Acanthetropis noctivaga (Bradley)

Kimsey, Lynn S. & Wasbauer, Marius S., 2015, Revision of the odd brachycistidine genus Acanthetropis Wasbauer, 1958 (Hymenoptera, Tiphiidae, Brachycistidinae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 44, pp. 19-30 : 26-28

Acanthetropis noctivaga (Bradley)

Figs 2-5 , 10 , 14 , 18

Brachycistis noctivaga Bradley 1917: 272. Holotype male; USA: Nevada, Clark Co., Las Vegas (CUIC).

Diagnosis.

This species can be distinguished by the rugose ridged mesepisternum, presence of an anterior tooth on the gular carina, medially carinate metasomal sternum II, and short stout body.

Male description.

Body length 12.0-15.4 mm. Head (Figs 3 , 4 ), with relatively sparse, short setae, mainly on clypeus and outer surface of mandibles, longest on occiput, scape and inter-antennal area with moderately long setae; clypeus with large, irregular punctures, flagellomere I L/W 3.0-3.5; lower rim of antennal socket with broad carina or swelling beneath; clypeus with large, irregular punctures; gular carina produced into prominent tooth visible below posterior mandibular condyle. Mesosoma. Pronotum anterior face with very small punctures, humeral angles and lateral face with large, closely set, irregular punctures; mesepisternum heavily punctate, punctures large, close set, irregular; mesepisternal prominence high and sharp, appearing carinate in certain angles; mesepisternal carina present; mesonotum and scutellum with scattered punctures, scutellum usually with median longitudinal sulcus extending from anterior to posterior margins; propodeal dorsum impunctate, dorsal longitudinal sulcus carinately margined, areas laterad of sulcus well-defined, margins usually appearing carinate, posterior transverse sulcus impunctate, often traversed by longitudinal ridges, posterior transverse carina well-developed, complete. Metasoma (Figs 5 , 10 ). Segment I short and stout, L/H 1.5-1.9, sternum I with longitudinal sulcus gradually expanded and deepened posteriorly; tergum I heavily punctate, punctures large, often irregular; terga II-VII with scattered large and small punctures and row of setose punctures before apex of each segment; sternum II with median basal longitudinal ridge terminating in blunt spine (Fig. 5 ). Genital capsule (Fig. 14 ). Color. Uniform medium to dark brown, body shining, heavily punctate, entirely clothed with shiny white to straw-colored setae; flagellum with tiny erect to appressed golden setae.

Distribution

(Fig. 18 ). MEXICO: Baja California: Bahia de Los Angeles, 2 km s Bahia de Los Angeles, 11 km e Chapala, 10.3 mi sw Los Medanos, San Felipe,16 mi s San Felipe, 4 mi nw Rancho San Juan, 2 mi n El Porvenir, 1.5 mi n Puertocito, 16 mi e. La Rumorosa, 3 mi n Gonzaga Bay; Baja California Sur: La Paz, 13 mi w La Paz, 7 mi sw La Paz, 4.5 mi se La Paz, 3 mi w San Miguel de Commondu, Isla Partida dunes, Sierra Placeres, Bahia Concepcion, El Pescadero (Playa Los Cerritos), Puerto Escondido, 20 mi s San Ignacio, El Rosario; Sonora: 6 mi n El Golfo; USA: Arizona: Coconino Co.: 2 mi s Moenkopi, Maricopa Co.: 3 mi nw Wickenburg, Ness, Pleasant Lake, Coon’s Bluff, Mesa; Mojave Co.: Topock; Pima Co.: Organ Pipe Nat. Mon. (Quitobaquito), Sabino Canyon; Pinal Co.: 4 mi se, 24 mi w Casa Grande, Picacho, Picacho Pass, Picacho Peak, 5 mi w Stanfield; Yavapai Co.: 2 mi ne Congress; Yuma Co. 30 mi ne Yuma; Nevada: Churchill Co.: Blow Sand Mountains, Sand Mountain; Nye Co.; California: Contra Costa Co.: Brentwood; Imperial Co.: Plaster City, 3 mi n Glamis, 3 mi nw Glamis, Heber; Kane Spring; Inyo Co.: Bishop, Inyo, 8 mi e Big Pine, 5 mi w Bishop, Death Valley Nat. Mon., Deep Springs, Eureka Valley dunes, s side Owens Vly., Stovepipe Wells, dunes e Tinemaha Res., Panamint dunes; Kern Co.: Mojave (4 mi e, 0.5 mi ne), Picacho St. Park; Mono Co.: Swall Meadows, 5 mi w Bishop, 3 mi s Benton Insp. Sta.; Riverside Co.: 1 mi w Blythe, Cathedral City, Corn Springs, Dead Indian Creek, Deep Canyon, Desert Center, 16 km e Desert Center, Indian Wells, Indio, Joshua Tree Nat. Mon. (Pinto Wash), Painted Canyon, nr. Mecca, 2 mi s Thermal, 1 mi w Blythe, 3 mi n Mecca, Whitewater Canyon; San Bernardino Co.: Adelanto, 2 km s Afton, Cadiz dunes, Halloran Spring, Kelso dunes, Kramer Junction, Zzyzx Springs, Needles, Adelanto, 10 mi e 29 Palms, 6 mi n Lake Baldwin, Ivanpah; San Diego Co.: Hidden Springs, 1 mi s, 6 mi se Ocotillo Wells; Nevada: Churchill Co.: Horse Creek; Sand Mountain dunes; Clark Co., Las Vegas; Nye Co.: Beatty; Lincoln Co.: Game Range dunes, Pahrump; Utah: Emery Co.: Buckskin Spring n Goblin Valley; Texas: Brewster Co.: Alpine; 620 specimens were examined including the holotype (BME, CAS, CUIC, EMEC, UCR).

Seasonal distribution.

This species has been collected in the months from February through November. The March and November records are from Mexico (Baja California Sur).

Figures

Figures 1 - 10. 1 - 2 Forewing and hindwing 3 Side view of head, antennae removed 4 Ventral view of head, mouthparts and mandibles removed 5 Oblique ventral view of metasomal sterna I and II 6 Ventral view of metasomal sternum II 7, 8 Antenna 9 Lateral view of metasomal segment I showing measurement points, H = height between points c and d, L = length, between points a and b 10 Lateral view of metasomal segments I and II.

Figures 11 - 14. Male genital capsule. 11, 12 lateral view (left), ventral view (right) 13, 14 Ventral view.

Figures 15 - 18. Distribution maps.