *Paniscus luteusG84]
    |--O. adeusG84
    |--‘*Stenophthalmus’ algiricus Szépligeti 1905G84
    |--‘*Platophion’ areolarisG84
    |--O. capitatus [=O. (*Pachyprotoma) capitatus]G84
    |--‘*Potophion’ caudatus Cushman 1947G84
    |--‘Stenophthalmus’ choaspese [=*Mecetron choaspese]G84
    |--‘*Neophion’ crassus Morley 1912G84
    |--O. gelusG84
    |--‘Paniscus’ gracilipesMS01
    |--O. lagusG84
    |--‘*Apomesus’ longiceps Townes 1971G84
    |--O. macrurum [=Ichneumon macrurus]F90
    |--O. minutusMS01
    |--‘*Apatophion’ mirsa Shestakov 1926G84
    |--O. nigrumR26
    |--O. peregrinus [=*Australophion peregrinus]G84
    |--O. pugillator (Linnaeus 1758)G20, L58 [=Ichneumon pugillatorG20]
    |--O. scutellarisG84
    `--O. zerusG84

Ophion Fabricius 1798 [=Paniscus Schrank 1802; incl. Apatophion Shestakov 1926, Apomesus Townes 1971, Australophion Morley 1912, Mecetron Townes 1971, Neophion Morley 1912, Pachyprotoma Kohl 1906, Platophion Hellén 1926, Potophion Cushman 1947, Psylonychia Szépligeti 1905 (n. n.), Stenophthalmus Szépligeti 1905 non Becker 1903]^G84

*Type species of generic name indicated

References

[F90] Fallou, J. 1890. Exemplaires mâles et femelles de l’Attacus Cecropia Lin. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 6^e série 9: cxxxii.

[G84] Gauld, I. D. 1984. An Introduction to the Ichneumonidae of Australia. British Museum (Natural History).

[G20] Goldfuss, G. A. 1820. Handbuch der Naturgeschichte vol. 3. Handbuch der Zoologie pt 1. Johann Leonhard Schrag: Nürnberg.

[L58] Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii: Holmiae.

[MS01] Mocsáry, A., & V. Szépligeti. 1901. Hymenopterák [Hymenopteren]. In: Horváth, G. (ed.) Zichy Jenő Gróf Harmadik Ázsiai Utazása [Dritte Asiatische Forschungsreise des Grafen Eugen Zichy] vol. 2. Zichy Jenő Gróf Harmadik Ázsiai Utazásának Állattani Eredményei [Zoologische Ergebnisse der Dritten Asiatischen Forschungsreise des Grafen Eugen Zichy] pp. 121–169. Victor Hornyánszky: Budapest, and Karl W. Hierseman: Leipzig.

[R26] Risso, A. 1826. Histoire naturelle des principales productions de l’Europe méridionale et particulièrement de celles des environs de Nice et des Alpes maritimes vol. 5. F.-G. Levrault: Paris.