Smicromyrme plantourianus Schwartz 1986
Creators: name: Matias, Rafael
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Mutillidae
Smicromyrme
Smicromyrme plantourianus

description: 2. Smicromyrme plantourianus Schwartz, 1986
(Figs. 2A–L, 3A–G, 4A–F, 5A–H)
Smicromyrme plantouriana Schwartz, 1986: Nouvelle Revue d’entomologie (Nouvelle Série), 3 (1): 122 (♀, description: holotype “Plan de la Tour (Var)” [France], 19-VII-1983 (collection Schwartz)). Lelej 2002: 78 (catalogued).
Smicromyrme plantourianus: Pagliano et al. 2020: 200 (catalogued).
Material examined (26♀♀, 1♁). FEMALE. PORTUGAL (all specimens R. Matias leg., det. & coll., unless otherwise stated). BRAGANÇA: Vale de Águia (Miranda do Douro; site: 41°31'35.86"N 6°14'48.96"W, 701 m asl), 16.viii.2022, 1♀; SW from Aldeia Nova (Miranda do Douro; site: 41°32'05.78"N 6°14'09.37"W, 707 m asl), 16.viii.2022, 1♀; ca. 700 m W from camping park of Miranda do Douro (site: 41°29'37.12"N 6°17'42.88"W, 699 m asl), 18.viii.2022, 1♀; ca. 1 km SW from Vale de Águia (Miranda do Douro; site: 41°31'20.48"N 6°15'28.13"W, 698 m asl), 18.viii.2022, 1♀. COIMBRA: ca. 1 km SE of Arganil, valley of Ribeira da Nogueira, serra da Aveleira, Folques (Arganil, site: 40°12'23.46"N 8°02'27.72"W, 250 m asl), 25.viii.2016, 2♀♀ (1 form ‘curtiventris’). SANTARÉM: Virtudes (Azambuja; site: 39°05'23.5"N 8°50'01.9"W, 47 m asl), 22.ix.2022, 1♀. LISBON: Quinta do Hespanhol (Dois Portos, Torres Vedras; site: 39°03’19.11”N 9°09’39.60”W, 141 m asl), 25.viii.2002, 3♀♀. Quinta da Charneca — Casais do Sol (Carvoeira, Torres Vedras; site: 39°04’18.97”N 9°10’03.67”W, 155 m asl): 14.viii.2018, 1♀ (form ‘curtiventris’); 13.viii.2019, 1♀; 14.viii.2019, 2♀♀ (1 form ‘curtiventris’); 15.viii.2019, 3♀ (1 form ‘curtiventris’); 1.vii.2021, 1♀ (form ‘curtiventris’); 4.vii.2021, 2♀♀. SETÚBAL: Lagoa de Santo André (Santiago do Cacém; site: 38° 5’16.88”N 8°46’59.24”W, 6 m asl), 25.viii.1999, 1♀. PORTALEGRE: Fonte Fria, Salão Frio, Serra de São Mamede (Portalegre; site: 39°19’1.29”N 7°24’50.34”W, 643 m asl), 13.vii.1999, 1♀. BEJA: road to São Luís, Vila Nova de Milfontes (Odemira), 9.vii.1972, 1♀ (N.N. Mendoça leg., R. Matias det.), MNHNCENT32372; Porto das Barcas, Vila Nova de Milfontes (Odemira), 21.vii.1972, 1♀ (N.N. Mendoça leg., R. Matias det.), MNHNCENT35742; ca. 4 km NNE from Odemira, valley of Ribeira do Torgal (Odemira; site: 37°38'10.48"N 8°37'08.52"W, 19 m asl), 15.vii.2019, 1♀; valley of Corgo do Porto da Mó, Foros da Pereira, Vila Nova de Milfontes (Odemira; site: 37°45’00.44”N 8°43’15.70”W, 39 m asl), 17.vii.2019, 1♀.
MALE. PORTUGAL. GUARDA: Paços da Serra (Gouveia; 560 m asl; ca. 40°27'N 7°39'W), 27.vii.1986, 1♁, “ na piscina [inside swimming pool]” (F. Mendoça leg., R. Matias det.), MNHNCENT32348.
