Myzinum frontalis (Cresson)

Kimsey, Lynn S., 2009, Taxonomic purgatory: Sorting out the wasp genus Myzinum Latreille in North America (Hymenoptera, Tiphiidae, Myzininae), Zootaxa 2224, pp. 30-50 : 43

Myzinum frontalis (Cresson)

Fig. 6, 17, Map 3

Plesia marginata Say 1823:75 . Holotype female; locality unknown (destroyed). Nec Klug 1810. Preoccupied. Myzine frontalis Cresson 1875:711 . Holotype female; USA: New Mexico, Yarrow (?) (PHILADELPHIA).

Male.―Body length 12–18 mm. Head: frons punctures contiguous; interocellar distance equal to ocellocular distance; flagellomere I length 1.8x as long as broad; flagellomere XI length 1.7 breadth; hypostomal angle forming right angle in side view. Thorax: mesopleuron with omaulus, punctures 2–3 PD apart; propodeum rugosopunctate, punctures large, contiguous; fore and hindcoxae unmodified; midcoxa inner margin angulate. Metasoma: tergum VII flattened, smooth apicomedially. Genital capsule ( Fig. 17 ): paramere ventral lobe 3.0–3.3x as long as broad, spines extending along two-thirds length of lobe; dorsal lobe as broad as medial notch, marginal setae fewer than six, 0.75x as long as volsella; volsella triangular, triangular in cross-section, sparsely setose apically; aedeagus apical bulb twice as broad as shaft below. Color: black, with pale yellow markings; clypeus yellow, yellow band along inner eye margin, antennal lobe yellow, mandible yellow, with dark brown apex, scape dark brown, with large yellow spot, pedicel and flagellum dark brown; pronotum with broad, yellow band along anterior and posterior margins; mesopleuron with large anterior and posterior spots; scutum with large medial and small posterolateral yellow spots; scutellum and metanotum with medial yellow spot; propodeum with large sublateral yellow spot; fore and hindcoxae dark brown, with yellow spot, midcoxae dark brown; femora brown with yellow mark apically; tibiae and tarsi yellow, tibiae sometimes partly brown; metasomal terga I–VI dark brown to black with broad yellow band across posterior margin, tergum VII dark brown; sternum I dark brown to black; sterna II–VI dark brown to black, with large yellow spot laterally; sternum VII black; wing membrane lightly brown tinted, becoming darkest at wing apex, veins brown. Vestiture: long and silvery.

Female.―Body length 12–17 mm. Head: frons punctures large, nearly contiguous near antennal lobes, becoming widely separated near midocellus; ocellocular distance 1.5–1.8x interocellar distance; vertex punctures 0.5–1.0 PD apart; hypostomal angle acute in lateral view; flagellomere I length 0.7–0.9x breadth. Thorax: pronotum dorsal surface with polished interspaces, without tiny interpunctures; propodeum laterally finely, densely transversely ridged or striate, posterior surface smooth; forebasitarsis with six rake spines. Color: black, with yellow markings, yellow across face at antennal lobes, yellow band along posterior eye margin; pronotal disk and mesopleuron largely yellow; scutum with large medial and lateral yellow spots; scutellum and metanotum yellow medially; tegula yellow; propodeum yellow except around petiolar insertion; antenna and legs dark reddish brown, with yellow spot on coxae, femora and tibiae; metasomal terga I–VI yellow except for posterior margin, sterna II–V with basolateral yellow spot; wing veins dark orange, membrane untinted to lightly yellow tinted. Vestiture: silvery.

Distribution (Map 3).― USA: Arizona: Cochise, Graham, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai, Yum a C ou nt ies; California: Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Riverside , San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Counties; Colorado: Kiowa Co.; New Mexico: Chavez, Dona Ana, Hidalgo, Lincoln, Luna, Quay, San Juan, Socorro, Valencia, Counties; Oklahoma: Bryan Co.; Texas: Brewster, Hudspeth Counties; Utah: Cache Co. MEXICO: Tamaulipas, Veracruz; 157 females and 491 males were studied.

Discussion.―This species is closest to dubiosum as discussed under that species. Female frontalis can be distinguished from those of dubiosum by the untinted wings. Males are easily separated by the angulate midcoxa in frontalis and the carinate hindcoxae in dubiosum , as well as the genitalia ( Figs. 16, 17 ).

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 22. Male genital capsule, lateral view. Abbreviations: ae = aedeagus, dl = paramere dorsal lobe pa = paramere, v = volsella; vl = paramere ventral lobe.