Gogoltilla Williams, Brothers & Pitts

Williams, Kevin A., Brothers, Denis J. & Pitts, James P., 2011, New species of Tobantilla Casal, 1965 and a new genus and species, Gogoltilla chichikovi gen. et sp. nov., from Argentina (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Zootaxa 3064, pp. 41-68 : 60-62

Gogoltilla Williams, Brothers & Pitts , gen. nov.

Type species. Gogoltilla chichikovi Williams, Brothers & Pitts , sp. nov.

Diagnosis. MALE. The mandible is broadly dilated with a bilobate dorsal lamella ( Fig. 48 ); the axilla is posterolaterally produced and truncate posteriorly; the first metasomal segment is subsessile with the second ( Fig. 41 ); the free length of the paramere is slightly dorsoventrally flattened and initially downcurved toward the apex, but the extreme apex is upcurved and anteriorly directed ( Fig. 46 ); and the cuspis has dense posteriorly directed plumose setae ( Figs 44–46 ).

FEMALE. The mesosoma is constricted just anterior to the propodeum and has a weak scutellar scale; the dorsal and flattened posterior propodeal faces are at an obtuse angle and separated by weak lateral transverse carinae; the first metasomal segment is narrow but weakly campanulate and not constricted posteriorly; the second metasomal tergum is clothed with dense stout striated setae in a basal triangular patch; the pygidium is broadly oval, entirely coarsely granulate, with lateral flangelike carina.

Description. FEMALE. T2 with paired indefinite pale integumental spots. Head. Broadly transverse, shiny, punctate, mostly clothed with slender decumbent setae and with a few slender simple erect setae near posterior margin of eye. Occipital carina absent. Vertex posterolaterally with an inconspicuous broadly triangular glabrous elevation. Eye circular, protruding, ommatidia distinct. Antennal tubercles with small dorso-medial tubercle, basally separated. Antennal scrobe smooth, unbounded laterally, without dorsal carina. Clypeus with complete weak setose transverse ridge above depressed transverse smooth area, ventral margin weakly emarginate medially. Malar space almost as high as combined length of pedicel + flagellomere 1. Genal carina very weak, extending about half height of gena, ending distant from hypostomal carina ventrally. Hypostomal carina distinct, even, following margin of oral fossa, ending laterally near inner margin of mandible, not reaching posterior mandibular condyle. Proboscidal and mandibular fossae separated by complete bridge, proboscidal fossa about as long as ventral surface of head. Scape simple, punctate above. Pedicel slightly longer than wide, shorter than first flagellomere; first flagellomere much longer than wide, longer than second. Mandible slender, tapering, gently arcuate, bidentate apically (subapical tooth minute, distant from apex and often obliterated through wear), unarmed ventrally. Maxillary palp 6-segmented; labial palp 4-segmented. Mentum smooth. Mesosoma. About as long as wide, broadened to point just posterior to pronotal spiracle, then strongly narrowed to propodeal spiracle, propodeum short and abruptly broadened posteriorly. Dorsum with surface shining, densely punctate to finely reticulate posteromedially, clothed with slender decumbent setae and with a few slender simple erect setae along lateral margin. Pronotal dorsal face (excluding anterior collar/flange) with anterior margin slightly convex, weakly carinate, epaulet inconspicuous, humeral angle acutely protruding and vertically carinate; anterior face and collar finely longitudinally striate. Posterodorsal margin of pronotum faintly indicated by very weak ridge, specially medially. Scutellar scale small and indistinct, merging with weak carina separating very short propodeal disk and oblique posterior declivity. Lateral face of pronotum densely and finely punctate, clothed with fine decumbent setae; pronotal-mesopleural suture scarcely discernible. Mesopleuron and metapleuron finely punctate, clothed with fine decumbent setae. Metapleural-propodeal suture obliterated dorsal to endophragmal pit. Lateral face of propodeum smooth and shining dorsally with isolated fine setae, micropunctate and densely setose ventrally; posterior face broadly reticulate dorsally, smooth ventrally, with slender decumbent setae near dorsal margin, scattered fine slender erect setae ventrally. Metasternal process triangular, unidentate acute apically, almost as long as metacoxal height. Legs. Tibial spur formula 1-2-2. Foreleg with tarsal comb, a few long strong articulated spines on posterior/lateral margins of tarsomeres. Mid- and hind tibiae each with two rows of prominent spines, 4–6 spines in each row, apical spines not inserted on any process; apical spurs narrow, finely and shallowly pectinate. Metacoxa with strong even longitudinal carina on inner margin. Metasoma. T1 slightly wider than long,> 0.5 × width of T2, fairly narrow and evenly expanded from base, weakly campanulate, not constricted apically, with slender simple erect setae and weak posterior fringe of slender lanceolate semi-decumbent setae; anterior auricle prominent, vertically lamellate. T2 densely clothed with thickened striated blunt setae in a broad basal triangle, apically with transverse band of laterally flattened lanceolate setae; lateral felt line broad, almost 0.5 × as long as T2 laterally. T3–5 clothed with slender lanceolate to simple decumbent setae. T6 with broad and flat pygidial area, entirely densely and coarsely granulate, well defined by lateral flangelike carina, posterior margin broadly convex. S1 with weak simple median carina. S2 without felt line.