Diagnosis. FEMALE (Figs. 2–4). Robust Smicromyrme with proportionately large and broad head, well developed behind the eyes (wider than mesosoma), subtrapezoidal mesosoma, medially black pronotal band (clear from pronotal angles), single large basomedial spot of pale golden recumbent pubescence over T2, transverse spot of pale golden recumbent pubescence over vertex, clypeus with lower half trapezoidal with subapical tubercle on each anterolateral corner; additional features of this species are dorsally trapezoidal T1, legs brownish-red most frequently with profemur medially contrastingly blackish; pygidium basally broad, oval to sub-triangular, blackish, covered in basally concentric and laterally divergent sub-parallel thin striae down to apex; scutellar scale narrow, small and rounded, apically darkened; mandible broad and robust, the distal element weakly convex externally. Body length 4.8–7.9 mm. MALE (hitherto unknown) (Fig. 5). Robust Smicromyrme, recognizable by silvery-yellowish appressed pubescence forming broad apical band on T2 medially weakly enlarged triangularly and full bands over T3–4, together with unique clypeus structure, with concave, weakly upturned anterior margin with two anterolateral slightly divergent tuberculi; additional, though not exclusive, characteristics include infuscate yellowish-brown wings, abundant appressed golden pubescence on vertex, gena, malar space and external surface of mandible, blackish-brown T1 and reddish-brown S1, very fine dense punctation over T2, and robust tridentate mandible. Body length 11.1 mm.
Redescription. FEMALE (n = 24). Body length 4.8–7.9 mm.
1. Colour of integument. Head mostly black, with variably orange-brown to brownish-red clypeus, postgena and postgenal bridge, oral fossa partially and anterior malar space. Mandible basally mostly dark orange-red with blackish apical third. Antennal tubercle brownish-red.Antenna orange-brown, distally weakly darkened; scape dark orange-brown distally paler; pedicel orange-brown; typically flagellum orange-brown, progressively darker from F1 to F10: F1 darkened distally, F2–10 ventrally dull orange-brown, dorsally progressively darker greyish-brown, darkest on F7–10; each flagellomere with weakly darker terminal band. Mesosoma medium reddish-brown, except for thin and well defined black band (Fig. 2H) over the central ca. 60% of pronotum (width similar or slightly narrower than distance between the eyes), blackish propleuron, darkened scutellar scale and darkened humeral carina. Legs orange-brown, except for dark-brown procoxa and dark reddish-brown meso and metacoxa (paler orange-brown distally), and profemur medially darkened; tibial spines pale yellowish-brown to brown (darkened distally); tibial spurs yellowish-white, translucent. Metasoma all black dorsally, except for T1 dark reddish-brown basolaterally, including basal tubercle, dark purplish-red apex of otherwise black pygidium, and reddish-brown apical lobes of S6 (visible dorsally); S1 reddish-brown, S2 blackish, S3–5 basally dark orange-brown apically darker, S6 dark reddish-brown.
2. Pubescence. Head. Vertex covered with moderately dense pale golden recumbent pubescence, forming well defined transverse elliptical spot, reaching inner margin of eyes and extending medially slightly towards lower vertex (Figs. 2A, 2G); punctation visible underneath pubescence; upper vertex (posterior to pale pubescent spot) with sparse black recumbent pubescence; dark-brown erect setae sparsely distributed over frons to vertex (longest setae as long as eye width or less); gena covered with abundant but moderately sparse (denser than over e.g. sides of T2, but punctation still visible) whitish thin recumbent pubescence forwards oriented; malar space with pale yellowish-brown short recumbent pubescence (blackish next to eye), confluent towards mandible base, with which it slightly overlaps; clypeus with fringe of sparse dark to medium-brown forward facing weakly downwards curved setae; basomedial clypeal tubercle with brown seta; postgenal bridge glabrous. Mandible basally with thin, long, pale yellowish-brown hairs fringing outer margin. Antennal scape covered with coarse yellowish-white recumbent pubescence; pedicel and F1 with sparse thin and short yellowish-white recumbent minute setae. Mesosoma. Dorsum covered with pale-golden recumbent pubescence, except pronotum covered with “comb” of not very dense black recumbent pubescence over darkened area (Fig. 2H); humeral angles with paler denser pubescence; propodeum with sparser similar pale-golden pubescence, oriented towards scutellar scale; scattered black recumbent setae on dorsum and propodeum in variable numbers, occasionally numerous over propodeum. Pleurae with long, thin and somewhat sparse whitish pubescence (slightly sparser than over gena), oriented towards centre of mesopleuron. Erect setae of similar length to those on head sparsely distributed over mesosoma: blackish over darkened pronotal band, dark brownish on dorsum (each seta basally paler), paler and longer over propodeal posterior face, reaching metasoma. Legs. Coxae with long thin whitish pubescence, longer and denser on procoxa; femora, tibiae and tarsi covered in long thin yellowish-white pubescence, approximately as dense as over pleurae. Metasoma. T1 with long whitish setae reaching propodeum; apical fringe of sparse recumbent black setae overlaps T2 basomedially, with some sparse whitish setae fringing tergite laterally. T2 