Schusterphotopsis barghesti Pitts, 2003

Pitts, James P., 2003, Schusterphotopsis, a new genus of Sphaeropthalminae (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) from California, with notes on the closely related genera Acrophotopsis Schuster and Dilophotopsis Schuster, Zootaxa 333 (1), pp. 1-7 : 3-5

Schusterphotopsis barghesti Pitts , New Species

Diagnosis of male. This species can be diagnosed by the generic characters given above.

Description of male. Color. Head, mesosoma , petiole, and legs brownish­yellow. Ocellular area dark brown. Second through seventh abdominal segments slightly darker than petiole. Pubescence of head, pleural region, mesosternum and metasomal sternites pale. Pubescence of body erect brachyplumose pale golden white setae. Axillular area and fringe of T1 and T2 with sparse white plumose setae. Wings hyaline, clothed in golden brown setae.

Length. Holotype 9.8 mm.

Head. Mesosoma slightly wider than head, rounded behind eyes in dorsal view. Ocelli salient, ocellocular distance 1X width of lateral ocellus, interocellar distance 1X width of lateral ocellus. Clypeus impunctate, anteriorly forming a trapezoidal, truncated anterior lobe ( Fig. 2 ), depressed below dorsal mandibular rim; apical margin slightly bent dorsally; slightly emarginated medially, appearing bidentate ( Fig. 2 ). Malar space 0.5X maximum width of lateral ocellus. Gena short, width approximately equal to 0.5X maximum width of lateral ocellus. Mandible tridentate apically, vertical throughout, ventrally with deep excision subtended by large sub­basal tooth, with complete dorsal and ventral carinae, vertical throughout ( Fig. 1 ). Apical mandibular teeth with 1 st tooth basal width 1X and length 5X that of 3 rd tooth; 2 nd tooth basal width 0.67X and length 2X that of 3 rd tooth. Width of mandible at ventral tooth 1.2X basal width of mandible; width of mandible at excision 0.6X basal width of mandible. First flagellomere 2X length of pedicel; second flagellomere 1X length of first flagellomere. Ridges of hypostomal region unmodified. Punctation of vertex sparse, head appearing nitid ( Fig. 2, 4 ).

Mesosoma . Pronotum, and scutum sparsely punctate, punctures small and shallow, appearing nitid ( Fig. 4 ). Scutellum more coarsely punctate ( Fig. 4 ). Scutum with complete notauli. Tegula impunctate, nitid, setae present around margin ( Fig. 4 ). Propodeum reticulate ( Fig. 4 ). Mesopleuron with oblique sulcus distinctly demarcated; sculpture shallowly but coarsely punctate throughout ( Fig. 4 ). Mesosternum armed with pair of small, lamellate tooth­like processes, originating near midline immediately anterior to mesocoxae, appearing to slightly cup anterior margin of mesocoxae, mostly impunctate ( Fig. 5 ); sinus broadly U­shaped ( Fig. 5 ). Metasternum weakly tridentate ( Fig. 5 ). Mesocoxae approximate and unarmed ( Fig. 5 ); metacoxa ( Fig. 5 ) and trochanter unarmed.

Metasoma. First segment petiolate, slender, nodose, posteriorly moderately constricted dorsally and laterally, posterior width much less than base of second segment ( Fig. 4 ). T1 sparsely punctate anteriorly, punctations separated by at least 2X width, posteromedially impunctate ( Fig. 4 ). Remaining tergites and sternites sparsely punctate, appearing nitid ( Fig. 4 ). Anterior 0.2 of S2 with tumid longitudinally carinate region. Pygidium transverse, broader than long and subtruncate at apex. Hypopygium transverse, broader than long, laterally defined by longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 3 ). Paramere slightly arcuate, stout at base and little dorsoventrally flattened, tapering, ( Fig. 6, 8 ). Cuspis length 0.5X free length of paramere, flattened and slightly spatulate ( Fig. 6, 8 ); distal portion with dense, long simple pubescence, basal half sparsely and minutely pubescent ( Fig. 6, 8 ); large setose pit present ventrally at base ( Fig. 8 ). Large basal lobe present on cuspis ( Fig. 6, 8 ). Digitus projecting dorsally, small, with short pubescence ( Fig. 6, 8 ).

Female. Unknown.

Material Examined. Holotype: “[ USA], Cal, 13 mi SE Lucerne Vly, 5000’, S Bdo Co [San Bernardino County], 2­viii­1969, D.P. Levin Colr. ” Deposited into the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History , Los Angeles, California.

Distribution. Known only from holotype.

Etymology. Named after Barghest, a legendary monstrous hound that possessed enormous teeth and claws and threatened the Yorkshire countryside in northern England during its nighttime rampages.

Figures

Figures 1­8. Schusterphotopsis barghesti, Holotype, 1. Left mandible; 2. Head, frontal view (antennae removed except for right scape); 3. Hypopygidium, ventral view; 4. Body, lateral view (wings and legs except coxae omitted); 5. Mesosternum (legs except coxae, sculpture and pilosity omitted); 6. Genitalia dorsal view; 7. Aedeagus, lateral view; 8. Genitalia lateral internal view, aedeagus removed.