Dissomphalus aculeatus Alencar & Azevedo, 2006

Alencar, I. D. C. C. & Azevedo, C. O., 2006, Definition of the coronatus species-group (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae, Dissomphalus) with description of thirteen new species, Zootaxa 1330, pp. 1-26 : 4-5

Dissomphalus aculeatus Alencar & Azevedo , New Species

( Figs. 1–4 )

Diagnosis: paramere 2.0x as long as basiparamere. Aedeagus with dorsal body with two pairs of apical lobes, outer pair with apex arched ventrally and somewhat converging mesad; crown-process with long lateral prolongation in middle of dorsal body with upper subquadrate emargination, its inner margin with three filaments thorn-like.

Description: male, body length 3.5mm; LFW 2.1mm. Color: head black; clypeus and mesosoma dark castaneous; metasoma castaneous; mandible, palpi and legs light castaneous; antenna light castaneous and gradually darker distally; wings subhyaline.

Head: mandible tridentate, uppermost tooth inconspicuous. Clypeus with trapezoidal median lobe, median tooth angulate and large, median carina incomplete and strong in profile. First four antennal segments in ratio of ~18:8:5:6, segment XI 2.2x as long as wide. Frons somewhat coriaceous, punctures shallow, separated by 1.0–1.5x their diameter. LH 0.9x WH; WF 0.7x WH; WF 1.8x HE; OOL 1.2x WOT; DAO 0.3x WOT; posterior ocellus separated from crest of vertex by 0.6x DAO. Vertex concave with rounded corners; VOL 1.4x HE.

Mesosoma: thoracic dorsum coriaceous with punctures as on frons. Pronotal disc 0.5x length of mesoscutum, anterior margin with rounded foveae. Notaulus complete. Propodeal disc 0.8x as long as wide, irregularly rugose, median carina incomplete and posterior region polished and shiny; lateral surface of propodeum with irregular striae; declivity areolate-rugose. Fore femur 3.0x as long as wide.

Metasoma: tergum II with pair of circular and deep lateral depressions, separated by 0.8x their diameter, each depression with tuft of convergent setae directed backward, antero-lateral margin with short setae ( Fig. 1 ). Hypopygium with posterior margin with small median convexity.

Genitalia ( Fig. 2–4 ): paramere wide in lateral view, 2.0x as long as basiparamere, inner surface of apex with distinct long seta, apex arched mesad, dorsal margin convex with subapical concavity, ventral margin concave. Basiparamere straight in ventral view. Cuspis long, digitus arched ventrally, base with rounded and short protuberance. Aedeagus with ventral ramus shorter than dorsal body, laminar, surface horizontal and arched ventrally, wide and converging mesad medially, apex narrow and directed laterad; dorsal body with two pairs of apical lobes, outer pair laminar ( Fig. 4 ), surface vertical, base wide, apex arched ventrally and somewhat convergent; crown-process with long lateral prolongation in middle of dorsal body with upper subquadrate emargination, its inner margin with three filaments thorn-like; inner pair not close to outer pair, membranous and not hairy. Apodeme not extending beyond elliptical genital ring.

Material examined: HOLOTYPE: male, VENEZUELA, Mérida, Tabay, La Macuy, 2600m, [8°38’16”N 71°4’47”W], 11–27.VII.1986, B. Gill col. ( PMAE). PARATYPES: 4 males same data as holotype ( PMAE).

Variation: some specimens have shiny frons, castaneous mesosoma, tergal process with depression subcircular or antero-lateral margin subangulate in posterior view, deeper or shallower, tuft wider or less dense.

Comments: this species is easily identified by having clypeus with trapezoidal median lobe with median tooth large, dorsal body of aedeagus with subquadrate emargination with three filaments thorn-like in inner margin of outer lobes and inner lobes not close to outer pair.

Etymology: specific epithet comes from Latin and refers to thorns present in inner margin of outer lobes of aedeagus.

Distribution: Venezuela.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 11. 1 – 4, Dissomphalus aculeatus sp. nov. 1, metasoma, dorsal view; 2, genitalia, ventral view; 3, genitalia, dorsal view; 4, outer lobe of aedeagus, dorsal view; 5 – 6, Dissomphalus auritus sp. nov. 5, genitalia, ventral view; 6, genitalia, dorsal view; 7 – 9, Dissomphalus coronatus sp. nov. 7, genitalia, ventral view; 8, genitalia, dorsal view; 9, apex of dorsal body, lateral view; 10 – 11, Dissomphalus culteratus sp. nov. 10, genitalia, ventral view; 11, genitalia, dorsal view. (Scale bars = 250 μm).