Eotilla superba Brothers, 1974

Torréns, Javier, Fidalgo, Patricio, Roig-Alsina, Arturo & Brothers, Denis J., 2014, Review of the genus Eotilla Schuster, 1949 (Hymenoptera: Bradynobaenidae: Typhoctinae: Eotillini) and description of new species from Argentina, Zootaxa 3878 (1), pp. 1-18 : 6-11

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3878.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FFAA0DB9-C6A4-4963-B60A-2BA9069951A8
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6123124
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/2249EA5D-FF9C-FFFE-F988-F9AB1061A1F2
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Eotilla superba Brothers, 1974
status

Treatment

( Figs 2, 6 View FIGURES 1 – 8 , 11, 12 View FIGURES 9 – 16 , 18 View FIGURES 17 – 21 , 22, 28 View FIGURES 22 – 31 , 32, 33 View FIGURES 32 – 37 )

Eotilla superba Brothers, 1974: 361 –363; holotype ♂, Argentina: Catamarca, Nacimientos de Abajo [27°09'54"S 66°43'56"W], examined.

Diagnosis. Male. Head, mesosoma and metasoma black ( Figs 2, 6 View FIGURES 1 – 8 ). T2 with a group of white scale-like setae on central area ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 9 – 16 ). T7 with an inverted-V-shaped depression medially. Posterior terga and sterna without dark, short and coarse setae. Female. General body color light brown to yellowish ( Figs 22, 28 View FIGURES 22 – 31 ). Posterior surface of propodeum with transverse striation. Head with dense scale-like setae covering frons from base of mandible to top of eye; gena without scale-like setae ( Fig. 32 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). T2 and S2 with a group of scale-like setae on each side of posterior margin ( Figs 22, 28 View FIGURES 22 – 31 ). Metanotum with a few scattered scale-like setae, specially on sides dorsally ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 22 – 31 ).

Description. Male. Length 3.7–6.8 mm. General body color black; flagellomeres, tibiae and tarsomeres, and basal part of mandible dark brown, rest of mandible light brown; rest of antennae and legs black ( Figs 2, 6 View FIGURES 1 – 8 ).

Head oval, 1.1–1.4 × as broad as high and 1.2–1.4 × as broad as mesosoma, with dense scale-like setae covering frons from base of mandible to slightly below eye height, a few scattered scale-like setae reaching top of eye and behind head; vertex without or with a few scattered scale-like setae; gena covered with scale-like setae; plumose setae long, dark and scattered over vertex and frons, almost reaching toruli ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 17 – 21 ); vertex with spaced punctation. POL 1.5–2.3 × as long as OOL, POL 1.7–2.0 × as long as LOL; eyes ovoid, separated by 0.9–1.1 × their height, malar space 0.04–0.09 × eye height. Scape with scale-like and scattered dark plumose setae, except ventrally glabrous; scape 1.6–2.1 × as long as broad and 1.9–3.3 × as long as pedicel; flagellomeres cylindrical, F1 0.7–0.9 × length of scape and 0.7–0.8 × length of F2, F2–F6 approximately same length, F7–F10 gradually decreasing in length, F11 elongated with rounded apex.

Mesosoma elongate, 1.5–2.0 × as long as broad; punctation well marked, spaced on dorsum and more contiguous on pleura and propodeum. Pronotum transverse, anteriorly forming a collar with small plumose setae, rest covered almost completely with scale-like and white plumose setae, plumose setae dark on dorsum. Mesonotum moderately punctate; with scattered scale-like and dark plumose setae, scale-like setae denser on posterior margin; tegula convex, smooth and basal half covered with scale-like setae; scutellum with well-scattered punctation except medially smooth and with scattered scale-like and dark plumose setae. Metanotum transverse, narrow, with scattered scale-like and white plumose setae; punctate except medially smooth. Propodeum with contiguous punctation; with small dark plumose setae dorsally; vertical surface with scattered long white plumose setae; rest of propodeum covered with scale-like and white plumose setae; a group of scale-like setae at insertion of hind coxa. Propleuron covered with plumose setae; mesopleuron convex, punctate except smooth anterodorsal to mid coxa, fairly densely covered by scale-like and white plumose setae, but less dense medially and above mid coxa exposing the cuticle; metapleuron with moderately spaced punctation but sparser anteroventrally, metepisternum covered by long plumose setae on central area and with scale-like setae above insertion of metacoxa, metepimeron covered with scale-like setae.

Fore wing 2.8–3.4 × as long as broad, densely setose ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1 – 8 ), hyaline, except a narrow small darker spot apical to marginal cell; venation light brown, with coarse dark plumose setae.

