Oncometopia clarior (Walker, 1851)

(Figs. 6, 7)

Proconia clarior Walker 1851: 784

Oncometopia clarior; Schröder 1959: 16 [listed, described, pl. 1, figs. 3–4] Proconia clarior; Young 1965b: 171 [lectotype designated]

To Oncometopia (Oncometopia) obtusa; Metcalf 1965: 580 [error] Oncometopia (Oncometopia) clarior; Young 1968: 226 [listed] Oncometopia (Oncometopia) clarior; McKamey 2007: 305 [catalogued] Proconia badia Walker 1851: 786 [n. sp.]; new synonymy

Proconia badia; Young 1965b: 168 [holotype clarified]

To Oncometopia (Oncometopia) nigricans; Metcalf 1965: 571 [error]

Oncometopia (Oncometopia) badia; Young 1968: 226 [fig. 212]

Oncometopia (Oncometopia) badia; McKamey 2007: 305 [catalogued] Proconia scutellata Walker 1851: 786 [n. sp.]; reinstated synonymy

To Oncometopia clarior; Schröder 1959: 16 [n. syn.]

Proconia scutellata; Young 1965b: 193 [holotype clarified]

To Oncometopia (Oncometopia) nigricans; Metcalf 1965: 571 [catalogued, error]

Oncometopia (Oncometopia) nigricans; Young 1968: 227 [error]

Oncometopia (Oncometopia) nigricans; McKamey 2007: 309 [catalogued, error] Oncometopia (Oncometopia) viridula Melichar 1925: 372 [n. sp.]

To Oncometopia clarior; Schröder 1959: 16 [n. syn.]

Oncometopia (Oncometopia) viridula; Metcalf 1965: 584 [catalogued]

To Oncometopia (Oncometopia) clarior; Young 1968: 226 [listed] Oncometopia viridula; Lauterer & Schröder 1970: 131 [lectotype designated]

Oncometopia (Oncometopia) clarior; McKamey 2007: 306 [catalogued]

Description. Length of male 9.3–11.1 mm, female 9.9–11.6 mm. External structure as in O. orbona .

Coloration (Fig. 6 A–I). Head and thorax, including band on anterior margin of pronotum, with ground color sordid yellow, peppered with minute reddish dots. Posterior pronotum and forewings green, blue, brown, or reddish, with small dark markings. Dark pattern on head varies from nearly absent (in which case only small round spot on margin of lateral muscle impressions area half way between each ocellus and apex of crown, pair of transverse linear markings over anterior branches of coronal suture, and linear markings extending posterad from extremities of these branches present) to including most of markings present in O. orbona, although less well developed. Unlike in O. orbona, streaks extending posteriorly from extremities of anterior branches of coronal suture not curved toward adjacent ocellus and transverse macula on antennal ledge not extended anteriorly. Dark pattern on pronotum similar to that in O. orbona, but less well developed; mesokatepisternum with dark macula varying in shape or absent; scutum without intricate dark pattern, usually with anterolateral corners separated from central area by pair of curved black streaks and with black line over scutellar suture. Legs with indistinct dark spots, apex of hind tibia darkened. Forewings with setiferous pits contrasting dark or concolorous with background. Abdominal sterna each with trapezoidal macula or pair of lateral triangular maculae dark, or without dark pattern, yellow; terga vary from mostly black to mostly yellow.

Male terminalia. Pygofer ventral margin with process 3.5–5.0x longer its basal width, hooked at apex (in lectotype broken off on each side). Subgenital plates (Fig. 6 L) somewhat more pointed than in O. orbona . Aedeagus not compressed laterally, with height approximately equal to length of subgenital plates along midline (Fig. 6 J) with base short, lacking distinct dorsal margin; atrium with process slender or robust, exceeding length of shaft or not, shaft in caudal view (Fig. 6 K) approximately parallel-sided or gradually narrowing, or slightly expanding toward apex, with spiniform process situated subapically on short membranous stalk or without distinct stalk. In some specimens, including lectotype (Fig. 6 J), ventral surface of aedeagal shaft subapically forms short crestlike median fold. In several specimens from Costa Rica apex of shaft in lateral view produced and bent posteriorly. In specimens from Oaxaca (Oaxaca, La Ventosa, Tehuantepec) basal atrial process significantly shorter than length of shaft, appears more robust, shaft more robust, in caudal view (Fig. 6 T) conically narrowing toward apex, in lateral view (Fig. 6 S) with apex bent posteriorly. Other structures as in O. orbona .

Female terminalia. Sternum VII as in O. orbona . Vestibulum produced into posterior extension 1.0–1.8x as long as wide at base, mostly membranous (membrane appears rigid), extending laterally and caudally beyond genital chamber sclerites, with apex broadly to narrowly rounded. Sternum VIII sclerites absent; occasionally, indistinct paired sclerotizations present along posterior margin of vestibulum extension (Fig. 7 I, shaded). Genital chamber sclerites obliquely attached to dorsal surfaces of 1st valvulae anterad of articulation with 1st valvifer, produced or not produced posterad along midline, usually with dorsolateral margins narrowly upturned (Fig. 7 B, C, F–H). Bases of 1st valvulae relatively short, flat, conical, with spinose microsculpture (Fig. 7 L). Other characters as in O. orbona .

Distribution. From northeastern Mexico (Tamaulipas) to Brazil (Rio de Janeiro).

Types. The lectotype, male [BMNH] was examined (Fig. 6 I–L). Additionally, the holotype of O. scutellata (Walker), male [BMNH], without collecting label information, was examined. Its genitalia were found to be identical to those of the lectotype of O. clarior (Fig. 6 J–L). The holotype of O. badia (Walker), female [BMNH], without collecting label information, was also examined; its ovipositor structures are as illustrated (Fig. 7 N, O).

Material examined. 217 specimens from Mexico (Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosi, Nayarit, Veracruz, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan, Quintana Roo), Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil.

Notes. Oncometopia clarior, as interpreted here, is the most variable species of the group, which externally can resemble almost any other species, including O. hamiltoni sp. n. (Fig. 6 C) and O. orbona (Fig. 6 H). Both male and female genitalia vary strongly, suggesting that O. clarior is, in fact, a complex of species; yet, recognition of its component species is currently precluded by the seemingly gradual nature of variation.