Mischocyttarus immarginatus Richards, 1940

Silveira, Orlando Tobias, 2006, Revision of the subgenus Kappa de Saussure of Mischocyttarus de Saussure (Hym.; Vespidae, Polistinae, Mischocyttarini), Zootaxa 1321 (1), pp. 1-108 : 20-24

Mischocyttarus immarginatus Richards, 1940

( Figs. 13, 15, 17 )

M. immarginatus Richards, 1940: 182 ; 1945: 355; Zikán, 1949: 191, figs. 127, 277, 298; Richards, 1978: 293; Snelling, 1983: 275 (in part).

M. immarginatoides Zikán, 1949: 236 , figs. 352, 353; synonymy by Richards (1978: 293). Lectotype: ♀ Mexico, Yucatan, Chichen­Itzá, vi/29 (anonymous) (IOC), designated by Richards (1978), examined.

M. oaxacanus Zikán : Snelling, 1983: 275 (misidentification, incorrect synonymy).

HOLOTYPE: ♀ Mexico, N. Yucatan (no date) (Gaumer) ( BMNH), examined.

FEMALE. Length of fore wing 9–11.5 mm; head transverse as seen from above, MWH/DLH 2.3, in frontal view wide and low, FHH/intOW 0.89; clypeus much wider than high, H/WClp 0.81, apex narrowly rounded; mandible with the limit between the narrow anterior surface and wide lateral one marked by a prominent border; malar space narrow; tentorial pit closer to antennal socket than to eye margin; antennal scape short, L/ Wesc 2.35; occeli widely separated, POL about 2.4 times larger than one diameter, POL/ OOL larger than 2/3; occiput rounded, carina absent; gena considerably narrower than the upper lobe of the eye; posterior region of the head around the foramen produced into a deep cavity whose ventral margin is flat and horizontal like a shelf; hypostomal lamella around mouth parts only moderately wide ventrally; pronotum with lateral fovea, central part of the anterior margin of pronotum with the lamella wide and little reflexed, region immediately behind the lamella produced into an incipient secondary margin, low and scarcely projecting over the lamella; humeral angle well developed, pronotal carina very low and nearly straight, only slightly reflexed at sides, translucent lamellar portion vestigial, never laminate, total width of carina distinctly larger than that of mesoscutum, sides of the pronotum as seen from above not noticeably converging; proepisternum with anterior margin raised and reflexed, region just posterior also raised into an elevate projecting crest so that a hollow structure is formed on the anterior part of the proepisternum; mesoscutum distinctly longer than wide, L/WMsc 1.1; upper mesepisternal plate rather weakly defined, the mesepisternal sulcus weak and in darker specimens less visible; scrobal sulcus obsolete, the scrobal area above little salient, just leveled with the upper mesepisternal plate; fore wing elongated, LDis/HMpl 2.24; inner claw of hind tarsus with the apex variably wide, rather rounded ( Fig. 15 ); propodeum with median furrow only moderately deep, anterior area adjacent to metanotum protuberant, nearly horizontal, propodeal valve wide, with a rounded outline; first segment of metasoma considerably elongated ( Fig. 17 ), LSI/HMpl 1.24, gradually expanding to the apex, about 2.3 times wider there than at the basal petiole, spiracles not noticeably prominent, petiole cylindrical, not flattened ventrally, limit between sternum and tergum proximally not marked by a prominent shining edge, lateral margin of sternum distally sometimes more raised and acute.

Sculpture: disk of clypeus dull, mostly with small to medium sized punctures, larger ones rare and inconspicuous, area close to the ventral margin reticulate with a few isolate large punctures; upper interantennal area and frons similar to clypeus, but with the punctures arranged into a more dense and still duller pattern; mesopleuron with a dense pattern of fine to medium sized punctures, larger ones rare and inconspicuous.

Vestiture: eyes with distinct hairs, at least dorsally.

Color: black; antenna dorsally, legs, lower metapleuron (often), dark brown; inner orbit, base of antennal scape beneath, pronotal carina, posterior dorsal margin of pronotum, a spot on mesepisternal plate, anterior margin of scuttelum (often), axilla and scuttelar lateral crest, anterior margin of metanotum, metanotal lateral crest, large oval spots on propodeum, valves, two streaks on hind coxa, inner part of distal margin of trochanters, apical spot on femora, dorsum of the fifth segment of fore tarsus, small spot around pronotal fovea (sometimes), inner margin of tegula (sometimes), small ventral spot on meso and metapleuron (sometimes), band on distal margin of terga and sterna 1 and 2 of metasoma (sometimes including segment 3), yellow; lateral articulation processes of meso and metapleuron, short marks on the base of femora, anterior aspect of fore tibia, elongated marks on mid and hind tibiae (sometimes), light yellowish brown; mandible, ventral margin of clypeus (often), vertical narrow mark on gena, apex of antenna, brownish orange; hind tibial spurs, pale brown; wings hyaline with the veins brown.