Legs slender; anterior surfaces of coxae, trochanters, femora and tibiae almost covered by scale-like setae; plumose setae scattered across surfaces of legs, becoming denser where no scale-like setae; mid and hind tibial spurs white.

Metasoma 2.3–2.8 × as long as broad, T1 1.2–1.5 × as long as wide and 0.6–0.7 × as wide as T2 ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 9 – 16 ); terga with well-marked punctation, slightly spaced on T1, remaining terga with punctation contiguous. T1 covered with erect white plumose setae, a few scattered scale-like setae on central area and dense scale-like setae along posterior margin; T2 with an oval group of few to many scale-like setae on central area, entirely covered with erect white to dark plumose setae and decumbent dark simple setae, dense scale-like setae along posterior margin; dark felt line 0.37–0.54 × lateral length of T2, its anterior extremity at 0.22–0.30 × lateral length of T2; T3–T5 with scattered erect white to dark plumose setae and decumbent dark simple setae, scale-like setae on posterior margins; T6 with scattered erect white to dark plumose setae, apical margin with oblique dark brown coarse plumose setae (different from those observed in E. mickeli ) and a few scale-like setae laterally; T7 with a smooth inverted-V-shaped depression medially, with scattered small dark plumose to strong simple setae elsewhere; sterna with sculpture and distribution of setae similar to corresponding terga, except erect plumose setae white (but becoming dark on posteriormost sterna), S1 without or with only a few scale-like setae posterolaterally, S2 with a few to many scattered scale-like setae on sides and central area, S6 with only slender scale-like setae on posterior margin, S7 asetose and S8 with dark semi-erect plumose and decumbent strong simple setae ( Fig. 12 View FIGURES 9 – 16 ).

Female (hitherto unknown). Length 3.2–4.0 mm. General body color light brown to yellowish except last segment of metasoma which is dark brown; scape, pedicel, inner surface of flagellomeres and legs light brown; basal ¾ of F1 black; rest of antenna, apical half of mandible, T6 and S6 dark brown ( Figs 22, 28 View FIGURES 22 – 31 , 32, 33 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ).

Head 1.1–1.3 × as broad as high and 1.3–1.5 × as broad as mesosoma; with dense scale-like setae covering frons from base of mandible to top of eye; scattered dark plumose setae distributed throughout head, longer on clypeus; vertex with spaced punctation and coarse dark plumose setae; gena with scattered small dark plumose setae, without scale-like setae ( Figs 32, 33 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). Eyes separated by 1.1–1.2 × their height, malar space 0.20–0.25 × eye height. Clypeus short and broad, slightly convex; mandible arched, simple, with small preapical denticle on inner edge, distance between inner denticle and apical tooth 0.2–0.3 × mandible length. Scape covered with scattered scale-like and plumose setae on dorsal and inner surfaces, with long plumose setae on ventral surface near insertion of pedicel, scape 2.0–2.6 × as long as broad and 1.3–1.6 × as long as pedicel; pedicel 2.0–2.7 × as long as broad and as long as F1; flagellomeres cylindrical, F1 0.6–0.8 × length of scape and 0.8–1.0 × as long as F2; remaining flagellomeres approximately same length except F6–F9 gradually decreasing in length, F10 elongated with rounded apex.

Mesosoma elongate, 1.6–2.0 × as long as broad ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 22 – 31 ). Pronotum 1.3–1.6 × as broad as long (width taken across humeral tubercles), forming a collar anteriorly; humeral tubercle poorly developed; dorsum with wellmarked and contiguous punctation, with a dense transverse band of scale-like setae anteriorly and a few scattered scale-like setae on posterior margin, dark plumose setae throughout, setae longer laterad; lateral face smooth and without setae, except a few scale-like setae near insertion of fore coxa. Fused metanotum and propodeum dorsally with scattered and well-marked punctation, with a few scattered scale-like setae, especially on sides, and scattered dark plumose setae which longer laterad; posterior declivity of propodeum without setae and transversely striate, striations extending beyond limit of metapleura, sometimes reaching to level of spiracle. Propleuron smooth, with scattered dark plumose setae and a group of dark long plumose setae near insertion of fore coxa; mesopleuron smooth with a longitudinal carina reaching slightly beyond half of sclerite from ventral limit of pronotum, with scattered scale-like and small plumose setae, scale-like setae denser above mid coxa; metapleural-propodeal suture indistinguishable, without setae except a few scale-like setae near insertion of mid coxa and above hind coxa ( Fig. 33 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ).

