Lomachaeta meloi Williams, 2019

Williams, Kevin A., Cambra, Roberto A., Bartholomay, Pedro R., Luz, David R., Quintero, Diomedes & Pitts, James P., 2019, Review of the genus Lomachaeta Mickel, 1936 (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) with new species and sex associations, Zootaxa 4564 (1), pp. 101-136 : 123

Lomachaeta meloi Williams , sp. nov.

( Figs 12 , 18 )

Diagnosis. FEMALE. This species can be recognized by the coloration and setation: the entire body is mostly blackish except the head is orange-red; the body is clothed with distinct subappressed white setae. Additional useful diagnostic features include: the head is broader than the mesosoma; the mesosoma is elongate, with the thoracic dorsal length subequal to its width; the pronotal and propodeal spiracles are scarcely swollen; the T1 shape is sub-disciform; and T2 is densely punctate.

Description. FEMALE. Body length 2.8 mm. Coloration. Body blackish except head and legs orange-red. Tibial spurs white. Body clothed predominantly with distinct subappressed white setae. Clypeus and lateral margins of metasoma with many erect setae black-brown. Fringes of T2–5 composed of appressed white setae thickened, contrasting with integument. Head. Head width 1.4 × pronotal width. Frons, vertex and gena areolate, vertex with some intervals obliterated. Clypeus without distinct teeth or ridges. Genal carina extending anteriorly nearly to hypostomal carina. Mandible oblique, tapering, bidentate apically, unarmed ventrally. Length of F1 0.9 × pedicel length; F2 0.7 × pedicel length. Mesosoma. Mesosoma elongate; dorsal thoracic length subequal to width. Humeral carina distinct, angulate dorsally, not reaching epaulet. Mesosomal dorsum areolate; intervals clearly defined, not raised into tubercles; areolations slightly tighter anteriorly than posteriorly; dorsally with 12 areolations between pronotal spiracles. Pronotal and propodeal spiracles scarcely swollen; lateral mesonotal tubercle weakly defined. Lateral propodeal face impunctate. Metasoma. T1 shape sub-disciform, punctate. T2 slightly longer than wide. Disc of T2 densely punctate, intervals obscurely microreticulate. T3–5 and S2–5 with separated punctures, intervals microreticulate. T6 convex. Incomplete lateral S6 carina shallow but distinct.

MALE. Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype, ♀, BRAZIL, São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Campus da USP, 13.X.1999, G.A.R. Melo ( DZUP, Figs 12 , 18 ).

Distribution. São Paulo State in Brazil.

Etymology. Named in honor of Gabriel A. R. Melo, who collected the type specimen and has contributed to many other projects on Mutillidae and other Hymenoptera .

Remarks. The short bristle-like setae covering this insect are unique in Lomachaeta . No males have yet been found in Southern Brazil.

Figures

FIGURES 9–14. Lomachaeta females; dorsal habitus. 9) L. hyphantria, Brazil; 10) L. hyphantria, Venezuela; 11) L. ibarrai, Holotype; 12) L. meloi, sp. nov.; 13) L. vianai, Argentina, Holotype; 14) L. vianai, Paraguay. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 15–20. Lomachaeta females; lateral habitus. 15) L. hyphantria, Brazil; 16) L. hyphantria, Venezuela; 17) L. ibarrai, Holotype; 18) L. meloi, sp. nov.; 19) L. vianai, Argentina, Holotype; 20) L. vianai, Paraguay. Scale bar = 1 mm.