Traumatomutilla diabolica ( Gerstaecker, 1874 )

Bartholomay, Pedro R., Williams, Kevin A., Luz, David R., Cambra, Roberto A. & Oliveira, Márcio Luiz de, 2019, Traumatomutilla André miscellanea: Revision of the bellica, bifurca, diabolica, and vitelligera species groups, and a new group for the new species T. pilkingtoni Bartholomay and Williams (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae: Sphaeropthalminae: Dasymutillini), Insecta Mundi 709 (709), pp. 1-37 : 29-30

Traumatomutilla diabolica ( Gerstaecker, 1874)

( Fig. 61–65 )

Mutilla diabolica Gerstaecker 1874: 76 . Holotype (by monotypy) female, Argentina, Rosario (MLUH), examined.

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) diabolica André 1902: 55 (new combination).

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) chilena André 1906: 48 . Lectotype (designated here) female, Chile [ Argentina], Neuquen (MLUH), examined. Synonymized by Mickel 1964: 169.

Diagnosis. Female. Head unarmed, sculpture distinctly and coarsely foveolate-punctate; mesosoma without scutelar scale, longitudinal medial carina or mesonotal lateral projections; T2 with four large, reddish integumental spots.

Description. Female. Body length 13-15 mm. Head. Posterior margin slightly convex. Head width 0.9 × pronotal width. Eye length in frontal view slightly longer than distance from its ventral margin to mandibular condyle. Front, vertex and gena densely and coarsely areolate-punctate to foveolate-punctate. Mandible with small subapical tooth. Dorsal scrobal carina present, well-defined, not reaching antennal tubercles and vestigial lateral scrobal carina. Antennal tubercle finely and irregularly rugose. Flagellomere 1 2.5 × pedicel length; flagellomere 2 1.8 × pedicel length. Genal carina present, broadly separated from gular carina. Occipital carina slightly swollen apicolaterally; tubercles of vertex absent. Mesosoma. Mesosoma 0.8 × as long as wide. Mesosoma densely and finely areolate-punctate, areolations larger and sparser laterad. Anterior face of propodeum defined, striated longitudinally except coarsely punctate at dorsal margin. Humeral carina present, not pronounced apically, disconnected from well-defined and slightly produced epaulet, anterolateral corners of pronotum rounded in dorsal view. Pronotal spiracle virtually flat against lateral margin of pronotum. Sculpture of lateral face of pronotum and mesosomal pleurae obscured by dense setae, except dorsal fourth of metapleuron asetose and impunctate. Lateral face of propodeum virtually unsculptured, smooth, with few scattered punctures. Ratios of width of humeral angles, pronotal spiracles, widest point of mesonotum, narrowest point of mesonotum and propodeum posterior to propodeal spiracles, 83:96:97:72:65. Lateral margin of mesosoma emarginated anterior to propodeal spiracle, slightly projected anterad. Propodeal spiracle conspicuously projected from lateral margin of mesosoma; post-spiracular well-defined, apparently unsculptured. Scutellar scale well-defined, slightly wider and more conspicuous than anterolateral carinae; anterolateral carinae, reduced, narrowly connected to each other, disconnected from scutellar scale. Scabrous intervals absent. Posterior face of propodeum longer than dorsal face. Metasoma. Ratios of width of T1, width of T2 and length of T2, 25:59:67. T2 with maximum width posterior to midlength. T2 disc densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate; sculpture sparse and larger laterad. S1 with coarse uneven longitudinal carina, equally high throughout. S2 sparse coarse foveolate-punctate; subapical transverse slope present, interrupted medially; antero-medial longitudinal crest-fold vestigial. S3–6 dense coarse foveolate-punctate. Pygidium sub-ovate, defined by lateral carinae, except at basal third; surface confusedly, irregularly and finely costate; costae subparallel, mostly interrupted; interstice granulose.

Color variations. Body and appendages black, except mandibles and antennal flagellomeres partially reddish-brown; T2 with four large orange to red integumental spots. Body setae predominantly black, except for silvery-white setae varying in density on the following: most of ventral surface of head; malar space; ventral half of gena; lateral face of pronotum; mesosomal pleurae; lateral face of propodeum; propodeal dorsum laterally; T1 laterally; integumental spots, lateral areas, lateral margin and lateral felt line of T2; fringe of T2–3 medially and laterally; T4–6, except pygidium, medially; S1–4. Certain specimens may have vestigial lateral silvery-white setae stripes on the propodeal dorsum, whilst others have such lines well defined.

Distribution. Argentina.

Material examined. (10♀) Type material. Holotype of Traumatomutilla chilena , ♀, [ ARGENTINA], Neuquén, [18]95 ( MNHN) ; Other material. ARGENTINA, Salta, Sumalao , 2♀, iii.1991, M.A. Fritz ( AMNH) ; Tucuman, near Las Cejas , 1♀, 20.iv.1968, C.C. Porter ( USNM) ; 8km N Cadillal , 1♀, 25.iii.1990, J.G. Rozen & A. Roig ( AMNH) ; Mendoza, Estancia Pedregal , 1♀, 29.iii.1903 ( ZMUC) ; Dep. De Calamuchita, El Sauce , 1♀, iv.1938, Manuel J. Viana ( AMNH) ; Buenos Aires, Saladillo, 1♀, 26.ii.1911 ( UMSP, compared with type Traumatomutilla chilena (André) det. Mickel 1931; compared with type Mutilla diabolica (Gerstaecker) det. Mickel 1931); Srra. Ventana, m. 200, Pcla. B.As. , 1♀, 14.iii.1972, Bordón ( AMNH) ; Neuquén, Choele Choel , 1♀, i.1990, U. Fritz ( AMNH) .

Remarks. Mickel (1964) synonymized Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) chilena with T. diabolica without, however, providing any information on the designation of holotypes or lectotypes for either species. The type of Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) chilena has a 1931 label by Mickel identifying it as T. diabolica and a “cotype” label likely from André himself. The only specimen of T. diabolica from MLUH has no type labels whatsoever, simply a handwritten label identifying it as Mutilla diabolica , the locality label, Rozario [sic], and a control label from MLUH. Since this specimen matches the type of Traumatomutilla diabolica , and the type locality of the original description, a holotype labeled has been added to it. Traumatomutilla diabolica has been recorded from dry Chaco areas of Argentina and Bolivia, as well as Argentinian Montes. One specimen is recorded from a humid Pampas area in Buenos Aires province. Perhaps the only remarkable feature of this species is that it lacks the distinguishing characters of the typical large bodied Traumatomutilla of southern South America. Its color pattern is typical of the grasslands and xeric areas of Argentina. Additionally, to our knowledge this is the southernmost distribution for a species of Traumatomutilla.

Figures

Figures 61–62. Traumatomutilla diabolica (Gerstaecker, 1874), ♀, holotype, line 2mm. 61) Dorsal habitus. 62) Lateral habitus.

Figures 63–65. “Traumatomutilla diabolica (Gerstaecker, 1874), ♀, holotype. 63) Head, frontal view. 64) T6 (pygidium), posterior view. 65) Holotype labels.