Zavatilla nepalensis Zhou et Lelej, 2018

Zhou, Hu-Ting, Lelej, Arkady S., Williams, Kevin A. & Liu, Jing-Xian, 2018, Revision of the Oriental genus Zavatilla Tsuneki (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae, Trogaspidiini), with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 4418 (2), pp. 101-120 : 110-111

Zavatilla nepalensis Zhou et Lelej , sp. nov.

( Figs 64, 68, 69 )

Diagnosis. MALE unknown. FEMALE. Body length 10.9 mm. Scape, pedicel and flagellomere 1 and legs black. Flagellomere 1 length 1.3 × its apical width, 1.7 × flagellomere 2 length. Dorsal clypeal transverse carina with inconspicuous sublateral tubercles that are smaller than the basal median tubercle. Metasomal tergum 2 posteriorly with fringe of black setae. Metasomal sternum 1 with longitudinal carina with inconspicuous emargination.

Metasomal tergum 2 anteriorly with two small subcircular spots of yellowish setae separated by 1.23 × their diameter. Apical fringe of metasomal tergum 2 composed of black setae. Pygidial plate oval, laterally inconspicuously carinated, with basal one third inconspicuously rugose and apical part smooth.

Material examined. Holotype, ♀, NEPAL, Solokhumbu District, above Gudel, 2000–2500 m, 22.V.1997, W. Schwaller ( IBSS). Paratype, 1♀, Nepal, Mechi /Taplejung, 20 km NEE Taplejung, env[ irons] Phumphe, 1850 m, 27º24'28''N, 87º51'46''E, 24.V.2003, leg. A. Weigel ( IBSS).

Description. FEMALE. Body length 10.9 mm. Ratio of head width and mesosoma width 53:51. Ratio of mesosoma length to its width 25:17.

Head. Frons, vertex, gena densely and coarsely punctate. Mandible bidentate, with inconspicuous subapical tooth. Dorsal transverse clypeal carina with two inconspicuous sublateral tubercles smaller than basal median clypeal one. Scape ventrally smooth shiny. Antennal scrobe conspicuously carinate. Genal carina inconspicuous. Flagellomere 1 length 1.3 × its apical width, 1.7 × flagellomere 2 length.

Mesosoma . Dorsum of mesosoma with dense somewhat longitudinal punctures. Mesopleuron glabrous. Ratio of width of humeral angle, widest point of dorsum, anterior spiracle, propodeal spiracle and widest point of propodeum 62:73:70:65:66. Scutellar scale wide. Protibia without spines, meso- and metatibia with two rows of five spines, metatibio-tarsal ratio 66:30:22:16:12:13.

Metasoma. Terga 1–2 densely deeply punctate. Sternum 1 with longitudinal carina inconspicuously concave in basal one fourth, 0.6 × metasomal sternum 1 length in profile. Metasomal tergum 2 with felt line almost one fourth as long as metasomal tergum 2. Segments 3–6 densely punctate. Pygidial plate oval, laterally inconspicuously carinated , with basal third inconspicuously rugose, apical part smooth.

Coloration and pubescence. Head black. Antenna black except brownish-red scape apically, pedicel, ventral side of F3–F10 ventrally. Mandible brownish-red, apically black. Mesosoma and coxae brownish-red, other parts of legs and metasoma black. Frons and vertex with grey oblique setae. Mandible basally with dense decumbent whitish setae. Mesosoma dorsally with reddish oblique setae, posterior propodeal slope and metasomal tergum 1 with reddish sparse erect setae. Metasomal terga 2, 4 and 5 with dense black recumbent setae and black fringe posteriorly. Sternum 2 and femur with yellowish sparse setae. Sterna 2–5 with apical narrow band of decumbent yellowish setae. Metasomal tergum 2 anteriorly with two small subcircular spots of yellowish setae separated by 1.23 × their diameter. Metasomal tergum 3 with band of dense yellowish decumbent setae.

MALE unknown.

Distribution. Nepal.

Etymology. The specific name originates from Nepal, type locality of the species.

Remark. This is now the only Zavatilla species known from a single sex. This is also the only female Zavatilla to have the fringe setae of metasomal tergum 2 entirely black. The females of the other three species each have this fringe clothed with white or golden setae, just like their males. We hypothesize that when the male of Z. nepalensis is discovered, it will lack such a pale fringe or band on metasomal tergum 2.

Figures

FIGURES 61–70. Zavatilla, ♀. 61, 65. Z. gutrunae; 62, 66, 70. Z. xuzaifui sp. nov.; 63, 67. Z. flavotegulata; 64, 68, 69. Z. nepalensis sp. nov. 61–68. Habitus (61–64, dorsal view; 65–68, lateral view. 69, 70. Pygidial plate. (Photos K. Williams, H.-t. Zhou).