Mischocyttarus tayrona Silveira, 2015

Silveira, Orlando Tobias, Silva, Suzanna de Sousa & Felizardo, Sherlem Patricia de Seixas, 2015, Notes on social wasps of the group of Mischocyttarus (Omega) punctatus (Ducke), with description of six new species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae), Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 59 (3), pp. 154-168 : 161

Mischocyttarus tayrona Silveira sp. nov. ( Figs. 11E and 12A )

Mischocyttarus vaqueroi : Sarmiento, 1994: 361 (misidentification).

Holotype: female (N1), Colombia, Magdalena, Santa Marta, Filo Cartagena , 600 m, “rastrojo”, 19/xi/1995, C. Sarmiento ( ICN)

Diagnosis. Female: wing length 6.5–7.5 mm; clypeus distinctly higher than wide; first metasomal segment variable, but never very long, LSI/HMP 1.42–1.53; pronotal carina not forming large lobes nor being notably reflexed; mesoscutum with punctures of two very distinct size-classes; frons with medium-sized punctures and nearly indistinguishable micropunctures; paired oblique yellow streaks adjacent to antennal sockets often very narrow; light colored parts relatively extensive, propodeal spots medium-sized.

Description. Female: wing length 6.5–7.5 mm. Head nearly as high as wide in frontal view; clypeus higher than wide, H/WCL 1.08–1.14, apex truncate; malar space nearly obsolete; tentorial pit much closer to eye margin than to antennal socket; ocelli as in a equilateral triangle, narrowly separated from eyes, POL/OOL about 1.6; occipital carina well developed, distinct in lateral view and ending fairly below the level of ocular sinus and outwards in relation to margin of pre-foraminal concavity; gena considerably narrower than the upper lobe of the eye. Pronotum without a lateral fovea, central part of the anterior margin of pronotum with the lamella raised and reflexed, with contour reaching just a little more than 180 degrees, much less reflexed than in other species of this group; region immediately behind the lamella without secondary margin; humeral angle well developed, pronotal carina well developed at sides in spite of not forming large lobes nor being notably reflexed, lamella very narrow measuring at sides only ca. 0.11 mm, total width of carina ( WCAR) only about 1.11 to 1.13 times larger than that of mesoscutum. Fore wing well-elongated, LDIS /HMP 2.22. Inner claw of hind tarsus with the apex uniformly rounded, but not enlarged or spoon-shaped; propodeum with median furrow shallow and narrow, developed on 4/5 of the length of dorsum, propodeal valve with upper lamellar border narrow and strongly oblique, with subtriangular outline. First metasomal segment variable, but never very long ( Fig. 12A ), LSI/HMP 1.42–1.53, with the apex 1.77 to 2.15 times wider than the basal petiole; spiracles weakly prominent.

Sculpture: very strong and conspicuous. Disk of clypeus with medium-sized punctures and nearly indistinguishable micropunctures, area close to the ventral margin finely reticulate without punctures, shining; upper interantennal area and frons with well visible medium-sized punctures and nearly indistinguishable micropunctures; punctures on head just anterior to occipital carina weaker. Mesoscutum sculpture with ordered aspect, punctures of two very distinct size-classes, the larger ones very distinct measuring ca. 0.06 mm or more, the smaller very small and shallow, with less than 0.02 mm, often hard to visualize ( Fig. 11E ); mesopleuron and propodeum sculpture similar to that of mesoscutum, but with small-sized punctures still finer; integument in general very shining.

Vestiture:eyes bare; head and mesosoma with very conspicuous whitish appressed or decumbent pilosity; erect, longer and stouter hairs on clypeus, frons and mesoscutum, those on mesopleuron and propodeum still longer but finer and rather decumbent; metasomal terga with appressed pubescence, and more erect hairs on distal segments; first metasomal sternum with very smooth and shining integument, nearly absolutely glabrous except for rather sparse fine and curved hairs; remaining sterna with appressed pubescence, with longer and more erect hairs on distal segments, besides those of glandular brushes.