MALE. Without defined pubescent or integumental spots. Head. Broadly transverse, about as wide as mesosoma, surface shiny, densely punctate, clothed with simple decumbent and erect setae (latter very rarely briefly barbed). Occipital carina distinct dorsally. Vertex evenly convex behind ocelli. Eye transversely ovate, protruding, ommatidia distinct. Ocelli small. Antennal tubercles punctate dorsally, smooth mesoventrally below a slight longitudinal ridge, contiguous. Antennal scrobe broadly concave to eye margin, with prominent complete flangelike transverse carina above. Clypeus transversely concave, with transverse anterior/ventral setose lobe on each side above emarginate margin. Malar space about equal to basal height of mandible, about as long as first flagellomere. Gena ecarinate. Hypostomal carina distinct but weak, even, following margin of oral fossa, ending laterally near inner margin of mandible, not reaching posterior mandibular condyle. Proboscidal and mandibular fossae separated by complete bridge, proboscidal fossa about as long as ventral surface of head. Scape weakly bicarinate anteriorly on apical half. Pedicel slightly wider than long, shorter than first flagellomere, which much shorter than second flagellomere. Mandible with broad elongate dorsal flange at about midlength, bidentate apically, ventral carina on inner surface expanded as a lamellate tooth near base, in dorsal/anterior view with lateral margin evenly curved. Maxillary palp 6-segmented; labial palp 4-segmented; intermediate palpomeres scarcely flattened but expanded apicad. Mentum smooth, longitudinally convex. Mesosoma. Surface shiny, densely punctate except smooth on anterior face of pronotum, metapleuron and lateral face of propodeum, and reticulate on remainder of propodeum; clothed with simple to narrowly lanceolate decumbent and erect setae (latter very rarely briefly barbed). Pronotal dorsal face (excluding anterior collar/flange) with anterior margin slightly convex, rounded, epaulet scarcely evident, humeral angle rounded. Posterodorsal margin of pronotum broadly concave, sigmoidal on each side. Tegula trianguloid, truncate posteriorly, evenly convex, almost entirely smooth and glabrous. Mesoscutum with notaulus deep and complete, parapsis almost indistinguishable; posterolateral corner forming a slight raised lobe discontinuous with axilla. Scutellum pulvinate. Axilla laterally produced as an obliquely projecting blunt tooth. Metanotum simple, transverse. Propodeum strongly convex, disk and declivity fairly distinct in lateral view. Metasternal process unidentate, apex blunt, shorter than metacoxal height. Wings. Forewing with moderate ovate sclerotized pterostigma; marginal cell fairly short, rounded apically; two closed submarginal cells. Legs. Tibial spur formula 1-2-2. Mid- and hind tibiae each with two rows of a few strong spines and several strong slender semi-erect macrosetae dorsally, apical spines not inserted on any process; subapically with conspicuous secretory pore near base of inner spur; apical spurs longitudinally concave dorsally, margins microserrate, densely clothed with microsetae. Metacoxa with weak longitudinal carina on inner/posterior margin, there with patch of erect simple to brachyplumose setae. Metasoma. T1 longer than wide,> 0.5 × width of T2, gradually broadened posteriad, sessile apically in dorsal view, oblique anterior and dorsal faces evenly merging, punctate with simple erect setae; anterior auricle moderate, forming rounded vertical flattened lobe. T2 punctate, with simple erect and narrowly lanceolate decumbent setae; felt line fairly narrow and long. T3–6 punctate, with simple erect and narrowly lanceolate decumbent setae. T7 punctate with simple narrowly lanceolate erect setae basally, pygidial area distinct, flattened, with strong lateral and apical marginal carina. Sterna punctate with simple erect to decumbent setae. S1 with weak longitudinal carina. S2 simple, evenly convex, without felt line. S7 concealed. Hypopygium with median weakly upcurved tongue-like lobe on posterior margin. Genitalia. Paramere and cuspis with long finely plumose erect setae. Paramere elongate, dorsoventrally flattened, acute, dorsally strongly recurved apically. Parapenial lobe well developed. Cuspis deeply divided near base, dorsal lobe (paracuspis) cylindrical, ventral lobe triangular in cross-section; digitus flattened, much shorter than cuspis. Penis valve asetose, bidentate apicoventrally, teeth separated.

