Bifurca species group

Bartholomay, Pedro R., Williams, Kevin A., Luz, David R., Cambra, Roberto A. & Oliveira, Márcio Luiz de, 2019, Traumatomutilla André miscellanea: Revision of the bellica, bifurca, diabolica, and vitelligera species groups, and a new group for the new species T. pilkingtoni Bartholomay and Williams (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae: Sphaeropthalminae: Dasymutillini), Insecta Mundi 709 (709), pp. 1-37 : 11-13

bifurca species group

Diagnosis. Females can be diagnosed by lacking integumental markings on T2, the presence of contrasting patterns of black and white setae, head unarmed posterolaterally, genal carina absent or weakly defined, mesosoma compact, scutellar scale and anterior transverse carina present, mid and hind femora rounded apically, and pygidium broadly ovate. Males can be diagnosed by having the pygidium with a raised medial plate surrounded by lateral carinae and the head having a pair of blunt tooth-like projections on the front.

Included taxa. T. bifurca ( Klug, 1821) and T. oxira Casal, 1969 .

Distribution. Brazil.

Remarks. Species of the bifurca species group are marked by a contrasting pattern of black and white setae, making them some of the most easily recognizable within the genus. Additionally, they are among the few species of Traumatomutilla that show almost no variation in color or setae patterns. Although the two included species are separated by multiple structural features, as noted in their diagnoses below, they are most readily and easily differentiated by color pattern, particularly in the mesosomal stripes and T2 markings ( Fig. 26 , 46 ).

Figures

Figures 26–27. Traumatomutilla bifurca (Klug, 1821), ♀, lectotype, line 2mm. 26) Dorsal habitus. 27) Lateral habitus.

Figures 46–50. Traumatomutilla oxira Casal, 1969, ♀, holotype. 46) Dorsal habitus, line 2mm. 47) Lateral habitus, line 2mm. 48) Head, frontal view. 49) T6 (pygidium), posterior view. 50) Holotype labels.