Huarpea rotundicornis Lopes, Moleiro & Lucena, 2024

Lopes, Rogério Botion, Moleiro, Henrique Pereira & Lucena, Daercio A. A., 2024, A new species of Huarpea Pate, 1947 (Hymenoptera, Sapygidae) from the semiarid region of Brazil, Zootaxa 5507 (3), pp. 439-455 : 441-445

Huarpea rotundicornis Lopes, Moleiro & Lucena , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–14 , 25 , 28 , 30–33 )

Diagnosis: The round last male flagellomere, which is also wider than long, is unique in the genus ( Fig. 7 ). Also, the metapleura tightly constricted by the propodeum ( Fig. 8 ), strong frontal carina present ( Fig. 9 ) and abrupt smooth depression above antennal socket contrasting with surroundings ( Fig. 10 ) readily distinguish this species.

Examined material. HOLOTYPE, ♂, “Brasil.RN [Rio Grande do Norte], Equador \ S Malhada Grande. Malaise 10 \ 06°51.359’S 036°36.980’W \ 17.iv–05.v.2023 324m \ DAA Lucena & eq cols \\ USP _ RPSP 00013831 ” [ RPSP ]. PARATYPES. 1♀, same data as holotype \\ “DZSJRP-Hym. 9044” [DZSJRP-Hymenoptera]; 1♀, “ BRASIL; BA [Bahia]: Utinga (Bairro Barbado) \ Área de caatinga— Chapada Diamantina \ 11°58’18.2”S 41°04’09.0”W \ 10– 17.xi.2022 Malaise I \ H. P. Moleiro col. \\ MZSP 0124755 ” [ MZSP]; 1♀, “ BRASIL; BA [Bahia]: Utinga (Bairro Cajueiro) \ Área de caatinga— Chapada Diamantina \ 11°56’45.3”S 41°02’56.4”W \ 09–17.xi.2022 Malaise II \ H. P. Moleiro col. \\ MZSP 0124754 ” [ MZSP] .

Description. MALE. Coloration. Predominantly black, with the following creamy yellow markings along the body: clypeus entirely marked except medial diamond-shaped black spot; large spot on mandible; ventral surface of scape; ventral surface of F-I to III, markings evanescent on following flagellomeres; triangular mark with wide base on interantennal region narrowing until tip that ends well before anterior ocellus; wide band along inner margin of eye, including entire sinus; wide genal band along outer eye margin, extending a little past upper lobe; pair of spots on vertex, postero-lateral to posterior ocelli; anterior band along dorsal surface of pronotum extending down to lateral surface; band along posterior margin of pronotum, followed by a thin translucent band; lateral margins of mesoscutum; tegula; axillae; anterolateral spot on scutellum; metanotum; scrobal spot; longitudinal stripe on anterior surface of fore coxae; ventral surface of fore femur; fore tibia except posterior surface; fore tarsus; anterior face of mid and hind coxae; apical longitudinal stripe on mid femur; longitudinal stripe on dorsal surface of hind tibia; articulations on legs; propodeum with large spot on the lateral face and a pair or small spots on the posterior face; wide apical band on T1 submedially interrupted; wide band on T2; bands of T4–5 well defined, not evanescent, but medially interrupted; apical half of T6; S2–6 with irregular evanescent bands. T7 and S7 creamy yellow with wide apical testaceous band.

Structure. Clypeus 2.38× wider than high; not medially depressed apically, with an evident concave apical margin between two blunt teeth. Flagellum fusiform, widest at F-VII to IX, and short, reaching at most posterior margin of scutum. F-XI 1.75× longer than wide, reniform, ventrally curved. Vertex without tubercles. Ocelli size not reduced. Eyes with inner orbit deeply margined, outer margin regularly convex and upper lobe smaller than lower lobe. Mandible 3-toothed, with basal triangle strongly separated from apex by a perpendicular ridge. Pronotum with anterior and posterior margins slightly concave in dorsal view, with dorsal surface slightly convex gradually transitioning to lateral surface. Scutum trapezoid, wider anteriorly. Axillae triangular. Scutellum nearly rectangular, with strong beveled antero-lateral edges. Mesopleura nearly horizontal, easily separated in three surfaces: anterior (epicnemium), lateral and posterior, the latter two divided by steep sloping of posterior surface. Metanotum as wide as scutellum, but about only half as long. Metapleura strongly constricted by propodeum about half-height. Metacoxa with rounded projection. Propodeum regularly convex on declivity. T1 subconical, with anterior face slightly concave and apex with a light constriction. Metasoma fusiform. S7 only convex, with bilobed apex. Fore wing length: 4.9 mm.

Sculpture. Cuticle shiny. Clypeus with moderate punctation, with interspaces around one puncture diameter, and irregular longitudinal striae. F-IX to V with longitudinal calli, with the apical most on ventral surface and each preceding one progressively more deviated to the lateral surface. Frons with very dense punctation presenting cariniform interspaces. Punctation dense, interspaces with less than one puncture diameter presenting smaller punctures, on vertex, pronotum, mesoscutum and scutellum. Mesopleura with moderate punctation, intercalated by smaller punctures, dorsally becoming gradually sparser antero-ventrally where only the smaller punctures are seen. Posterior margin of scutellum and metanotum with dense punctation intercalated by smooth areas. Metapleura with very dense small punctures. Propodeum with irregularly distributed large, shallow punctures posteriorly and laterally with large shiny smooth area. T1 with moderate to sparse punctation intercalated by smaller punctures, smooth on median concavity. S1 with a medial band of dense small punctures, laterally smooth. T3–4 and S3–4 with dense small punctures and sparse large punctures, sparser on T4 and S4. T5 and S5 and following segments with transverse micro shagreening. S6 without median carina or sulcus.