Color: black (see Fig. 12A ). Antenna above, most of legs, disk of metasomal terga, dark brown. Ventral aspect of antenna very light brown, yellowish at apex. Spot on clypeus with grading tones of brown, connected to an interantennal dark mark. Apical teeth and margins of mandible; posterior region of head and mouth parts; postero-lateral area on pronotum; anterior half of mesepisternal plate; posterior area on mesopleuron; large median area on mesosternum; antero-lateral region of tegula; whole metapleuron and latero-anterior region of propodeum; extensive areas on fore coxa, femur, tibia and tarsus; base of mid coxa and anterior aspect of mid femur and tibia; mid tarsus beneath; base of hind coxa, and anterior aspect of hind femur and tibia; hind tarsus beneath, light reddish brown. Most of mandible and clypeus (around central dark mark); inner and outer orbits; narrow supra-antennal concave wave-like mark; band encircling anterior region of pronotum (on carina and descending at sides); narrow strip along pronotal posterior margin; posterior half of mesepisternal plate; posterior ventral spot and articular region of mesopleuron; posterior spot on tegula; mark on base of anterior wing; anterior two-thirds of scutellum (divided by a median line); mesoaxillae; most of metanotum anteriorly; metaxillae, two large spots on propodeum; valvular region; outer marginal region of fore coxa; distal spot on fore femur; lateral stripe on fore tibia; dorsum of first and fifth segments of fore tarsus; one stripe on mid coxa; two stripes on hind coxa; distal mark on mid and hind femora; elongated stripe on dorsal aspect of mid tibia; apical spot on mid and hind tibia; basal window-like mark and distal marginal band on metasomal tergum I, extending forward at sides and almost reaching the spiracle; distal and lateral margins of terga II to VI; distal expanded region of sternum I from a point just posterior to spiracle; trilobed discal mark on sternum II; distal margin (broadened medially) of sterna II to VI, yellow. Wings hyaline with brown veins.

Male: unknown.

Nest. Carlos E. Sarmiento collected and photographed a nest of M. tayrona sp. nov. It is composed of a vertical, single-row comb with 22 cells (plus one unfinished cell) measuring ca. 30 cm in length; the first basal cell has a short pedicel connected to a small circular attachment surface, indicating its earlier attachment to a flat substrate. It is similar to the nest of M. punctatus , but the cell rims tend to face in the same direction, not in opposite directions (or in a zigzag fashion) as described by Richards (1978) for M. punctatus . Small interconnecting stalks can be seen between cells more distally positioned along the nest (see below).

Distribution: Panama, Colombia (Magdalena).

Etymology: the specific epithet is in reference to the people who inhabited northern Colombia in pre-Columbian times. The Tayrona had constructed a large and complex society, but declined during the first hundred years after the Spanish conquest. Some indigenous communities that now live in the region of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are considered their descendants.

Remarks. Mischocyttarus tayrona sp. nov. shares some important similarities with M. anchicaya sp. nov. and M. chalucas : reduced development of the pronotal carina, anteromedial lamella of pronotum less reflexed, and sculpture of the frons and mesoscutum with punctures of two very distinct size classes. The first metasomal segment also tends to be considerably short for species of the M. punctatus group. A colony collected by C.E. Sarmiento was found in low regrowth vegetation (rastrojo).

Examined material (Paratypes): Panama: Canal Zone, 1 female, Barro Colorado Island , 29/vii/1956, Carl W. & Marian E. Rettenmeyer, no. 2216 ( UCDC) ; Colombia: Magdalena, Santa Marta, Filo Cartagena , 600 m, “rastrojo”, 19/xi/1995, C. Sarmiento, (N1) 1 female ( ICN) , 1 female ( MPEG) ; 1 female N Sierra Nevada de S. Marta, Rio Buritaca , 24/ii/1974, nest 257 , 3 females (note 150), 10–15 km E Santa Marta , 4–5/xii/1976, M. Cooper ( NHM) .

Figures

Fig. 11. (A–H) Partial halves of anterior mesosoma to show pronotal carina and mesoscutal sculpture (scale as in B):(A) Mischocyttarus rodriguesi sp. nov.; (B) M.caxiuana sp. nov.; (C) M. punctatus; (D) M. ryani sp. nov.; (E) M. tayrona sp. nov.; (F) M. anchicaya sp. nov.; (G) M. verissimoi sp. nov.; (H) M. vaqueroi. (I–L) Detail of mesoscutal sculpture (scale bar= 0.1mm): (I) M. anchicaya sp. nov.; (J) M. ryani sp. nov.; (K) M. rodriguesi sp. nov.; (L) M. caxiuana sp. nov. (M–N) Posterior view of head showing pre-foraminal region and occipital carina (scale as in N): (M) M. vaqueroi; (N) M. caxiuana sp. nov.

Fig. 12. General lateral views of holotype females of: (A) Mischocyttarus tayrona sp. nov.; (B) M.anchicaya sp. nov.; (C) M. caxiuana sp. nov.; (D) M. verissimoi sp. nov.; (E) M. rodriguesi sp. nov.; (F) M. ryani sp. nov.