covered in black recumbent pubescence, not very dense (punctation visible), basomedially with one large roundish to squarish spot of dense pale-golden recumbent pubescence, starting close to tergite base; tergite basolaterally with sparse pale golden and whitish intermixed recumbent setae, not defining lateral spots (Figs. 2A, 2C, 2J); T2 with apical broad band of recumbent pale golden pubescence, anteromedially weakly expanded triangularly. T3 covered by broad band of recumbent pale golden pubescence, slightly longer than average length of terminal band on T2, and apicomedially slightly narrower (due to medial shortening of pubescence), forming weak notch; T4–5 covered by moderately sparse blackish pubescence (punctation visible), with few pale golden recumbent setae on the lateral margins of T4. T6 laterally with tuft of long pale yellowish-brown to dark-brown setae oriented backwards, margining but not overlapping pygidium. Erect setae distributed all over metasomal dorsum, at least twice as dense and on average longer than over mesosoma; erect setae yellowish-white to whitish over areas with pale recumbent pubescence (and laterally on terga) and mostly blackish (somewhat shorter) over areas with black recumbent pubescence. S1–2 covered in sparse thin yellowish-white recumbent pubescence; S2–4 with apical fringe of sparse thin yellowish-white recumbent setae; S5 with apical fringe of sparse thin blackish recumbent setae; S6 with few dark setae subapically. S2 with sparse long yellowish-white erect setae; S3–5 distally and laterally with fringe of long yellowish-white erect setae, just anterior to terminal fringe of pubescence of each sternite, those on S5 longer and with pale yellowish-brown tinge. T2 felt-line ca. 0.3 × T2 lateral length, composed of mostly pale golden-brown setae; longer and sparser yellowish-white recumbent setae overlap proximal half of felt-line (Fig. 2J).
3. Sculpture. Head. Dorsally densely punctate-reticulate over frons and vertex, punctures medium to large, interspaces minimal, often obliterated; gena and malar space densely punctate, punctures smaller than on vertex with interspaces of ca. diameter of one puncture (narrower surrounding eyes); lower gena punctate-reticulate, punctures larger than on vertex and shallow, sub-hexagonal, interspaces very narrow and some obliterated; postgena weakly marked to impunctate, coriarious; antennal scrobe punctate, the punctures small and denser next to the dorsal carina (interspaces narrower than one puncture).Antennal tubercle shiny, finely, shallowly and sparsely punctate. Antennal scape densely punctate, punctures large (smaller than over vertex) and slightly oblong, interspaces as wide as diameter of 0.5–1 puncture; pedicel densely punctate, punctures small, interspaces narrower than one puncture. Mesosoma. Pronotal and dorsal areas densely punctate-reticulate, punctures large (ca. 2 × widest puncture on vertex) and shallow, interspaces minimal; shallow, weak transverse groove (one puncture wide) noticeable anterad to scutellar scale, extending diagonally to each side of mesosoma towards propodeal spiracles. Propodeum with dorsal face frequently subscabrous, more markedly so on posterior face, with numerous interspaces slightly elevated to form low lamellae, with similar pattern laterally, becoming punctate-reticulate (large shallow punctures, interspaces not conspicuously elevated) on transition to metepimeron. Mesopleuron finely and irregularly punctate, more sparsely medially; where punctation denser interspaces ca. diameter of 1–2 punctures. Metapleuron smooth, shiny, with few fine punctures. Metepimeron finely punctate, interspaces ca. diameter of 1–3 punctures. Propleuron punctate-reticulate. Low vertical humeral carina. Legs. Coxae and trochantera with coarse shallow punctation, interspaces irregular mostly narrower than diameter of one puncture; femora with scattered shallow small punctures, denser apically; tibiae with coarse shallow punctation, denser basally. Metasoma. T1 finely and irregularly punctate, densely over narrow apical band, interspaces as wide as diameter of one puncture. T2 densely punctate to punctate-reticulate, punctures deep and dorsally elongate longitudinally (narrow oval, length ca. 2 × width), interspaces narrower than diameter of one puncture (some interspaces obliterated); punctures rounder, sparser and smaller laterally (interspaces of 1–3 punctures). T3 sculpture visible, despite somewhat dense pubescence: punctures are small and round laterally, with interspaces of 1–2 punctures. T4–5 irregularly punctate, punctures small and interspaces varying between less the diameter of one and three punctures; T3–5 punctate over all of lateral exposed surface of tergites. S1 with coarse small round, shallow, punctures, interspaces narrow and irregular. S2 with punctures medium to large, deep and round (to weakly elongated), interspaces of 1–3 punctures; punctures smaller and very dense (conflected) on subterminal band (2–3 punctures wide), where interspaces mostly narrower than one puncture; surface not shiny. S3– 5: distal half of exposed surface of sternites densely punctate-reticulate, punctures apparently deep, larger proximad, smaller distad; interspaces narrower than diameter of one puncture with many interspaces obliterate; basal half of exposed surface of sternites strigate-vermiculate to shagreened. S6 finely punctate distomedially (interspaces of one puncture or less), substrigulate basally.
