Mischocyttarus timbira, 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 : 88-90

Mischocyttarus timbira sp.n.

( Figs. 90, 93, 95 )

HOLOTYPE: ♀ Brazil, Maranhão, Barreirinhas, Tabocas , 03 02´S 43 07´W, 19/vi/2004

(Azevedo, G. G. & Silva, S. S.) ( MPEG).

FEMALE. Length of fore wing 9 mm; head transverse, MWH/DLH a little more than 2.3, in frontal view low, FHH/intOW 0.92; clypeus convex and very wide, H/WClp 0.84, 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 2.27; occeli widely separated, POL about 1,8 times larger than one diameter, POL/OOL larger than 2/3; occiput without any vestiges of a carina; 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 acutely raised as secondary margin, carina moderately raised and projecting at sides, from above with a gently concave profile ( Fig. 93 ), 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 short, LDis/HMpl 1.98, 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 wide protuberant zone adjacent to metanotum, median furrow triangular and shallow, valve fairly wide, triangular, limit between propodeum and lower metapleuron marked by a shallow sulcus; first segment of metasoma moderately elongated, LSI/HMpl 1.12, spiracles prominent ( Fig. 95 ), apical part 2.23 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 rather shining, with few large punctures; upper interantennal area and frons with medium sized punctures, pattern dull comb­like; mesopleuron with numerous medium sized punctures and with less dense larger ones, the two sizes classes not very distinct, aspect not very regular, interstices rather shining.

Vestiture: eyes with hairs short, inconspicuous.

Color: black; antenna dorsally, lower metapleuron, anterior part of tegula, dark brown; antennal flagellum below, light yellowish brown; mandible brown with oblique anterior area yellowish brown; disk of clypeus, inerantennal area and frons immediately above, antennal scape ventral and laterally, reddish orange; ventral marginal area of clypeus, inner orbit to ocular sinus, narrow dorsal streak on gena, orange yellow; carina, posterior margin and ventral angle of pronotum, posterior spot on tegula, large paired spots near the anterior margin of scutellum, small spot on axilla, large spot on dorsal mesepisternal plate, most of metanotum, lateral articulation processes of meso and metapleuron, large lateral spot and nebulous ventral mark on mid coxa, two streaks on hind coxa, inner distal margin of hind trochanter, apex of femora and 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 1–4, yellow; hind tibial spurs, pale to yellowish brown; wings hyaline, veins dark brown.

MALE. Length of fore wing 8.5–9 mm; head in frontal view very low and wide, FHH/ intOW 0.87; clypeus little convex, much wider than high, H/WClp 0.80, median angle obtuse; tentorial pit close to the eye than to antennal socket; antennal scape very short and wide, L/Wesc 2.12, ventral surface of antennomeres with distinct shining tyloids, reduced on antennomere 3, this about 3 times longer than wide, apex of the antenna moderately elongated ( Fig. 90 ), with evident potential to become spirally rolled, antennomeres 11–13 flattened below, 12 a little more than 2 times longer than wide, 13 about 3.5 times longer than wide, 1.27 times longer than 12; anterior face of fore coxa moderately flattened; wings short; clypeus with dense fine punctation, and with few sparse less conspicuous medium sized punctures; clypeus and frons with dense shining decumbent pubescence, hairs longer on frons.

Color: similar to female, but with yellow marks a little more extensive and numerous; in particular the apex of the antenna laterally, a large oblique area of the mandible, the pronotal fovea, a large median ventral area and posterior median processes of the mesopleuron, and nearly all the ventral surface of the coxae are yellow. In addition of metasomal segments 1–4, metasomal tergum and sternum 5 have a posterior marginal yellow band

NEST: A nest from Tabocas (MPEG) has ordinary shape, with 40 cells in a roughly triangular comb, and eccentric peduncle. Another nest from Santo Amaro (MPEG) is smaller with only six cells.

Etymology

the specific epithet timbira is a reference to indigenous “Je” peoples that inhabit “cerrado” vegetation region in the Brazilian state of Maranhão.

Remarks

Mischocyttarus timbira sp. n. shares the features of this group with the other two species, but has the pronotal carina slightly more developed laterally, and concave as seen from above. Its color pattern is nearly identical to that of M. picturatus .

Distribution SOUTH AMERICA: Brazil (MA).

Examined material (paratypes)

BRAZIL: Maranhão, 1♀ 3♂ Barreirinhas, Tabocas , 03 02´S 43 07´W, 19/vi/2004 (Azevedo, G. G. & Silva, S. S.) , 1♀ Urbano Santos, Santo Amaro , 03 14´S 43 25´W, 15/x/ 2004 (Azevedo, G. G. & Amorim, L. R.) ( MPEG) .

Figures

FIGURES 81–96. M. bertonii: 81, mesosoma part dorsal, 86, T1; M. mysticus sp. n.: 82, mesosoma part dorsal, 83, T1; M. schunkei: 84, T1, 92, male antenna; M. injucundus: 85, mesosoma part dorsal, 87, T1; M. pertinax sp. n.: 88, T1, 89, mesosoma part dorsal; M. timbira sp. n.: 90, male antenna, 93, mesosoma part dorsal, 95, T1; M. porantin sp. n.: 91, male antenna, 94, mesosoma part dorsal, 96, T1.