Odontepyris bedus Alencar et Azevedo, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Alencar, Isabel D. C. C.
name: Azevedo, Celso O.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Bethylidae
Odontepyris
Odontepyris bedus

description: Odontepyris bedus Alencar et Azevedo, sp. nov.
(Figs 6–21)
Diagnosis. FEMALE. Head with vertex crest slightly concave. Pronotal disc with anterior margin straight. Scutellar pit circular, deep; scutellar groove wide, deep, trabeculate, with distinct carina medially, incomplete, posterior margin of groove straight. Propodeal disc with discal carina complete, converging posterad, converging posterad. Mesopleuron with dentate process projected, almost laminar. Hypopygium elevated posteriorly and puncticulate. MALE. Similar to female except: hypopygium short, posterior margin with pair of small median lobes; apex of median stalk with laminar and wide expansion in lateral view; stalk expansion with convex inner margin and outer margin inclined, genitalia with aedeagus bottle-shaped; dorso-median part of genital ring with flattened cross-section.
Description. Holotype. FEMALE (Fig. 6). Length 5.1 mm. LFW 2.7 mm.
Color. Head, clypeus and mesosoma black; metasoma dark castaneous nearly black; mandible rufo-castaneous; palpi castaneous; antenna rufo-castaneous, darkening distad; legs dark castaneous, lighting distad; tegula castaneous; wings hyaline; costa, subcosta, prostigma and stigma dark castaneous, radius castaneous, other veins light castaneous.
Head (Fig 7–9). Head wider than long, subtriangular in profile. Mandible evenly wide, with four apical teeth two lower larger than upper ones (Fig. 8). Clypeus coriaceous-puncticulate; median lobe long, triangular with apex rounded, base almost as wide as apex; median carina complete not extending back into frons, median-highed, and straight in profile; emargination between median and lateral lobes broadly arched; lateral lobe inconspicuous, trapezoidal; without basal pit. Malar space carinate, with suture between mandible and eye. Antenna length 1.6 mm; first five antennal segments in ratio of 7:4:4:3:3; flagellomeres thick, equally sized; segment III 2 × longer than thick; flagellar pubescence dense, subappressed, and short, with few outstanding erect setae; placoid sensillae present in upper surface (Fig. 9); papillary sensillae present from distal half of third flagellomere to antenna apex. Torulus slightly projected. Eye gibbous, glabrous. Frons coriaceous-punctate to coriaceous-sparse punctate. WH equal LH. WF 0.6 × WH. WF 1.1 × HE. OOL 1.5 × WOT. Ocelli small; anterior ocellus not surpassing imaginary top eye line; frontal angle of ocellar triangle acute; posterior ocellus distant from vertex crest. Distance from posterior ocelli to vertex crest 1.5 × DAO. Vertex crest slightly concave. Temple profile parallel in dorsal view, with corner convex, slightly projected posterolaterad. Occipital carina absent. Maxillary palpus narrow and long. Labial palpus wide and short.
Mesosoma (Figs 10,11). Pronotal collar regularly sized. Pronotal disc coriaceous and papillate, short; anterior margin straight; anterior corner angulate; lateral margin papillate (with medium-sized hairy warts); posterior margin straight. Mesoscutum with parapsidal furrow absent anteriorly, conspicuous all extension; lateral of mesoscutum weakly elevate posteriorly; lateral margin of mesoscutum carinate; area between parapsidal furrows regularly punctate. Scutellum coriaceous-punctate, short, convex in profile, posterior margin almost straight medially; scutellar pit distinctly present, circular, deep; scutellar groove present, wide, deep, trabeculate, with distinct carina medially, incomplete, posterior margin of groove straight. Mesoaxillar oval, rugulose inside. Metanotum very narrow medially, median region elevate, foveolate, with foveae circular laterally, metaxillar pit imbricate. Propodeal disc wider than long; anterior carina narrow, followed by row of irregular foveae medially; median carina complete posteriorly; discal carina present, complete, converging posterad; lateral carina present, followed by depressed area narrow, and foveolate; sublateral carina absent; transverse posterior carina arched followed by narrow depressed foveolate area, corner of carina projected dorsally; space between median and discal carinae depressed, imbricatestrigulate; space between lateral and discal carinae elevate, imbricate anterad to strigulate posterad. Propodeum laterally predominantly coriaceous, rugulose dorsally, carinate and foveolate ventrally, not foveolate posteriorly, anterior region with three pits, median one deepest, pits upper one smallest. Propodeal declivity imbricate, with median carina absent; lateral carina conspicuous; lower carina wide, straight, followed by depressed foveolate area. Mesopleuron with subtegular groove very large anteriorly, oval, carinate, uniformly narrow posterad; dentate process developed, projected, almost laminar, coriaceous to foveolate above process, weakly coriaceous and shining below process; anterior area of mesopleuron foveolate and puncticulate; mesopleural fovea small, subcircular; mesopleural pit deep; inferior margin of lower fovea undistinguished.
