Eotilla medanito Torrens, Fidalgo, Roig-Alsina & Brothers, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Torréns, Javier
name: Fidalgo, Patricio
name: Roig-Alsina, Arturo
name: Brothers, Denis J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Mutillidae
Eotilla
Eotilla medanito

description: Eotilla medanito Torréns, Fidalgo, Roig-Alsina & Brothers, sp. nov.
(Figs 3, 7, 13, 14, 20, 23–25, 29, 34, 35)
Diagnosis. Male. Head and mesosoma black (Figs 3, 7), metasoma entirely orange but apical terga darkened (Figs 13, 14). T2 with a group of scale-like setae on central area. Posterior terga and sterna without dark, short and coarse setae. T7 with an inverted-V-shaped depression medially. Female. General body color light brown to reddish, sometimes pleura, propodeum, legs and last two or three segments of metasoma with dark brown area (Figs 23–25, 29). All terga and sterna, except T1, without scale-like setae (Figs 23, 25, 29). Posterior surface of propodeum with striation, especially well marked on sides.
Description. Male. Length 4.3–4.7 mm. Head and mesosoma black, metasoma orange. Scape, pedicel, flagellomeres except outer surface, coxae, fore and mid femora and tibia dark brown; rest of legs and antennae light brown. (Figs 3, 7).
Head oval, 1.1–1.3 × as broad as high and 1.2–1.4 × as broad as mesosoma, with dense scale-like setae covering entire head, except around ocelli; gena covered with scale-like setae; plumose setae long, white and scattered over entire head, including vertex and occiput; vertex smooth (Fig. 20). POL 1.7–1.9 × as long as OOL, POL 1.6–2.1 × as long as LOL; eyes ovoid, separated by 1.0–1.1 × their height, malar space 0.05–0.13 × eye height. Scape with scale-like and white plumose setae covering almost entire surface except longitudinal carina ventrally; scape 1.8–1.9 × as long as broad and 1.9–2.6 × as long as pedicel; flagellomeres cylindrical, F1 0.8–0.9 × length of scape and 0.7–0.8 × length of F2, flagellomeres F2–F4 approximately same length, rest of flagellomeres gradually decreasing in length, F11 elongated with rounded apex.
Mesosoma elongate, 1.6–1.9 × as long as broad (Fig. 7); punctation well marked, spaced on dorsum and more contiguous on pleura and propodeum. Pronotum transverse, anteriorly forming a collar with small plumose setae, rest covered completely with scale-like setae and scattered white plumose setae. Mesonotum moderately punctuate; with scattered scale-like and white plumose setae, scale-like setae denser on posterior margin; tegula convex, smooth and covered with scale-like setae; scutellum with scale-like and white plumose setae covering the entire surface. Metanotum transverse, narrow, with scale-like and white plumose setae. Propodeum with contiguous punctation becoming spaced on vertical surface; with small dark plumose setae dorsally; vertical surface with a few scale-like setae and with scattered long white plumose setae; rest of propodeum covered with scale-like and white plumose setae. Propleuron covered almost completely with scale-like setae and long white plumose setae; mesopleuron convex, densely covered by scale-like and plumose setae; metapleuron with spaced punctation, metepisternum covered by long plumose setae on central area and with scale-like setae at insertion of metacoxa, metepimeron covered with scale-like setae.
Fore wing 3.2–3.4 × as long as broad, moderately setose (Fig. 3), hyaline; venation light brown, with coarse dark plumose setae on costal and subcostal veins.
Legs slender; anterior surface of coxae, trochanters, femora and tibiae covered by scale-like setae; plumose setae scattered across surfaces of legs, becoming denser where no scale-like setae; mid and hind tibial spurs white.
