Digonocryptus chiriquensis ( Cameron, 1885 )

Aguiar, Alexandre Pires & Ramos, Adriana C. B., 2011, 2846, Zootaxa 2846, pp. 1-98 : 28-29

Digonocryptus chiriquensis ( Cameron, 1885)

Figs 85, 86, 96, 147, 185, 225

Mesostenus chiriquensis Cameron, 1885:218 . ♀ Description.

Digonocryptus chiriquensis: Townes and Townes, 1966:126 . Listed. Generic transfer.

Digonocryptus chiriquensis: Yu and Horstmann, 1998:241 . Listed.

Description. FEMALE. Fore wing 13.6 mm.

Head. Ventral tooth of mandible approximately as long as dorsal tooth, even if more massive in size. Clypeus apical area delimited by smooth border; clypeal margin with two weak, inconspicuous teeth, similar to a delicate emargination. Antenna with 29 flagellomeres; white band starting at flagellomere III or IV; 5–6 flagellomeres at least 50% white.

Mesosoma . Mesopleuron with scarce short hairs, 95–99% of cuticular surface visible. Subalar prominence large, round, suboval ( Fig. 147). Sulcus between sternaulus and scrobe conspicuous, complete ( Fig. 147). Posterior transverse carina of mesosternum represented by short but distinct, straight carina crossing discrimen (as in Fig. 167). Lower metapleuron striate-rugulose. Propodeum: area in front of anterior transverse carina densely coriaceous, matt, medially with two, sometimes incomplete ridges extending from carina towards anterior margin. Propodeal apophyses long, stout, round in cross-section. Posterior transverse carina absent. Area between anterior transverse carina and apophyses obliquely striate; area behind apophyses transversely striate. Fore wing in Fig. 185; vein 3-Cu 1.41 length of 4-Cu. Hind wing in Fig. 225.

Metasoma. Postpetiole dorso-anteriorly weakly but distinctly concave, forming shallow depression; dorsolateral carina weakly to clearly developed from spiracle to apex, always decisively similar to a carina; median dorsal carina distinct; petiolar spiracles in dorsal view weakly or not prominent. Ovipositor 0.90 length of hind tibia. Apex of lower valve with 13–16 teeth.

Color. Black and yellow. Lateral pattern as in Fig. 85. Orbital band briefly to widely interrupted from 3 h to 2– 4 h, continuous ventrally or briefly interrupted at malar space, width about 0.3 of interocular distance at supraantennal area and temple. Supraclypeal area entirely yellow. Clypeus entirely yellow, apical area translucent brown. Mesosoma dorsally black, except as follows. Pronotum dorsally along anterior margin with wide yellow stripe medially interrupted, laterally on dorsal margin with distinct yellow spot. Propleuron mostly (95%) to entirely yellow. Mesoscutum centrally, at level of tegula, with distinct yellow spot. Scutellum and postscutellum entirely yellow. Propodeum as in Figs 85, 86; yellow usually with orange hue. All femora with dark stripe dorsally; mid, hind femora with stripe wider, darker, more well defined. All tibiae yellowish brown to orange brown, lighter ventrally; fore tibia sometimes yellow ventrally. Fore and mid tarsi brown, darker dorsally, becoming darker from t1 to t5. Hind tarsus yellow or pale yellow, except brown to dark brown on basal 0.2 of t1, t4 partially or entirely, and t5. Metasoma dorsally black, except as follows. Petiole yellow; postpetiole apical margin with wide transverse yellow stripe. T2 apical margin with wide yellow stripe, approximately W-shaped (Fig. 96), much wider laterally than medially. T3 apical margin with wide yellow stripe, progressively wider laterally. T4–T8 apically stripped transversely in yellow. T7 stripe widest and round medially (Fig. 96).

Morphological variation. Fore wing 12.0– 13.6 mm. Ovipositor 0.90–0.92 length of hind tibia. Although indistinct on all females, the parantennal impression is clearly differentiated on the examined male.

MALE. Similar to female but with the followings variations. Orbital band complete, pale yellow. Propodeum: area in front of anterior transverse carina polished; all tibiae colors lighter than females; fore and hind tarsi pale yellow, mid tarsus brown; metasoma with all yellow stripes very wide, of similar, regular width.

Comments. Can be isolated by a distinct, approximately straight suture extending from mesopleural fovea to sternaulus, to which it is fused; the sternaulus, on its turn, is complete, distinctly reaching the posterior margin of mesopleuron ( Fig. 147). The species D. pitchus and D. huntus have a similar suture, but the sternaulus ends at the point of fusion with it, therefore far from reaching the posterior margin of mesopleuron; the color pattern is also quite different among all these species. Digonocryptus chiriquensis has also an unique, short, horizontal suture, extending from prepectal carina, just below level of spiracle, towards the center of mesopleuron ( Fig. 147); it has not been observed in any other species of Digonocryptus .

Material examined. 5 females, 1 male (all AEIC). Homotype . ♀ “ Corcovado National Park // Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica // D. H. Janzen coll.// 21–30 November 1977 ”; “ Digonocryptus // 4 [yellow]”; “HOMOTYPE// Mesostenus // chiriquensis // Cam.// V.K.GUPTA 1983 [blue]” . ♀ “ Barro Colorado Is. // III.11–31.63 Panama // C. &M. Rettenmeyer ” . ♂ “Barro Colorado Is.// IV.2–14.63 Panama // C.&M. Rettenmeyer ”; “ Digonocryptus // chiriquensis // Cam.// S. GUPTA,198” . ♀ “MADDEN DAM, C.Z.”; “ Digonocryptus // sp.29// Tow. 1966”; “CWT close to// Mesostenus // chiriquensis // Cam.// S.Gupta 198” . ♀: “Barro Colorado Is.// IV.2–14.63 Panama // C.&M. Rettenmeyer ” . ♀ “ Barro Colorado Is. // II.27–III.11.63 Panama // C.&M. Rettenmeyer ” .

Distribution. Panama, Costa Rica NR.