Traumatomutilla contempta André, 1908a

Bartholomay, Pedro R., Williams, Kevin A., Cambra, Roberto A. & Oliveira, Marcio L., 2022, Revision of the Traumatomutilla indica species-group (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Zootaxa 5108 (1), pp. 1-97 : 24-25

Traumatomutilla contempta André, 1908a

( Figs 6A–F )

Traumatomutilla contempta André, 1908a: 198 , lectotype [designated here], ♀, Bolivia (MNHN), type examined. Traumatomutilla alhuampa Casal, 1969: 292 , holotype, ♀, Argentina, Santiago del Estero, Urutau (AMNH), type examined,

syn. nov.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Mesonotum as wide as distance between pronotal spiracles, lateral face of propodeum evenly sculptured throughout, dorsal face of propodeum as long as posterior face, scutellar scale and anterolateral carinae greatly reduced, head clothed with black setae, stripes of setae on mesosomal dorsum silvery-white throughout. MALE. Unknown.

Description. FEMALE. Body length 17 mm. Head. Posterior margin virtually straight. Occipital carina evenly equally wide throughout. Vertex width 0.75 × pronotal width. Eye almost circular, its length in frontal view 1.15 × the distance from its ventral margin to mandibular condyle. Front, vertex, and gena densely and coarsely areolatepunctate to foveolate-punctate with somewhat scabrous intervals. Genal carina present. Mandible oblique, tapering slightly towards apex, with small subapical tooth, unarmed ventrally. Dorsal scrobal carina well-defined, reaching antennal tubercles and separated from lateral scrobal carina. Antennal tubercle irregularly rugose. Flagellomere 1 2.5 × pedicel length; flagellomere 2 1.6 × pedicel length. Mesosoma . Dorsal thoracic length 1.1 × mesosomal width. Anterior face of pronotum defined, longer than pronotal collar, with indistinct dense and coarse striations ventrad, and densely punctate dorsad; dorsal face roundly angulate into anterior face in lateral view. Humeral carina present separated from low rounded epaulet virtually flat against anterior margin of pronotum; antero-lateral corners of pronotum rounded in dorsal view. Lateral face of pronotum with dense micropunctures and few sparse punctures, and indistinct tubercle anteroventral in relation to pronotal spiracle. Pronotal spiracle slightly pronounced from lateral margin of pronotum. Mesopleuron sculpture partially concealed by dense setation; when visible, micropunctate anteriorly, and dense coarse areolate-punctate to foveolate-punctate along mesopleural ridge. Metapleuron concealed by dense setation except dorsal third asetose and unsculptured, smooth. Lateral face of propodeum densely foveolate-punctate to sparsely foveolate-punctate anterad with smooth shinning intervals, never wider than surrounding sculpture. Ratios of width of humeral angles, pronotal spiracles, widest point of mesonotum, narrowest point of mesonotum and propodeum posterior to propodeal spiracles, 72: 87: 82:63:60. Lateral margins of mesonotum constricted anterior to propodeal spiracle, diverging anterad, mesonotum with expanded lateral margins. Propodeal spiracle projected from lateral margin of mesosoma; post-spiracular area absent. Scutellar scale present virtually reaching propodeal spiracles laterally. Anterolateral carinae present, connected to each other thus forming a single transverse scale, connected to scutellar scale sublaterally. Propodeum convex, posterior face virtually as long as dorsal face; Metasoma. Ratios of width of T1, width of T2 and length of T2, 38:83:82. Disc of T2 densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to punctate with dense interspersed micropunctures; foveolations sparser and micropunctures absent laterally and over integumental spots. T3–6 sculpture predominantly concealed by dense setation, densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to simply punctate with interspersed micropunctures where visible. S1 surface cuneiform, sparsely and coarsely punctate, with blunt longitudinal carina slightly higher posteriorly. S2 densely foveolate-punctate, sparser posteromediad; anteromedial crest-fold indistinct. S3–5 sculpture mostly concealed by dense setation, densely and finely foveolate-punctate with sparse interspersed micropunctures where visible; S6 densely foveolate-punctate. Pygidial plate subpyriform, defined by lateral carinae at apical third of plate; surface with transverse coarse and irregular rugosities; interstice granulose. MALE. Unknown.

Coloration and variations. FEMALE. Integument black to brownish-black except mandibles and antennal flagellomeres reddish-brown ventrally, and T2 with four dark-red to orange integumental spots varying in shape and size. Body setae predominantly silvery-white varying in density, except for the following areas with black setae varying in density: head, pronotum, anterior half of mesonotum, posterior half of mesonotum medially, propodeum medially, anterior legs, meso and metafemora and tarsi, T1 medially, disc of T2 (except over integumental spots); fringe of T2–5 sublaterally, T6 laterally, fringe of S5, and S6. Certain specimens are predominantly clothed with black setae having the mesonotum, mesosomal pleurae, and lateral face of propodeum completely black; additionally, these specimens have the fringe of S2–5 completely clothed with black setae and the silvery-white setae of the metasoma reduced overall.

MALE. Unknown.

Distribution. Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina.

