Traumatomutilla spectabilis ( Gerstaecker, 1874 )

Bartholomay, Pedro R., Williams, Kevin A., Cambra, Roberto A. & Oliveira, Marcio L., 2022, Revision of the Traumatomutilla indica species-group (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Zootaxa 5108 (1), pp. 1-97 : 72-77

Traumatomutilla spectabilis ( Gerstaecker, 1874)

( Figs 26A–F , 27A–K )

Mutilla spectabilis Gerstaecker, 1874: 73 , lectotype [designated here], ♀, Brazil, S. Paulo [São Paulo] (ZMB), examined.

Mutilla funesta Gerstaecker, 1874: 316 , lectotype [designated here], ♂, Brazil, [Minas Gerais], Lagoa Santa (MLUH) syn. nov.

Mutilla melaleuca Gerstaecker, 1874: 316 , holotype, ♂, Brazil (ZMB), examined, syn. nov.

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) spectabilis: André, 1902: 56 .

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) funesta: André, 1902: 55 .

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) melaleuca: André, 1902: 55 .

Traumatomutilla spectabilis: André, 1904 , 40.

Traumatomutilla funesta: André, 1904: 40 .

Traumatomutilla melaleuca: André, 1904: 40 .

Traumatomutilla tapera Cresson, 1902: 76 , holotype, ♂, Brazil, [Mato Grosso], Chapada [dos Guimarães] (UMSP), syno- nymized by Mickel, 1964

Traumatomutilla spectabilis chingona Casal, 1969: 294 , holotype, ♀, Argentina, Cordoba , Villa del Dique (AMNH), examined, syn. nov.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Mesonotum usually wider than distance between pronotal spiracles; scutellar scale and anterolateral carinae greatly reduced, nearly indistinct; head usually with transverse band of appressed silvery-white setae. MALE. Cuspis elongate, slender; mesopleuron tuberculate on dorsal half; meso and metatibial spurs yellowish-white; scutellum gibbose; axillar projections obliquely truncate; posterior face of scutellum sloping in lateral view.

Description. FEMALE. Body length 15–18 mm. Head. Posterior margin virtually straight. Occipital carina evenly wide throughout. Vertex width 0.8 × pronotal width. Eye almost circular, its length in frontal view 1.1 × the distance from its ventral margin to mandibular condyle. Front, vertex, and gena densely and coarsely foveolate punctate with micropunctures. Genal carina present. Mandible oblique, tapering slightly towards apex, with small subapical tooth, unarmed ventrally. Dorsal scrobal carina well-defined, reaching antennal tubercles and lateral scrobal carinae. Antennal tubercles irregularly rugose. Flagellomere 1 2.3 × pedicel length; flagellomere 2 1.6 × pedicel length. Mesosoma . Mesosoma slightly wider than longer. Mesosomal dorsum densely and coarsely areolate-punctate with irregular intervals; with longitudinal medial carina extending from anterior margin of mesonotum.Anterior face of pronotum defined virtually as long as pronotal collar, with dense indistinct and coarse longitudinal striations ventrad, coarsely and densely punctate dorsad; dorsal face rounded into anterior face in lateral view. Humeral carina well-defined, narrowly separated from epaulet; epaulet virtually flat against anterior margin of pronotum; anterolateral corners of pronotum subrounded in dorsal view. Pronotal spiracle slightly projected from lateral margin of pronotum. Lateral face of pronotum densely and finely punctate with dense interspersed micropunctures, except for mostly unsculptured indistinct swelling anteroventral in relation to pronotal spiracle; mesopleuron sculpture mostly concealed by dense setation, micropunctate anteriorly and sparsely foveolate-punctate along mesopleural ridge where visible; metapleuron sculpture concealed by dense setation on ventral half, completely asetose, smooth on dorsal half. Lateral face of propodeum densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate with smooth intervals, at most as wide as surrounding foveolations; foveolations conspicuously smaller anteriad. Ratios of width of humeral angles, pronotal spiracles, widest point of mesonotum, narrowest point of mesonotum and propodeum posterior to propodeal spiracles, 65:75:80:59:58. Lateral margin of mesonotum constricted anterior to propodeal spiracle, diverging anteriad, mesonotum with expanded lateral margins. Propodeal spiracle projected from lateral margin of mesosoma; post-spiracular area absent. Scutellar scale present, irregular, connected to indistinct anterolateral carinae; anterolateral carinae marginally connected. Propodeum convex, dorsal face shorter than and poorly distinguished from posterior face; dorsal face with irregular longitudinal carina medially. Metasoma. Ratios of width of T1, width of T2 and length of T2, 53:113:116. Disc of T2 densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to punctate with dense interspersed micropunctures; foveolations sparser and micropunctures absent laterally and over integumental spots. T3– 5 sculpture predominantly concealed by dense setation, sparsely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to simply punctate with interspersed micropunctures where visible; T6, except pygidial plate, densely foveolate-punctate. S1 surface cuneiform, densely, coarsely and confusedly foveolate-punctate around blunt longitudinal medial carina slightly higher posteriorly. S2 sparsely foveolate-punctate, sculpture sparser posteromediad; anteromedial crest-fold welldefined. S3–5 sculpture mostly concealed by dense setation, densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate with sparse interspersed micropunctures where visible; S6 densely foveolate-punctate. Pygidial plate subpyriform, defined by lateral carinae at apical third of plate; surface with coarse and irregular rugosities; interstice granulose.