Wings. Fore wing with discoidal cell absent; Rs+M short; M 0.6 × Rs; prostigma continuous to stigma, and narrow; posterior stigmal margin truncate, inclined; radial vein slightly arched. Hind wing with four hamuli, distal hamulus discontinuous from basal ones; wing 2.5 × as long as wide.
Legs. Fore femur slender; claws bifid.
Metasoma (Fig. 12). Weakly coriaceous, shining and puncticulate; setae long; second sternum puncticulate; hypopygium elevate posteriorly, puncticulate.
MALE (Fig. 13). Length 2 mm. LFW 3.2 mm.
Color. Head, clypeus and mesosoma black; metasoma dark castaneous nearly black; mandible rufo-castaneous; palpi castaneous; antenna rufo-castaneous, darkening distad; legs dark castaneous, paler distad; tegula castaneous; wings hyaline; costa, subcosta, prostigma and stigma dark castaneous, radius castaneous, other veins light castaneous.
Head (Fig. 14). Head wider than long, subtriangular in profile. Mandible evenly wide, with four apical teeth two lower larger than upper ones. Clypeus coriaceous-puncticulate; median lobe long, triangular with apex rounded, base almost as wide as apex; median carina complete extending back into frons, median-highed, and convex in profile; emargination between median and lateral lobes broadly arched; lateral lobe inconspicuous, trapezoidal; with basal pit. Malar space not carinate, without suture between mandible and eye. Antenna length 1.7 mm; first five antennal segments in ratio of 13:7:7:6:6; flagellomeres thin, gradually smaller and shorter distad; segment III 1.5 × longer than broad; flagellar pubescence dense, subappressed, and short, with many outstanding erect setae; placoid sensillae absent; papillary sensillae absent. Torulus slightly projected. Eye gibbous, glabrous. Frons coriaceous-punctate to coriaceous-sparse punctate. WH 1.1 × LH. WF 0.5 × WH. WF 1.3 × HE. OOL 0.3 × WOT. Ocelli small; anterior ocellus not surpassing imaginary top eye line; frontal angle of ocellar triangle acute; posterior ocellus distant from vertex crest. Distance from posterior ocelli to vertex crest 1.5 × DAO. Vertex crest slightly concave. Temple profile parallel in dorsal view, with corner convex, slightly projected posterolaterad. Occipital carina absent. Maxillary palpus narrow and long. Labial palpus narrow and long.
Mesosoma (Figs 15,16). Pronotal collar regularly sized. Pronotal disc coriaceous and papillate, short; anterior margin straight; anterior corner angulate; lateral margin papillate (with median-sized hairy warts); posterior margin straight. Mesoscutum with parapsidal furrow absent anteriorly, conspicuous all extension; lateral margin of mesoscutum carinate; area between parapsidal furrows regularly punctate. Scutellum coriaceous-punctate, short, convex in profile, posterior margin almost straight medially; scutellar pit distinctly present, circular, deep; scutellar groove present, wide, deep, trabeculate, with distinct carina medially, incomplete, posterior margin of groove straight. Mesoaxillar oval, polished and shining inside. Metanotum very narrow medially, median region elevate, foveolate, with foveae circular laterally, metaxillar pit imbricate. Propodeal disc wider than long; anterior carina narrow, followed by row of irregular foveae medially; median carina complete posteriorly; discal carina present, complete, converging posterad; lateral carina present, followed by depressed area narrow, and foveolate; sublateral carina absent; transverse posterior carina arched followed by narrow depressed foveolate area, corner of carina projecting dorsally; space between median and discal carinae depressed, imbricate-strigulate anterad, weakly imbricate posterad; space between lateral and discal carinae elevate, imbricate anterad to strigulate posterad. Propodeum laterally predominantly coriaceous, rugulose dorsally, carinate and foveolate ventrally, not foveolate posteriorly, anterior region with three pits, median one deepest, pits upper one smallest. Propodeal declivity imbricate, with median carina incomplete, present in anterior third; lateral carina conspicuous; lower carina wide, arched, followed by depressed foveolate area. Mesopleuron with subtegular groove very large anteriorly, oval, carinate, uniformly narrow posterad; dentate process developed, projected, almost laminar, coriaceous to foveolate above process, weakly coriaceous and shining below process; anterior area of mesopleuron foveolate and puncticulate; mesopleural fovea small, subcircular; mesopleural pit deep; inferior margin of lower fovea undistinguished.
