Priochilus chrysopygus Wasbauer, Cambra & Añino, 2017

Wasbauer, Marius S., Cambra, Roberto A. & Añino, Yostin J., 2017, A new species of Priochilus Banks, 1944 (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae, Pompilinae) from Panama, Zootaxa 4247 (3), pp. 341-345 : 341-344

Priochilus chrysopygus Wasbauer, Cambra & Añino , sp. nov. ( Figs 1 ─7)

Diagnosis. FEMALE. This species runs to Priochilus s. splendidulus ( Fabricius, 1804) in Evans’ key (1966) and forms a compact group with that species and with P. scrupulus ( Fox, 1897) . In these species, the females are separated from all other known species of Priochilus by the following combination of characters: mandible with two teeth on the inner margin in addition to the apical tooth, labrum with polished band along its apical margin, clypeus without rectangular apical projection, third antennal segment at most 1.45 × as long as UID, forewing hyaline, strongly banded, hind tibia with series of dorsal serrations, T6 with dense, bristly setae. The female of new species differs from other species of Priochilus with the ground color of head and body black, by the posterior portion of metasomal segment 4 and the remaining segments with ground color translucent, tinged with orange ( Fig. 1 ) and covered by dense orange pubescence and golden setae. In addition, the new species differs from what appears to be its closest relative, P. s. splendidulus in T3 without silvery pubescent macula, metapostnotum ( Fig. 3 ) with the posterior margin straight, not produced at the midline, forewing tinged with whitish between the dark bands, SMC2 scarcely narrowed above, first and second intercubital veins nearly parallel ( Fig. 2 ). (In P. s. splendidulus , T3 with silvery pubescent macula, metapostnotum ( Fig. 4 ) produced at the midline, the wing are not tinged with whitish, SMC2 noticeably narrowed above, first and second intercubitals convergent, not nearly parallel). MALE. T2 and T3 marked with white or pale yellow, clypeus dark, without markings, claw of mid tarsus bifid, subgenital plate narrowing to acute apex ( Fig. 5 ), basal hooklets of genitalia well developed, single, aedeagus simple, without lateral projections before the apex, digiti expanded on inner margin ( Figs 6, 7 ). (In P. s. splendidulus clypeus marked with white or yellowish, metapostnotum triangularly produced backward at the midline, subgenital plate similar and genitalia with similar shaped digiti but the aedeagus ornamented with distinct projections before the apex).

Description. FEMALE (holotype). Body length (exclusive of antennae and sting) 11.5 mm. Color. Integumental ground color black except apex of T4 and all of T5 and T6 translucent orange with golden setae, pygidium with dense long slender bristles, last two visible sterna also orange with dilute pale setae. Head and body thinly dark pubescent, silvery on pronotum with pair of coarsely silvery spots on propodeum just above insertion of T1. Forewing strongly banded with broad, complete dark band covering basal and transverse median veins and extending to wing base, completely covering submedian and anal cells, second band covering the marginal and submarginal cells but fading out before reaching posterior edge of wing; apex of wing weakly infuscate, area between bands milky white in reflected light. Head. Clypeus, inner eye margin, vertex, scutellum and posterior metasomal sterna with few long, slender setae. Mandible with 2 teeth on inner margin in addition to apical tooth. Clypeus 2.4 × as wide as long, apex truncate with narrow, polished margin, front narrow, MID/TFD 0.48, UID/MID 0.92, eyes slightly divergent below MID, ocellar triangle compact, POL/OOL 0.55, length of third antennomere 1.2 LID, vertex raised in slight arc above eye top. Mesosoma. Metapostnotum impressed medially, posterior margin entire, not extending backward along midline; propodeum smooth, without rugae. Hind tibia with small serrations on dorsal surface, each serration beyond middle of tibia terminating in small spine. Forewing with marginal cell removed from wing tip by 0.54 its length, SMC2 as wide on radius as SMC3, length on radius about equal to length on cubitus; first intercubital vein not oblique but nearly parallel to second intercubital vein. Hindwing with anal vein reaching median vein little before origin of cubitus.

MALE. Body length 4.5 mm. Color. Integumental ground color back marked with white as basal band narrowed medially, on T2, T3 with a short basal band, interrupted dorsally, T7 with a large white spot, tibia 2 and 3 spotted basally, spurs of middle and hind tibiae white. Clypeus all dark. Pubescence dilute, brownish over most of body, silvery on middle to lower front, clypeus, temples, propleura, lower portion of mesopleura and coxae ventrally; propodeum with subcircular spots of coarser silvery pubescence at posterior corners. Forewing subhyaline, with weak brown line over basal vein, stronger band over marginal and submarginal cells, milky white area from SMC3 to wing apex; hind wing hyaline with weak apical darkening. Head. Mandible with two teeth on inner margin in addition to apical tooth, with strong seta about midlength on outer margin and several weak setae nearer its apex; head without erect setae except for pair on inner eye margin above antennal insertion, metasoma without erect setae except for group on T7; head 1.6 × as wide as high; clypeus 2.04 × as wide as high, apex truncate, MID 0.53 × TFD, 0.81 × LID, UID 1.24 × LID; ocelli forming compact triangle, POL/OOL 0.47; Third antennal segment 3.2 × as long as wide, 0.03 × UID, slightly longer than fourth segment; vertex raised in even arc above top of eye. Mesosoma. Pronotum short, subangulate; metapostnotum triangularly produced posteriorly, medially with same length as metanotum; propodeum with slope low and even; longer spur of hind tibia 0.73 × length of basitarsus. Forewing with marginal cell 0.6 × its length from wing tip, SMC2 0.81 as high as wide, narrowed by half above, SMC3 3.17 as wide as high, narrowed by 3/8 above. Metasoma. SGP ( Fig. 5 ) slender, apical third more strongly narrowed to pointed tip, ventral surface with sparse setae and spine-like setae along sides and at apex. Genitalia ( Figs 6, 7 ) with paramere long, slender, set with linear series of short setae on ventral margin, few longer setae at apex, digiti subacute apically with rounded lobe medially, set with few short spines and row of stronger spines on inner edge, aedeagus with straight sides, simple at apex. (Note: right paramere missing-lost during dissection).

Material examined. Holotype ♀, Panama: Fortuna Div.[ision] Cont.[inental] , Chiriquí ─ B.[ocas] del Toro., Qbda. Arena, 8-11 abr 1999, 1050 m, R. Cambra, A. Santos (BME). Paratypes: same data as holotype, 1 ♂ (BME) ; 2 ♀, 1 ♂ (MIUP).

Distribution. Known only from the highlands of western Panama.

Etymology. From the Greek chryso -gold and pyge -rump.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Priochilus, ♀. 1 – 3. P. chrysopygus sp. nov. 1. Holotype, lateral view. 2. Paratype, forewing and hindwing. 3. Holotype, part of mesosoma, dorsal view. 4. Priochilus s. splendidulus, part of mesosoma, dorsal view, S = scutellum, M = metanotum, Pn = Metapostnotum, Pr = propodeum; arrow indicating metapostnotum produced at the midline.

FIGURES 5 – 7. Priochilus chrysopygus, Paratype ♂. 5. SGP. 6, 7. Genitalia. 6. Lateral view. 7. Ventral view.