Rhopalomutillinae Schuster, 1949, 2015

Brothers, Denis J., 2015, Revision of the Rhopalomutillinae (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae): 1, generic review with descriptions of three new genera, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 46, pp. 1-24 : 2-4

Rhopalomutillinae Schuster, 1949

Rhopalomutillinae Schuster, 1949: 121, 123, 125; Brothers 1975: 623, 1999: 244; Lelej and Nemkov 1997: 12.

Type genus.

Rhopalomutilla André, 1901: 323, male & female.

Diagnosis.

MALE. Fully winged; black (seldom with the mesosoma partly dark red), without bright pubescent patterns. Head: compound eye oval, inner margin deeply emarginate; antennal scrobe with dorsal carina and secretory tubercle (sometimes without both); postmandibular carina forming a simple blunt ridge; oral and mandibular fossae separated by anteriorly unfused depressed bridge; antennal scape without longitudinal carinae; mandible with oblique ventral lamellate expansion basally; maxillary and labial palps six- and four-segmented respectively. Mesosoma: pronotum with posterodorsal margin strongly concave; mesoscutum with notaulus present but anteriorly incomplete; parapsidal line/furrow evident but incomplete posteriorly (seldom complete); axilla simply rounded posteriorly; tegula entirely convex (sometimes weakly recurved posteriorly), scarcely elongate and reaching level of trans-scutal articulation; propodeal disc with three large fields delimited by strong longitudinal ridges, lateral margin carinate, disc and declivity abruptly differentiated (seldom distinct but merging); metasternal posterior median process shorter than coxal height, unidentate. Wings: fore wing with elongate broad pterostigma completely sclerotized and veins C and SC+R interrupted at its base, marginal cell with acute apex, third abscissa of vein RS without bulla, second submarginal cell broadly sessile anteriorly, crossvein 3r-m without bulla; hind wing with crossvein r-m proximal and complete. Legs: each tarsomere 4 with a small oval median pulvillus posteroventrally; tarsal claw with basal lamella separated from acute apex by a deep cleft (lamella rarely highly reduced and apparently absent); fore tibial calcar with linear narrow blade with margin entire; hind coxa with small carinate tubercle dorsally; hind tibia without any apparent preapical secretory structure. Metasoma: first segment moderately petiolate, T1 gradually broadened posteriorly and about 0.5 × as wide and> 0.5 × as long as T2 (rarely slightly shorter than this), apically constricted; second metasomal segment without evident felt lines; T2-T6 and S2-S5 (sometimes S6 also) with apical fringes of moderate to strong semi-recumbent setae, but sparser and weaker on sterna and posteriad; T3 with large mediobasal stridulitrum; S7 short and concealed; hypopygium (S8) medially emarginate posteriorly (and usually with prominent process lateroventrally). Genitalia: paramere with inner basodorsal margin evenly curved, without parapenial lobe; volsellar digitus absent; penis valve with ventral tooth much reduced to weak rounded swelling distant from rounded apex; well developed eversible endophallus between penis valves.

FEMALE. Apterous; medium to dark brown without any bright patterns. Head: rounded, with oval to subcircular compound eye very small and flattened; antennal scrobe without any carina above; antennal tubercles with median transverse carina at base; postmandibular carina forming short blunt ridge; oral and mandibular fossae separated by anteriorly unfused depressed bridge; antenna clavate, short and stout, scape somewhat flattened and twisted with apex hooded over base of pedicel, pedicel and flagellomeres much wider than long; maxillary and labial palps each with two segments at most. Mesosoma: pronotum about as long as distance between pronotal and propodeal spiracle; metasternum with posterior median process longer than coxal height, acutely unidentate. Legs: short with laterally flattened tibiae and ventrally flattened or concave femora; without a pulvillus posteroventrally on any tarsomere; tarsal claws simple, smoothly concave below; fore tibia with distinct obliquely oval to circular preapical pore on inner (anterior) surface (rarely without), calcar with linear narrow blade; fore basal tarsomere strongly curved, second to fourth tarsomeres short and broadly depressed; hind coxa with small carinate tubercle dorsally; hind tibia smooth and shining on inner (posterior) surface, without any apparent preapical secretory structure. Metasoma: no distinct posterior fringes on any segments; anterior and dorsal faces of T1 distinct but merging; T1 more or less parallel-sided posteriorly and almost half length of T2 or longer, almost as wide as T2 (sometimes much narrower); second segment without distinct felt lines; T3 without mediobasal stridulitrum; T6 with differentiated pygidial plate.