4. Shape and structure. Head large and rounded, dorsally broad with convex sides, sub-parallel to weakly convergent behind the eyes, weakly convex posterior margin and weakly rounded posterior angles; head width behind eyes ca. 1.05 × maximum mesosoma width. Frons and vertex moderately convex longitudinally (lateral view), weakly convex transversally (frontal view); gena well developed, strongly convex in lateral view (three specimens gena large, ca. 0.5 × head height). Eyes entire, moderately convex and minimally protuberant from head sides, anteriorly, in dorsal view. Antennal scrobe with transverse low, short dorsal carina, nearly straight. Clypeus short, dorsally with subtruncate edge, with medial transverse weakly sinuate carina, medially elevated on upper half with low medial tubercle and short longitudinal basomedial carina; lower half of clypeus weakly concave, trapezoidal, subapically with one tubercle on each anterolateral corner (Fig. 2I). Antennal scape weakly curved. Antenna (Fig. 2E): F1 ca. 1.7–2 × pedicel, ca. 1.2–1.4 × F2 and ca. 1.0–1.2 × F3. Mandible robust, broad, distal element weakly convex externally; tridentate, apically acuminate, fresher (possibly younger) specimens with two inner denticles (innermost small but distinct) and strong apical tooth (Fig. 2F, ventral view); inner denticles most frequently apparently abraded or obliterated, with mandible appearing as unidentate (e.g. Figs. 2E, 2G). Hypostomal carina present, distally elevated. Mesosoma dorsally subtrapezoidal, widest point at anterior spiracles, weakly concave and narrowed towards propodeal spiracles, becoming subparallel along the propodeum (width at anterior spiracles 1.1 × width at propodeum); ratio of width at humeral angles, anterior spiracles, narrowest point of mesosoma, propodeal spiracles and widest point of propodeum (scutellar scale level) approximately 87:100:90:90:90. Pronotal anterior margin convex with rounded humeral angles. Propodeum well developed, ca. one third of total mesosoma length in dorsal view. In lateral view dorsal profile of mesosoma slanted along medial line, rising on a very low curve (straighter in four specimens) from pronotum to scutellar scale (where it peaks), sloping down over dorsal propodeal face (angle of ca. 45º) and more steeply (ca. 70º) over posterior propodeal face (propodeal faces slightly indistinct, transition apparently at half propodeum height). Scutellar scale weakly transverse and small: narrow (ca. 1–2 punctures wide), short (slightly shorter than its width), low, rounded at the posterior margin (in dorsal view), apically weakly shiny (Figs. 2K–L); mesosoma width 8.8–12.6 × scutellar scale width (measured at same level). Legs. Meso and metatibia externally with ca. nine robust spines in two parallel rows (e.g. five and four spines), apically with two serrated spurs on inner side. Metasoma dorsally oval. T1 well developed, trapezoidal, proportionately broad and protruding dorsally, with convex sides (subangular), narrower than base of T2; basolaterally with one large protuberant blunt dentiform tubercle on each side of tergite, oriented diagonally towards propodeal posterior face. T2 with rounded convex sides, widest point approximately at tergite mid-length. T6 basally strigate, sculpture merging with pygidium. Pygidium (Fig. 2D) broadest basally, length 1.2 × basal width, delimited laterally by low carina (more evident distally; dorsally weakly convex; densely striated longitudinally apicad, striae basally concentric, laterally divergent towards the sides, running sub-parallel; striae less defined apically, some reduced to punctures. S1 with medial low longitudinal carina. S6 apically bidentate.