Variation: extremely variable on the color of the disk of the clypeus, from wholly black passing by different grades of brown, to orange. Some specimens from Mexico, invariably larger in size, have extensive areas of the head and thorax tinged with light yellowish brown.

MALE. Head in frontal view very wide, FHH/intOW 0.85; frontal region projecting far beyond the level of the area adjacent to eyes, profile of the head in lateral view strongly convex forwards; clypeus much wider than high, H/WClp 0.85, ventral angle obtuse, apex narrowly rounded; antenna with the scape short and wide, L/Wesc 2.2, ventral surface of the flagellum with tyloids large and shining on antennomeres 6–13, small or fragmented on 4–5, and absent on 3, this antennomere about 3 times longer than wide distally, apex of the antenna very short, hook­like ( Fig. 13 ), antennomere 12 about 1.5 times longer than wide, 13 sub­cylindrical, narrow, 2.5 to 3 times longer than wide proximally, apex a little acuminate; anterior face of the fore coxa flattened; clypeus with dense medium sized punctures, practically without large punctures, covered by short, dense, appressed silvery pubescence; frons with numerous long and fine silvery hairs.

Color: similar to female, with more extensive pale marks.

NEST. A horizontal comb with the peduncle broad and eccentric. In Chamela, Mexico, the nests may attain considerable size with more than a thousand cells ( Rodríguez­Palafox, 1988).

Remarks

Mischocyttarus immarginatus is a rather isolate easily identifiable species. M. immarginatoides was described by Zikán (1949) as a social parasite of M. immarginatus . Snelling (1983) incorrectly proposed the synonymy of M. (Phi) oaxacanus Zikán under M. immarginatus without seeing types related to the first name. According to Snelling (1983), Richards (who bypassed M. oaxacanus in his 1978 revision) could not find specimens corresponding to M. oaxacanus in the Paris Museum or in the “Instituto Oswaldo Cruz”. I could see two types of M. oaxacanus in the collection of the “ São Paulo Museum” (MZSP; actually the depository indicated by Zikán), the species being instead the same as M. (Phi) pallidipectus (Smith) . Zikán (1949: 169) explicitly referred to the similarity between his new species and M. pallidipectus .

Rodríguez­Palafox (1988, 1989, 1997) presented comprehensive information on the biology of M. immarginatus in Chamela, Mexico. It is a very abundant species in that region, commonly founding nests in human buildings, with colony growth occurring along the five rainy months, from July to November. While only some of the colonies in Chamela were found nearby nests of Polybia occidentalis , observers of M. immarginatus in Costa Rica reported a largest part of colonies being founded in association with P. occidentalis or P. diguetana ( Gorton, 1978; Starr 1988; Windsor; 1972). London and Jeanne (1996) investigated the behavioral response of M. immarginatus females to their own venom, and to the venom of female P. occidentalis , finding no evidence of alarm behavior in both cases. Queller et al. (1992) and Strassmann et al. (1989) found high levels of genetic relatedness among female nestmates of M. immarginatus in Mexico, in agreement with the occurrence in each colony of only one or two females with developed ovaries.

Distribution

CENTRAL AMERICA: Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica.

