Dasymutilla naranjo Manley & Pitts, 2007

MANLEY, DONALD G. & PITTS, JAMES P., 2007, Tropical and Subtropical Velvet Ants of the Genus Dasymutilla Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) with Descriptions of 45 New Species, Zootaxa 1487 (1), pp. 1-128 : 73-74

Dasymutilla naranjo Manley & Pitts , new species

Holotype male, Costa Rica, Guanacaste, 3 km SE Rio Naranjo, VI-1/5-92, F. D. Parker [ EMUS]. Diagnosis of Male (Plate C 6P). This species can be distinguished from other species by having a scutellum with long lateral processes and a short median process that form a “W” - shaped structure, by a smooth, blunt projection on the last sternite medially, with sharp carinae along either side of the segment, by the cuspis of the genitalia widened and almost as long as the parameres, and by the thickened and elongate digitus ( Plate 2H ).

Description. Male: Length, 8–15 mm. Head. Black; mandible tridentate; clypeus flat, coarsely sculptured, anterior margin emarginate; scape bicarinate; flagellomere I slightly shorter than remaining segments; antennal scrobe carinate; head with coarse contiguous punctures; posterior margin evenly rounded; clothed with silver setae.

Mesosoma. Black; anterior margin not emarginate medially; mesosoma with close contiguous punctures; scutellum with long lateral processes and short median process to form “W” -shaped structure; tegula black, shining, with small punctures scattered throughout; mesonotum and tegula with black setae, remainder with silver setae.

Legs black, with silver setae.

Forewing with apical third dusky, remainder transparent; hindwing uniformly transparent.

Metasoma. Black, except conspicuous yellow macula on most of tergum II; pygidium glabrous, with inconspicuous apical fringe of setae (sometimes missing); sternum I with longitudinal carina nearly entire length, produced anteriorly into blunt tooth; sternum II with short elongate pit densely filled with silver setae, distinctly anterior in position, arising from blunt longitudinal carina; last sternite with conspicuous blunt projection medially, and conspicuous sharp carina along each side; tergum I with coarse contiguous punctures; macula of tergum II glabrous, shining, with only shallow scattered punctures; tergum I with long scattered erect silver setae; macula of tergum II with long scattered erect gold setae; terga V to VI with dense gold setae; remainder of tergum black; sterna I to V with silver setae, apical segments black.

Genitalia ( Plate 2H ). Paramere with apex dorsally curved, ventral margin of basal 0.3 very densely pubescent, remainder with short sparse setae; cuspis cylindrical, apically and ventrally with thick long setae, dorsal and external surface with sparse short setae, length about 0.8X free length of paramere, densely pubescent basal lobe present; digitus linear, greatly enlarged, wider than cuspis, greatly knob-like apically, length slightly less than 0.6X free length of paramere; penial valve bidentate, teeth separate and roughly equal in size.

Female. Unknown.

Paratypes. 30♂, COSTA RICA, Alajuela, Bijagua, VI-90, F. D. Parker (1♂, EMUS) ; 20 km. S. Upala, V- 22/31-91 (1♂, EMUS) ; Guanacaste, S. Rosa Park, XII-28-76, D. H. Janzen (1♂, DGMC) ; III-21-78 (1♂, DGMC) ; EJN, 14 km S. Cañas, II-1/11-90, F. D. Parker (1♂, DGMC) , III-1/12-90 (1♂, DGMC) ; III-20-91 (1♂, EMUS) ; Finca Montezuma, 3km. SE Rio Naranjo, V-8-92 (1♂, EMUS) ; V-11-92 (1♂, EMUS) ; V-29-92 (2♂, EMUS) ; VI-3-92 (1♂, EMUS) ; 3 km SE Rio Naranjo , III-8/12-92, F. D. Parker (1♂, EMUS) ; III-22/30- 92 (1♂, EMUS) ; IV-92 (1♂, DGMC) ; V-92 (1♂, EMUS) : VI-1/5-92 (2♂, DGMC) VI-8/15-92 (1♂, EMUS) ; VI-21/30-92 (1♂, EMUS) ; VII-11/20-92 (1♂, EMUS) ; VII-22/24-92 (1♂, DGMC) ; I-15/19-93 (1♂, EMUS) ; III-1/10-93 (1♂, DGMC) ; IV-11-93 (1♂, EMUS) ; IV-18/28-93 (1♂, EMUS) ; V-12/14-93 (1♂, EMUS) ; V-19- 93 (1♂, EMUS) VI-22-93 (1♂, EMUS) ; MEXICO, Vera Cruz, Catemaco, VI-16/18-69 (1♂, DGMC) .

Distribution. Costa Rica (Alajuela, Guanacaste); Mexico (Veracruz).

Etymology. In reference to the type locality of Rio Naranjo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica; the specific-epithet is a noun in apposition.

Remarks. This species is known only from the male and keys very easily due to the “W” - shaped structure of the scutellum and the conspicuous blunt tubercle on the last sternum. The pygidium has an inconspicuous apical fringe of setae. The apical fringe of setae sometimes is missing. In most specimens, terga V and VI are clothed with conspicuous golden setae. In a few specimens, the terga are clothed entirely with black setae; these specimens otherwise are identical. Although this species is similar in appearance with D. guanacaste and D. sleipniri , it can be distinguished from the former on the basis of both presence of a pit on sternum II and of the tubercle on the last sternite. It can be distinguished from the latter on the basis of the tubercle on the last sternite, and by the genitalia. This is apparently a common species, and we have approximately 100 specimens in addition to the type specimens.

Figures

PLATE 2. Male genitalia of Dasymutilla. A. D. impressa. B. D. ionothorax. C. D. loreto. D. D. mazatlanorum. E. D. mirabilis. F. D. mirapenis. G. D. modgudi. H. D. naranjo.