Intraspecific variation (FEMALE; n = 24). Five specimens are of ‘curtiventris’ form (sensu Nonveiller, 1959; e.g. Fig. 3B), and are treated separately at the end. (1) Colouration of integument. Clypeus (n = 10) varies from being dark chestnut brown only laterally and medially on upper half (n = 4), to a more reddish tone on those areas (n = 4), to more extensively and lighter red all over (including the lower half; n = 2). Reddish colouration on antennal tubercle and postgena varies according to colour of clypeus (e.g. being entirely red on those individuals with more extensively red clypeus); antennal tubercle infrequently darker to black (n = 3). Head infrequently with reduced or lacking reddish areas, with dark clypeus, postgena, postgenal bridge, oral fossa and anterior malar space; vertex may show small reddish spot (n = 4). Antenna may be slightly darker or paler than described above; on the darklegged specimen from Virtudes (Fig. 3F), flagellum mostly dark brown, slightly paler ventrally on F1–5. Propleuron infrequently dark brown, rather than blackish. Procoxa most frequently darker (dark reddish-brown to blackish) than meso and metacoxae; profemur medially contrastingly darkened (to blackish) on most specimens; some specimens with meso and metafemora weakly darkened apically or with darker brown legs (e.g. Figs. 3C, 3F). S3–5 occasionally less reddish, uniformly darker blackish-brown. Pygidium most frequently tinged dark purplish-red over its apical third and reddish at the very apex (otherwise black). Pubescence of vertex occasionally more extensive anteriorly (e.g. Fig. 2B). T3 band of pale pubescence most frequently slightly narrower apicomedially (medial shortening of pubescence, but also fine black setae). T2 felt-line ca. 0.3–0.4 × T2 lateral length, composed of variable proportion of blackish and pale golden short appressed setae, appearing mostly pale golden to mostly blackish, depending on lighting angle and setae colour proportions. (2) Shape and structure. Body shape, in particular mesosoma and metasoma somewhat variable, even if ‘curtiventris’ specimens are disregarded (Fig. 3A–G). Metasoma varies in robustness within ‘normal’ (‘non-curtiventris’) specimens; T2 is notably convex laterally in the particularly robust specimen from Ribeira do Torgal (Fig. 3A). Weak occipital carina apparent on lower gena on some specimens. Humeral carina sometimes indistinct. Pygidium (Fig. 4A–F), though always broadest basally (length 1.1–1.4 × basal width), somewhat variable in shape (subtriangular, oval to rarely elliptical) and striation pattern; in a sample of 11 specimens, orientation of striae relative to longitudinal medial axis varies from 20º (n = 8), to subparallel (n = 2; Fig. 4D), to ca. 45º (n = 1; Fig. 4F); number of striae across maximum width most frequently of ca. 21 (n = 4), but varies from 16 (n = 1), 18 (n = 2), 19 (n = 1), 23 (n = 1), 24 (n = 1), to maximum of 28 (n = 1; Fig. 4A); differences not correlated with the ‘curtiventris’ condition.
‘Curtiventris’ specimens: colour of integument, pubescence and sculpture of these individuals agree with the remaining specimens, differing in shape and structure as follows. Head: slightly broader and dorsally less convex. Mesosoma: subquadrate with truncate propodeum. Metasoma: T1 very short, discoidal and anteriorly truncate; T2 somewhat shorter than in typical specimens, anteriorly broader and bulging; pygidium shorter on some specimens (e.g. Fig. 4E).
