Invreiella chihuahuensis Waldren, 2020

Waldren, George C., Williams, Kevin A., Cambra, Roberto A. & Pitts, James P., 2020, Systematic revision of the North American velvet ant genus Invreiella Suárez (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) with description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 4894 (2), pp. 151-205 : 189-190

10. Invreiella chihuahuensis Waldren , sp. nov.

( Figs 18 , 24, 28, 30 , 74 , 90 , 105 , 121 , 135 ; Map 6)

Diagnosis (female). This species is distinguished from other members of the I. satrapa species-group by the following combination of characters: clypeus elongate, extending well-beyond base of mandibular socket (figs 24, 90), with medioapical tubercles basally conjoined and dorsoventrally triangular in shape, genal process spinose and curved (figs 28, 74), pronotal carina not strongly lobate posteriorly and not projecting away from mesosoma, not obscuring dorsal portion of pronotal-mesopleural suture (figs 30, 105, 121), and extreme apical margin of T2 with dark red-brown integument fringed medially with black setae (figs 18, 135).

Description (female). Body length 8.0– 12.45 mm.

Head: Head 1.08–1.18 × as wide as mesosoma. Vertex and frons contiguously punctate. Antennal scrobe carina weakly arcuate, slightly more prominent internally, with inner tip of carina well-separated from antennal rim. Frons weakly transversely recessed and concave below antennal scrobe carina, antennal rim consequently slightly recessed and slightly visible when head viewed laterally. Antennal rim apically glabrous, rounded and not tuberculate. F1 1.88–2.3 × as long as F2. Clypeus plate-like and medially flattened, coarsely rugose-granulate, with central cluster of long raised setae, apical margin medially elongate and coming to distinct apex, with two close medioapical tubercles that are anterad-projecting, dorsoventrally triangular in shape, and basally conjoined. Mandible acuminate. Distance from posterior margin of eye to posterolateral corner of head 1.48–2.13 × maximum diameter of eye. Genal process spinose and curved, posterior genal carina nearly straight. Gena with separate yet close moderate punctures laterally, interpunctal space smooth. Postgena transversely rugose-striate.

Mesosoma: Mesosoma 1.18–1.26 × as wide as long. Dorsum and posterior face of mesosoma densely, contiguously punctate, surfaces coarse. Anterodorsolateral margin of pronotum outcurved. Pronotal carina prominent, glabrous, visible both dorsally and laterally, not strongly lobate posteriorly and not projecting away from mesosoma, not overlapping and obscuring dorsal portion of pronotal-mesopleural suture. Tubercle anterior of propodeal spiracle present. Width of propodeum greater than distance between propodeal spiracles in dorsal view. Lateral face of pronotum weakly rugose-striate, with scattered moderate punctures, lateral face posteriorly carinate along pronotal-mesopleural suture. Mesopleuron coarsely microgranulate to granulate anteriorly, with few punctures, posteriorly striate-rugose. Mesopleuron with vertical column of punctures weakly tuberculate, not forming anterior or posterior carinae. Mesopleuron posteriorly carinate along ventral two-thirds of mesopleural-metapleural suture, dorsal portion of suture obscure, faintly present. Metapleuron with ventral one-third striate-rugose with scattered punctures, dorsal two-thirds glabrous. Metapleural-propodeal suture with striae perpendicularly overlapping suture along ventral one-third. Lateral face of propodeum posteriorly with ventral one-third to one-half striate-rugose with few large punctures, anteriorly with dorsal one-half to two-thirds glabrous. Coxae coarsely sculptured, with small to large, deep punctures.

Metasoma: T1–5 densely, contiguously punctate. Visible portion of pygidial plate not obscured by setal hood rugose-granulate. S2 densely punctate, punctures near contiguous in some areas, basolateral concave area less densely punctate, nearly glabrous between punctures. S3–6 densely punctate, coarsely microgranulate between punctures. Hypopygium with slightly arcuate transverse row of setae near apical margin, lateral setae longer than median setae.

Integument coloration: Orange, except the following ranging from dark red-brown to black: antenna, antennal rim, medioapical tubercles of clypeus, apical one-fourth to one-third of mandible, pleura, propodeum, legs, T1, extreme apical margins of T2 and S2, T3–6, and apical margins of S3–6.

Pubescence: Frons ventrally with orange setae. Frons dorsally and vertex (including posterolateral corner of head) covered with mostly decumbent orange-red setae, with few scattered fuscous setae. Clypeus with long fuscous and whitish setae medially. Mandible with dorsal and ventral longitudinal row of light orange setae. Remainder of head with whitish setae. Dorsum of mesosoma mostly covered with decumbent orange-red setae, dorsal edges (except pronotum) with few raised fuscous setae, particularly at top of posterior face of propodeum. Pronotum without black setae, rather with orange setae. Remainder of mesosoma including legs with whitish setae (except tarsi with dense orange bristles). Anterior face of T1 with pale and fuscous setae. T1 apically fringed with wide band of black setae medially, laterally fringed with whitish setae. Dorsum of T2 covered with orange-red setae. Felt line of T2 and surrounding lateral area with whitish setae. T2 apically fringed with moderately wide band of black setae medially, not coming to median point, laterally fringed with whitish setae. T3–5 mostly covered and apically fringed with whitish setae, with few scattered dark raised setae and apical fringe with median patch of black setae, these black setal patches mostly consistent in width between T3–5, with T5 black setal patch sometimes covering median section of sclerite. T6 with pale yellow-orange setae surrounding pygidial plate, partially obscuring basal half. Remainder of metasoma with whitish setae.

