Neocorynura guatemalensis Smith-Pardo

Smith-Pardo, Allan H., 2016, Two new species of Neocorynura from Guatemala (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini) with a key to the species known from the country, Zootaxa 4161 (2), pp. 193-206 : 194-198

Neocorynura guatemalensis Smith-Pardo sp. n.

Figs. 1–3

Diagnosis. The new species is superficially similar to N. discolorata Smith-Pardo and N. discolor (Smith) , all three having epistomal sulcus obtuse, mesoscutum densely punctate (<1PD), base of the propodeum metallic green, and T2 having basal metallic band with minute hairs. From N. discolorata the new species differs in the base of propodeum striate in the basal 2 thirds and imbricate on the posterior third (completely striate in the former) ( Fig. 1 ), vertex metallic green (dark brown to black in the former), forewings hyaline along costal margin (infuscate in the former) ( Fig. 1 ), and T1 punctate (impunctate in the former). From N. discolor the new species differs in the overall size of males and females (see Smith-Pardo 2005b to compare), face metallic (dark brown in the former), forewings with costal margins hyaline (infuscate in the former), with the costal margin of second submarginal cell longer than that of the third (equal in the former), and the T1 more densely punctate (punctures more scattered in the former:> 1PD).

Description. Female: Holotype ( Fig. 1 ): Total body length 13.8 mm; forewing length 11.4 mm. Head length 2.52 mm, width 2.84 mm; upper interorbital distance 1.44 mm, lower interorbital distance 1.35 mm; apical half of clypeus below lower tangent of compound eyes ( Fig. 1 c); occipital carina present, strong and complete. Anterior border of mesoscutum medially narrowed and projected over pronotal dorsal surface; median and parapsidal lines distinctly impressed; intertegular distance 2.10 mm. Basimetatibial plate with narrowed apex, all borders strongly delimited ( Fig. 1 g); inner metatibial spur with five teeth, not including apex of rachis as a branch ( Fig. 1 h). Forewing with cu-a basad of basal vein by about three times vein width; 1m-cu not confluent with 1rs-m; 2m-cu strongly basad 3rs-m, with apex minutely truncate and appendiculate; posterior margin of first submarginal cell longer (1.46 mm) than combined lengths of the posterior margins of second and third submarginal cells (1.13 mm); second submarginal cell about parallel sided; third submarginal cell with anterior border shorter than that of second submarginal cell; distal hamuli arranged 5–1–1–4 on hind wing. Basal area of propodeum slightly longer than mesoscutellum.

Clypeus faintly imbricate punctures separated by 1.0–1.5 PD; face coarsely imbricate with punctures separated by 0.5–1 PD; punctures separated by 0.5 PD or less on vertex, with smooth integument between punctures; gena faintly imbricate, almost smooth, similar on postgena except less imbricate and faintly punctate. Pronotum coarsely punctate, punctures small separated by less than 0.5 PD; mesoscutum with contiguous punctures, those along mid line smaller than the ones towards the sides, integument imbricate between punctures; mesoscutellum and metanotum faintly imbricate with minute punctures separated by 0.5–1 PD; metanotum with large punctures, dense along margins (<1 PD); pleura coarsely punctate, integument in between punctures faintly imbricate, punctures separated by less than 0.5 PD; basal area of propodeum strongly imbricate and striate on basal two thirds, striae not surpassing apical third. Metasoma faintly imbricate with scattered punctures on T1 and densely punctate in the following segments.

Head and mesosoma metallic green, except for dark brown band medially and along most of mesoscutum and most of mesoscutellum ( Fig.1 d), tegula amber, semi translucent with mesal margins metallic green, legs amber except coxae with metallic green highlights. Wing veins amber orange, membranes translucent. Metasoma dark brown except T1 basally metallic; T2–T4 with metallic green highlights basally near gradulus and tomentose bands.