Description. MALE (hitherto unknown). Body length 11.1 mm. Colouration. Head black, except for narrow subapical ferruginous-red band on mandible. Vertex and frons with golden appressed pubescence, denser between ocelli and eye inner notch, with few golden setae between ocelli; upper vertex, posterad to ocelli, with brownishblack sparse appressed pubescence; frons to occipital carina with sparse pale brownish short setae. Sparse golden appressed setae over gena, denser on malar space, similar pubescence fringing clypeus posteriorly, denser laterally and longer medially. Mandible baso-externally to external tooth covered with dense appressed golden pubescence. Palpi brown covered with dense golden minute setae. Antenna brown (left antenna with F8–11 missing, right antenna missing), except for dark-brown scape, orange-brown pedicel and orange-brown F4–7 ventrally; scape dorsally with sparse suberect golden setae, posteriorly with denser whitish recumbent pubescence, pedicel, F1 and partially F2 with dense minute golden setae. Mesosoma pale ferruginous-red, except for black pronotal collar, antero-medial spot on pronotum, sternum and blackish-brown propleuron; pronotum covered with moderately sparse pale golden recumbent pubescence, posteriorly forming fringe;mesoscutum covered with sparse thin black recumbent pubescence; scutellum and upper propodeum medially with moderately dense suberect pale golden setae; propodeum with long whitish erect setae; tegula ferruginous-brown, inner half covered with somewhat dense black recumbent setae and few pale golden recumbent setae anteriorly. Wings infuscate, yellowish-brown, weakly paler over the cells (except for the radial cell); veins yellowish-brown, darker brown on costal, subcostal and median veins, veins of pterostigma blackish-brown. Legs brown, darker on meso and metatibia, paler on meso and metatarsi, orange-brown trochantera and femora basally, blackish coxae; meso and metatibia with somewhat dense yellowish-white subrecumbent pubescence; meso and metatarsi with dense short brownish-yellow pubescence; tibial spines and tarsal spines yellow; tibial spurs yellowish-white. Metasoma black, except for blackish-brown T1 and reddish-brown S1; T1 with apical fringe of sparse pale brownish-yellow recumbent pubescence; silvery-yellowish appressed pubescence defines broad apical band on T2 (antero-medially weakly enlarged triangularly) and full bands over T3–4; T1–2 anterolaterally with long whitish erect setae; S2–4 with fringe of yellowish-white pubescence; felt-line on T2 at least 0.7 × T2 length, composed of mostly black setae; felt-line on S2 short ca. 0.2 × length of T2 felt-line, composed of golden-brown setae. Shape and structure. Head oval in frontal view, with divergent sides behind eyes, rounded posterior angles and weakly convex posterior margin, slightly broader than pronotum, densely punctate with small punctures, interspaces narrower than puncture diameter; vertex not notably prominent. Clypeus shiny, impuctate, with short low medial carina posteriorly, medially notably concave, with anterior margin weakly upturned forming divergent microsculptured tubercle on each anterolateral corner, both medially separated by weakly concave notch. Eye oval with obtuse internal notch; ocelli medium-sized, anterior ocellus diameter (ca. 0.27 mm) similar to width of F1, POL <OOL; mandible apically tridentate (innermost tooth rounded and weak, formed by apical end of strongly convex dorsolateral carina), externally notably convex, with strong obtuse external subbasal tooth. F1 length ca. 2.6 × pedicel and ca. 0.8 × F2 and F3; distal four flagellomeres missing on left antenna, right antenna missing; scape ventrally longitudinally bicarinate. Mesosoma sub-trapezoidal, pronotal sides weakly convergent and notably broader than propodeum, with rounded anterior angles, weakly arcuate anterior margin, rounded posterior angles and subtruncate propodeum posteriorly. Forewing with radial cell elongate and apically narrowed, subacuminate; second tranverso-cubital vein “L”-shaped, with vestigial spurious vein; pterostigma subcelluliform, with blackish thickened veins and paler centre, narrow and elongated (length 2.5 × width). Tegula basally with a few setiferous punctures, externally smooth impunctate. Tibiae externally with double row of ca. five short strong spines and apically with ca. six short straight spines. Left foreleg missing tarsus and tibia. T1 campanuliform, apical width ca. 2.1 × medial length and ca. 0.53 × T2 maximum width, the transition to T2 well marked. T2 densely and very finely punctate, punctures round to weakly elongated, interspaces one puncture wide or less. T7 apically truncate, with dorsum apicolateraly low carinate; densely and coarsely punctate, except for impunctate thin medial longitudinal line and lateral area below lateral carina. S8 apically weakly rounded, densely punctate, not reticulate, punctures smaller and less dense than on T7. Measured dorsally, relation of head width including eyes: head width behind eyes: anterior margin of pronotum: pronotum at anterior margin of tegula: mesosoma width including tegula: mesosoma width at anterior section of propodeum: propodeum posteriorly: apical margin of T1: maximum width of T2 is approximately 77:75:64:82:100:69:67:47:92.
