Vanhartenidia arabica Lelej

Lelej, Arkady S. & Harten, Antonius Van, 2006, A review of the Mutillidae (Hymenoptera) of Yemen, Zootaxa 1226, pp. 1-50 : 38-39

Vanhartenidia arabica Lelej , sp. nov.

( Fig. 24 )

Diagnosis

The differences beyween the new species and related ones are noted in the key below.

Description

FEMALE. Body length 7.6 mm. Relation of pedicel and first three flagellomeres 0.4: 1.5: 0.8: 1.2. Ratio eye height / gena height (head in lateral view) 1.7X. Genal carina weak. Mesosoma widened posteriorly, 1.3X longer than its maximal width. Pronotum anteriorly arcuate, with lateral sides divergent posteriorly, slightly wider than mesonotum. Scutellar scale wide, prescutellar, scutellar and postscutellar row of tubercles weak.

Propodeum posteriorly reticulate. Foretarsus strongly pectinate. Carina on S1 posteriorly without tubercle. Pygidial area narrower than that of V. felix . Frons and vertex with large deep dense, sometimes confluent punctures. T2 laterally with shallow punctures. Mesosoma dorsally with larger, deeper confluent punctures. Mesopleura, metapleura, and propodeum glabrous.

Head black, reddish beneath. Mesosoma ferruginous­red. Mandible ferruginous­red with black apex. Antenna black. Legs castaneous. Metasoma yellowish­red includes cuticula under black setae. T6 brown. Frons, vertex and mesosomal dorsum with sparse recumbent yellowish setae mixed with erect black setae. Gena, paraocular area, malar space with dense silvery setae. Mesopleura and propleura with spot of silvery setae. T2 with two large basal golden pubescent spots, distance between them less than scutellar scale width. T3–T5 with golden bands. Metasomal terga except golden spots and bands with black setae, felt lines yellowish. T1 and T2 posteriorly with golden fringes. T6 laterally with whitish and black setae. Metasomal sterna with silvery setae, S2–S5 with apical fringes of silvery setae.

MALE. Unknown.

Type material

Holotype Ψ, Yemen: Al Kowd, 16.I.2001, AvH [ ZMAN].

Distribution

Yemen.

Etymology

Arabica is a Latin adjective derived from Arabia, the name of peninsula referring to the area where the species has been found.

Remarks

It is quite possible that Vanhartenidia arabica is the opposite sex of V. tihama .

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 29. 22 – 23. Spinulomutilla yemenita sp. nov., male, holotype. 22. Sterna 6 – 8, ventral view; 23. Penial valves, ventral view. 24. Vanhartenidia arabica sp. nov., female, holotype. Foretarsus. 25 – 29. V. felix sp. nov., paratype (25 – 28, male; 29, female). 25. Hind coxa, ventral view; 26. Genitalia, dorsal view; 27. Volsella, dorsal view; 28. Penial valves, ventral view; 29. Pygidial area. Scale = 1 mm for 22, 0.5 mm for 23 and 26, and 0.25 mm for 27 and 28.