Quwitilla peruviana ( Suárez, 1970 ), Bartholomay & Williams & Cambra & Oliveira, 2019

Bartholomay, Pedro R., Williams, Kevin A., Cambra, To. A. & Oliveira, Márcio L., 2019, Does the genus Dasymutilla Ashmead occur in South America? The new genus Quwitilla, new combinations, and new distribution records from Neotropical velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), Zootaxa 4623 (2), pp. 261-282 : 269

Quwitilla peruviana ( Suárez, 1970)

( Figs 20–31 )

Dasymutilla peruviana Suárez, 1970 . Archivos del Instituto de Aclimatación Almeria 15: 177. Holotype ♂, San Miguel, [Lima], Peru (NHMB), examined.

Dasymutilla homochroma Suárez, 1970 . Archivos del Instituto de Aclimatación Almeria 15: 173. Holotype ♀, San Miguel,[Lima], Peru (NHMB, examined). Syn. nov

Extended diagnosis. Female. In addition to the characters described by Suárez (1970) the females can be recognized by the antennal scrobe with well-defined dorsal carina connected laterally with well-defined lateral carina; length of thorax (pronotum+mesonotum) 0.9 × its width; ratios of width of humeral angles, pronotal spiracles, widest point of mesonotum, narrowest point of mesonotum and propodeum posterior to propodeal spiracles, 58:65:65:53:48; scutellar scale small, narrowly connected to anterolateral carina; anterolateral carina more than 3 × the width of scutellar scale; ratios of width of T1, width of T2 and length of T2, 30:73:68; T2 widest point posterior to midlength; S2 with anteromedial flattened area; anteromedial longitudinal crest-fold conspicuous; subapical transverse slope present. Male. In addition to the characters described by Suárez (1970) the ocelli are small, OOD 5.1 × DLO, IOD virtually equal to DLO; gena ecarinate; epaulet present, poorly developed, low, rounded, virtually flat against anterior margin of pronotum; meso and metatibial spurs black, finely serrated on margins.

Distribution. Peru.

Material examined. [2♀ 1♂] Type material. Holotype of Dasymutilla peruviana , ♂, PERU, [Lima?], San Miguel , 08.III.1955, M. Markl ( NHMB) . Holotype of Dasymutilla homochroma , ♀, PERU, [Lima?], San Miguel , 08.III.1955, M. Markl ( NHMB) . Other material: Tumbes, Desierto , 4 horas en carro antes de Tumbes, 1♀, 4.V.1971, J. & B. Bechyne, ( MIUP)

Remarks. Although Q. peruviana females are consistent in most aspects with the general morphological trends of the Dasymutillini , the clypeus and mandibles of the males are even more distorted than the other known Quwitilla males, Q. blattoserica . It is clear, however that these belong to the newly described genus based on their genitalia, which only differs from those of Q. blattoserica on the distribution of the paramere ventral setae. Suárez (1970) raised the possibility of Q. peruviana being the male of Q. homochroma and discarded the hypothesis based on the fact that while both sexes of Q. blattoserica had coloration similarities, Q. peruviana and Q. homochroma were remarkably different. We consider that having both species collected in the same date and place in an area where diurnal species of velvet-ant are uncommon, and their clear similarities with Q. blattoserica are sufficient evidence for the sex association proposed here. As previously mentioned, the female of Q. peruviana appears to belong to a distinct color syndrome with other species west of the Andes. The male, however, remarkably approaches the color patterns observed in two other Mutillidae species occurring west of the Andes: Traumatomutilla vitelligera ( Gerstaecker, 1874) and Hoplomutilla maculifrons (André, 1906) ( Figs 38–40 ). This could be an example of Dual Sex-limited Mimicry, which was first proposed by Evans (1968, 1969) in Neotropical pompilids, but has also been observed in Dasymutilla ( Williams, 2012) . Further studies into the mimetic syndromes of South American mutillids are needed.

Figures

FIGURES 20–23. Quwitilla peruviana (Suárez, 1970), ♀, holotype (of Dasymutilla homochroma Suárez), lines 2mm; 20. Dorsal view; 21. Lateral view; 22. Pygidium, posterodorsal view; 23. Type labels.

FIGURES 26–31. Quwitilla peruviana (Suárez, 1970), ♂, holotype; 26. Head, frontal view; 27. Pygidium (T7), posterodorsal view; 28. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 29. Hypopygium (S7), ventral view; 30. Type labels; 31. Genitalia (encased in resin).

FIGURES 38–40. 38. Quwitilla peruviana (Suárez, 1970), ♂, holotype; 39. Hoplomutilla maculifrons (André, 1906); 40. Traumatomutilla vitelligera (Gerstaecker, 1874).