Remarks. The proportion of ‘curtiventris’ female specimens seems notable (e.g. five in 26, or 19%), more markedly at one locality (Quinta da Charneca – Casais do Sol, 50% ‘curtiventris’); this contrasts with the proportion found on other sympatric species, such as Smicromyrme partitus Klug (e.g. two in 80, or ca. 3%; own data). The underlying causes for this phenotype are not yet understood; it has been recorded on several other species (Nonveiller 1959; personal data). Schwartz (1986) describes the mesosomal ratio between the anterior and posterior margin (pronotum and propodeum, respectively) as 1.2, while on all Portuguese specimens the same ratio does not go beyond 1.1, suggesting a slightly less trapezoidal shape. Genitalia were not extracted, due to the male being an unique specimen. Left antenna was loosen and glued on a card triangle. Phenology. The type series of S. plantourianus was obtained in July (the holotype on the 19 th; Schwartz 1986); the new records extend the known period of activity from July 1 st to the 22 nd September; the species was recorded only during this short period on localities visited year-round (Carreiras, Torres Vedras), suggesting it is an univoltine mostly summer species.
Distribution. Southern France, Spain (Marcello Romano, personal data in litt.), Portugal (Figs. 6, 7B).
Habitat. The species is currently known from more than ten localities (see ‘Material examined’, above). In common between them seems to be the marked native Mediterranean and thermophilic character of the vegetation, generally with a mature arboreal and dense shrubby strata present, including diverse maquis/garrigue; in some localities (e.g. those within Torres Vedras municipality), this effectively corresponds to the only patch of natural vegetation in an otherwise altered general area (surrounded by agricultural land, e.g. extensive vineyards, where the species is apparently not present). The general habitat includes pure or mixed woodland, where dominant tree species are cork oak Quercus suber, olm oak Q. ilex, pedunculate oak Q. robur (Central Portugal) and Portuguese oak Q. faginea (Southern Portugal), sometimes mixed with maritime pine Pinus pinaster and stone pine P. pinea, where other species may be present, including kermes oak Q. coccifera, olive tree Olea europaea, wild olive tree O. europaea var. sylvestris, strawberry tree Arbutus unedo and blackthorn Prunus spinosa; the undergrowth is generally well developed and includes Mediterranean buckthorn Rhamnus alaternus, hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, Spanish lavender Lavandula stoechas, broom (Genista spp.), gorse (Ulex spp.), common myrtle Myrtus communis, rock rose (Cistus crispus, C. salviifolius, C. ladanifer), bramble Rubus cf. ulmifolius, honeysuckle Lonicera spp., bracken fern Pteridium aquilinum, various grasses, dense lichens and mosses. The soil is very variable across localities, and does not seem to determine the presence of the species (includes a wide range: granitic, shale-derived clay, Pliocenic sands, silty loose soil and deep organic soil over shale-quartzitic bedrock).
Comparison with other species in genus Smicromyrme. A) FEMALE. Six other species of Smicromyrme which are known from the female sex are currently recorded in the Iberian Peninsula. Smicromyrme plantourianus bears only one basal spot on T2, medially, distinguishing it from S. partitus (Klug, 1835), which has three basal spots; in addition, most obviously, S. partitus has medially interrupted bands of pubescence on T2–3; females of Smicromyrme fasciaticollis (Spinola, 1843), not yet found in Portugal, are apparently not clearly distinguishable from S. partitus, and are thus separable from S. plantourianus by the same characteristics.
Smicromyrme sulcisius Invrea, 1955 (= ingauna Invrea, 1958, varinella Invrea, 1960), also bears three basal spots on T2, but the lateral spots are occasionally less dense and well defined, appearing dorsally absent; it differs in mesosomal shape (laterally with rising straight dorsum over the longitudinal mid-line, more notably trapezoidal and elongate), metasomal shape (T1 more elongate, T2 more elongate and basally narrower), legs differently coloured (if all red, protibia not notably darkened medially), scutellar scale (much larger, wider and well defined), shape of pale pubescence spot over vertex (more extensive, acutely prolonged towards frons), shape of mandible (more elongate, slenderer, with distal element externally straight, not convex), narrower hypostomal bridge, pronotum darkened between the humeral angles (not only medially) and shape of head (less globular, more triangular and less developed behind the eyes).
