Pseudophotopsis dhofarensis, Soliman, 2021

Soliman, Ahmed Mostafa, 2021, The velvet ant genus Pseudophotopsis Andre, 1896 (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae) in the Arabian Peninsula, with the description of two new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 82, pp. 361-415 : 361

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.82.65252
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C2CA4E54-C2FE-42DB-806A-6770DB6B5832
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/E1A86436-C79A-4F9E-AE08-5B74488C979C
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:E1A86436-C79A-4F9E-AE08-5B74488C979C
treatment provided by	Journal of Hymenoptera Research by Pensoft
scientific name	Pseudophotopsis dhofarensis
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pseudophotopsis dhofarensis sp. nov.

Figures 11 View Figure 11 , 12 View Figure 12 , 13 View Figure 13 , 14 View Figure 14 ; 33C, D View Figure 33

Type material.

Holotype ♂, Sultanate Of Oman, Ayn Hamran (Taqah, Dhofar province) [17°05'51"N, 54°16'59"E, alt. 1097 m], 20.xi.2017, LT, leg. AMS [KSMA].

Diagnosis.

Male. Distance between posterior ocellus and posterior head margin longer than longitudinal posterior ocellus diameter (1.8 ×) (Fig. 11D View Figure 11 ); distance between apex of lower mandibular tooth and upper mandibular ridge distinctly less than mandibular height at base (0.73 ×) (Fig. 12C View Figure 12 ); metanotal horns weakly developed, short, slightly longer than wide (1.15 ×), parallel (Fig. 12D View Figure 12 ); T1 rather long, 1.3 × as long as its maximal width (Fig. 14A View Figure 14 ); second metasomal segment with apical fringe of sparse fine white setae (Fig. 14A, B View Figure 14 ); lateral felt line on T2 about 0.85 × as long as distance between felt line and posterior tergal margin (Fig. 14C View Figure 14 ); S2 without median basal tubercle (Fig. 14B, C View Figure 14 ); genitalia with ventral lobes strongly bent inward, with outer margins strongly convex and apices directed posteriorly (Fig. 33C, D View Figure 33 ).

Description of male holotype.

Body length 9.5 mm. Color (Figs 11A-C View Figure 11 ; 12B, C View Figure 12 ; 14B, D View Figure 14 ). Head, mesosoma, and first metasomal segment reddish-brown, T1 darkened at posterior margin; metasomal segments 2-6 blackish-brown to black, with posterior margins narrowly more or less yellow; last metasomal segment yellowish-brown, T7 lighter than S7 and S8 (hypopygium); antenna, palps, basal two-thirds of mandible, tegula and fore leg testaceous; mid and hind legs reddish-brown; apical third of mandible polished-chestnut colored, basal lower mandibular tooth darkened. Wings hyaline with yellowish-brown veins, pterostigma and Sc+R vein brown.

Setation (Figs 11C, D View Figure 11 ; 12A, C, D View Figure 12 ; 13A View Figure 13 ; 14A-D View Figure 14 ). Body including legs and basal third of mandible clothed with long erect white setae mixed with short suberect to recumbent setae on metasomal segments 2-7; T2 and S2 with apical fringes of sparse (not compact) white fine setae.

Head (Figs 11C, D View Figure 11 ; 12A-C View Figure 12 ). Densely setiferous punctate; head height (from free clypeal margin to vertex) 0.94 × maximal width; POD 2 × OOD; distance between posterior ocellus and posterior head margin 2 × as long as longitudinal posterior ocellus diameter; vertex broadly emarginate posteriorly; clypeus with well developed, lamellate, longitudinal median carina; distance between apex of mandibular lower tooth and upper mandibular ridge about 0.73 × as long as mandibular height at the base, subapically with two teeth, preapical tooth extremely small; pedicel as long as wide, 0.52 × as long as F1; F1 1.8 × as long as wide, as long as F2 and F3.

Mesosoma (Figs 12D View Figure 12 ; 13A View Figure 13 ). In dorsal view 1.8 × as long (excluding pronotal flange) as its maximal width; pronotal dorsal face setiferous foveate-reticulate, except for smooth and polished posterior margin, with humeral angles gently rounded, and lateral face horizontally carinulate near posterior margin; mesoscutum sparsely setiferous punctate, with complete notauli slightly diverging anteriorly; scutellum smooth on disc, densely setiferous foveolate laterally; metanotal horns short, parallel, scarcely longer than wide (1.15 ×); propodeum setiferous areolate, gently sloping posteriorly; mesopleuron foveate-reticulate, except the smooth posterior margin of mesepimeron.

Fore wing (Fig. 13B View Figure 13 ). Cell 2R1 1.9 × as long as pterostigma, with rounded apex; anterior margin of 2R1 1.5 × as long as pterostigma; first discal cell (1M) about 0.75 × as long as 2R1; 3rd abscissa of Rs as long as crossvein r-rs; vein 1M convex.

Metasoma (Fig. 14A-D View Figure 14 ). T1 1.3 × as long as maximal width, setiferous foveate-reticulate; T2 0.9 × as long as its maximal width, densely setiferous foveate laterally mixed with small punctures, sparsely setiferous punctate basally and on disc, puncticulate along posterior margin, with polished interspaces between punctures; length of lateral felt line on T2 less than distance between felt line and posterior tergal margin (0.85 ×); T3-T7 and S3-S6 setiferous punctulate (T7 with vague longitudinal median polished ridge); S2 foveate, foveae mixed with dense fine punctures, especially on sides; S2 without median basal tubercle; S8 (hypopygium) with median apical small tubercle.

Genitalia (Fig. 33C, D View Figure 33 ). Cuspis of volsella narrow, digitate, not reaching apex of paramere, with few long setae; parapenial lobe oblique inward, with broadly rounded apex; ventral lobe extremely bent inward, having apex directed anteriorly, with strongly convex outer edge and serrulate inner edge.

Female. Unknown.

Recognition.

The new species, P. dhofarensis , resembles the Asian species, P. caucasica (Radoszkowski, 1885), in having the fore wing with yellow veins, S2 without a median basal tubercle, and T2 with the lateral felt line shorter than the distance between the felt line and the posterior tergal margin. However, it differs from P. caucasica in the following aspects: the distance between the posterior ocellus and posterior head margin 2 × as long as the longitudinal posterior ocellus diameter (Fig. 11D View Figure 11 ) (this distance slightly larger than the longitudinal posterior ocellus diameter in P. caucasica ); cuspis of volsella narrow, digitate, not reaching apex of paramere (Fig. 33C, D View Figure 33 ) (somewhat broad, reaching apex of paramere in P. caucasica (see fig. 32(3) in Lelej 1985); genital ventral lobe extremely bent inward, with a strongly convex outer edge and an apex directed anteriorly (Fig. 33C View Figure 33 ) (this lobe only slightly bent inward, with the outer edge nearly straight, and an apex directed posteriorly in P. caucasica (see fig. 32(3) in Lelej 1985).