Mischocyttarus picturatus Bequaert, 1938

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 : 84-86

Mischocyttarus picturatus Bequaert, 1938

Polybia rufidens Saussure : Fox, 1898: 450 (in part; misidentification).

Mischocyttarus metathoracicus var. picturatus Bequaert, 1938: 135 (in part); Richards, 1945: 347; 1978: 307 (misidentification).

M. picturatus: Carpenter and Vecht, 1991: 216 , 217.

HOLOTYPE: ♀ Brazil, Mato Grosso, Chapada (dos Guimarães), “May” (1874–1886) (H. Smith) ( CMNH), examined.

FEMALE. Length of fore wing 10 mm; head transverse as seen from above, MWH/ DLH a little more than 2.3, in frontal view low, FHH/intOW 0.92; clypeus convex and very wide, H/WClp 0.80, median angle projecting below, apex narrowly rounded; malar space moderately wide, a little more than 1/3 of the height of an antennal socket; tentorial pit as close to the eye as to antennal socket; mandible anterior surface without a prominent border; antennal scape short and wide, L/Wesc 2.2; occeli widely separated, POL about 2 times larger than one diameter, POL/OOL larger than 2/3; occiput without a developed carina, only with a slightly compressed edge; foraminal area shaped ventrally as a shelf; hypostomal lamella narrow; pronotum with lateral fovea, pronotal anterior margin medially with the lamella wide, not reflexed, region just behind definitely and acutely raised as secondary margin but scarcely projecting over the lamella, carina very low scarcely projecting at sides, not forming lateral lobe, as seen from above with nearly straight profile, total width about the same as that of mesoscutum, sides of pronotum little converging, mesoscutum a little longer than wide, L/WMsc 1.06; fore wing very short, LDis/HMpl 1.92, pterostigma about 3 times longer than wide; metanotum well convex; inner claw of hind tarsus with apex relatively wide but not quite rounded; propodeum relatively short but with definite wide protuberant zone adjacent to metanotum, median furrow triangular and shallow, valve fairly wide, triangular, limit between propodeum and lower metapleuron marked by a moderately deep rather shining sulcus; first segment of metasoma moderately elongated, LSI/HMpl 1.12, with a short linear portion just behind the spiracles, these being prominent, apical part about 2.4 times wider than the basal petiole, the latter ventrally flattened, limit between sternum and tergum proximally marked by a prominent shining edge.

Sculpture: disk of clypeus with moderately dense small to medium sized punctures, and with less conspicuous larger ones, interstices rather shining, area close to ventral margin reticulate and shining, with few large punctures; upper interantennal area and frons with medium to large sized punctures, pattern dull comb­like; mesopleuron with numerous medium sized punctures and with less dense larger ones, the two sizes classes not very distinct producing the impression of uniformity, interstices rather shining.

Vestiture: eyes with hairs short, inconspicuous.

Color: black; antenna dorsally, occiput at center, narrow streak on gena, lower metapleuron, anterior part of tegula, legs, dark brown; antennal flagellum below, light brown to yellowish brown at the apex; mandible distally light brown, with small orange yellow spot; disk of clypeus, inerantennal area, frons, back of the head, antennal scape ventral and laterally, two small spots between each occelus and eye, reddish orange; ventral marginal area of clypeus, inner orbit to ocular sinus, small and diffuse distal anterior spot on mandible, narrow dorsal streak on gena, orange yellow; carina and posterior margin of pronotum, posterior spot on tegula, large paired spots near the anterior margin of scutellum, large spot on dorsal mesepisternal plate, most of metanotum, large lateral spot on mid coxa, two streaks on hind coxa, inner distal margin of trochanters, apex of femora, apex of tibiae, dorsum of the fifth segment of fore tarsus, large paired oval spots on propodeum, part of valve, distal band on metasomal terga and sterna (laterally) 1–4, yellow; hind tibial spurs, pale to yellowish brown; wings hyaline, veins dark brown.

MALE: unknown.

NEST: unknown.

Remarks

The species was described by Bequaert (1938) originally as variety of M. metathoracicus (de Saussure) , on the basis of two specimens collected in Brazil by H. Smith, and identified by Fox (1898) as Polybia rufidens Saussure. Richards (1945: 347) followed Bequaert after examining the paratype from Corumbá (MS), deposited in the MCZC at Harvard. In Richards (1978: 307), however, the author suggests the synonymy of Bequaert’s “ var. picturatus ” to M. metathoracicus , but recommending that the holoype in MCZC should be reexamined. Carpenter and Vecht (1991) after studying the specimens observed that Bequaert (1938) incorrectly reported the localities, referring the holotype to Corumbá (MS), and the paratype to “Chapada” (Chapada dos Guimarães, MT). They also verified that the holotype (deposited in the CMNH at Pittsburgh, and collected at “Chapada”) was a distinct valid species, and that the paratype from Corumbá is actually a specimen of M. bertonii Ducke. Both specimens were examined, and the conclusions by Carpenter and Vecht (1991) are here confirmed.

Distribution SOUTH AMERICA: Brazil (MT).