Material examined. (117♀) Type material. Lectotype of T. contempta , ♀, BOLIVIA ( MNHN) ; holotype of T. alhuampa , ♀, ARGENTINA, Santiago del Estero, Urutau ( AMNH) . Additional material. BRAZIL, Mato Grosso do Sul, 1♀ ( MZSP) ; BOLIVIA: 2♀ ( MNHN) , Cochabamba, W. [West of] Saipina , 1♀, II.1976, L. Pena ( AMNH) ; PARAGUAY: Est. Hermoso [sic], 1♀, XI.1916, C. Olrog ( MNCN) ; Boqueron, El Solitario , 1♀, 10.XI.2002, U. Dreschel ( FSCA) ; 1♀, 15.XI.2002, U. Dreschel ( FSCA) ; La Patria , 2♀, 22.VI.2003, U. Dreschel ( FSCA) ; Nue- va Asuncion, 20°42’S 61°55’W, 1♀, 17.V.2001, U. Dreschel ( FSCA) ; Cruce Loma Plata , 2♀, I.1991, Arriagada ( AMNH) ; Chaco: Loma Plata , 2♀, I.1958, Gerlach ( AMNH) ; Filadelfia , 1♀, I.1995, Arriagagda ( AMNH) ; Pres. [Presidente] Hayes, Lolita , Yaragui , 11♀, 05.III.2003, U. Dreschel ( FSCA) ; Puerto Galileo , 1♀, 02–05.III.2006, U. Dreschel ( FSCA) ; ARGENTINA: Mendoza, Parque Telteca , 1♀, 6.XII.1997, D. Rojas ( MIUP) ; Macachin, Terr. La Pampa, 1♀, I.1957 ( MIUP) ; Catamarca: 1♀ ( MNHN) ; Punta [de] Balasta [Balasto], 2♀, II.1995, Arria- gada ( AMNH) ; Aconquija, Sierras áridas, 950m, 1♀, V.2005, G.E. Acuña ( INPA) ; Santa Maria , 1♀, I.1994, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Cordoba: Balnearia , 1♀, II.1971, M.A. Fritz ( AMNH) ; Copacabana , 1♀, II.1980, M.A. Fritz ( AMNH) ; Guanaco Muerto , 1♀, II.1971, M.A. Fritz ( AMNH) ; Los Hornillos, Villa Dolores , 1♀, II.1952, M.A. Fritz ( UMSP) ; Quilpo , 4♀, II.1980, M.A. Fritz (3♀ AMNH, 1♀ MIUP) ; Sierra de Cordoba, Capella del Monte , 2000 F [sic], 1♀, I–II.1888,J. Frenzel ( ZMB) ; La Serranita, 1♀, Carpintero ( AMNH) ; La Rioja : 2♀, E. Le Moult ( MNCN) ; La Rioja , 1♀, E. Giacomelli ( CUIC) ; San Luis: Merlo , 1♀, Dureti ( AMNH) ; San Jeronino , 1♀, M.A. Fritz ( AMNH) ; Salta: Salta, 1♀, II.1997, Albeza ( AMNH) ; La Viña , 2♀ III.1985, Fritz ( AMNH, MIUP) ; Cafayate , 1♀, 10.II.1951, K.J. Hayward ( MNCN) ; El Carmen , 1♀, I.1983, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Alemania, 1♀, II.1992, Peña ( AMNH) ; Puán, Finca del Rey , 2♀, 02.XII.1952, A. Martinez ( AMNH) ; Payogasta , 1♀, I.1993, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Cnl. [Coronel] Moldes, Cabra Corral , 1200m [meters above sea level], 2♀, 18.III.1989, T. Osten ( CESC) ; Chaco : 1♀, IV.2003 ( FSCA) ; Charata , 1♀, I.1992, Di Lorio ( AMNH) ; Tres Estacas , 1♀, Di Lorio ( AMNH) ; Formosa, Pozo del Mortero , 1♀, 05.II.1948 ( MNHN) ; Santiago del Estero : 1♀ ( DEI) ; Campo Gallo , 1♀, III.1945, Prosen ( MNHN) ; Villa Unión , 1♀, III.1944, Prosen ( MNHN) ; Loreto , 2♀, I.1985, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Añatuya , 1♀, III.1979, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Tucuman: 11 km N [kilometers north of] Cadillal , 2♀, 3.III.1990, J.G. Rozen & A. Roig ( AMNH) ; La Soledad, Canete , 1♀, 06.II.1966, Bucher ( AMNH) ; Tucuman , 1♀, Cornell Univ. [Univeristy] Expedition ( CUIC) ; Jujuy: Pampa Blanca , 1♀, I.1983, Fritz ( AMNH) ; Yuto , 1♀, 10.I.1966, H. & M. Townes ( AEIC) . An additional 35♀ from various localities in PARA- GUAY ( AMNH, CMBC, UMSP, ZMUC)

Remarks. The description of T. contempta by André (1908a) implies that there was a series of specimens in the MACN collection. We were unable to examine the MACN specimens and, therefore, we designate as lectotype the only specimen of this species labeled as “type” in André’s MNHN collection. Apart from minor color and setae characters, we found no structural differences between the types of T. contempta and T. alhuampa that would justify maintaining these as distinct species. This is the only consistently “large-bodied” species unassociated with a male in southern South America and could potentially be the female of T. protuberans . We refrain from synonymizing these species at this point for several reasons, which are discussed at length in the remarks of T. protuberans . The other possible explanation for this single female species in that region is that it might be a variant of T. ingens in which the body is less stout, more elongate, especially in the propodeum having the dorsal face as long as the posterior face, as opposed to the much shorter dorsal face in T. ingens . This is, however, a conspicuous and apparently consistent structural character, making this synonymy unlikely, especially considering the other minor sculpture and color differences observed between these species.

Figures

FIGURES 6A–F.A–C. Traumatomutilla contemptaAndré, 1908, holotype, ♀, line 2 mm; A. Dorsal habitus; B. Lateral habitus; C. Type labels; D–F. T. alhuampa Casal, 1969, holotype, ♀, line 2 mm; D. Dorsal habitus; C. Lateral habitus; F. Type labels.