Smicromyrme rufipes (Fabricius, 1787) has one single basal spot on T2, as S. plantourianus; it differs clearly from that species on various characteristics, including mesosomal shape (sides of propodeum not compressed), shape and pattern of pygidium (subparallel sides to basally weakly broader, covered with parallel striae), metasomal pubescence pattern (apical band of T2 narrow and not medially broader), shape of mandible (less robust and slenderer), shape of head (weakly developed behind the eyes), shape of scutellar scale (typically wide, with a groove anterad; see Petersen 1988) and pronotum not darkened medially; in addition, S. rufipes is on average a smaller and slenderer species overall. Smicromyrme rufipes is now considered to represent a complex of at least three species, all with similar structure (Schmid-Egger & Schmidt 2021, 2022); S. rufipes sensu stricto is apparently present only north of the Pyrenees and it is uncertain which species of the complex (if any) is present in the Iberian Peninsula, with S. frankburgeri Schmid-Egger in Schmid-Egger & Schmidt, 2022 potentially occurring, but there are probably additional undescribed Iberian species attributable to this complex (personal observation).
Smicromyrme ruficollis (Fabricius, 1793) also has only one basal spot on T2; it can be distinguished from S. plantourianus by many of the criteria that separate it from S. rufipes, namely the pygidium shape (subparallel sides to basally weakly broader, which is covered however with divergent striae), shape of mandible (less robust and slenderer), shape of head (less developed behind the eyes), shape of scutellar scale (slightly wider and weakly arcuate), absence of well defined spot of pale pubescence over vertex, pronotum not darkened medially, antennomere proportions (F1 not longer than F2) and it is also a smaller, slenderer species on average. This species may consist of a complex of species similarly to S. rufipes (personal observation).
Smicromyrme ceballosi (Fig. 1) is easily distinguished, not only by the diagnostic full band of pale pubescence over T5, but also by general shape, the proportionately smaller head, the differently shaped scutellar scale, the shape of the apical band of T2 (medially more acute) and shape and pattern of pygidium, among the most obvious features.
Additional species of Smicromyrme (females) bearing three basal spots are currently being described by the author from the Iberian Peninsula, and will be covered in a different paper. Furthermore, the female S. suberratus is not yet known with certainty (putative female described in Pagliano & Strumia 2013).
B) MALE. In addition to S. plantourianus, eleven species of Smicromyrme known from the male sex are currently recorded from the Iberian Peninsula. Two of those are included in the nominotypical subgenus, S. rufipes and S. ruficollis; together with S. ferdinandi Invrea, 1953, these three species are distinguished from the newly described form by the absence of full metasomal bands of pale pubescence and different clypeal structure, among other characteristics.
Two other species are classified in subgenus Astomyrme Schwartz, 1984: S. suberratus Invrea, 1957 and S. opistomelas Invrea, 1950; among other distinguishing features, both lack basal external tooth on mandible and pale metasomal bands, and have very large ocelli.
Smicromyrme matritentis (Mercet, 1905) bears a broad apical band of pale pubescence on T2 and full band over T3; however, it lacks both a band over T4 and basal external tooth on mandible (such as species in subgenus Astomyrme).
Five other species, one of them represented by two subspecies, bear metasomal bands of pale pubescence: S. merceti, S. partitus, S. fasciaticollis, S. metanotalis (André, 1902) (S. m. metanotalis and S. m. andradei Suárez, 1954) and S. sulcisius Invrea, 1955. Both S. merceti and S. metanotalis andradei lack a pale metasomal band on T4, and have different clypeus structure. Both S. partitus and S. fasciaticollis differ from the newly described form in clypeus structure, and other features that include colouration and narrow apical band on T2, typically medially sparser, defining more or less clearly a notch. Finally, both S. metanotalis metanotalis and S. sulcisius have full bands of pale pubescence over T3–4; however, both have apically straight clypeus, rather than weakly concave and upturned, with no notable anterolateral tuberculi; other distinguishing features include the sub-hyaline wings, shape of head, absence of well developed pale pubescence over vertex or different punctation over T2 disc.
description: Published as part of Matias, Rafael, 2023, Smicromyrme ceballosi Suárez, 1959 and S. plantourianus Schwartz, 1986: two little known species new for Portugal (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae), pp. 58-82 in Zootaxa 5375 (1) on pages 64-77, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5375.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/10171069