Tainopompilus argentum Rodriguez and Pitts, 2016

Rodriguez, Juanita, Waichert, Cecilia, Von Dohlen, Carol D., Jr., George Poinar & Pitts, James P., 2016, Eocene and not Cretaceous origin of spider wasps: Fossil evidence from amber, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 61 (1), pp. 89-96 : 92

Tainopompilus argentum Rodriguez and Pitts sp. nov.

Fig. 2 .

Etymology: From Latin argentum , silver; in reference to the city Puerto Plata (silver port), close to where the holotype was collected.

Holotype: Complete male inclusion, OSAC Hy-10-45.

Type locality: Cordillera Septentrional, between Puerto Plata and Santiago, Dominican Republic .

Type horizon: Dominican amber, Early Miocene

Diagnosis.—Wing hyaline; maximum width 0.31× its length; 2Rs cell as long as 1Rs; 2m-cu vein curved, meeting 2Rs cell 0.55× distance from its base to apex of cell; and 2M cell with an inflection at the base of Cu vein.

Description.—Male. Body length 3.95 mm. Forewing 2.50 mm. Pubescence sparse and short on entire body including the mandible. Pygidium covered with short pubescence. Punctation conspicuous on mesosoma. Antennae elongate, crenulate; ratio of segments two to four 6:9:10; WA3 0.8× LA3; WA4 0.4× LA3. Pronotum short, width 8.3× length, posterior margin concave; pronotal disc well defined. Wing long; length of 2 R 1 cell 0.50× distance from its edge to wing apex; 2Rs cell as long as 1Rs; 2m-cu vein curved, meeting 2Rs cell 0.55× distance from base to apex of cell. Tibiae and tarsi with few short, sharp, sparse spines; metasoma 0.78× as long as mesosoma.

Remarks.—This is the only described species of Tainopompilus gen. nov.

Stratigraphic and geographic range.—Early Miocene of the northern of Dominican Republic.

Figures

Fig.2. Spider wasp Tainopompilus argentum sp. nov., holotype, OSAC Hy- 10-45, male specimen, from Early Miocene Dominican amber, Cordillera Septentrional, between Puerto Plata and Santiago, Dominican Republic. A. Specimen in lateral view. B. Forewing. Photograph (A1), camera lucida illustrations (A2, B).