Mischocyttarus efferus, Silveira, 2006

Silveira, Orlando Tobias, 2006, Revision of the subgenus Kappa de Saussure of Mischocyttarus de Saussure (Hym.; Vespidae, Polistinae, Mischocyttarini), Zootaxa 1321 (1), pp. 1-108 : 78-80

Mischocyttarus efferus sp. n.

( Figs. 70–71, 76, 78 )

Polybia metathoracica: Fox, 1898: 449 (in part; misidentification).

Mischocyttarus metathoracicus: Ducke, 1918: 353 (in part; misidentification); Carpenter and Vecht, 1991: 216 (in part; misidentification).

HOLOTYPE: ♀ Brazil, Pará, I. do Marajó, P. de Pedras, 13/iii/1978 (W. França) ( MPEG).

FEMALE. Length of fore wing 10–11 mm; MWH/DLH 2.3, FHH/intOW 0.93; clypeus distinctly convex and not so wide, H/WClp 0.87, with a shallow vertical depression centrally, just perceptible above the level indicated by lateral indentations, median angle moderately produced ventrally, apex relatively wide, truncate; malar space narrow, as wide as 1/3 of the height of an antennal socket; tentorial pit as close to the eye as to antennal socket; mandible anterior surface without a prominent border; antennal scape short and wide, L/Wesc 2.22; occeli widely separated, POL about equal to two diameters, POL/OOL more than 2/3; occiput with margin distinct and salient even at the center; foraminal area shaped ventrally as a shelf; hypostomal lamella narrow; pronotum with lateral fovea, pronotal anterior margin medially with lamella narrow and moderately reflexed, region just behind not quite continuous, a little raised but not forming a definite secondary margin; humeral region well salient ( Fig. 71 ), in frontal view with the lateral extremity appearing as if slightly lifted ( Fig. 78 ), carina with lamella low, slightly reflexed at the sides and forming small lateral lobe, as seen from above with a straight or concave profile, sides of the pronotum little converging, total width of carina larger than that of mesoscutum, this just a little longer than wide, L/WMsc 1.06; fore wing short, LDis/ HMpl 2.03, pterostigma a little more than 3 times longer than wide; metanotum variably convex; inner claw of hind tarsus with the apex rounded; propodeum well inflated, median furrow moderately deep, triangular, developed on the posterior two­thirds of the propodeum dorsal surface, the anterior third adjacent to metanotum prominent nearly horizontal, propodeal valve moderately wide, triangular, limit between propodeum and lower metapleuron well apparent and shining but not sulcate; first segment of metasoma very elongated ( Fig. 76 ), LSI/HMpl around 1.28, distal part just behind the spiracles almost always linear, parallel sided, spiracles most often very prominent, apex not more than 2.10 times wider than the base, basal petiole elongated, sternum flattened, limit between sternum and tergum proximally marked by a prominent shining edge.

Sculpture: disk of clypeus with dense fine punctures, and with more sparse less conspicuous larger ones, interstices shining, area close to ventral margin reticulate and shining with few large punctures; upper part of interantennal area and frons with dense medium sized punctures, sometimes coalescent; mesopleuron with moderately dense small to medium sized punctures, and with more sparse larger punctures, interstices shining.

Vestiture: body covered by appressed silvery pubescence, particularly dense and shining on the clypeus; eyes with very short inconspicuous hairs.

Color: black; spot on inner face of fore tibia, ventral apical area of clypeus, distal part of mandible including teeth, reddish brown, or (in 2 specimens) all the disk of clypeus and most of mandible, orange yellow; base of antenna below, dark brown, much lighter orange yellow at the apex; dorsal streak on gena, the legs and lower metapleuron, dark brown; articular processes on meso and metapleuron, spot on the base of mid and hind femora, light yellowish brown (sometimes pale yellow); inner orbit to lower border of ocular sinus, posterior margin of pronotum, metanotum, large sub­quadrangular spot on propodeum, innder distal margin of trochanters, one streak on mid coxa, two streaks on hind coxa, apex of femora, apex of fore and mid tibiae, dorsum of the fifth segment of fore tarsus, yellow; larger hind tibial spur, light brown; wings hyaline, veins brown.

MALE. Head in frontal view very low and wide, FHH/intOW 0.86; clypeus, much wider than high, H/WClp 0.83, median angle scarcely projecting below, apex widely round; tentorial pit closer to the eye than to antennal socket; antennal scape short and wide, L/ Wesc 2.22; ventral surface of antennomeres with distinct shining tyloids, third antennomere about three times longer than wide, antennal apex elongated ( Fig. 70 ), with evident potential to be spirally rolled, antennomeres 11–13 cylindrical, not flattened below, 12 about 1.9 times longer than wide, 13 slender and slightly curve, about 3.17 times longer than wide, 1.28 times longer than 12; anterior face of fore coxa considerably flattened; clypeus with dense fine to medium punctation, without large conspicuous punctures; clypeus and frons with decumbent pubescence showing intense silvery reflexes.

Color: similar to female.

NEST. One nest from Paraguay, Canindeyú , R. N. Bosque Mbaracayú, 14/ix/1995 (B. Garcete­Barrett) ( INBP) presents a small sub­circular comb, with 26 cells, and light brown color. The peduncle is very short and eccentric.

Etymology The specific epithet efferus is Latin meaning “savage, wild”

Remarks

Unrecognized by previous authors, this species has a wide distribution including Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, and differs from other species of the group by the very slender first metasomal segment ( Fig. 76 ). It shares similarities with M. acreanus sp. n. in the more convex clypeus with a linear vertical depression, and in the shape of the pronotal carina ( Fig. 78 ).

Distribution SOUTH AMERICA: Brazil (PA, MA, RJ), Bolivia, Paraguay.

Examined material (paratypes)

BOLIVIA: Cochabamba, 7♀ Chapare, Chimoré, I/72 (Fritz) ( AMNH) , 1♀ Chapare, Chimoré, I/72 (Fritz) ( BMNH) ; Santa Cruz, 1♀ Buena Vista , 9/I/1991 (Carpenter & Wenzel) ( AMNH) ; BRAZIL: Maranhão, 1♀ 1♂ Buriticupú, Faz. Cacique , 30/ix/1978 (F. Ramos) , 1♀ Buriticupú, Faz. Cacique , 30/ix/1978 (F. Torres) ( MPEG) ; Minas Gerais, 1♀ Parque Rio Doce , 29/viii/1989 (W.G. de Campos) ( UFPR) ; Pará, 1♀ Mararú (no definite date; 1874–1886) (H. Smith) ( CMNH) ; Rio de Janeiro, 1♀ R. de janeiro, 15/x/1905 (A. Ducke) ( MPEG) ; PARAGUAY: Canindeyú, 1♀ R. N. Bosque Mbaracayú, 14/ix/1995 (B. Garcete­Barrett) ( INBP) .

Figures

FIGURES 66–80. M. metathoracicus: 66, mesosoma lateral, 67, male antenna, 68, mesosoma part dorsal, 77, T1, 79, pronotum frontal; M. flavoscutellatus: 69, mesosoma lateral, 72, T1; M. efferus sp. n.: 70, male antenna, 71, mesosoma part dorsal, 76, T1, 78, pronotum frontal; M. acreanus sp. n.: 73, T1, 75, mesosoma part dorsal; M. occiduus sp. n.: 74, T1, 80, mesosoma part dorsal.