Darditilla bejaranoi Casal, 1968

Luz, David R. & Williams, Kevin A., 2014, The first sexual associations in the genus Darditilla Casal, 1965 (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae), ZooKeys 454, pp. 41-68 : 45-49

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Mutillidae

Darditilla bejaranoi Casal, 1968 Figs 3-4, 13-16

Darditilla bejaranoi Casal, 1968. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 30(1-4): 95. Holotype female, Brasil, Santa Catarina, Corupá, II-1953, A. Maller (AMNH, examined).

Diagnosis.

Male. The male of Darditilla bejaranoi can be recognized by having the ventral clypeal margin produced as a short transverse slightly upcurved impunctate lamella (Fig. 3D), by having the tegula truncate with a flat posterior face, and by having the bidentate penis valve teeth widely separated (Fig. 15).

Female. This female has a reddish mesosoma, with distinct black areas on the lateral pronotal dorsum and the posterior half of the pleurae (Fig. 4A, B), has lateral circular to transversely ovate silver setal spots on T2 (Fig. 4D), and has a strong hyaline median carina on S1.

Description.

Male. Body length 4.5-8 mm. Coloration. Body and appendages black, except mandibles and metasoma dark brown apically. Tibial spurs white. Forewing slightly and uniformly infuscated between veins, veins brown; hindwing slightly infuscated. Body clothed with whitish setae, except vertex, dorsomedial portion of pronotum, axilla, scutellum, disc of T2, T6 and T7 with scattered brownish setae, mesoscutum and tegula with dark brown setae, bristles of tergal fringes pale yellowish. Head. Rounded posteriorly. Head width 1.1 × pronotal width. Eye transversely ovate. Ocelli small; ocellocular distance 5.1 × length of lateral ocellus, interocellar distance 2.3 × lateral ocellus length. Occipital carina distinct, extending ventrally almost to level of oral fossa. Punctation on front dense, interspaces micropunctate; gena densely punctate, interspaces with sparse micropunctures; and vertex moderately punctate, interspaces glabrous. Gena ecarinate. Antennal scrobe broadly concave to eye margin, with transverse tubercle dorsally. Clypeus densely punctate, ventral margin produced as a short transverse slightly upcurved impunctate lamella. Flagellomere 1 1.2 × pedicel length; flagellomere 2 1.4 × pedicel length. Mandible convergent to bidentate apex, dorsal carina gradually becoming obsolete on inner tooth; edentate ventrally. Mesosoma. Epaulets weakly produced. Pronotal dorsum densely punctate; anterior face almost smooth; lateral face densely punctate. Tegula evenly convex anteriorly with abrupt vertical posterior face delimited by transverse dorsal carina, glabrous except with long recumbent setae anterolaterally and posteromesally. Mesoscutum with dense coarse punctures; posterolateral corner forming a small angulate lobe. Scutellum slightly convex, with coarse punctures. Axilla flat and punctate, except lateral margin with narrow vertical lamella. Metanotum surface obscured by dense shaggy mesally facing recumbent setae. Propodeum convex, broadly and deeply reticulate except smooth and shining adjacent to metapleuron. Mesopleuron moderately punctate, interspaces micropunctate. Metapleuron smooth and shining ventrally, setose and micropunctate dorsally. Wings. Forewing with moderate elongate sclerotized pterostigma; marginal cell broadly rounded and truncate apically; three submarginal cells, third scarcely delimited by obscure venation. Legs. Mid- and hind tibiae lacking strong spines, distinct apical secretory pore on inner surface near base of inner spur; spurs finely serrate on margins. Metasoma. T1gradually broadened from base, not constricted apically, sessile with T2, 0.6 × width of T2, sparsely punctate; apex with fringe of simple setae or thickened bristles. T2 with coarse to moderate punctures, interspaces smooth and generally broader than punctures; apex with fringe interspersed recumbent thickened parallel bristles; felt line 0.5 × lateral length of T2. T3-5 densely and finely punctate, covered with interspersed erect and recumbent setae, except fringes with row of bristles as in T2. T6 densely punctate, covered with less dense recumbent and erect setae. T7 in basal half with moderately spaced simple punctures and setae, interspaces glabrous; posterior half forming oval pygidium margined laterally and posteriorly by a strong sharp carina, apical margin rounded, surface flat, microgranulate with numerous large irregular transverse rugae. S1 punctate and setose, with medial longitudinal carina extending from base to apex. S2 moderately punctate. S3-6 moderately and finely punctate, with fairly sparse erect and recumbent setae. Lateral margins of S2-5 sometimes with similar bristles to those of T2-6. S7 transversely rectangular. Hypopygium smooth, moderately punctate, posteromedial margin with two approximate weak teeth medially. Genitalia (Figs 13-16). Paramere tapering apically, gradually curved ventrally, apices diverging slightly, dense setal brush on basoventral lateral margin, scattered setae along inner and lateral margins. Cuspis acute angulate apically, extending 0.2 × free length of paramere, with densely setose oblique ventral surface. Digitus laterally compressed and rounded apically, extending 0.2 × free length of paramere, asetose. Penis valve asetose, bidentate apically, basoventral margin expanded apically as blunt tooth, basodorsal margin with slight tubercle.