Pubescence generally amber- orange on head, mesosoma, and T2–T5; pale golden setae predominate on legs and metasomal sterna and distinctly more elongate on latter; pronotal dorsal surface and around pronotal lobe with numerous short, plumose, light brown setae and with some darker and longer setae on pronotal ridge; T2–T4 with distinct, narrow tomentose bands composed of dense, appressed, short, plumose setae just posterior to gradulus.

Male ( Figs. 2 , 3 ): as described for the female except for usual secondary sexual characteristics and as follows: Body length 12.3 mm; forewing length 11.3 mm. Head width 2.5 mm, length 2.36 mm. F2 longer than F1. Mandible slender and pointed and without preapical teeth. Labral surface smooth. Mesoscutum slightly wider (2.0 mm) than long (1.72 mm). Metabasitibial plate absent ( Fig. 2 h); inner metatibial spur almost one-fourth the length of metabasitarsus, rather slender and serrated ( Fig. 2 g). Hamuli with a spacing pattern 5–1–1–3. Basal area of propodeum broadly sulcate ( Fig. 2 e). T1 twice as long as wide ( Fig. 2 f); S6, S7, S8, and genital capsule as in Fig. 3 .

Mandible without grooves on outer surface, with a weak carina along posterior margin, anterior margin continuous as opposed to posterior margin. Clypeus smooth with some punctures separated 0.5–1 PD. Subantennal and lower ocular areas more densely punctate. Mesoscutellum and metanotum metallic green. Propodeal triangle (base) with rows of minute punctures along its distal margin, posterior side of propodeum with coarse punctures ( Fig. 2 e).

Clypeus and frons metallic green and with some coppery reflections ( Fig. 2 c); paraocular area metallic light green; rest of head with yellowish reflections. Tegula without metallic reflections. Legs uniformly light brown, with metallic green reflections on femora. Metasoma mostly dark brown, except: T1 with metallic green reflections on sides and distal 1/8th; T2 with basal third amber yellow, T3–T4 basal third metallic light green.

Mandible with some coarse, light brown, unbranched setae, 1.0 OD in length. Labrum mostly bare. Gena and postgena with branched, long setae (1.5–2.0 OD in length). Margins of mesoscutellum with minute, white setae. Metanotum with longer (1.0–1.5 OD), sparse setae. Legs in general less pubescent; setae branched on coxae, trochanters and femora, unbranched on tibia and tarsomers; setae longer and more sparce on tibiae. Metasomal pubescence as in the female except with basal bands of minute, white setae more broadly distributed; sterna with less pubescence, setae more scattered on S1–S2, slightly longer on S1 than on remaining sterna.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the only country where the species has been collected.

Type material. Holotype: ♀; GUATEMALA: Zacapa, 35 km SE La Union , 1580 m. R. Brooks & J. Ashe Colls., ex: Hyptis obtusiflora [ Lamiaceae ], 27 June 1993, #137 [collection event]. ( SEMC).

Paratypes: 4♀, 4♂ with same data as the holotype, except: ex: Psychotria nervosa [ Rubiaceae ], # 138 (2♀ 2♂ SEMC, 1♀ 1♂ AMNH, 1♀ 1♂ CAS) ; 1♀ with same data as the other paratypes, except: ex: flight intercept trap, #101 ( SEMC) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Female (Holotype) of Neocorynura guatemalensis sp. n.: a) lateral habitus, b) dorsal habitus, c) frontal view of head, d) dorsal view of mesosoma, e) mesoscutellum, metanotum and base of propodeum (propodeal triangle), f) dorsal view of metasomal segment 1 (T 1) and base of T 2, g) metabasitibial plate h) hind tibial spurs.

FIGURE 2. Male (Paratype) of Neocorynura guatemalensis sp. n.: a) lateral habitus, b) dorsal habitus, c) frontal view of head, d) dorsal view of mesosoma, e) metanotum and base of propodeum (propodeal triangle), f) dorsal view of metasomal segment 1 (T 1) and base of T 2, g) hind tibial spurs, h) base of metatibia.

FIGURE 3. Male terminalia of Neocorynura guatemalensis sp. n.: a) genital capsule, b) S 7 and S 8, c) S 6, d) posterior margin of S 6.