MALE. Unknown.

Etymology: The specific epithet is derived from the ecoregion this species is known to inhabit—the Chihuahuan Desert.

Distribution: Mexico (Chihuahua and Durango).

Biogeography: Nearctic region (Chihuahuan Desert province); Mexican transition zone (Sierra Madre Occidental province).

Host(s): Unknown.

Remarks: None.

Material examined ( I. chihuahuensis , 4♀).

Holotype: ♀ (0000031– DGMC) [tarsomere #5 of left mesoleg missing], [label 1 (white):] CD. JUAREZ CHIH / 25/Sep/85 / Roberto Huartos [// label 2 (red):] HOLOTYPE ♀ / Invreiella chihuahuensis / Waldren, 2018 / GCW_ HYM0000031 [// label 3 (yellow):] Compared with / HOLOTYPE / M. macrocephala [// label 4 (white):] Invreiella / satrapa . [( MEXICO: Chihuahua: Ciudad Juárez , [31.690°N 106.424°W], 25.Sep.1985, R. Huartos (1♀ –0000031– DGMC))]

Paratype: MEXICO: Durango: Ciudad Lerdo , [25.544°N 103.526°W], H. Höge (1♀ –0000057– NHMUK) .

Additional specimens (non-types, examined): MEXICO: Chihuahua: San José Babícora, [29.252°N 107.750°W], 7100 ft., 05.Jul.1947 (1♀ – MIUP); Km. 7 Creel Rd. [=Carretera a Creel], [28.024°N 107.597°W], V. den Berghe (1♀ – MIUP) .

Figures

FIGURES 9–23. Female habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars = 2 mm.

FIGURES 24–31. Female clypeus: 24–I. chihuahuensis (0000031), 25–I. breviclypeata (0000003), 26–I. cardinalis (0000018), 27–I. australis (0000001). Female head, left lateral view: 28–I. chihuahuensis (0000031), 29–I. satrapa (0000049). Female pronotum, left lateral view: 30–I. chihuahuensis (0000031), 31–I. satrapa (0000049).

FIGURES 64–79. Invreiella australis (0000001): 64–female habitus, lateral view. Female head, left lateral view: 65–I. australis (0000001), 66–I. bimaculata (0000002), 67–I. mesomexicana (0000035), 68–I. acuminata (0000056), 69–I. cardinalis (0000018), 70–I. cuernavaca (0000032), 71–I. cephalargia (0000024), 72–I. manleyi (0000037), 73–I. breviclypeata (0000003), 74–I. chihuahuensis (0000031), 75–I. satrapa (0000049), 76–I. erythrocephala (0000034), 77–I. suarezi (0000051), 78–I. tequila (0000053), 79–Pseudomethoca frigida.

FIGURES 80–94. Invreiella australis (0000001): 80–female head, anterior view. Femaleclypeus:81–I.australis (0000001), 82– I. bimaculata (0000002), 83–I. mesomexicana (0000035), 84–I. acuminata (0000056), 85–I. cardinalis (0000018), 86–I. cuernavaca (0000032), 87–I. cephalargia (0000024), 88–I. manleyi (0000037), 89–I. breviclypeata (0000003), 90–I. chihuahuensis (0000031), 91–I. satrapa (0000049), 92–I. erythrocephala (0000034), 93–I. suarezi (0000051), 94–I. tequila (0000053).

FIGURES 95–110. Invreiella australis (0000001): 95–female habitus, dorsal view. Female mesosoma, left dorsal view: 96–I. australis (0000001), 97–I. bimaculata (0000002), 98–I. mesomexicana (0000035), 99–I. acuminata (0000056), 100–I. cardinalis (0000018), 101–I. cuernavaca (0000032), 102–I. cephalargia (0000024), 103–I. manleyi (0000037), 104–I. breviclypeata (000003), 105–I. chihuahuensis (0000031), 106–I. satrapa (0000049), 107–I. erythrocephala (0000034), 108–I. suarezi (0000051), 109–I. tequila (0000053), 110–Pseudomethoca frigida.

FIGURES 111–125. Invreiella australis (0000001): 111–female habitus, lateral view. Female mesosoma, left lateral view: 112–I. australis (0000001), 113–I. bimaculata (0000002), 114–I. mesomexicana (0000035), 115–I. acuminata (0000056), 116–I. cardinalis (0000018), 117–I. cuernavaca (0000032), 118–I. cephalargia (0000024), 119–I. manleyi (0000037), 120–I. breviclypeata (0000003), 121–I. chihuahuensis (0000031), 122–I. satrapa (0000049), 123–I. erythrocephala (0000034), 124–I. suarezi (0000051), 125–I. tequila (0000053).

FIGURES 134–136. Female habitus, dorsal view: Invreiella satrapa species-group. Scale bars = 2 mm. MAP 6. Geographic distribution of the Invreiella satrapa species-group.