Wings. Fore wing with discoidal cell and Rs+M absent; M 0.4 × Rs; prostigma continuous to stigma, and narrow; posterior stigmal margin truncate, inclined; radial vein slightly arched. Hind wing with four hamuli, distal hamulus adjacent to basal ones.
Legs. Fore femur slender.
Metasoma (Figs 17–21). Weakly coriaceous, shining and puncticulate; setae short; second sternum puncticulate. Hypopygium short; 1.45 × as long as wide; median stalk as long as basal portion of hypopygium, stalk with base large and narrowing to apex in frontal view, apex with laminar and wide expansion in lateral view; stalk expansion with convex inner margin and outer margin inclined; lateral stalk short with apex sharpened and lateral inner margin arched to inner portion of hypopygium; lateral margin convex; posterior margin with pair of small median lobes. Genitalia: paramere short and narrow, with apex rounded, dorsal margin slight convex near apex; digitus with narrow apex; cuspis simple, apex convex; aedeagus bottle-shaped; superior lobes with inner expansion in ventral view; apodeme of aedeagus not extending beyond elliptical genital ring; genital ring developed dorsally, dorso-median part of genital ring with flattened cross-section; basal ring broad dorsally with convex superior and lateral margins, posterior margin divergent, ventral portion reduced to ring.
Type material. HOLOTYPE Ƥ, MADAGASCAR, Toliara Prov [ince], Manderano, 70 m, edge of marsh, 5 m from road, 23°31'39"S, 44°5'18"E, 23.vi–28.vii.2002, MT, gallery forest, Frontier Wilderness Project coll., MGF 035, CASENT 2078949. PARATYPES: Mahajanga Province, Parc National de Namoroka: 16.9 km 317°NW Vilanandro, 100 m, 16°24'24"S, 45°18'36"E, 12–16.xi.2002, Fisher, Griswold et al. coll.: 2 Ƥ, MT, tropical dry forest, BLF6581, CASENT 2103167, CASENT 2103169; 1 Ƥ, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), tropical dry forest, BLF6582, CASENT 2064945; 1 Ƥ, YPT, tropical dry forest, BLF6586, CASENT 2111463; Parc National de Tsingy de Bemaraha, 3.4 km 93°E Bekopaka, Tombeau Vazimba, 50 m, 19°8'31"S, 44°49'41"E, 6– 10.xi.2001, Fisher, Griswold et al.: 1 3 (ALLOTYPE), sifted litter, tropical dry forest, BLF4232, CASENT 2061442; 2 Ƥ, MT, tropical dry forest, BLF 4233 CASENT 2116131, CASENT 2116679. Province Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, near Isalo National Park, dry wash east of Interpretive Center, 885 m, 22°37.60'S, 45°21.49'E, MT, open area, M. Irwin, R. Harin'Hala: 1 Ƥ, 22–29.iv.2002, MA-02-11B-25, CASENT 2111718; 1 Ƥ, 6–14.xii.2002, MA-02-11B-49, CASENT 2113159; 1 Ƥ, 17–28.iii.2003, MA-02-11B-59, CASENT 2104240. Toliara Prov [ince] Fiherenana, Frontier Wilderness Project coll., MT in gallery forest: 100 m, 23°10'37"S, 43°57'39"E, MT in gallery forest: 2 Ƥ, MGF 041, CASENT 2083409, CASENT 2083413; 4 Ƥ, 22–31.x.2002, MGF 042, CASENT 2088049, CASENT 2088059, CASENT 2088086, CASENT 2088101; 3 Ƥ, 31.x–6.xi.2002, MGF 045, CASENT 2111001, CASENT 2111064, CASENT 2111215; 1 Ƥ, 30 m, Lake Ranobe, 23°02.468'S, 43°36.607'E, 25–31.iv.2003, MT, spiny forest / tamarind forest near lake edge, MGF 066, CASENT 2089361; 23°10.619'S, 43°57.685'E: 1 Ƥ, 18–19.viii.2003, leaf litter extraction in