Digonocryptus meridensis Aguiar et Ramos, 2011

Aguiar, Alexandre Pires & Ramos, Adriana C. B., 2011, 2846, Zootaxa 2846, pp. 1-98 : 47-48

Digonocryptus meridensis Aguiar et Ramos , sp. nov.

Figs 13, 14, 103, 149, 197, 237

Description. Holotype FEMALE. Fore wing 11.4 mm.

Head. Ventral tooth of mandible distinctly longer than dorsal tooth. Clypeus apical area delimited by smooth border; clypeal margin with one tooth. Antenna with 26 flagellomeres; white band starting at flagellomere IV; 4 flagellomeres at least 50% white.

Mesosoma . Mesopleuron with scarce short hairs, 95–99% of cuticular surface visible. Subalar prominence large, somewhat elongate, somewhat ridged ( Fig. 149). Sulcus between sternaulus and scrobe present but weak. Posterior transverse carina of mesosternum absent. Lower metapleuron densely transversely rugulose. Propodeum: area in front of anterior transverse carina distinctly alutaceous, medially with traces of two longitudinal ridges extending from carina towards anterior margin. Propodeal apophyses present as large and wide scale-like structures (that is, with distinct area). Posterior transverse carina weak, inconspicuous, approximately bell-shaped. Area between transverse carinae obliquely striate; area behind posterior transverse carina obliquely rugose. Fore wing in Fig. 197; vein 3-Cu 1.62 length of 4-Cu. Hind wing in Fig. 237.

Metasoma. Postpetiole dorso-anteriorly flat; dorsolateral carina and median dorsal carina absent; petiolar spiracles in dorsal view somewhat prominent, protruding from T1. Ovipositor 1.49 length of hind tibia. Apex of lower valve with 12 (13?) teeth.

Color. Dark brown and yellow. Lateral pattern as in Fig. 13. Head yellow, except medial black stripe, with little more than 0.3 of interocular distance, extending from base of torulus to occipital carina, and then narrowly around occipital carina dorsally only. Mesosoma dorsally dark brown, except as follows. Pronotum mostly yellow, except only at dorsal margin medially and, laterally, at ventral apex, dark brown. Propleuron mostly (95%) to entirely yellow. Mesoscutum centrally, at level of tegula, without yellow spot; lateral margin of mesoscutum and narrow area along notaulus yellow. Axillar carina, scutellum and postscutellum yellow. Wing membrane amber, centrally with fuscous transverse spot. Propodeum as in Figs 13–14, but with yellow areas briefly touching centrally. Fore and mid femora and tibiae yellowish brown, darker on antero-lateral face of tibiae. Hind femur brown but mesal and lateral faces centrally with some yellowish brown. Hind tibia dark brown, except pale yellow to white basal end. Fore tarsus yellowish brown. Mid t1 on 0.7 central yellowish brown; hind t1 on apical 0.7 and t2 basal half whitish; remaining of mid and hind tarsi dark brown. Metasoma dorsally dark brown, except as follows (Fig. 103). Postpetiole entirely yellow. T2 apical margin with wide yellow stripe. T3 yellow, except basal 0.1, free margin of yellow stripe irregular (Fig. 103). T4–T6 dark brown. T7–8 yellow.

Morphological variation. Fore wing 9.9–12.1 mm. Ovipositor 1.48–1.49 length of hind tibia. On female, posterior transverse carina sometimes entirely indistinct; lower metapleuron sometimes striate rugulose; yellow patches on propodeum showing all stages between briefly meeting medio-anteriorly to widely isolated; propodeum between anterior transverse carina and apex sometimes simply rugose, sculpturing with no particular orientation; yellow stripe on T3 narrow and detached from posterior margin on paratype from “Yacambú, V.13.81.”

MALE. Similar to female, except for wing membrane weakly infuscate or hyaline; central fuscous spot absent.

Comments. Immediately isolated from most Digonocryptus species by having the fore wing with a fuscous spot ( Fig. 197); only D. banius and D. pitchus have the same feature. The following also seems unique for this species: mesoscutum dark brown with yellow mark following the notaulus, and the propodeum overall color pattern ( Fig. 14).

Material examined. 4 females, 3 males. HOLOTYPE ♀ “Yacambú, Venez.// 1200m V.10.81// H. K. Townes ” ( AEIC). Complete , in good shape . Paratypes ( AEIC): ♀ “ Yacambú, Venez. // 1200m V.10.81// H. K. Townes ” . ♂ and ♀ “ Yacambú, Venez. // 1200m V.7.81// H. K. Townes ” . ♂ “ Mérida, 2, 000m // Venez. IV.31.81// H. K. Townes ”; “ Digonocryptus // sp.11” . ♂ “ Mérida, 2, 000m // Venez. IV.31.81// H. K. Townes ” . ♀ “ Yacambú, Venez. // 1200m V.13.81// H. K. Townes ” .

Distribution. Venezuela.