Metasoma 2.4–2.6 × as long as broad, T1 1.2–1.5 × as long as wide and 0.6 × as wide as T2 (Fig. 13); terga with well-marked contiguous punctation. T1 covered with scale-like setae, except central area dorsally with plumose setae; T2 with a group of scale-like setae on antero-central area and posterior margin, elsewhere with scattered white plumose setae and decumbent dark simple setae; white felt line 0.38–0.50 × lateral length of T2, its anterior extremity at 0.17–0.28 × lateral length of T2; T3 with white plumose setae and decumbent dark simple setae, scale-like setae on posterior margin; T4–T6 covered by scale-like setae and white plumose setae; T6 with scattered dark plumose setae and oblique dark brown coarse plumose setae on central area of apical margin; T7 with a smooth inverted-V-shaped depression medially, scale-like setae on both sides of depression anteriorly, and scattered dark brown plumose setae; sterna with sculpture and distribution of setae similar to corresponding terga, except S1 without or with only a few scale-like setae posterolaterally, S2 with several scattered scale-like setae covering whole surface, S7 asetose and S8 with dark semi-erect plumose and decumbent strong simple setae and a few scale-like setae (Fig. 14).
Female. Length 2.7–3.7 mm. General body color light brown to reddish (Figs 23, 29), sometimes pleura, propodeum and last two or three segments of metasoma with dark brown patch (Figs 24, 25); scape, pedicel and inner surface of flagellomeres light brown, elsewhere flagellomeres dark brown, basal ¾ of F1 black; apical half of mandible, coxae and femora darker than rest of body (Figs 23–25, 29, 34, 35).
Head 1.1–1.3 × as broad as high and 1.3–1.4 × as broad as mesosoma; with dense scale-like setae covering entire head; scattered dark plumose setae distributed throughout head, longer on clypeus; vertex with spaced punctation and white plumose setae near occiput; gena covered with scale-like setae and scattered dark plumose setae (Figs 34, 35). Eyes separated by 1.1–1.3 × their height, malar space 0.24–0.33 × eye height. Clypeus short and broad, slightly convex; mandible arched, simple, with small preapical denticle on inner edge, distance from inner denticle to apical denticle 0.22 × mandible length. Scape covered with scale-like and plumose setae on dorsal and inner surfaces, with long plumose setae on ventral surface near insertion of pedicel, scape 2.0–2.5 × as long as broad and 1.4–1.7 × as long as pedicel; pedicel 1.8–2.3 × as long as broad; flagellomeres cylindrical, F1 0.5–0.7 × length of scape and 1.0 × as long as F2; remaining flagellomeres approximately same length except F6–F9 gradually decreasing in length, F10 elongated with rounded apex.
Mesosoma elongate, 1.5–1.9 × as long as broad (Figs 25, 29). Pronotum 1.4–1.7 × as broad (across humeral tubercles) as long (excluding anterior collar); humeral tubercle poorly developed; dorsum with well-marked and contiguous punctation anteriorly and spaced punctation on central area, covered with scale-like setae and scattered dark plumose setae throughout, setae longer laterad; lateral face covered with scale-like setae. Fused metanotum and propodeum dorsally covered with scale-like setae and scattered dark plumose setae throughout, plumose setae longer laterad; posterior declivity of propodeum smooth on upper half and striate on lower half especially well marked on sides, with scattered small plumose setae and a few scale-like setae laterad, reaching to insertion of hind coxa. Propleuron smooth and without setae, except a group of dark long plumose setae near insertion of fore coxa; mesopleuron weakly rugose to smooth with a longitudinal carina reaching to half of sclerite from ventral limit of pronotum, covered with scale-like setae, denser above mid coxa and long plumose setae at insertion of mid coxa; metapleural-propodeal suture indistinguishable, with scattered plumose setae and a longitudinal band of scale-like setae above hind coxa continuous with that on mesopleuron, reaching propodeal foramen and connected with scalelike setae of propodeum (Fig. 35).
Legs slender; fore coxa transversely striate, with a group of dark long plumose setae on upper outer surface and distributed at random near insertion of trochanter and on inner surface and few small scale-like setae on outer and posterior surfaces and near insertion of trochanter; mid and hind coxae, trochanters, femora and tibiae covered with scale-like and plumose setae, except no scale-like setae on ventral surfaces.