Examined material

COSTA RICA: Guanacaste, Est. Murciélago , 8 Km SO de Cuajiniquil, 100 m , 41♀ ii/ 1989 ( GNP Biodiversity Survey) , 1♀ 18/iii–5/vi/1993, 1♀ 19–24/iv/1993, 1♀ 10–18/ix/ 1993, 1♀ 16/vi–4/vii/1993, 1♀ 11–20/xi/1993, 1♀ 3–14/iii/1994, 1♀ 4–22/viii/1994 (F. A. Quesada), 1♀ 16/vi–4/vii/1993, 1♀ 10–28/x/1993, 1♀ 6–24/i/1994 (C. Cano), 1♂ 15/vi–3/ vii/1993 (Fam. Araya Coronado), 1♀ 6–7/xii/1993 (Curso Latinoamericano); Palo Verde, 10 m, Ref. Nac. Fauna Silvestre Rafael Lucas Rodriguez, 1♀ 25/iii–21/iv/1992 (M. Ortiz), 1♀ iii/1991, 1♀ iv/1991 (U. Chavarria), 2♀ iv/1991 (D. Acevedo), 7♀ viii/1991 (G. Dauphin), 1♀ 18/i/1994 ( R. Chavarria), Los Almendros, P. N. Guanacaste , 4♀ 28/iii–24/iv/ 1992 (M. Reyes), 4♀ 8–28/ii/1993 (C. Cano), 1♀ 8–23/iv/1993, 1♀ 6–24/i/1994 (E. López); Agua Buena, P. N. Guanacaste, 220 m, 1♀ ii/1992 ( III Curso Parataxon.); Tierras Morenas, 700 m , 1♀ vii/1993 (G. Rodriguez), Est. las Pailas, P. N. Rincón de la Vieja, 800 m, 1♀ 24–30/iv/1994 (D. García); Playa Naranjo, Sta. Rosa, P. N. Guanacaste, 1♀ ii/1991, 1♀ iii/1991 (E. Alcazar); Cerro El Hacha, 300 m, 12 Km SE La Cruz, 4♀ iii/1988 (M. E spinoza); P. N. Barra Honda, 3 Km NO de Nacaome , 100 m , 1♀ 6/i/1989 (Janzen & Hallwachs), 2♀ 5–27/vii/1992, 1♀ 3–25/viii/1992, 6♀ i/1993, 6♀ iii/1993, 2♀ iv/1993, 1♀ viii/1993, 1♀ 6/ix–4/x/1993 (M. Reyes); P. N. Barra Honda, 900 m de la oficina, 100 m, 1♀ ii/1995 (M. Reyes); Est. Pitilla, 700 m, 9 Km S Sta. Cecilia, 1♀ xi/1988 (Biodiversity Survey), 3♀ 27/ii–2/iii/1989 ( R. Miranda) , 2♀ 12–30/i/1993, 1♀ ii/1993, 1♀ 2–9/iii/1993, 1♀ 21/iii/1993, 1♀ iii/1994 (C. Moraga); Est. Lomas Barbudal, 30 m, vii/ 1991, 1♀ (D. Acevedo), 2♀ (U. Chavarria); R. Gongorra, 700 m, 6 Km NE de Queb. Grande de Liberia , 3♀ ii/1992 ( III Curso Parataxon.); P. N. Guanacaste, Sector El Hacha , 1♀ xi– xii/1991 (E. López); Los Mesones, P. N. Barra Honda, 100m, 2♀ xii/1993, 6♀ i/1994, 1♀ iii/1995 (M. Reyes), Rio San Lorenzo , 1.050 m, Tierras Morenas, Z. P. Tenorio, 1} iii/1993 (G. Rodriguez); Est. Maritza, 600 m, lado O vol. Orosi , 1♀ iii/1990 ( R. Blanco) , 1♀ 26/ii–10/ iii/1992 (S. Rojas), 27/ii–10/iii/1992 1♀ (K. Flores) 1♀ (A. Gutierrez) 1♀ (M. Reyes) 3♀ (K. Martinez ), 28/ii–10/iii/1992 5♀ (E. Lopez) 1♀ ( R. Guzman ); Est. Sta. Rosa, 300 m, P. N. Sta. Rosa , 10♀ i/1989 ( GNP Biodiversity Survey) , 13♀ ii/1992 ( III Curso Parataxon.) , 1♀ ii/1992 (G. Pereira); Finca Jenny, 30 Km N Liberia, P. N. Guanacaste, 6♀ ix/1988, 21♀ x/1988, 1♀ xii/1988, 9♀ iii– iv/1989 ( GNP Biodiversity Survey) , 1♀ iii/1991, 1♀ vii/1991 ( R. Espinoza) , 3♀ 8–20/iii/1994, 1♀ 15–28/iii/1994 (E. Araya) ( INBC) , 8♀ 2♂ Hac. La Pacifica, 5 Km NW Canas , 19/v/1976 (M. Wasbauer), 4 Km NW Canas , 1♀ 18/i/1971, 1♀ 1/xii/1972, 1♀ 23/v/1974 (Opler), 1♂ 4 mi NW Canas, La Pacifica , 20/ii/1972 (P. A. Opler), Liberia , 1♀ 15–16/ii, 2♀ 23–26/ii/1972 (P. A. Opler), 2 Km E Hacienda Palo Verde, 1♂ xi/1973, 1♀ i/1974 (K. H. Keeler) ( EMEC) ; EL SALVADOR: 2♀ Quezaltepeque , 15/vii/1963 (Cavagnaro & Irwin) ( UCDC) ; HONDURAS: 3♀ 1♂ 30km E Tegucigalpa , 24/iv/85 (F. Morazon) , 1♀ Copan, Copan Ruinas , 7/v/1993 (Stange & Miller) ( FSCA) ; MEXICO: Chiapas, 1♀ Golfo de Tehúantepec, Beach , 16/ii/1985 (G. Malleck) , 3♀ Municipio de Cintalapa, La Mina , 914m, 14/ix/1981 (D.E. & P.M. Breedlove, C. Whitefield) ( CASC) , 5♀ 3♂ 20 km NE Tapanatepec , 27/viii/1990 (F. Noguera) , 3♀ 15 km N Tuxtla Gutiérrez 963m, 8/iv/1993 (A. Rodríguez) , 2♀ 5 km NE Chiapa de Corzo, El Chorreadero 510m, 23/vii/1997 (A. Rodríguez) , 2♀ Tapachula , 5 km W Ejido Morelos, 5/ ii/1998 ( V. Toledo) , 1♀ 4 km NE Tuxtla Gutiérrez , 9/viii/1997 ( V. Toledo) , 1♀ Chiapa de Corzo, Plaza Central , 17/i/1998 ( V. Toledo) , 1♀ 15 Km N Tuxtla Gtez., 8/iv/1993 (A. Rodríguez) , 1♀ 18 km SO Ocozocuautla, 3 km O El aguacero, 28/viii/1990 (F. Noguera) ( EBCC) ; Colima, 1♀ 7km S Colima, Rio Salado , 14/iii/85 (Stange & Miller) , 1♀ Tepames , 12/iii/85 (Stange & Miller) ( FSCA) , 1♀ 10 mi. W Colima , 1/viii/1954 (Casier, Gertsch, Bradts) ( AMNH) , 1♀ 18 km NE Manzanillo , 17/x/1992 (F. Noguera) ( EBCC) , 2♀ Playa de Oro Rd. 21 mi NW Manzanillo, 25/viii/1970 (M. S. & J. S. Wasbauer) ( EME C); Guerrero , 1♀ Zihuatanejo , 12/xii/66 (G. Bohart) ( UCDC) , 4♀ Chilpancingo , 28/ix/ 1994 (F. Noguera) ( EBCC) , 1♀ Chilpancingo , 18/vii/1983 (J. Chemsak, A. & M. Michelbacher) , 3♀ 6 mi W Iguala, 21/viii/1981 (J. Chemsak, A. & M.. Michelbacher), 3} 10 Km NW Iguala , 1.070m, 14/ix/1982 (J. A Powell & J. A. Chemsak) ( EMEC) ; Jalisco, 9} Campamento Sarh, North of Chamela, 550m, 14/x/1988 (Ross & Buickerood), 2} Chamela ( Est. Biologica ), 175m, 16/x/1988 (Buickerood & Ross) ( CASC) , 1♀ Chamela, Inst. Biologia , 25/ix/1986 (L. Stange) ( FSCA) , 3♀ (28/iii/1985), 1♀ (30/iii/1985), 1♀ (11/ vii/1989), Chamela ( R. Ayala) , 1♀ (16/vii/1985), 1♀ (27/xi/1985), 1♀ 1♂ (8/xii/1986), 1♂ (16/vii/1987), 1♀ (30/ix/1987), Chamela (A. Rodríguez), 1♀ Chamela , 2/iv/1981 (S. Bullock) , 1♀ Chamela , 1/x/1993 (P. Manrique) , 2♀ Chamela , / ix/1985 ( T. Griswold) , 1♀ Carr. Barra Navidad­Pto. Vallarta km 70, 14/x/1989 (E. Ramirez) ( EBCC) , 1♀ Est. Chamela , 8/ 16/vii/1985 (J. Chemsak, H. Katsura, A. & M. Michelbacher) , 1♀ Est. Chamela , 16/19x/1987 (Chemsak & Powell) , 1♀ 4 Km S Playa Careyes , 9–11/vii/1987 (J. Chemsak, E. G. & J. M. Linsley) , 1♀ Melaque , 11 Km N Jalisco, 28/vii/1984 (J. Chemsak) ( EMEC) ; Michoacán, 1♀ Parq. Nac. J. H. Morelos, 