MALE. Body length 16–20 mm. Head. Transversely subrectangular with posterolateral angles rounded in dorsal view, 0.8 × as wide as pronotal width. Eye almost circular. Ocelli small; OOD 5.0 × DLO, IOD 1.45 × virtually equal to DLO. Occipital carina distinct. Head surface densely and finely punctate with sparse interspersed micropunctate; conspicuously denser and coarse on front. Gena ecarinate. Antennal scrobe concave to eye margin, with well-defined transverse dorsal scrobal carina. Clypeus concave laterally immediately below antennal insertion, conspicuously convex medially; densely and coarsely punctate; apical/ventral margin with a pair of medial subrounded subsessile teeth. Scape bicarinate. Flagellomere 1 2.2 × pedicel length; flagellomere 2 3.2 × pedicel length. Mandible obliquely tridentate apically, inner tooth larger than medial tooth; lacking dorsal or ventral projections. Mesosoma . Epaulets well-defined, slightly projected from anterior margin of pronotum, broadly separated from short humeral carina, anterolateral angles of pronotum subrounded. Anterior face of pronotum sparsely and coarsely punctate with interspersed micropunctations; sculpture sparser mediad, simply micropunctate medially. Tegula convex, mostly glabrous and impunctate except for dense coarse punctures on along inner and anterior margins. Mesoscutum densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate, notaulus and parapsis present, reduced to posterior half of mesoscutum. Scutellum convex, densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate; dorsal and posterior faces poorly distinguished; basal intervals of dorsal face indistinctly aligned forming rudimental longitudinal carina at base of scutellum. Axilla produced posterolaterally as obliquely truncate projection, with coarsely and densely foveolate-punctate dorsal surface. Metanotum slightly wider laterally, its surface obscured by dense setation. Propodeal dorsum convex to virtually flat basad, densely areolate; lateral face virtually unsculptured on along anterior margin; dorsal face rounded into and poorly distinguished from posterior face. Lateral face of pronotum sparsely punctate with dense interspersed micropunctures; mesopleura with conspicuous blunt tubercle on dorsal half; mesopleural sculpture densely and coarsely areolate-punctate to foveolate-punctate with interspersed micropunctures; areolations/foveolations gradually spars- er anteriad. Metapleuron sparsely micropunctate to smooth throughout, except for indistinct areolations on basal fourth and indistinct rugosities on dorsal fourth. Wings. Forewing with elongate sclerotized pterostigma; marginal cell elongated, truncate apically; three submarginal cells. Legs. Simply setose, no strong spines discernible dorsally; spurs finely serrate on margins. Metasoma. T1 0.4 × as wide as T2. T2 length 0.9 × its width. Dorsal metasomal sculpture partially concealed by dense setation, densely and finely punctate with interspersed micropunctures where visible. Pygidial plate irregularly, transversely and indistinctly rugose, slightly broader than long, weakly defined by parallel carinae apicolaterally, interstice apparently granulose. S1 longitudinally elevated medially, terminating in slightly concave and blunt longitudinal carina. S2 sparsely and finely foveolate-punctate to punctate, without micropunctures; with conspicuous anteromedial setae filled pit; longitudinal anteromedial crest-fold present. S3–6 sparsely and coarsely foveolate-punctate with sparse interspersed micropunctures; S7 densely foveolate-punctate with well-defined medial longitudinal unsculptured area; longer than broad, well-defined by lateral carinae throughout, posterior margin projected medially into a single tooth-like structure on posterior margin; apex of projections bilobate. Genitalia. Parapenial lobe not at all pronounced apically, subacute. Ratios of free length of paramere, cuspis and digitus, 75:56:21; paramere slightly sinuous and conspicuously curved outward apically in dorsal view, upcurved apically in lateral view; with sparse setae ventrally at basal half; cuspis slender, elongate, equally wide throughout in dorsal view and lateral view; with scattered long setae apically and sparse inconspicuous short setae elsewhere; paracuspis well-developed, not sessile, subtriangulate in lateral view, slightly longer than wide with subtriangulate and densely setose posterodorsal margin in lateral view; setae as long as or shorter than paracuspis; digitus short, slightly curved inward in dorsal view and upcurved in lateral view, sparsely setose basodorsally, apex somewhat expanded, knob-like in lateral view; penis valve with inner surface strongly concave, and well-defined pair of short teeth posteroventrally; posterior tooth acute, subposterior tooth subrounded, blunt, with externolateral pocket; apical distance between teeth 0.1 × length of valve; dense setae present along subtruncate, shelf-like posterior margin; inconspicuous setae present at base of subposterior tooth on external surface.

