Lomachaeta cirrhomeris Pitts & Manley

Pitts, James P. & Manley, Donald G., 2004, A Revision of Lomachaeta Mickel, with a new species of Smicromutilla Mickel (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Zootaxa 474, pp. 1-27 : 7-10

3. Lomachaeta cirrhomeris Pitts & Manley , New Species

( Figs. 4 , 7 , 15 , 28, 29 )

Diagnosis. The male of this species is easily recognized by having a totally black body with orange femora, brown orange tegula and small, sparse punctures medially on the pronotum ( Fig. 7 ). These characters distinguish the male of this species from all other Lomachaeta . The sculpture of the pronotum of the male is similar to that of L. hicksi ( Fig. 8 ). The female can be identified by the totally orange body with a black brown pygidial area and a black fringe of setae on the fifth tergite.

Holotype Male. Head. Width 0.98 mm, black, clothed throughout with sparse, long, erect, pale white setae. Compound eye maximum diameter 0.39 mm. Median ocellus 0.050 mm, lateral ocellus 0.046 mm, ocellocular distance 0.28 mm, and interocellular distance 0.13 mm. Malar space very short, 0.10 mm in length. Mandible black, brown orange apically, distinctly emarginated and toothed beneath. Antennal tubercle brown. Antenna black. Scape clothed with pale white setae throughout. Pedicel and flagellomeres with pale golden setae. Length of scape, pedicel and first three flagellomeres: 0.30, 0.069, 0.077, 0.10 and 0.085 mm, respectively; width of first flagellomeres 0.092 mm. Front reticulate, punctures large and crowded. Vertex with small, distinct, separated punctures.

Mesosoma. Black, clothed throughout with sparse, long, erect, pale white and brown setae. Pronotum with moderately large, irregularly spaced punctures along lateral margin, confluent at posterior margin, small and sparsely spaced medially. Mesonotum with small, close punctures throughout. Scutellum almost flat, with punctures similar to those on mesonotum, more crowded than mesonotum. Dorsum and posterior face of propodeum broadly reticulate throughout. Metapleuron and propodeal side glabrous, dorsal margin of metapleuron finely rugose, and reticulations of dorsum and posterior face of propodeum extending slightly onto propodeal side. Tegula brown orange, glabrous, except entire margin punctate and with long, pale, erect setae. Legs brown orange with femora orange, clothed with sparse, long, erect, pale white setae. Tibia with pale white bristles. Tibial spurs pale. Wings with pterostigma 0.22 mm in length along costa. Marginal cell 0.26 mm in length. Second submarginal cell pentagonal, 0.31 mm in length.

Metasoma. Black except metasomal segments 6–7 brown. Metasoma clothed throughout with sparse, long, erect, pale white setae. T5–T7 with dark setae. Bristles at posterior margins of T2–T4 black brown. T1 punctate on lateral margins, glabrous medially, with row of very large, contiguous punctures along posterior margin. T2 with small, distant, widely separated punctures. T3–T7 with progressively small to fine, separated punctures. S2 with large, close punctures throughout. Genitalia Fig. 4 , 15 .

Length. Approximately 5.4 mm.

Allotype Female. Head. Width is 0.77 mm, orange. Flagellum darkened orange brown. Head clothed with very sparse, erect, black setae, except additional short pale white setae on clypeus and gena. Antennae, maxillary and labial palps covered with very short pale silvery setae. Mandible edentate, not emarginate nor toothed beneath. Front and vertex broadly reticulate. Posterior margin of gena defined by carina, gena broadly reticulate to carina. Compound eye maximum diameter 0.31 mm. Malar space very short, 0.12 mm in length. Length of scape, pedicel and first three flagellomeres: 0.29, 0.050, 0.092, 0.062 and 0.069 mm, respectively. Width of first flagellomeres 0.054 mm.

