Maurillus Smith, 1855

Shimizu, Akira, Pitts, James P, Rodriguez, Juanita, Wahis, Raymond & Yoshimura, Jin, 2021, Systematics and convergent evolution in three Australian genera of Pepsinae spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae), Austral Entomology 60 (2), pp. 301-316 : 3-7

Maurillus Smith, 1855

Maurillus Smith, 1855: 170 (type species: Maurillus australis Smith, 1855 , by monotypy).

Species included

The genus includes two species, which occur in Australia: Maurillus argenticapitis Pitts & Shimizu , sp. nov. and M. australis Smith, 1855 .

Diagnosis

This genus differs from other Australian ‘Ctenocerini’ sensu Evans (1972) by the following female features: clypeus much narrower than lower frons, truncate apically ( Figs 1a and 2a ); labrum fully exserted, directed backward at right angle to clypeus ( Figs 1b and 2b ); lower frons laterally to antennal sockets with deep depressions continuous with sublateral depressions of clypeus; vertex abnormally convex, extended far above eye tops and ocelli, distance from eye top to vertex crest, in profile, at least two-fifths of eye height ( Figs 1c and 2c ); scape unusual in structure ( Figs 1b,d and 2d ) with triangular or rectangular in cross-section, its apicomedial corner subacutely produced beyond origin of flagellum, with medial face flattened or concave, smooth and polished and lateral face strongly concave; gena in dorsal view very thick, roughly rectangular ( Figs 1d and 2e ); and pronotum with anterior face vertical, flattened and polished, forming right angle with disc ( Figs 1c and 2c ), and anterior margin of pronotal disc truncate, tuberculate submedially, depressed medially.

Description

Female

Medium-sized wasps, 15 to 20 mm in length. Colour black, occasionally partly dark ferruginous on head ( Fig. 2a ). Pubescence on body and legs black, coppery, silvery-white or golden, forming paired golden or silvery patches on T1–5 posterolaterally ( Figs 1e and 2f ). Mid and hind tibial spurs ivory-white. Wings uniformly infuscate, occasionally with paler spots or bands ( Figs 1f and 2g ).

Headnot wider than high. Vertex withsurface rather flattened ( Figs 1c and 2c ) and posterior margin, in dorsal view, broadly and shallowlyemarginate ( Figs 1d and 2e ). MID/TFD> 0.6; upper frons flattened and polished; lower frons medially sloping downward between antennal sockets. Ocellar triangle flat ( Figs 1d and 2e ). Posterior ocelli situated below level of eye tops ( Figs 1a and 2a ). Clypeus roundly elevated medially, depressed sublaterally, slightly inflexed upward laterally. Malar space short. Mandible long and broad with tooth subapically on inner margin and lamina delimited by fimbriate groove from major part on outer margin ( Fig. 2b ). Antenna short and slender. OOcD/POD> 2. Gena, in profile, at least as thick as eye, strongly narrowing above and below ( Figs 1c and 2c ). Uppermost portion of occipital suture situated immediately below vertex crest ( Fig. 1g ). Occiput large and strongly concave.

Pronotum with dorsum flattened and declivous ( Figs 1c and 2c ), in anterior view V-shaped emargination above; shoulder swollen ( Fig. 1d,g ). Mesoscutum flattened, not reflexed posterolaterally. Discs of scutellum and metanotum flattened at same level as mesoscutum. Propodeum short, rugose on both dorsum and posterior declivity, latter being flattened for reception of anterior face of T1, longer than dorsum, separated from dorsum by sharp carina ( Figs 1e and 2h ).

Legs relatively short. Fore femur thinner than mid femur. Fore tibial apex dorsally with short, stout, decurved spines medially and laterally ( Figs 1h and 2i ). Fore tarsomeres 2–4 combined much shorter than fore tarsomere 1 ( Fig. 1i ). Mid and hind tibia with three rows of short spines dorsally, not serrate ( Fig. 2j ). Tarsomere 5 of all legs without spines beneath. Tarsal claws unidentate ( Fig. 1j ).

T1 abruptly narrowing anteriorly with anterior face vertical and flat, fitting against propodeal declivity. Transverse groove on S2 well developed at about basal third of S2. Apical metasomal segments compressed laterally and bristly. S6 without median carina.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Australia.

Figures

Fig. 1. Maurillus argenticapitis, sp. nov., holotype female.(a) Head, anterior view; (b) head and anterior part of antenna, ventrolateral view; (c) head and mesosoma, lateral view; (d) head and anterior part of mesosoma, dorsal view; (e) posterior part of mesosoma and metasoma, dorsal view; (f) fore wing and anterior part of hind wing; (g) head and mesosoma, dorsal view; (h) apical part of fore tibia, dorsal view; (i) right fore tarsus, dorsal view; and (j) right hind pretarsus, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm for (j), 0.5 mm for (h) and (i) and 1 mm for others.

Fig. 2. Maurillus australis Smith, holotype female. (a) Head, anterior view; (b) clypeus and mandible, anterior view; (c) head and anterior part of mesosoma, lateral view; (d) scape, dorsal (above) and lateral view (below); (e) head and anterior part of pronotum, dorsal view; (f) posterior part of propodeum and metasoma, dorsal view; (g) fore and hind wings; (h) posterior part of mesosoma and anterior part of metasoma, dorsolateral view; (i) apical part of right fore tibia, medial view; and (j) hind tibia, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm. ((d), (i) and (j) lack scale bars (no measurement data available due to lack of access to the holotype).)