Lomachaeta crocopinna Pitts & Manley

Pitts, James P. & Manley, Donald G., 2004, A Revision of Lomachaeta Mickel, with a new species of Smicromutilla Mickel (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Zootaxa 474, pp. 1-27 : 10-11

4. Lomachaeta crocopinna Pitts & Manley , New Species

( Fig. 20 , 24 )

Diagnosis. The totally orange metasoma, the distinctly brachyplumose setae, and lack of a distinct ventral mandibular tooth separate this species from all other Lomachaeta . It is similar to L. ptilohyalus in lack of the ventral mandibular tooth, distinct brachyplumose setae, and long setae present on the ventral margin of the parameres ( Fig. 20 ). The apical metasomal segments are orange, however, and the dorsum has more developed punctures than L. ptilohyalus . The pronotum has punctures similar to some forms of L. hicksi ( Fig. 8 ).

Holotype Male. Head. Width 0.86 mm, entirely black, clothed throughout with sparse, long, erect, pale white brachyplumose setae. Compound eye maximum diameter 0.40 mm. Median ocellus 0.069 mm, lateral ocellus 0.046 mm, ocellocular distance 0.25 mm, and interocellular distance 0.085 mm. Malar space very short, 0.065 mm in length. Mandible black except tip brown orange, slightly emarginated beneath, without distinct tooth beneath. Antennal tubercle dark brown. Antenna black. Scape clothed with both pale white and black brown setae throughout. Length of scape, pedicel and first three flagellomeres: 0.28, 0.054, 0.085, 0.092 and 0.10 mm, respectively. Width of first flagellomeres 0.85 mm. Front with punctures large and crowded. Vertex with small, distinct, separated punctures.

Mesosoma. Black, clothed throughout with sparse, long, erect, pale white and brown brachyplumose setae. Pronotum with moderately large, irregularly spaced shallow punctures on lateral margin, confluent at posterior margin, small and sparsely spaced medially. Mesonotum with small, close punctures throughout. Scutellum almost flat, only very slightly convex, with punctures similar to mesonotum, more crowded. Dorsum and posterior face of propodeum broadly reticulate throughout. Tegula dark brown, glabrous, except entire margin punctate and with long, pale, erect setae. Legs brown. Femur clothed with sparse, long, erect, pale white brachyplumose setae. Tibia and tarsus with golden brown setae. Tibial spurs pale. Wings with pterostigma 0.12 mm in length along costa. Marginal cell 0.24 mm in length. Second submarginal cell pentagonal, 0.19 mm in length.

Metasoma. Orange except S1 and metasomal segment 7 brown. Clothed throughout with sparse, long, erect, pale white setae except T7 completely clothed with erect black brown setae. T2–T6 also with single row of erect dark setae just anterior to apical margin. Bristles at posterior margins of T2–T4, pale white. T1 punctate on lateral margin and medially, posterior margin with row of very large, contiguous punctures. T2 with small, widely separated punctures. T3–T7 with progressively small to fine, separated punctures. S2 with large, close punctures throughout. Genitalia Fig. 20 .

Length. Approximately 4.8 mm.

Female. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype ɗ, USA, Texas, Val Verde Co., Devil’s River, Dolan Falls, 24–26.VI.1995, A. Hook and O. Hernandez ( UMIC). Paratypes, 2 ɗ, same data as holotype ( BFLC).

Other material examined. USA: Arizona: Coconino Co.: 20 m S Jacob’s Lake, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 7 m S Sedona, 3ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); Yavapai Co., Clarkdale, 1ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL); 11 m W Jerome, 2ɗ reared by F.D. Parker ( BBSL). Nevada, Clark Co., Mormon Well N, 2ɗ 16.VII.1998 ( BBSL); Mormon Well S, 2ɗ 16.VII.1998 ( BBSL); White Pine Co., Charcoal Ovens State Park, 1ɗ 30.VI.1960, T. R. Haig ( UCDC). Texas, Culberson Co., Choza Springs., Guatalupe Mts., 1610 m, 1ɗ 8.IV.1996 ( BBSL).

Variation. The specimens vary from 3.0 mm to 4.8 mm. The specimens from Arizona are the smallest. In some of the smaller specimens, coloration of the first metasomal segment differs slightly from that of the larger specimens by the first metasomal segment being darker in coloration and, for the smallest specimen (Clarkdale, AZ), the metasoma is more brown than orange.

Host. Solierella plenoculoides similis .

Etymology. From the Greek krokos “orange” and pinna “feather”, in reference to the orange metasoma and the brachyplumose setae.

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 23. Internal view of male genitalia, 14. Lomachaeta chionothrix; 15. L. cirrhomeris; 16. L. hicksi; 17. L. hicksi; 18. L. hicksi; 19. L. ptilohyalus; 20. L. crocopinna; 21. L. hyphantria; 22. L. hicksi; 23. Smicromutilla beadugrimi; scale = 0.20 mm.

FIGURES 24 – 29. Habitus of 24. Lomachaeta crocopinna ♂; 25. L. hicksi ♂; 26. L. ptilohyalus ♂; 27. L. hicksi ♂; 28. L. cirrhomeris ♂; 29. L. cirrhomeris Ψ.

FIGURES 6 – 13. 6 – 12, Pronotum and mesonotum of males, dorsal view of left half, not to same scale, 6. Lomachaeta chionothrix; 7. L. cirrhomeris; 8. L. hicksi; 9. L. hicksi; 10. L. hicksi; 11. L. hicksi; 12. L. ptilohyalus. 13. Mesonotum of L. hyphantria, dorsal view.