Sphaeropthalma arnalduri Pitts
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.196847 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5670820 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/504687FB-C743-FFBC-FF65-FA5B3A63FBDF |
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treatment provided by |
Plazi |
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scientific name |
Sphaeropthalma arnalduri Pitts |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Sphaeropthalma arnalduri Pitts , NEW SPECIES
Diagnosis of male. The male of this species can be recognized by the clypeus, which is thickened and upturned apically ( Figs 34, 35 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ), by the genitalic characters (Fig. 63) that it shares only with S. fergusoni , sp. nov., and fact that it is apterous ( Fig. 36, 37 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). Apterous in this case includes complete fusion of the mesosoma ( Fig. 36 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ), except for the pronotum, such that scutellum is unrecognizable and the tegulae are absent.
Description of male. Coloration ( Figs 34–37 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). Body testaceous; flagellum and legs slightly lighter than the body. Body clothed with sparse, erect, brachyplumose, whitish-orange-brown setae. T1 with sparse plumose fringe at distal margin. T2 and S2 with sparse fringe of whitish plumose setae. T3–5 and S3–5 each without conspicuous fringe of whitish plumose setae.
Head. Head distinctly quadrate and elongate posteriorly ( Fig. 34 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). Mandible tridentate ( Fig. 35 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ), with very weak angulate ventral tooth, lacking excision apical to ventral tooth; dorsal carina incomplete, appearing on slightly lamellate; apex oblique; mandible parallel beyond excision in frontal view. Clypeus not depressed below margin of mandible, median area concave; surface of clypeus polished, almost impunctate, with few erect setae; apex truncate, greatly thickened and dorsally bent ( Figs 34, 35 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). F1 approximately 0.75X length of F2. Ocelli miniscule in size ( Fig. 34 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ), ocellocular distance approximately 4X or greater than greatest width of lateral ocellus. Head coarsely punctate.
Mesosoma . Mesothorax, metathorax and propodeum fused ( Fig. 36 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). Dorsum of mesosoma coarsely punctate ( Fig. 36 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ), Notaulus absent. Scutellum and axillae indiscernible ( Fig. 36 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). Dorsum of propodeal area coarsely punctate becoming conspicuously, shallow reticulate, reticulations extending on to sides of propodeum posteriorly. Anterolateral area of mesopleuron with moderate, shallow, separated punctures; remainder of mesopleuron with deeper, contiguous to confluent punctures; interstitial areas glabrous. Metapleuron polished. Mesosternal processes absent. Metasternum bidentate. Mid femur not swollen. Apterous ( Figs 36, 37 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ).
Metasoma. First metasomal segment sessile ( Fig. 37 View FIGURES 32 – 37 ). Pygidium quadrate, polished, not strongly margined; S2 with sternal felt line 0.3–0.5X length of tergal felt line. Hypopygium quadrate. Genitalia (Fig. 65) with paramere acicular, only extreme apex curving dorsally; cuspis elongate,>0.9X free length of paramere, and cylindrical basally, dorsal face with central longitudinal swelling, apex spatulate, ventral face slightly concave, with basal pit, inner margin with deep ventral notch anterior to spatulate area.
Length. 10–14.5 mm.
Female. Unknown.
Material examined. Holotype: California, Inyo Co., Owens Lake Valley , mid May–mid June, coll. Andrews and Hardy ( CDFA). Paratypes: California, Inyo Co., Owens Lake Valley : 3 males, mid May–mid June, coll. Andrews, Hardy and Giuliani; 5 males, Jun–Jul, coll. Andrews, Hardy and Giuliani; 3 males, mid Jul–mid Aug, coll. Andrews, Hardy and Giuliani ( CDFA; EMUS).
Distribution. Known only from Owens Lake Valley.
Etymology. Named after Arnaldur Indriðason (1961 to present) who is an Icelandic writer of crime fiction and is currently best known for his detective novels involving Detective Erlender Sveinsson.
Remarks. This species belongs in the new S. fergusoni species-group (described above), which also includes S. fergusoni , sp. nov., described earlier in this paper. The defining characteristics of this speciesgroup are given in the remarks section for S. fergusoni .
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.