Species included. Type species only.

Distribution. Argentina (Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero).

Etymology. This genus is named in honor of the Ukrainian and Russian author Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol, with a common suffix for mutillid genera. Gender feminine.

Remarks. Metasomal shape, female mesosomal shape and male genitalia closely link Gogoltilla to some genera in the subtribe Pseudomethocina (sensu Brothers 1975, 1999). First, the parameres are dorsoventrally flattened and initially downcurved ( Fig. 46 ); second, the penis valve is asetose ( Fig. 47 ); third, the first tergite is subsessile with the second ( Fig. 40–43 ); and finally, the female mesosoma is sharply constricted anterior to the propodeal spiracle in dorsal view ( Fig. 40 ).

Some of this wasp's features, however, are not typically associated with pseudomethocine genera. There are plumose or brachyplumose setae on the genitalia, scape and antennal scrobe, which are commonly characteristic of nocturnal sphaeropthalmines. Many Pseudomethocini, including some Nearctic members of Pseudomethoca Ashmead, 1899 , have brachyplumose setae in these same body regions, however. Also, the axillae are strongly armed, which is characteristic of Dasymutilla and its relatives (including Reedomutilla , Suareztilla and Traumatomutilla ) and of Lomachaeta Mickel, 1936 . We have observed variation in axillar armature of pseudomethocine genera in North and South America (pers. obs.), however. Also, the axillar armature of this genus differs from that of Dasymutilla or Lomachaeta by being disconnected from the posterior mesonotal margin anterolaterally. Perhaps this genus shares the most traits with Tobantilla (Sphaeropthalmina) : the coloration is similar in both sexes, the male paramere is sharply upcurved apically, and brachyplumose setae are similarly distributed in both genera.

Gogoltilla clearly contains a mixture of traits seen in both Sphaeropthalmina and Pseudomethocina genera. When recognising the subtribes, Brothers (1975) expressed uncertainty concerning this classification and suggested that additional or fewer subtribal taxa may be necessary. Gogoltilla, along with Lophomutilla Mickel, 1952 , Tallium André, 1902 and Protophotopsis Schuster, 1947 , is yet another genus that cannot easily be placed into either subtribe. These genera indicate that Sphaeropthalmina and Pseudomethocina might not be strictly monophyletic, and that formal subtribes within the tribe Sphaeropthalmini may not be warranted.

Figures

FIGURES 40 – 48. Gogoltilla chichikovi gen. et sp. nov. 40. Female, habitus, dorsal view; 41. Male holotype, habitus, dorsal view; 42. Female, habitus, lateral view; 43. Male holotype, habitus, lateral view; 44 - 47. Male genitalia: dorsal view (left), ventral view (middle left), lateral view with penis valve removed (middle right), and lateral view of penis valve (right); 48. Male mandible, lateral external view.