Mesosoma. Orange. Clothed with very sparse, black setae. Dorsum of mesosoma narrowly reticulate, posterior face of propodeum more shallowly so than elsewhere. Humeral angle slightly angulate. Posterior 0.75 of mesopleuron reticulate. Metapleuron and propodeal side glabrous. Coxa, trochanter, and femur orange. Tibia and tarsus orange brown. Legs sparsely clothed with pale white glittering setae. Tarsus with black brown spines. Tibial spurs pale.

Metasoma. Orange. T1 clothed with pale white setae and with small, sparse punctures. T2–T5 clothed with sparse black setae. T2 punctured and with marginal fringe of dense pale white setae. T3–T5 indistinctly punctate. T5 with apical fringe of dense black setae. Pygidium black brown, glabrous, pygidial area undefined. S1 with median longitudinal carina. S3–S5 indistinctly, finely punctate at posterior margins. S2–S4 clothed with pale white setae. S5 with black brown setae.

Length. Approximately 3.0 mm.

Type material. Holotype ɗ, USA, Arizona, Santa Cruz Co., Patagonia, 31°53’N, 110°77’W, 3.IX.1995, B. Brown ( CNCI). Paratypes, 10 ɗ, Arizona, Santa Cruz Co., Patagonia, 31°53’N, 110°77’W, 1ɗ 16.VI.1994, 3ɗ 8.VII.1995, 1 3.IX.1995, 1 10.IX.1995, 1ɗ 24.IX.1995, 3ɗ 14. X.1995, B. Brown ( JPPC, DGMC, UGAC and CNCI). Allotype Ψ, USA, Arizona, Santa Cruz Co., Patagonia, Sonorita Creek Reserve, 31°53’N, 110°77’W, 14.VIII.1994, B. Brown ( CNCI).

Other material examined. USA: Arizona: Cochise Co.: Chiricahua Mnts., 5400’, Hidden Terrace, 4.5 mi SW portal, 1Ψ 16–20.VIII.1982, M.A. Cazier ( AMNH); Portal, 2ɗ 8.IX.1974, H.&M. Townes ( AEIC); Portal, 11ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Wilcox, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 8 m N Tombstone, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Coconino Co., 3 m S Sedona, 10Ψ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 5 m S Sedona, 4Ψ 6ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 6 m S Jacob’s Lake, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Gila Co.: 20 m N Claypool, 2Ψ 2ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 1 m S Jakes Corner, 10Ψ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 5 mi S Payson, 1Ψ 4ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 2 m S Pine, 1Ψ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 8m S Punkin Cnt., 1Ψ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Mohave Co., 3m S Oatman, 1Ψ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Pima Co.: 21–35 mi W Tucson, 1ɗ 21.IV.1969, J. Schuh ( AMNH); 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Santa Cruz Co., Madera Cyn., 2Ψ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Yavapai Co.: Clarkdale, 4ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL), 6 m E Camp Verde, 2ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL). California: Santa Barbara Co., Sedgewick Ranch Reserve, 45 km NW Santa Barbara, 1Ψ 24.VI–8.VII.1997, ( UCDC); Fresno Co., Lookout Mnt., 6 m NW Coalinga, 2ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Santa Barbara Co., Sedgewick Reserve, 45 km NW Santa Barbara, 1ɗ 19.IX.1997, E. Schlinger ( UCDC); San Diego Co., Lake Wohlford, 1ɗ 30.IV.1974, H.&M. Townes ( AEIC); Santa Cruz Co., Felton, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Tulare Co., 9 km SE Wilsonia, 2380 m, 1Ψ 1.VIII.1993, P. Ward ( UCDC). New Mexico: Hidalgo Co.: Rodeo, 2ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL), 5 m E Granite Pass, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 10 m NE Lordsburg, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Valencia Co., 5 m N Fence Lake, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL). Nevada: Clark Co., Kyle Cyn, 3ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Clark Co., Searchlight, 1Ψ 3ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Lincoln Co., Tule Desert 1ɗ 10.IV–9. V.1984, 1 ɗ 17.VIII–30.IX.1983, R. Bechtel & J. Knight ( BBSL); Washoe Co., Verdi, 1? reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL). Texas: Va l Ve rd e C o., Devil’s River, Dolan Falls, 2Ψ 16–19.VI.1995; 2Ψ 24–26.VI.1995, A. Hook and O. Hernandez ( JPPC and DGMC). Utah: Emery Co., San Rafael Desert, 3 m SSE Temple Mt., 5300’, 1Ψ F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Washington Co.: Beaver Dam Wash, Lytle Ranch Preserve, 1ɗ 10–24.VI.1987, W. J. Hanson ( BBSL); Duncan Flats, 1ɗ 21–31.VII.1981, C. R. Nelson ( BBSL); Leeds Canyon, 2ɗ 15–18.VII.1980 ( BBSL); Lytle Ranch, malaise trap, 1ɗ 4–7.VIII.1992, D. Judd & D. Feener ( AEIC); Paradise Canyon, 1ɗ 30.V–4. VI.1983, 1 ɗ 21–30.VIII.1983, D. Beck ( BBSL); Pintura, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL), South Pintura, 1ɗ 10.VII–14.VIII.1986, W. J. Hanson ( BBSL). MEXICO: Baja California, Rio San. Salv., Hwy 3, 1077 m, 1ɗ 7–12.VI.1997, E. Schlinger ( UCDC). Baja California Sur: Puerto Escondito, 2ɗ 10–14.VII.1989, R. Shaver ( UCDC); Puerto Escondito, Lorinto, 3ɗ 23.VI.1991, R. Shaver ( UCDC).

