Prototilla striata Torrens, Fidalgo, Roig-Alsina & Brothers, sp. nov.

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

Prototilla striata Torréns, Fidalgo, Roig-Alsina & Brothers, sp. nov. (Figs 19, 20, 25, 26) Diagnosis. Female. Body coloration mostly reddish brown to dark brown, becoming lighter on pronotum, antennae and legs (Figs 19, 20). Metapleuron striate (Fig. 25). Posterior face of propodeum concave and delimited by a carina laterally. Male. Unknown. Description. Female. Length 3.0– 4.5 mm. General body coloration reddish brown to dark brown; pronotum lighter than rest of mesosoma and becoming lighter toward anterolateral angles; flagellomeres, except for basal 3/4 of F1, tibiae and tarsi light brown; rest of antennae and legs dark brown (Figs 19, 20, 26). Head 1.2–1.4 × as broad as high and 1.1–1.2 × as broad as mesosoma; with dense scale-like setae covering frons from base of mandible to beyond top of eye, a few scattered scale-like setae behind head; plumose setae distributed throughout head; vertex with spaced punctation but smooth medially (Fig. 26). Eyes separated by 1.5–2.1 × their height; malar space 0.3–0.6 × eye height. Clypeus short and broad, slightly convex; mandible arched, simple, with small preapical denticle on inner edge; palpal formula 6-4. Postgenal bridge approximately as long as diameter of foramen magnum. Antenna 12-segmented; radicle as long as broad; scape with scattered plumose setae throughout and a few scale-like setae on outer surface near insertion of pedicel, long plumose setae on ventral surface near insertion of pedicel, scape 1.9–3.0 × as long as broad and 1.6–2.4 × as long as pedicel; pedicel 1.6–2.4 × as long as broad; flagellomeres cylindrical, F1 0.4–0.7 × length of scape and 0.9–1.1 × as long as F2; rest of flagellomeres approximately same length, except F7–9 gradually decreasing in length, F10 elongated with rounded apex. Mesosoma elongate, 1.3–1.6 × as long as broad (Figs 19, 20, 25). Pronotum 1.4–1.6 × as broad as long (width taken across humeral tubercles) forming a collar anteriorly, dorsum with well-marked and very spaced punctation, scattered scale-like setae laterally and anteriorly, and scattered plumose setae throughout which longer laterad; lateral surface punctate-rugose with scattered plumose setae throughout; humeral tubercle acutely and strongly projecting. Mesonotum smooth, short and transverse, appearing as a constriction at midlength of mesosoma. Metanotum and propodeum fused, dorsal surface with well-marked spaced punctation, becoming smooth medially and rugose laterally and on edge of posterior surface, with scale-like setae laterally extending almost to midline posteriorly; with scattered plumose setae which longer laterad; posterior surface concave and delimited laterally by a carina, surface smooth on upper half and rugose and striate on lower half, striae transverse near propodeal foramen and vertical laterally; with a pair of small antero-lateral denticles on each side, each bearing a long seta. Propleuron rugulose, microsculpture marked but difficult to observe, with plumose setae laterally and anteriorly, long plumose setae near insertion of fore coxa; mesopleuron rugose, with a longitudinal carina at level of ventral limit of pronotum, scale-like setae on ventral half and a few plumose setae on carina and at insertion of mid coxa; metapleural-propodeal suture indistinguishable, metapleuron and propodeum fused, surface with transverse striae (Fig. 25), a band of scale-like setae above hind coxa continuous with that on mesopleuron and reaching propodeal foramen. Legs slender; fore coxa with a group of long plumose setae on upper half of outer surface and distributed at random near insertion of trochanter and on inner surface; mid and hind coxae, trochanters and femora with scattered scale-like and plumose setae; tibiae and rest of legs with plumose setae; ventral surfaces of legs without scale-like setae; spur formula 1-2-2. Metasoma 1.9–2.6 × as long as broad (Figs 19, 20); spaced punctation on T1 and T2, T3–T5 with punctation less marked and more dispersed, T6 completely alutaceous. T1 covered with scale-like setae on dorsal surface, except for a small median area; scattered and long plumose setae throughout and short plumose setae medially on dorsal surface and near base; T2 with a band of scale-like setae posterolaterally and scattered short and long plumose setae throughout; T3–T5 with scattered plumose setae; T6 with long setae laterally on anterior margin; sterna with sculpture and distribution of setae similar to that of corresponding terga, except S2 with scale-like setae along posterior margin. Male. Unknown. Variation. The scale-like setae on the head vary in density, and sometimes completely cover the frons to the vertex; the sculpture of the lateral surface of the pronotum is sometimes very weak, appearing smooth; the scalelike and plumose setae on the mesosoma and metasoma show variation in density but not in disposition. Discussion. Molecular studies will be undertaken which may clarify the sex association and status of this species. Etymology. From Latin striatus -a -um, referring to the characteristic striated sculpture on some parts of the body. Distribution. Argentina: Mendoza. Material examined. Holotype Ƥ: ARGENTINA: Mendoza, Lavalle, Reserva Telteca [32°23'6"S 68°3'0"W], 15-XII-1994 - 14/III/14 -III-1995, G. Flores and S. Roig, pit-fall (IADIZA). Paratypes, 10Ƥ: Mendoza, Lavalle, Reserva Telteca, 25/IX–05/XI/1996, [32°23'6"S 68°3'0"W], G. Flores and S. Roig (5Ƥ IADIZA); same location, 06/XI-03/XII/1996, G. Flores and S. Roig (2Ƥ, MACN); same location, 03/XII/1996 - 06/I/1997, G. Flores and S. Roig (2Ƥ, DJBC); same location, 25/XII/1995 - 14/II/1996, Flores and Roig (1Ƥ MACN).