Coloration and variations. FEMALE. Integument black to brownish-black except mandibles and antennal flagellomeres partially reddish-brown, and T2 with four reddish integumental spots. Posterior spots of T2 variable in size, separated by more than spot width to half spot width. Body setae predominantly silvery-white varying in density, except the following areas with black setae varying in density: front, posterior margin of vertex, dorsal half of gena, pronotal dorsum, lateral face of pronotum (except ventral third); mesonotum medially, dorsal propodeal face medially, dorsal half of meso and metapleuron, T1 medially, disc of T2 (except over integumental spots), fringe of T2–4 sublaterally, fringe of T5 laterally (sparse silvery-white setae sometimes present laterally), T6 (except pygidial plate) laterally, and S5–6. Some specimens have the vertex virtually all black with indistinct spots of silverywhite setae laterally and the lateral silvery-white setae stripes of the mesosomal dorsum uninterrupted. MALE. Integument black to brownish-black. Body setae predominantly black varying in density, except following areas with silvery-white setae varying in density: anterior/ventral margin of clypeus, hind tibiae and tarsi partially, metanotum medially, dorsum of propodeum, T1, T2 anterolaterally, fringes of T2–3 laterally, S1 partially, and fringe of S2 partially. Tibial spurs yellowish-white. Wings dark-brown infuscated with conspicuous blueish/purplish reflections.

Distribution. Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina.