Variation. The male specimens vary in length from 4.6 mm to 6.2 mm and the coloration of the femora and tegulae vary from stramineous to brown orange. The female specimens vary in length from 3.0 mm to 4.2 mm, but lack any noticeable difference in coloration or sculpture.

Hosts. Both sexes were reared from Solierella blaisdelli , S. plenoculoides similis , and Pisonopsis birkmani Rohwer. Males were also reared from a Trypoxylon sp.

Etymology. From the Greek kirrhos “orange” and meros “thigh,” in reference to the orange femora.

Remarks. Lomachaeta cirrhomeris occurs sympatrically with L. hicksi . Given the range of color variation of the latter, future studies may prove that L. cirrhomeris is just another color morph of L. hicksi . However, current rearing data from these areas suggests that these are actually two separate species.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. 1 – 2, Lomachaeta hicksi ♂, 1. first and second metasomal segment, dorsal view; 2. wing; 3. L. chionothrix, male genitalia, dorsal and lateral view, scale = 0.25 mm; 4. L. cirrhomeris, male genitalia, dorsal and lateral view, scale = 0.25 mm; 5. L. hicksi, dorsal view.

FIGURES 6 – 13. 6 – 12, Pronotum and mesonotum of males, dorsal view of left half, not to same scale, 6. Lomachaeta chionothrix; 7. L. cirrhomeris; 8. L. hicksi; 9. L. hicksi; 10. L. hicksi; 11. L. hicksi; 12. L. ptilohyalus. 13. Mesonotum of L. hyphantria, dorsal view.

FIGURES 14 – 23. Internal view of male genitalia, 14. Lomachaeta chionothrix; 15. L. cirrhomeris; 16. L. hicksi; 17. L. hicksi; 18. L. hicksi; 19. L. ptilohyalus; 20. L. crocopinna; 21. L. hyphantria; 22. L. hicksi; 23. Smicromutilla beadugrimi; scale = 0.20 mm.

FIGURES 24 – 29. Habitus of 24. Lomachaeta crocopinna ♂; 25. L. hicksi ♂; 26. L. ptilohyalus ♂; 27. L. hicksi ♂; 28. L. cirrhomeris ♂; 29. L. cirrhomeris Ψ.