Legs slender; fore coxa with a group of dark long plumose setae on upper outer surface and a few scale-like and long plumose setae elsewhere; mid and hind coxae, trochanters, femora and tibiae covered with scale-like and plumose setae, except no scale-like setae on ventral surfaces.

Metasoma 1.9–2.2 × as long as broad ( Fig. 28 View FIGURES 22 – 31 ), T1 0.93–0.96 × as long as wide and 0.52–0.60 × as wide as T2; with well-marked contiguous punctation on T1 and T2, except central area of vertical surface of T1 smooth; T3–T5 with punctation less marked and dispersed; T6 completely alutaceous. T1 with dense group of scale-like setae laterally on dorsal surface, scattered dark long plumose setae except medially on vertical surface; T2 with dense group of scale-like setae posterolaterally, with dark plumose setae across surface, dark felt line 0.14–0.17× lateral length of T2, its anterior extremity 0.24–0.26 × lateral length of T2; T3 with dark plumose setae; T4–T5 with scattered dark plumose setae on posterior margin; T6 without setae. Sterna with sculpture and distribution of setae similar to that of corresponding terga, except S2 with a few scale-like setae on each side of posterior margin, and S6 with latero-posterior margin with distinct denticles.

Variation. Males. In some specimens the coloration of the metasoma and/or legs, particularly the tibiae and tarsomeres, is lighter. The number of scale-like setae is variable, specially on T1, T2 and S2; but the setation pattern is rather consistent.

Females. In some specimens the coloration of the legs is darker, particularly the fore and mid coxae, femora and tibiae, and the metasoma a little lighter than the rest of the body. The number of scale-like setae is variable, but the setation pattern is consistent. In some specimens the striation of the propodeum is weak, appearing smooth.

Discussion. The association between males and females is very difficult because of extreme sexual dimorphism. However, several specimens of both sexes were collected in the same place and on the same day, in addition to being the only species found at that locality, so that they are considered conspecific.

Distribution. Argentina: Catamarca, Jujuy, La Rioja, Salta ( Fig. 38).

Phenology. September–March.

Material examined. Holotype of Eotilla superba , ♂: ARGENTINA: Catamarca, Los Nacimientos de Abajo [27°10'42"S 66°43'34"W], 2060 m, 16–31/XII/1968, Willink, Terán and Stange, MT ( IFML). Paratypes, 4♂: ARGENTINA: Salta, Yacochuya (Cafayate) [26°2'16"S 66°1'29"W], 1950 m, 1–15/IX/1968, Willink, Terán and Stange, MT (2♂, IFML); same location, 16–30/IX/1968, Willink, Terán and Stange, MT (1♂, DJBC); Salta, Tacuil [25°35'15"S 66°26'23"W], 7/XII/1968, Willink, Stange (1♂, DJBC). Other material, 66♂ and 9♀: Catamarca, 10 km S of Cortaderas 27º37'57''S 68º14'52''W, 3923 m, 18/XII/2012, J. Torréns and P. Fidalgo, YPT (1♂, IFML); Jujuy, Ruta 9, Km 1762, ca Posta de Hornillos 23°39'47"S 65°26'13"W, 2390 m, 2–4/IX/2009, P. Fidalgo, YPT (12 ♂, 1♀, MACN); same location, 18–20/I/2012, J. Torréns and P. Fidalgo, YPT (16♂, 6♀, IFML); Ruta 52, Km 17, Puerta de Lipán 23°40'01"S 65°34'46"W, 2954 m, 10–11/X/09, P. Fidalgo, YPT (9♂, IADIZA); same location, 18–20/I/2012, J. Torréns and P. Fidalgo, YPT (1♀, DJBC); Ruta 52, Km 18, Puerta de Lipán 23°40'1"S 65°35'11"W, 3008 m, 10–11/X/09, P. Fidalgo, YPT (10♂, DJBC; 10♂, MNHNS); same location, 18–20/I/2012, J. Torréns and P. Fidalgo, YPT (2♂, 1♀, MNHNS); Quera 23°5'58"S 65°46'11"W, 5–6/III/2013, 3500 m, J. Torréns and P. Fidalgo, YPT (1♂, IFML); La Rioja, El Carrizal, 28°54'35"S 66°39'26"W, 16–18/XI/09, A. Aranda, pit-fall (1♂, MACN); La Puerta, 28°49'39"S 66°39'20"W, 29/XI/09, Torréns and Fidalgo, YPT (2♂, MACN); Qda. Santo Domingo 28°33'18"S 68°44'46"W, 2900 m, 02/XI/2009, J. Torréns, YPT (2♂, IFML).