Material examined. (181♀, 60♂) Type material. Lectotype of Mutilla spectabilis , ♀, BRAZIL, S. Paulo [São Paulo] ( ZMB) ; lectotype of M. funesta , ♂, BRAZIL, [Minas Gerais], Lagoa Santa ( MLUH) ; holotype of M. melaleuca , ♂, BRAZIL ( ZMB) ; holotype of T. spectabilis chingona , ♀, ARGENTINA, Cordoba, Villa del Dique ( AMNH) . Additional material. BRAZIL, 1♂ ( ZMUC) ; São Paulo: 3♀ ( DEI) ; 1♀, X.1950 ( MNRJ) ; 1♀, II.1935 ( MNRJ) ; 40♀ ( MZSP) ; 1♀, Dr. O. Staudinger ( MNCN) ; 1♀ ( MNRJ) ; Baruer : 1♀, 5.III.1955 ( MNRJ) ; 1♀, IV.1957, K. Lenko ( USNM) ; 1♂, 28.II.1956 ( AMNH) ; 1♂, V.1957, K. Lenko ( USNM) ; São Paulo: 1♀, 24.III.1926 ( DEI) ; 1♀, 07.II.1922 ( DEI) ; Ipiranga : 1♀, I.1914 ( MNRJ) ; 1♀, I.1907, Salva M. Torres ( MZSP) ; Jundiaí : 1♀, 24.II.1899, Bezon ( MNCN) ; 1♀, 23.II.1899, Schrottky ( MNHN) ; 1♀, 1899, Schrottky ( MNHN) ; 1♀, 16.II.1899, Schrottky ( MNHN) ; Alto da Serra , 1♂ ( MZSP) ; 1♂, II.1929, R. Spitz ( MZSP) ; Cotia : 2♀ ( DEI) ; 1♀ ( ZMB) ; Horto Florestal Navarro de Andrade, Rio Claro , 1♀, 17.VI.1987, R.P. Martins ( UFMG) ; 1♀, 22.III.1924, G.R. Fischer ( MZSP) ; Piracicaba , 1♀, IV.1898, Bikego [sic] ( MZSP) ; Rio Claro , 1♀, B. Dias ( AMNH) ; Santa Branca , 1♀, I.1962, R.F.O. Azevedo ( MNCN) ; São Carlos , 1♀, I.1962, L. Stowbunenko ( MNCN) ; Campinas , 1♂, 1903, Hempel ( MNHN) ; Rio de Janeiro: 1♂ ( ZMUC) ; 10♀, Reinhardt ( MNCN) ; Butantan , 1♀, 26.III.1922 ( DEI) ; Paraná: 5♀ ( MZSP) ; [Palmira] RPPN [Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural] Papagaio Velho , 1♂, 09.I.1966, Moure J.S. ( DZUP) ; Ponta Grossa: Parque Estadual da Vila Velha : 1♀, 5.IV.2013, Williams, K.A. ( DZUP) ; 1♀, 9.IV.2003, Melo, G.A.R, Gonçalves,R. ( DZUP) ; Mato Grosso: 8♀ ( MZSP) ; Chapada dos Guimarães : 8♀, 12.XI.2013, Melo, G.A.R., Luz, D.R., Williams, K.A. ( DZUP) ; 2♀, 18.XI.2013, Melo, G.A.R., Luz, D.R., Williams, K.A. ( DZUP) ; 5♀, 13.XI.2013, Melo, G.A.R., Luz, D.R., Williams, K.A. ( DZUP) ; 1♀, 14.XI.2013, Melo, G.A.R., Luz, D.R., Williams, K.A. ( DZUP) ; 1♀, 19.I.1961, J & B Bechyne ( MPEG) ; 1♂, Oct. [October] ( MNHN) ; Mato Grosso do Sul: Maracaju : 1♀, 09.III.1937, S. Lana ( MPEG) ; 1♀, III.1937, J. Lane ( MNCN) ; 1♀, III.1937, Shannon Lane ( MZSP) ; Corumbá , 1♀ ( MNCN) ; Minas Gerais: 1♀, Reinhardt ( ZMUC) ; Uberaba : 1♀ ( DEI) ; 1♀ ( RBINS) ; 1♀, E. Le Moult ( MNCN) ; Passos : 1♂, X.1961, Elias, C. ( DZUP) ; 1♂, 16–21.XII.1963, Elias, C. ( DZUP) ; 1♂, X.1961, Elias, C. ( DZUP) ; 1♂, 5–10.XI.1961, Elias, C. ( DZUP) ; São Roque de Minas , 1♀, 12–13.I.1992, Moure, J.S., Camargo, Sergei, Silvis ( DZUP) ; Araguari , 1♀, X.1931, R. Spitz ( MNCN) ; Barro Alto , 1♀, XI.1931, J. Blaser ( USNM) ; Campos de Dia- mantina, Fazenda do Riacho Fundo , 1♀, XII.1902, E. Gounelle ( MNCN) ; Araxá , 1♂, 10.XII.1965, Elias, C. & Elias, T. ( DZUP) ; Ibiraci , 1♂, X.1961, Elias, C. ( DZUP) ; Barbacena , 1♂, 26.XII.1905, Ducke ( MNHN) ; Santa Catarina: 5♀ ( MZSP) ; Nova Teutônia : 8♀ ( MNRJ) ; 1♀, VII.1968, F. Plauman ( PMNH) ; 3♀, XII.1968, F. Plaumann ( PMNH) ; 1♀, I.1969, F. Plaumann ( PMNH) ; 5♀, III.1969, F. Plaumann ( PMNH) ; 1♀, IV.1969, F. Plaumann ( PMNH) ; 1♀, 21.XII.1952, F. Plaumann ( USNM) ; 1♂, XI.1969, F. Plaumann ( PMNH) ; Goiás: 1♂ ( MNHN) ; Jataí , 1♂ ( MNHN) ; Campinas , 2♀, XII.1936 ( MNRJ) ; Distrito Federal: Brasília: FLONA [Floresta Nacional] de Brasília :, Gleba 1, 1♀, 14.XI.2012, Luz, D. ( DZUP) ; 1♀, 13.XI.2012, Luz, D. ( DZUP) ; Pará : 1♂, V.1903, Ducke ( MNHN) ; Óbidos , 1♂, 1929 ( USNM) ; Prainha , 1♂, 20.V.1903, Ducke ( MNHN) ; Espírito Santo, Praia das Neves , 1♀, 27.IV.1998, Raw, A. ( DZUP) ; BOLIVIA, Chuquisaca, Zudanez , 1♀, III.1976, Pena ( AMNH) ; PARAGUAY: Alto Paraguay, Cuaacupe , 1♀, 15.XII.1945, P.A. Berry ( CISC) ; Paraguari: E [east] of Ybycui , 1♀, 02.IV.2006, U. Dreschel ( FSCA) ; Compañia Naranjo , 2♀, 3–8.II. 1996, B. Garcete & C. Aguilar ( MIUP) ; La Rosada , 1♀, 27.XII.2008, U. Dreschel ( FSCA) ; [Paraguari], Cerro Pelado , 1♂, 04.XII.1935 ( DEI) ; [Cordillera]: San Bernardino , 1♀, K. Fiebrig ( USNM) ; 1♂, K. Fiebrig S.V. ( ZMB) ; Caapucú , 4♂, 2.II.1997, B. Garcete ( MIUP) ; San Pedro: Rio Ypane: Cororo : 1♂, II.1979, Fritz ( AMNH) ; 2♂, XI.1979, Fritz ( AMNH) ; 10♂, XII.1983, Fritz ( AMNH) ; [Guairá]: Villarica , 1♀, XI, Sternitzcky ( USNM) ; 3♂, I.1938, Slg. H. Köller ( DEI) ; Caaguazu, 1♂, XII.1977, M.A. Fritz ( FSCA) ; Santa Barbara [sic], 1♂, 02.III.1948, Schade ( MNHN) ; Concepcion, Cororo , 3♀, 25.II– 1.III.1997, B. Garcete ( MIUP) ; ARGENTINA: 2º Par. [sic], 2♀, 08.II.1925, Weyrauch ( UMSP) ; Geraldina , 1♀, 10.II.1927, Weyrauch ( UMSP) ; Corrientes: Ituzaingo : 1♀, XI.1985, M.A. Fritz ( AMNH) ; 1♀, XII.1981, M.A. Fritz ( MIUP) 1♀, XI.1979, Viana ( AMNH) ; 2♂, III.1982, Fritz ( AMNH) ; 1♂, I.1985, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Córdoba: [La] Granja , 3♀, 07.II.1925 ( UMSP) ; 2♀, 10.I.1922 ( UMSP) ; Dolores , 1000m [above sea level], 1♀, 01–17.XII.1997, C. Porter ( FSCA) ; Alta Gracia , 1♀, 13.I.1921, C. Bruch ( UMSP) ; San Antonio , 1♀, II.1980, Williner ( AMNH) ; Santa Fé: Rio San Javier, Estancia La Noria , 3♂, 22.XII.1911, G.E. Bryant ( NHM) ; Tostado FCCN [Ferro-Carilles Centro Norte], El Orden, 1♂, A.J. Giai ( SEMC) ; Las Garzas, Margens do Rio Las Garzas , 25km a oeste de Ocampo, Chaco, 1♂, 1903, E.R. Wagner ( MNHN) ; Misiones: Punto Esperanza , 1♀, XII.1976, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Rio Paraná, Tiju-Cuare, Prés. [Presidente] San Ignacio , 3♀, III–IV.1911, E.R. Wagner ( MNHN) ; Entre Rios, Federacion , 1♂, XII.1981, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Santiago del Estero, Icaño, Margens do Rio Salado, arredores de Icaño , 1♂, XI.1909, E.R. Wagner ( MNHN) .

