Morochares liuxi Loktionov, 2025

Loktionov, Valery M., 2025, Two new species of the spider wasps genus Morochares Banks, 1934 (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) from China, Zootaxa 5715 (1), pp. 244-250 : 247-249

Morochares liuxi Loktionov , sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 )

Material examined. Holotype, ♀, China, Guangdong, Conghua, Liuxi River , 29–31.VIII.2004, Coll. Zaifu Xu, No 2016000535 [ SCAU].

Diagnosis. Female. The female of the new species can be separated from those of other congeners by the following combination of characters: (1) the head in frontal view with the vertex slightly evenly roundly produced beyond the eye top, not forming a convexity in the middle ( Fig. 2C ); (2) the clypeus apical margin straight medially; (3) the scape 1.85 times as long as F1; (4) F1 0.61 times as long as UID; (5) the propodeum with gentle rugae ( Fig. 2G ); (6) the forewing translucent yellowish-brown, with a subapical brown fascia and a whitened apical band ( Fig. 2H ). Male. Unknown.

Description. FEMALE. Length: body 9.3 mm; forewing 7.2 mm. Head 1.14 times as wide as height; MID 0.56 times as long as head width in frontal view, half of MID 1.24 times as long as eye width. Ocelli large, not raised; ocellar triangle right-angled; POD: OOD = 1.0 ( Fig. 2E ). Head in frontal view with vertex slightly and evenly roundly produced beyond eye top, not forming a convexity in the middle ( Fig. 2C ). Posterior margin of vertex in dorsal view inconspicuously concave medially ( Fig. 2E ). Head in lateral view with frons moderately convex ( Fig. 2D ). Temple in dorsal view slightly developed ( Fig. 2E ). Gena in profile narrowing towards vertex ( Fig. 2D ). Face on both sides of antennal sockets slightly concave. Malar space short ( Fig. 2C ). Clypeus moderately convex, 1.07 times as wide as LID and 2.9 times as wide as height; anterior margin straight; anterolateral corner rounded ( Fig. 2C ). Mandible stout with small subapical tooth. Labrum anterior margin rounded medially. Flagellum filiform ( Fig. 2B ); scape slightly bent; ratio of scape, pedicel and F1–F4 37:5:20:21; scape 1.85 times as long as F1, and 0.9 times as long as F1 and F2 combined, and 1.16 times as long as UID; F1 2.67 times as long as maximum width and 0.61 times as long as UID; apical flagellomere roundly blunt apically, moderately pointed, not truncated ( Figs 2B, D ).

Mesosoma. Pronotum in dorsal view medially 0.48 times as long as maximum width; anterior face low and noticeably inclined, roundly merging into dorsum ( Fig. 2D ); posterior border subangulate ( Fig. 2E ). Dorsum of mesoscutum convex in anterior half. Dorsum of mesoscutellum and metanotum slightly convex. Metapostnotum constricted medially and slightly concave posteromedially ( Figs 2F, G ). Propodeum in dorsal view 0.96 times as long as wide; dorsum in lateral view barely convex; dorsum roundly merging with lateral and posterior faces, with longitudinal and shallow furrow medially ( Fig. 2G ).

Legs. Proleg without spines, except following: protibia outer face with two short spines, protibia with few different length spines apically, protarsomere 1 with two short spines on outer face and two longitudinal rows of very short spines ventrally, protarsomeres 2 and 3 with very short spines ventrally; protarsi shortened, protarsomere 1 1.33 times as long as protarsomere 2–4 combined. Meso- and metafemur without spines except two inconspicuous spines dorso- and lateroapically; meso- and metatibia, meso- and metatarsomere 1 with scattered long and suberect spines; meso- and metatarsomeres 2 and 3 ventral face with three longitudinal rows of short spines; meso- and metatarsomere 4 ventral face with median longitudinal row of short spines and 1–2 spines on each side of row; metatibia longer spur 0.65 times as long as metatarsomere 1. Tarsomere 5 without spines ventrally. Tarsal claws symmetrical and bifid, inner tooth broad and obliquely truncated.

Wings translucent, yellowish-brown ( Figs 2H, I ). Forewing ( Fig. 2H ) with brown fascia on marginal cell, SMC2 (almost entirely), SMC3 (entirely) and 2M (apical part) across wing, and with broad somewhat whitened apical band; pterostigma brown; SMC2 1.54 times as long as high, narrowed on vein Rs by 0.67 times its own length on vein M, receiving crossvein 1m-cu at basal 0.55; SMC3 1.03 times as long as SMC2 on vein M, as long as SMC2 on vein Rs, narrowed on vein Rs by 0.66 times its own length on vein M, receiving crossvein 2m-cu at basal 0.54; crossvein 2rs-m straight; crossvein 3rs-m curved or arched towards wing apex; crossvein cu-a hardly curved, originating right to separation of vein M+CuA; vein M ending slightly before wing margin; vein Cu 1 almost touching wing margin. Hind wing ( Fig. 2I ) with barely brownish apical portion; crossvein cu-a slightly anterofurcal, arched before confluence with vein A.

Metasoma ( Fig. 2F ) slightly wider than mesosoma in dorsal view. Posterior margin of T1–T5 and S1–S5 slightly emarginate medially. S5 not compressed laterally.

Sculpture. Body matt, except clypeus apically, mandible and metapostnotum posteromedially polished. Body with inconspicuous micropunctures. Metapostnotum with fine transverse stria. Propodeum with transverse gentle more or less straight rugae on dorsum posteriorly and posterior face; dorsum microshagreened ( Fig. 2G ). S6 polished posteromedially. Antenna and legs matt.

Colour and pubescence. Body black ( Fig. 2A ); top of apical flagellomere somewhat yellowish-brown; mandible dark brown; maxillary palps pale; claws and spurs brown; longitudinal brush on metatibia inner face golden-brown. Body without setae except following:upper frons, pronotum, mesoscutum with scattered thin short erect setae; labrum and mandible with few thin and pale setae; S1–S4 with short scattered pale setae; S5 with short or long pale setae; T6 and S6 with long pale setae. Head, mesosoma and legs with iridescence micropubescence; frons with somewhat pale micropubescence; dorsum of pronotum, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, meso- and metapleuron and sides of propodeum with somewhat coppery micropubescence; propodeum posterior face with silver micropubescence. Metasomal segments with iridescent micropubescence; T1–T4 anteriorly with band of silver micropubescence more distinct in anterolateral portion ( Fig. 2F ).

MALE. Unknown.

Distribution. China: Guangdong.

Etymology. This specific name refers to the Liuxi River (a tributary of the Pearl River in China), on whose banks the holotype specimen was caught. Treat as a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Morochares liuxi sp. nov., ♀, holotype. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Antenna, lateral view. C. Head, frontal view. D. Head and pronotum, forecoxa, lateral view. E. Head, pronotum and mesoscutum (part.), dorsal view. F. Propodeum, metasoma, legs, dorsal view. G. Propodeum, dorso-lateral view. H. Forewing. I. Hind wing. Scale bars: 1 mm.