Comments.

In the phylogenetic analyses of Brothers (1975, 1999) and also of Lelej and Nemkov (1997), the subfamily Rhopalomutillinae appears as originating fairly near the base of the mutillid tree, although its relationships with the “higher” subfamilies differ; at that time it had not been realised that several genera should be recognised, and it was effectively treated as monotypic. The current paper provides the basis for recognition of the four component genera and thus enables proper account to be taken of the diversity encountered in the group. A key to the genera is thus provided, for both sexes, and each genus is then characterised and discussed. It should be noted that where both sexes of a described species are indicated below as being known, both have often not yet been described; this will be done in subsequent papers.

Key to genera of Rhopalomutillinae

1	Male; macropterous	2
-	Female; apterous	5
2	Scutellum strongly protuberant, conical, with a short transverse carina apically; mandible apically bidentate; hypopygium (S8) weakly convex to flat, but with apparent posterior margin deeply incised medially to form a narrow notch; S6 (S7 concealed) with straight posterior margin	Rimulotilla Brothers, gen. n.
-	Scutellum pulvinate, not markedly protuberant, with simple apex; mandible apically tridentate; hypopygium with a prominent ventrally oriented process on each side, posterior margin shallowly excised to form a broad emargination; S6 (S7 concealed) with posterior margin deeply notched on each side, engaging processes of hypopygium	3
3	Genital paramere simple, without a cluster of highly differentiated stout setae arising from beneath a dorsal lamelliform lobe, at most a few slender heavier setae present basodorsally (genal carina absent)	Pherotilla Brothers, gen. n.
-	Genital paramere with an obvious cluster of highly differentiated very stout setae arising from beneath a dorsal lamelliform lobe and oriented posteromesally (genal carina present or absent)	4
4	Penis valve with a strong dentate or lamellate projection on outer surface at about midlength	Bischoffiella Brothers & Nonveiller, gen. n.
-	Penis valve with a smooth outer surface, evenly curved in dorsal view	Rhopalomutilla André
5	Mesosoma squat with dorsal face about as long as wide, dorsolateral margins posterior to propodeal spiracles often concave, disregarding posterolateral tooth, and usually diverging posteriorly (never converging)	6
-	Mesosoma elongate with dorsal face at least 1.3 × as long as wide, dorsolateral margins posterior to propodeal spiracles more or less straight, disregarding posterolateral tooth, and usually converging posteriorly (never diverging)	7
6	Mesosoma posteriorly with elevated broad sculptured median longitudinal ridge, strongly depressed posteriorly on either side of ridge, depressed areas smoothly merging with propodeal declivity; mesosoma narrower just posterior to propodeal spiracles than just anterior to spiracles	Bischoffiella Brothers & Nonveiller, gen. n.
-	Mesosoma more or less evenly convex dorsally, without any median elevated ridge or strong lateral depression posteriorly, propodeal declivity at a distinct angle to dorsal surface; mesosoma narrower just anterior to propodeal spiracles than just posterior to spiracles	Pherotilla Brothers, gen. n.
7	Posterodorsal margin of mesosoma with strong transverse scutellar scale; head slightly longer than wide, more or less parallel-sided; pygidium with apical margin deeply emarginate between a pair of strong apical spines	Rimulotilla Brothers, gen. n.
-	Posterodorsal margin of mesosoma simple, without any distinct scutellar scale (rarely indicated as a slight acute tubercle); head more or less rounded, about as long as wide; pygidium with simple convex or straight apical margin	Rhopalomutilla André