Mischocyttarus flavoscutellatus Zikán, 1935

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 : 75-76

Mischocyttarus flavoscutellatus Zikán, 1935

( Figs. 69, 72 )

M. flavoscutellatus Zikán, 1935: 198 , figs. 76, 77; 1949: 194, figs. 130, 279, 413; Richards, 1978:

306. M. metathoracicus var. flavoscutellatus: Richards, 1945: 347 , fig. 33 (misidentification). M. flavoscutellatoides Zikán, 1949: 236 ; synonymy by Richards (1978: 306). Lectotype: ♀ Brazil,

Rio de Janeiro, 6/i/1932 (J. Zikán) ( IOC), designated by Richards (1978), examined .

LECTOTYPE: ♀ Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Itatiaia , 700m, 6/i/1932 (J. Zikán) ( MZSP), designated by Richards (1978), examined.

FEMALE. Length of fore wing 10–11 mm; head transverse as seen from above, MWH/DLH 2.3, in frontal view not very low and wide, FHH/intOW 0.94; clypeus very wide, H/WClp 0.84, median angle little produced below, apex wide and round or slightly truncate; malar space narrow, not wider than 1/3 of the height of an antennal socket; tentorial pit slightly closer to the eye than to antennal socket; mandible anterior surface without a prominent border; antennal scape short and wide, L/Wesc 2.3; occeli no so widely separated, POL at most equal to two diameters, POL/OOL approximately 2/3; occiput with margin distinct but low, specially at the center; foraminal area shaped ventrally as a shelf; hypostomal lamella narrow; mesosoma in lateral view with the dorsal profile strongly convex; pronotum with lateral fovea, pronotal anterior margin medially with lamella narrow and moderately reflexed, region just behind not quite continuous, a little raised but not forming a definite secondary margin; humeral region not very salient laterally, without lateral lobe, carina with lamella evenly elevated at each side of the reduced central part, extinction at center quite abrupt, profile as seen from above straight, sides of pronotum distinctly convergent, width of carina less than that of mesoscutum, the latter practically as long as wide, L/WMsc 1.01; fore wing short, LDis/HMpl 2.13, pterostigma a little more than three times longer than wide; metanotum very convex; inner claw of hind tarsus with apex round; propodeum inflated but very oblique and relatively shortened posteriorly ( Fig. 69 ), in lateral view its dorsal profile more aligned with that of the metanotum, median furrow moderately deep, triangular, approaching the propodeal anterior margin, valve triangular, rather wide below, limit between the propodeum and lower metapleuron marked by a shining sulcus; first segment of metasoma only moderately elongated ( Fig. 67 ), LSI/HMpl 1.13, always well expanded at the apex, up to 2.3 times wider there than at the base, spiracles prominent or not, sternum flattened, limit between sternum and tergum proximally marked by a prominent shining edge.

Sculpture: disk of clypeus with dense small punctures, and with more sparse less conspicuous larger ones, interstices shining, area close to the ventral margin reticulate and shining with a few large punctures; upper part of interantennal area and frons with medium sized punctures, dense but rarely coalescent, not comb­like, dull; mesopleuron with moderately dense small to medium sized punctures, and with more sparse larger ones.

Vestiture: body covered by silvery pubescence, particularly dense and shining on the clypeus and frons; eyes with very short inconspicuous hairs.

Color: black; dorsal diffuse streak on gena, tegula, legs, dark brown; mandibular teeth, spot on inner face of fore tibia, reddish brown; antenna below, brown to yellowish brown at the apex; articular processes on meso and metapleuron, spot on the base of mid and hind femora, light yellowish brown; inner orbit to lower border of ocular sinus, posterior margin of pronotum (often indistinct at sides), scutellum (often blurred anteriorly), metanotum, reduced “Y­shaped” mark on propodeum, one streak on mid coxa, one outer streak on hind coxa (rarely with vestiges of inner one), inner distal margin of trochanters, apex of femora, apex of tibiae, dorsum of fifth segment of fore tarsus, yellow; larger hind tibial spur, pale yellow; wings hyaline, veins brown.

MALE: unknown.

NEST. Zikán (1949, fig. 413) shows a photograph of a small oval comb with 9 cells.

Remarks

This species is apparently restricted to southeastern Brazil. It differs from the other species by its more robust and convex mesosoma, the propodeum being more oblique and shortened posteriorly ( Fig. 69 ). Mischocyttarus flavoscutellatoides Zikán (1949) was a presumed social parasite of M. flavoscutellatus .

Distribution SOUTH AMERICA: Brazil (RJ).

Examined material

BRAZIL: Minas Gerais, 3♀ Ipanema, Faz. Montes Claros (1945/4150), 2/iii/1993 , 2♀ 3♂ 7 Km N Sta. Rita do Itueto (1918/4124), 24/xii/1998 (G.A. R. Melo) ( UFPR) ; Rio de Janeiro, 1♀ (PARALECTOTYPE) Itatiaia , 6/i/1932 (J. Zikán) , 1♀ Corcovado , 6/x/ 1946 (Wygodzinky) , 1♀ R . de Janeiro (Wygodzinsky) ( IOC) , 1♀ R . de Janeiro , 4/iii/1966 (H. & M. Townes) , 1♀ Represa Rio Grande , viii/1969 (M. Alvarenga) ( AEIC) .

Figures

FIGURES 66–80. M. metathoracicus: 66, mesosoma lateral, 67, male antenna, 68, mesosoma part dorsal, 77, T1, 79, pronotum frontal; M. flavoscutellatus: 69, mesosoma lateral, 72, T1; M. efferus sp. n.: 70, male antenna, 71, mesosoma part dorsal, 76, T1, 78, pronotum frontal; M. acreanus sp. n.: 73, T1, 75, mesosoma part dorsal; M. occiduus sp. n.: 74, T1, 80, mesosoma part dorsal.