Pilosity. Dense erect short thin silvery setae covering most of the body. Two very long dark setae on dorsal margin of left eye, three on the right. Very long and sparse setae on hypostoma and occiput ventrally. Longer on proepisternum. Very dense and thick on forecoxae. Long and thin on propodeum T1 and S1. Tomentum on metasoma. Golden pilosity on apex of T3 and S3 and entirety of T4–7 and S4–7.

Genitalia ( Figs 11–14 ). Genital capsule with a well-developed basal ring, basally narrower shaped like a shirt collar. Aedeagus completely bipartite, not fused medially in any section; ventral projection absent; apodemes with light dorsally oriented curvature and gradually narrowing towards apex with subapical ventrally oriented reflection; medial expansion strongly projected as a long triangle with anterior side curved and posterior side straight; anterior portion very large and wide with a convex dorsal margin and concave ventral margin; external face of anterior section covered with sparse short thick setae; penis valve thickened with spines on external surface. Paramere strongly convex with a falciform ventral projection. Parameral spine wide and flat, covered in thin setae. Digitus large and sac-like, covered by dense thin pilosity. Cuspis digitiform, long and slender, and glabrous.

FEMALE. As described for male, except as listed below. Coloration. Creamy yellow markings as follows: lateral third of clypeus frontal marking narrower inferiorly, superiorly reaching anterior ocellus; vertex without spots; Fore coxae with only an anterior line; T3 with a pair of very small subapical sublateral spots; Mandible and F-II to III not marked. T4–5 with irregular partially evanescent apical bands. Parts with testaceous markings instead of yellow: basal half of F-I; tegula; ventral surface of fore femur; fore tibia except posterior surface; fore tarsus; apical longitudinal stripe on mid femur; articulations on legs. Structure. Clypeus 2.08× wider than high; flat, with a small medial apical depression between broadly blunt apical teeth. F-X conical with rounded tip and slightly curved inwards. S6 conical. Sculpture. Punctation overall not so dense and lighter. Fore wing length: 5.4 mm. Pilosity. Metasoma without golden pilosity. Variations. More extensively colored females will present wider bands and larger spots and specimens may vary from testaceous to creamy yellow in the legs (perhaps due to preservation differences). One of the specimens from Bahia presents a basal triangular spot on the mandible, a large transversal spot on the posterior surface of the propodeum instead of the pair of small spots and band of T1 submedially narrow instead of interrupted. In the same specimen, there are no spots on T3.

Distribution. Brazil: Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia ( Fig. 25 ).

Sex association. The male holotype and a female paratype were collected in the same area and during the same period. Despite some sexually dimorphic differences—general body coloration, clypeus shape, antennae structure, and shape of the last sternite—we confidently assigned them to H. rotundicornis sp. nov. based on specific structural features. These include the metapleura tightly constricted by the propodeum, a strongly carinate frons, and a distinct smooth depression above the antennal socket contrasting with its surroundings. Given the rarity of sapygids and the aforementioned evidence, we concluded that the examined specimens belong to the same species. Additionally, a comparison of female specimens from Rio Grande do Norte and Bahia further supports they correspond to the same taxon, apparently with broad geographic range within the semiarid region.

Etymology. The specific epithet is composed of the Latin words “ rotundus ” meaning rounded and “ cornis ” meaning horn, referring to the rounded last male flagellomere that contrasts with other congeners.

Figures

FIGURE 25. Map showing known records of South American Sapygidae species.

FIGURES 1–6. Huarpea rotundicornis sp. nov. and diagnostic characters for Sapyginae (1, 2, 5. Male, holotype. 3, 4, 6. Female, paratype). 1, 2. Habitus, lateral view. 2, 4. Head, frontal view. 5. Habitus, dorsal view. 6. Legs, arrow indicates rounded projection of hind coxa with carina. Scales: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 7–10. Diagnostic characters of Huarpea rotundicornis sp. nov. (7. Male, holotype. 8–10. Female, paratype). 7. Lateral view of flagellum. 8. Lateral view of mesosoma; arrow indicates constriction of metapleura (mt). 9. Head, oblique view; triangles point frontal carina. 10. Head, oblique view; arrow indicates depression above antenna. Scales: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 11–14. Male genitalia of Huarpea rotundicornis sp. nov., holotype. 11. Genital capsule. 12. Aedeagus, ventral view. 13. Aedeagus, lateral view. 14. Paramere and associated structures. Scales: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 26–29. Female head, oblique view. 26. Huarpea wagneriella. 27. H. fallax. 28. H. rotundicornis sp. nov., paratype. 29. Sapyga quinquepunctata. Arrows indicate occipital carina. Scales: 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 30–33. Characters of Huarpea rotundicornis sp. nov. that contrast with other sapygid genera. 30. Male flagellum, ventral view, holotype. 31. Mid tarsus, dorsal view. 32. S6 of female, paratype. 33. Fore wing, holotype. Scales: 0.5mm.