Mischocyttarus mirus, Silveira, 2006

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 : 26-27

Mischocyttarus mirus sp. n.

( Fig. 18 )

HOLOTYPE: ♀ Brazil, MG, Viçosa , Mata do Paraíso, 15/iv/1990 (G.A. R. Melo) ( UFPR).

FEMALE. Length of fore wing 10 mm; head transverse as seen from above, MWH/DLH 2.3, in frontal view wide and low, FHH/intOW 0.90; clypeus much wider than high, H/ WClp 0.81, apex narrowly rounded; mandible anterior surface without a prominent border; malar space narrow; tentorial pit as close to antennal socket as to eye margin; antennal scape short, L/Wesc 2.3; occeli widely separated, POL about 2.4 times larger than one diameter, POL/OOL larger than 2/3; occiput distinctly margined; foraminal area shaped ventrally as a shelf; hypostomal lamella narrow; pronotum with lateral fovea, anterior margin medially with the lamella wide and little reflexed, region immediately behind the lamella produced into a secondary margin moderately projecting over the lamella; humeral angle well developed, pronotal carina well elevated, not reflexed at sides, translucent lamellar portion well developed, laminate, as seen from above slightly concave, total width of carina equal to that of mesoscutum, pronotum as seen from above with sides converging; proepisternum with anterior margin raised and reflexed, region just posterior not raised into a crest; mesoscutum distinctly longer than wide, L/WMsc 1.09; upper mesepisternal plate rather weakly defined, the mesepisternal sulcus weak; scrobal sulcus well defined; fore wing very short, LDis/HMpl 1.97; inner claw of hind tarsus with the apex rather rounded; propodeum with median furrow deep, triangular, anterior area adjacent to metanotum protuberant, nearly horizontal, propodeal valve wide, its outline roughly triangular; first segment of metasoma considerably elongated ( Fig. 18 ), LSI/ HMpl 1.23, relatively narrow at the apex, about 2.14 times wider there than at the basal petiole, spiracles moderately prominent, petiole cylindrical, sternum only noticeably flattened on the distal 2/3, limit between sternum and tergum proximally not distinctly marked by a prominent shining edge.

Sculpture: disk of clypeus dull, mostly with moderately dense small to medium sized punctures, larger ones rare and inconspicuous, area close to the ventral margin reticulate with a few large punctures; upper interantennal area and frons similar to clypeus; mesopleuron dull with a dense pattern of medium sized punctures, larger ones inconspicuous, propodeum with similar pattern.

Vestiture: eyes with short noticeable hairs only dorsally.

Color: black; clypeus, mandible, inner orbit ventrally not reaching ocular sinus, antennal scape and apical flagellomeres beneath, narrow streak on gena dorsally, base of femora, apex of fore femur, anterior face and apex of fore tibia, dorsum of the fifth segment of fore tarsus, vivid reddish orange; pronotal carina, posterior dorsal margin of pronotum, axillae, anterior margin of metanotum narrowly, two small spots on propodeum, valves, one streak on mid coxa, two streaks on hind coxa, apex of mid and hind femora, apex of mid tibia, yellow; hind tibial spurs, pale brown; wings hyaline with, veins brown.

MALE: unknown.

NEST: unknown

Etymology The specific epithet is Latin meaning “wonderful, astonishing”.

Remarks

This species is similar to M. immarginatus Richards in several aspects, principally in color and sculpture. However, M. mirus sp. n. may be promptly distinguished by the margined occiput, relatively higher pronotal carina, and partially flattened first metasomal sternum.

Distribution SOUTH AMERICA: Brazil (MG).

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.