Extended female diagnosis. Body length 4.1-4.6 mm. Coloration. Head and metasoma black. Mesosoma reddish with variable blackish areas on lateral portion of pronotum and lateral face of mesosoma in posterior half. Appendages reddish, except mandible, flagellum, femora, and tibiae often darkened apically. Tibial spurs whitish. Front and vertex clothed with recumbent golden setae; genal setae silver. Mesosomal dorsum with sparse erect black setae, except often with silver setae laterally on pronotum and pale yellow setae dorsomedially on pronotum and posteriorly on propodeum. Posterior fringes of T1 and T2 black; T2 with lateral circular to transversely ovate silver setal spots; T3-6 clothed with silver setae. Head. Transverse, posterior margin flat, occipital carina obscure. Head width 1.4 × pronotal width. Eye slightly ovate transversely, ommatidia distinct. Front and vertex densely punctate; gena moderately punctate. Genal carina well-defined, extending nearly to hypostomal carina. Clypeus with shallow transverse glabrous concavity, margined by dorsal and ventral carinae, between widely separated lateral teeth. Mandible slender, tapering, bidentate apically (subapical tooth minute, distant from apex and usually obliterated through wear), unarmed ventrally. Antennal scrobe with complete dorsal carina. Antennal tubercle punctate basally and laterally. Scape simple, moderately punctate. Flagellomere 1 1.5 × pedicel length; flagellomere 2 1.4 × pedicel length. Mesosoma. Mesosomal length 1.8 × width. Mesosomal dorsum coarsely reticulate, propodeal reticulae broader and shallower. Lateral pronotal carina extending to epaulet, humeral angle shallowly obtusely angulate. Mesopleuron densely punctate and setose, posterior margin defined by vertical carina. Metapleuron and lateral face of propodeum smooth and shining dorsally with isolated fine setae, micropunctate and densely setose ventrally. In dorsal view, mesosoma broadened to anterior third, strongly narrowed at propodeal spiracle, propodeum abruptly broadened. Scutellar scale lacking. Propodeum convex, dorsal and lateral faces not obviously differentiated. Legs. Foreleg with a few long strong articulated spines on posterior/lateral margins of tarsomeres. Mid- and hind tibiae each with two rows of prominent spines, 2-4 spines in each row; apical spurs finely serrated laterally. Hind tibia with distinct secretory pore on inner/posterior surface near base of inner spur. Metasoma. T1gradually broadened from base, not constricted apically, sessile with T2, 0.5 × as wide as T2; anterior face moderately punctate and setose. T2 densely punctate and setose, punctures slightly larger and sparser anterolaterally; felt line broad, 0.4 × as long as T2 laterally. T3-5 densely punctate. Pygidium broad and slightly convex, lateral margins defined by distinct weakly bowed carina, posterior margin rounded and defined by indistinct carina, granulate, posterior granulae often more sparse, anterior granulae often merging to obscure striae or rugae. S1 punctate, with strong hyaline median carina. S2 moderately punctate. S3-5 densely punctate. S6 moderately punctate.

Material examined.