small undisturbed riparian forest valley, MGF 077, CASENT 2089452; 18–22.viii.2003, MT in small undisturbed riparian forest valley: 4 Ƥ, 13, MGF 078, CASENT 2089339, CASENT 2089346, CASENT 2089347, CASENT 2089354, CASENT 2089353; 1 Ƥ, MGF 079, CASENT 2103912; 50 m, 23°13'17"S, 43°52'52"E: 3 Ƥ, 17.xi.2002, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), gallery forest, MGF 046, CASENT 2111030, CASENT 2111180, CASENT 2111283; 3 Ƥ, 16.x–16.xi.2002, MT in degraded gallery forest, MGF 047, CASENT 2089481, CASENT 2089483, CASENT 2089487; 1 Ƥ, Sept Lacs, 120 m, 23°31'15"S, 44°9'35"E, 21–26.viii.2002, MT, gallery forest, MGF 038, CASENT 2083456; 1 Ƥ, Manderano, 70 m, edge of marsh, 5 m from road, 23°31'39"S, 44°5'18"E, 23.vi–28.vii.2002, MT, gallery forest, MGF 035, CASENT 2078919. 1 Ƥ, Tulear Province, Andohahela Nat'l Park, Tsimelahy, Parcelle II, 180 m, 24°56.21'S, 46°37.60'E, 12–23.ii.2004, MT in transitional forest, M. Irwin, F. Parker, R. Harin'Hala, MA- 02-20-54, CASENT 2112095; Antsiranana: Res[erve] Analamerana, 1 3, 28.4 km 99° Anivorano-Nord, 60 m, 5.xii.2004, 12°44'48"S 049°29'41"E, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), tropical dry forest, B.L.Fisher, BLF11400, CASENT 2089804, 1 3, 16.7 km 123° Anivorano-Nord, 225 m, 3.xii.2004, 12°48'17"S, 049°22'26" E, MT, B.L.Fisher coll., tropical dry forest, BLF11276, CASENT 2104151; 1 3, Forêt d'Ampondrabe, 26.3 km 10° NNE Daraina, 175m, 10.xii.2003, 12°58'12"S, 049°42'00"E, MT, tropical dry forest, B.L.Fisher coll., BLF9976, CASENT 2089705
Comments. This is the most abundantly collected species of Odontepyris in Madagascar. This species is unique in having the female hypopygium elevated posteriorly and puncticulate.
Odontepyris bedus sp. nov. is similar to O. marishi Terayama 1999 from Ryukyus because both species have the pronotal disc with the anterior margin straight and lateral margins angulate, the scutellar groove scrobiculate, the discoidal cell absent and the pterostigma large. However O. marishi has a very short stub of vein arising from the posterior of the Rs vein and the discal carina of the propodeal disc is arched (Terayama 1999: 105, fig. 16), whereas O. bedus sp. nov. has the stub vein absent and the posterior carina of propodeal disc converging posterad in a diagonal line.
The only five Odontepyris males collected in Madagascar were sex associated to females of O. bedus sp. nov. because they share many features such as: the vertex crest concave, the wings with 2/3 anterior portion narrower than in other Madagascar species, the Rs+M short, the scutellar groove trabeculate, the pronotal disc smooth and the propodeal disc with median and discal carinae incomplete.
From 34 known species in Odontepyris, there are eight with male-female association and just one is known only by male specimens. The male-female associations are rare to Odontepyris since males are rarely collected with Malaise trap.
description: Published as part of Alencar, Isabel D. C. C. & Azevedo, Celso O., 2011, Revision of Malagasy Odontepyris Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), pp. 26-40 in Zootaxa 2935 on pages 29-34, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.203804