Storozhenkotilla aurofasciata (André, 1907)

Lelej, Arkady S., Williams, Kevin A., Terine, Joshua B., Okayasu, Juriya, Parikh, Grishma R. & Kumar, Girish P., 2023, Review of the tribe Mutillini (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) from the Oriental Region, Zootaxa 5228 (4), pp. 455-476 : 471

Storozhenkotilla aurofasciata (André, 1907)

( Figs 44–54 )

Mutilla aurofasciata André, 1907: 255 , ♀, holotype, ♀, Pankulam / Ceylon [ Sri Lanka] / W. Horn / Holotype / Mutilla aurofasciata ♀ nov. sp. [SDEI], examined.

Storozhenkotilla aurofasciata: Lelej 2005: 37 , Figs 99–102, ♁, 176 (description of ♁), India: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu; Terine et al. 2020a: 3; Pagliano et al. 2020: 236.

Material examined. SRI LANKA: Mannar District: 0.8 km NE Kokmotte Bungalow, Wilpattu National Park , 21–25.V.1976, K.V. Krombein, P.B. Karunaratne, S. Karunaratne, D.W. Balasooriya leg. / Mutilla aurofasciata André, B. Petersen det. 1980, 1♀ [ IBSS] . INDIA: Karnataka, Bangalore, 916 m, 29.X.1978, K.D. Ghorpade leg., A719 / Mutilla aurofasciata André, B. Petersen det. 1980, 1♀ [ IBSS]; Tamil Nadu: Kodaikanal, 6500 ft [1981 m], Pulney Hills [Palni Hills], IV–V.1953, P.S. Nathan, K.V. Krombein collection, 1975–1976, 1♁ [ USNM]; Madras, Coimbatore, 1400 ft., VIII.1963, P. Susai Nathan, 1♀ [ FSCA]; Thirunelveli district , Kodumundiyar dam site, 26.IX.2018, P. Girish Kumar, 1♁, ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.21298 [ ZSIK]; Pondicherry: Auroville, 10 km N Pondicherry [Puducherry], 24.X.2004, F. Burger, 1♁; Auroville, 10 km N Pondicherry, Canians, 25.XI.2005, F. Burger, 1 ♀; Auroville, 10 km N Pondicherry, 7.I.2007, F. Burger, 1♀; same place, 12.II.2007, F. Burger, 1♀; same place, 20.II.2007, F. Burger, 1♀; same place, 5.III.2007, F. Burger, 1♀; same place, 13.III.2007, F. Burger, 1♀; same place, 23.III.2007, F. Burger, 1♀ [ IBSS] .

Distribution. Sri Lanka, South India (Karnataka, * Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu).

Remarks. This is the type species for the genus Storozhenkotilla and the females are easily separated from all other Oriental Mutillini species by the transverse suture between the pronotum and mesonotum. Males are less obviously distinct from other Mutillini , but they do seem to be the only Oriental Mutillini with T7 uniformly punctate and the metasoma without any metallic luster.

Figures

FIGURES 44–52. Storozhenkotilla aurofasciata, ♁. 44. Habitus, lateral view. 45. Head and mesosoma, dorsal view. 46. Metasoma, dorsal vie. 47. Metasoma, ventral view. 48. Head, face view. 49. Genitalia, ventral view. 50. Genitalia, lateral view. 51. Genitalia, dorsal view. 52. Wings. (Photographs by J. Terine).

FIGURES 53–58. Storozhenkotilla ♀♀. 53–54. S. aurofasciata; 55–58. S. binghami; 53, 55, 57. Habitus, dorsal view. 54, 56, 58. Habitus, lateral view. (Photographs by K. Williams).