Type material. Holotype: 'Brasil\Santa Catarina\ Corupá \II-1953\A. Maller’ (handwritten label) ‘HOLOTYPUS’ (red label) ' Darditilla [female symbol]\ bejaranoi \ Casal 1968' (red label) [1 female: AMNH]. Other material. 18 males and 49 females as follows: ARGENTINA: Corrientes: Ytuzaingo, III.1982 (M.A. Fritz) [1 female, 1 male: AMNH]; Entre Ríos: Colón, Parque Nacional, X.1974 (M.A. Fritz) [1 female: AMNH]; same locality, III.1982 (M.A. Fritz) [1 female: AMNH]; same locality, date unknown (M.A. Fritz) [1 female: AMNH]; same locality, XII.1973 (M.A. Fritz) [1 male: AMNH]; same locality, I.1974 (M.A. Fritz) [1 male: AMNH]; BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Belo Horizonte, Museu de História Natural, 22.III.1998 (G.A.R. Melo) [1 female: DZUP]; 16 km S de Berizal, Serra do Anastácio, 18.XII.2012 (G.A.R. Melo) [1 male: DZUP]; 7 km S Itanhandu, 14.XI.2005 (L.R.R. Faria Jr.) [1 female: DZUP]; near Timoteo, 1-14.II.1999 (E.R. DePaula) [1 female: EMUS]; Paraná: Piraquara, Mananciais da Serra, 27.III.2003 (E.Q. Garcia) [1 female: DZUP]; Ponta Grossa, Parque Estadual da Vila Velha, 23.XI.2001 (G.A.R. Melo) [1 female: DZUP]; same locality, 15.XI.2003 (G.A.R. Melo & R.B. Gonçalves) [1 female: DZUP]; same locality, 5.IV.2013 (K.A. Williams) [10 females: DZUP]; same locality, 6.IV.2013 (K.A. Williams) [11 females: DZUP]; Rio de Janeiro: Mendes, 23.IV.1936 (Borgmeier) [1 pair in copula: MNRJ]; Petrópolis, Alto da Serra, 18.II.1962 (H. Cesar) [1 male: MNRJ]; km 47, estrada Rio-São Paulo, 24.X.1944 (Wygodzinsky) [1 female: MNRJ]; Santa Catarina: Corupa, various dates [5 females: MNRJ]; Galheta, P. Mole, 5.X.1988 (C.R.F. Brandão) [1 female: MZSP]; São Paulo: Barueri, V.1958 (K. Lenko) [1 female: MNRJ]; Botucatu, Cerrado, Armadilha Solo, 19.III.1987 (L.C. Forti & I.M.P. Rinaldi) [1 female: MZSP]; Cajuru, Fazenda Rio Grande, 18.XII.1999-10.I.2000 (G.A.R. Melo & Nascimento) [2 males: DZUP]; same locality, 10. I– 1.II.2000 (G.A.R. Melo & Nascimento) [3 males: DZUP]; same city, Fazenda Santa Carlota, 17.XI-2.XII.1999 (G.A.R. Melo & Nascimento) [4 males: DZUP]; Campo Limpo, 20.II.1966 (W.W. Kempf) [2 females: MZSP]; Caraguata, Reserva Florestal, 40m, II.1963 (F. Werner, U. Martins, & L. Silva) [1 female: MZSP]; Cosmópolis, 22.I.1974 (J.G. Rozen et al.) [2 females: AMNH]; Ribeirão Grande, P.E. Intervales, ponto 5, 24°16'23"S, 48°25'22"W, 22.XII.2009 (N.W. Perioto) [1 male: MZSP]; Ribeirão Preto, Campus da USP, 12.XI.1998 (G.A.R. Melo) [1 female: DZUP]; Rio Claro, Floresta Estadual Edmundo Navarro de Andrade, 10. IX– 1.X.2005 (A.P. Aguiar & J.T. Dias) [1 male: MZSP]; São Jose dos Campos, 8-14.III.1999 (E.R. DePaula) [1 female: EMUS]; same locality, 22-29.IX.1999 [1 female: EMUS]; São Paulo, 10.XI.1972 (G.E. Bohart) [1 male: EMUS].

Distribution.

This species is known from the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil and surrounding areas of Argentina.

Host.

Unknown.

Remarks.

The sexes of Darditilla bejaranoi are associated based on a mating pair found in the MNRJ. Additionally, M.A. Fritz collected males and females in the same locality twice in Argentina. The male and female are similar in size and geographical distribution.

Females vary in mesosomal coloration, with some specimens having only a small dark brown patch on the pronotal dorsum and others having the mesosomal dorsum and pleurae extensively darkened. The setal spots of T2 also vary slightly in shape, from perfectly circular to transversely ovate. In Casal’s key ( 1968a) specimens with transversely ovate setal spots will run to couplet 25, where they can be separated from Darditilla bachmanni Casal, 1968 and Darditilla nelidae Casal, 1968 by the entirely black fringe of T1 (T1 with extensive white setae in Darditilla bachmanni and Darditilla nelidae ) and geographical distribution ( Darditilla bachmanni from Bolivian Amazon and Darditilla nelidae from central Argentina).