Metasoma 2.0–2.4 × as long as broad (Figs 25, 29); T1 0.84–0.93 × as long as wide and 0.60–0.70 × as wide as T2; with well-marked contiguous punctation on T1, except central area of vertical surface of T1 smooth; T2–T5 with punctation less marked and dispersed; T6 completely alutaceous. T1 covered with scale-like and scattered dark long plumose setae, except vertical surface without scale-like setae and with a few white long plumose setae; T2 with dark plumose setae across surface, dark felt line 0.17–0.20× lateral length of T2, its anterior extremity 0.20–0.26 × lateral length of T2; T3–T5 with scattered dark plumose setae; T6 without setae. Sterna with sculpture and distribution of setae similar to that of corresponding terga, except S1 with a few scattered plumose setae and without scale-like setae, and S6 with latero-posterior margin with distinct denticles.
Variation. Males. The antennae and legs are sometimes darker, and the femora may be almost completely dark brown; the predominance of scale-like setae on the mesosoma is higher in some specimens; on T2 the scale-like setae may cover almost the entire dorsal region.
Females. The general body color varies among individuals, being slightly darker in some specimens, especially from Saujil (Figs 24, 25), however the general color pattern is retained. Some specimens have fewer scale-like setae on the dorsum of the pronotum. In some specimens the upper half of the propodeum is rugose, and the striation laterally reaching to the dorsal surface.
Discussion. As for E. superba, several specimens of both sexes were collected at the same place and on the same day, in addition to being the only species found there, so that they are considered conspecific.
Etymology. The name “ medanito ” comes from the Spanish diminutive of “médano” and refers to the dune environment where this species lives. It is a noun in apposition.
Distribution. Argentina: Catamarca, La Rioja, Santa Cruz (Fig. 38).
Phenology. November–May.
Material examined. Holotype ♂: ARGENTINA: Catamarca, 3.5 km N de Saujil, Ruta 34 27°32'06"S 67°33'23"W, 1650 m, 4–6/XII/2011, P. Fidalgo, YPT (MACN). Paratypes, 5♂ and 23♀: Catamarca, 3.5 km N de Saujil, Ruta 34 27°32'06"S 67°33'23"W, 1650 m, 4–6/XII/2011, P. Fidalgo, YPT (1♂, IFML); same location, 8/II/ 2006, P. Fidalgo and P. Diez, YPT (3♀, IFML); same location, 13–14/xi/2013, Fidalgo and Torréns (11♀, MACN); same location, 1/v/2014, P. Fidalgo (1♂, 2♀, DJBC); La Rioja, sur de Udpinango 28°42'7"S 66°47'51"W, 991 m, II/2006, P. Fidalgo, G. Fidalgo, P. Diez and P. Torréns, YPT (4♀, IFML); same location, 25/II–4/III/2006, Fidalgo, Diez and Torréns, pit-fall (1♀, DJBC); same location, 20/III/2006, Fidalgo, Diez and Torréns, pit-fall (1♀, DJBC); same location, 8–28/IV/2006, pit-fall (1♀, DJBC); same location, I/2007, J. Torréns and C. Nieto, YPT (2♂, MACN); same location, 2–9/XI/2011, J. Torréns and P. Fidalgo, YPT (1♂, 1♀, IFML); Santa Cruz, 2 km S of Caleta Olivia [46°29'36"S 67°32'55"W], 12/XII/1966, 10 m, E.I. Schlinger and M. Irwin (1♂, CAS).
description: Published as part of Torréns, Javier, Fidalgo, Patricio, Roig-Alsina, Arturo & Brothers, Denis J., 2014, Review of the genus Eotilla Schuster, 1949 (Hymenoptera: Bradynobaenidae: Typhoctinae: Eotillini) and description of new species from Argentina, pp. 1-18 in Zootaxa 3878 (1) on pages 13-14, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3878.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/287324