4/1/1989 (Ross & Stecker) ( CASC) ; Nayarit, 1♀ 10 mi. E San Blas , 11/ix/1977 ( R. Brooks) ( UCDC) , 2♀ 20 km SE San Blas , 7/iv/1994 (A. Rodríguez) , 1♀ 20 km SE San Blas , 7/iv/1994 (F. Noguera) , 1♀ Km 116 Carr. 200 Tepic Pto. Vallarta , 22/xi/1992 (J. Villa ) ( EBCC) ; N. León, 5♀ 1♂ 20km W Montemorelos, Comino a Royones , 21/vi/1981 (Miller & Stange) ( FSCA) ; Oaxaca, 2♀ 1♂ Tehuantepec , 9/i/48 ( T. MacDougal) ( AMNH) , 4♀ Chivela , 18/viii/1959 (Stange & Menke) , 2♀ Tamascal , 26/x/1963 (K.H. Janzen) ( UCDC) , 3♀ Valle Nacional San Mateo Vetla , 13/x/1990 (E. Ramirez) ( EBCC) , 4♀ 23 mi. S Matias Romero , 14/viii/1963 (Parker & Stange) , 1♂ Matias Romero , 5/vi/1962 (L. Stange) ( UCDC) ; Puebla, 1♀ 3 mi. S­E Petlalcingo , 8/iii/85 (Stange & Miller) ( FSCA) ; San Luis Potosí, 2♀ Tamazunchale , 13/ vii/56 (D. Janzen) ( UCDC) , 1♀ (PARÁTIPO) Tamazunchale ( IOC) , 11♀ 18/x/1994, 2♀ 23/x/1994, 10 km SO El Naranjo (A. Rodríguez) , 1♀ 10 km SO El Naranjo , 18/x/1994 (E. Ramirez) , 1♀ 6 Km Matehuala , 1.480m, 19/x/1994 (A. Rodríguez) ( EBCC) ; Sinaloa, 1♀ 5 mi N Mazatlán , 15/viii/1970 (M. Wasbauer & J. Chemsak) , 1♀ 5 mi N Mazatlán , 16/viii/ 1970 (M. S. & J. S. Wasbauer) , 3♀ 2,5 mi N Mazatlán , 12/viii/1970 (M. Wasbauer) , 2♀ 3 mi E Villa Union , 24/vii/1972 (J. & M. A. Chemsak, A. & M. Michelbacher) , 1♀ Rosario , 24/vi/1963 (J. Doyen) , 3♀ Cosala , 25/ix/1967 (G. A. Marsh) ( EMEC) ; Son. (Sonora?) , 1♀ Aduana , 15/iii/1962 (L. Stange) , 1♀ La Aduana , 22/v/1962 (Parker & Stange) ( UCDC) ; Tamaulipas, 6♀ 1♂ Victoria (s/ data) (anônimo) ( AMNH) , 1♀ (PARÁTIPO) Victoria (s/ data) (anônimo) ( IOC) ; Veracruz, 1♀ 5 mi. W Santiago, Tuxtla , 24/ii/85 (Stange & Miller) ( FSCA) , 1♂ Fortin de las Flores , 17/ix/1954 (F. Williams) ( CASC) , 3♀ Est. Biol. Tuxtlas , 17–21/iv/1989 (F. Noguera) , 1♀ Xico, Cascada de Texolo , 25/v/1991 (F. Noguera & A. Rodriguez) ( EBCC) ; Yucatán, 5♀ Uxmal , 22/xii/1987 (Strassmann & Queller) ( MPEG) , 9♀ 1♂ Cenote Dzitnup , 1/vi/1996 (A. Rodriguez) ( EBCC) , 3♀ Chichen­Itzá , 18/ xii/1982 (S. Meredith) ( EMEC) ; Zacatecas, 1♀ 9 mi. East Chupaderos , 19/iii/1962 (F. Parker) ( UCDC) , 2♀ Tangola ­Tangola , 8/xii/37 (Zaca Exped.) ( AMNH) , 1♀ Port. Guatulca , 3/xii/37 (Zaca Exped.) ( AMNH) .

Figures

FIGURES 8–25. M. laurae sp. n.: 8, 11, female head frontal and dorsal, 16, first metasomal tergum (T1); M. latior: 9, 12, female head frontal and dorsal, 10, male antenna, 14, hind 5th. tarsomere, 19, T1; M. immarginatus: 13, male antenna, 15, hind 5th. tarsomere, 17, T1; M. mirus sp. n.: 18, T1; M. paris sp. n.: 20, mesosoma part dorsal, 21, male antenna, 22, T1, 24, propodeal large punctures; M. tapuya: 23, T1, 25, propodeal large punctures.