Remarks. As with most species of the Traumatomutilla indica species-group, the sex association of T. spectabilis with T. funesta relied heavily on repeated co-ocurrence of both sexes in multiple locations. This particular association, however, could only be achieved after almost every other species from the edges of the Brazilian and Bolivian Amazon to the Argentinian Chacho was associated with its respective opposite sex. Females of T. spectabilis can be frequently confused with those of T. vidua since both species have the mesonotum wider than the distance between pronotal spiracles. This character, however, tends to vary in smaller specimens of T. spectabilis , which frequently have the mesonotum as wide as the distance between the pronotal spiracles. Nonetheless, these species can be distinguished based on scutellar armature, which is usually reduced in T. spectabilis , with only the scutellar scale being well-defined, as opposed to the conspicuous and well-defined anterior transverse carinae of T. vidua females. Additionally, males of T. spectabilis can be confused with those of T. vidua and T. protuberans . Males of T. vidua are the easiest to distinguish from T. spectabilis based on their broad transversely truncate axillar projections, as opposed to the obliquely truncate and somewhat twisted axillar projections of the latter. Males of T. protuberans on the other hand have the cuspis and penis valve remarkably different from those of T. spectabilis (see description, plates and remarks of T. protuberans ).

Figures

FIGURES 26A–F. Traumatomutilla spectabilis (Gerstaecker, 1874), lectotype, ♀, line 2 mm; A. Dorsal habitus; B. Lateral habitus; C. Type labels; D–F. T. s. chingona Casal, 1969, holotype, ♀, line 2 mm; D. Dorsal habitus; C. Lateral habitus; F. Type labels.

FIGURES 27A–K. A–C. Traumatomutilla melaleuca (Gerstaecker, 1874), holotype, ♂, line 2 mm; A. Lateral habitus; B. Dor- sal habitus; C. Type labels; D–F. T. tapera (Cresson, 1902) (= T. funesta (Gerstaecker, 1874)), holotype, ♂, line 2 mm; D. Lateral habitus; E. Dorsal habitus; F. Type labels; G–K. T. melaleuca (Gerstaecker, 1874), holotype, male; G. Genitalia (halved), dorsal view; H. Genitalia (halved), ventral view; I. Genitalia (halved, penis valve removed), lateral/inner view; J. Cuspis (removed, not to scale), lateral/inner view; K. Penis valve (removed, not to scale), lateral/outer view.