Hoplognathoca jinotega Cambra, Quintero & Brothers

Cambra, Roberto A., Quintero, Diomedes & Brothers, Denis J., 2014, A new species of Hoplognathoca Suárez, 1962 from Central America and description of male of Hoplognathoca costarricensis Suárez, 1962 (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Zootaxa 3884 (3), pp. 295-300 : 296

Hoplognathoca jinotega Cambra, Quintero & Brothers , sp. nov.

( Figs 1, 2, 3 )

Diagnosis. FEMALE. The clypeus produced anteriorly into a tongue-like process ( Fig. 2 ), and the mandible base with a reduced laminate process ventrally ( Fig. 3 ) distinguish this species from others in the genus.

Description. FEMALE (holotype). Body length 16.5 mm. Color: integument mostly dark red to red, mandible apex and ventral base black; T2 with two large orange-yellow maculae, narrowly connected medially ( Fig. 1 ); tibial spurs white. Frons mostly with sparse black setae; vertex with dense golden setae concealing integument; gena, clypeus, hypostoma, scape and mandible, with pale golden to white setae; dorsum of pronotum with black setae, lateral area with white setae; mesonotum with black setae except a broad transverse golden pubescent band; propodeum antero-medial area with black setae, laterally with golden setae; propodeum declivity area with pale setae; mesopleuron, metapleuron, and side of propodeum with short pale golden to white pubescence; T1 with pale golden setae except apex with black setae medially; T2 with black setae except for lateral area with pale golden setae and two discal integumental spots with golden setae; T3–T5 with dense pale golden setae but T5 with few black setae in middle and T6 broadly interrupted in middle by black setae; T6 basal half mostly with pale golden setae; S1–S6 with pale golden setae.

Head: large, rectangular; with fine punctures mostly hidden on vertex by pubescence; eye medium-sized, distance between posterior margin of eye and postero-lateral angle about 1.8 × maximum diameter of eye; scrobal carina present, short, not reaching base of antennal tubercle, and elevated laterally to form a process or spine; genal carina present, posterior end forming an incurved spine ( Fig. 3 ); clypeus produced anteriorly into a tongue-like process ( Fig. 2 ); hypostoma with large subconical projection between anterior end of genal carina and oral fossa ( Fig. 3 ); antenna slender, first flagellomere 3.5 × as long as second in dorsal view; mandible with apex bidentate, base ventrally with broad curved expansion ( Fig. 3 ).

Mesosoma : 1.25 × as long as wide (excluding prothoracic collar); lateral margin slightly sinuate, gradually narrowing to propodeal spiracle then slightly broadening posteriorly, anteriorly 1.14 × as wide as immediately posterior to propodeal spiracle; dorsally with medium-sized, deep punctures, some punctures longitudinally irregular and confluent; mesopleuron and metapleuron mostly smooth, side of propodeum with fine sparse punctures; lateral margins of pronotum, mesonotum and propodeum without spines.

Metasoma: T1 not constricted posteriorly, sessile and merging evenly with T2, basal two-thirds with fine sparse punctures, apical third with fine dense punctures; T2 evenly convex throughout, without elevated, longitudinal carinae, mostly with medium-sized, dense, contiguous and somewhat confluent punctures; T3–T5 with fine dense punctures; T6 with flattened medio-apical irregular rugose sculptured area defined by distinct lateral carinae not reaching apex; S1 mostly smooth but with a small protuberance medially; S2 mostly with medium-sized dense punctures; S3–S6 with small dense punctures.

Male: Unknown.

Material examined. Holotype, ♀, NICARAGUA: Jinotega , Dept. Jinotega, 1100 m , VII 1947, P. C. Standley ( MIUP). Paratypes, 3♀♀, GUATEMALA: Sacatepequez, Sn. Lucas, Granja S. Ana, 15 IX 1993, H. Villela, 1♀ ( MIUP); Santa Rosa, Barberena, Finca Cerro Redondo, 13 XII 1989, R. Pérez, 1♀ ( MIUP); 6.3 mi NE. Escuintla, 30 July 1966, U. Kans. Mex. Exped., 1♀ ( DJBC).

Distribution. Central America: Guatemala, Nicaragua. First record of the genus for Nicaragua.

Comments. The clypeus produced anteriorly into a tongue-like process is uncommon in females of Neotropical Mutillidae . Some females of the genera Hoplocrates Mickel, 1937 [e.g. H. centromaculata ( Cresson, 1902) ], and Invreiella Suárez, 1966 [I. satrapa ( Gerstaecker, 1874)] have this peculiar clypeus, and in both genera this morphological character is used to separate species.

Etymology. The species is named in reference to Jinotega , the department of Nicaragua from which the holotype specimen has been collected, used here as a noun in apposition.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 3. Hoplognathoca jinotega sp. nov., ♀, holotype. 1. Habitus; 2. Head, dorsal view, CP = clypeus tongue-like process; 3. Head, lateral view, GCS = genal carina incurved spine, HCP = hypostoma subconical projection, MVE = mandible ventral expansion. Scales = 2 mm.