Dissomphalus galeatus Alencar & Azevedo, 2006

Alencar, I. D. C. C. & Azevedo, C. O., 2006, Definition of the coronatus species-group (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae, Dissomphalus) with description of thirteen new species, Zootaxa 1330, pp. 1-26 : 15-16

Dissomphalus galeatus Alencar & Azevedo , New Species

( Figs. 20–21 )

Diagnosis: aedeagus with ventral ramus with inner margin of apical half with strong median concavity before the apex, outer margin convex above, apex thick; dorsal body with base wide, narrowing to apex with concavity mesad, apex rounded, dorsal margin sinuous and serrate at apex; crown-process small.

Description: male, body length 2.7mm; LFW 2.5mm. Color: head and mesosoma black; clypeus and metasoma dark castaneous; antenna light castaneous and gradually darker in distal part; mandible, palpi and legs light castaneous except femora darker; wings subhyaline.

Head: mandible tridentate. Clypeus with trapezoidal median lobe, median carina complete and strongly developed in profile. First four antennal segments in ratio of ~16:5:5:6, segment XI 1.6x as long as wide. Frons coriaceous, punctures shallow, separated by 1.0x their diameter. LH 1.0x WH; WF 0.7x WH; WF 1.5x HE; OOL 1.0x WOT; DAO 0.3x WOT; posterior ocelli distant from crest of vertex 0.6x DAO. Vertex convex with rounded corners; VOL 0.7x HE.

Mesosoma: thoracic dorsum weakly coriaceous, punctures sparse. Pronotal disc 0.4x length of mesoscutum, anterior margin carinate. Notaulus complete. Propodeal disc 0.7x as long as wide, irregularly rugose, median carina incomplete, corners of posterior part polished and shiny; lateral surface of propodeum with striae which become finer posteriorly; declivity areolate. Fore femur 3.0x as long as wide.

Metasoma: tergum II with pair of elliptical, inclined and deep lateral depressions, close to each other, nearly touching posterior margin of tergum I; each depression with tuft of short setae directed backward; antero-lateral margin with setae. Hypopygium with posterior margin straight.

Genitalia ( Figs. 20–21 ): paramere wide in lateral view, inner surface of apex with distinct long seta, apex arched mesad, dorsal margin straight with subapical small concavity, ventral margin concave. Basiparamere rounded in ventral view. Cuspis with apex straight, digitus stout and short, apex narrow, apical margin serrate, base with small protuberence directed ventrally. Aedeagus with ventral ramus shorter than dorsal body, laminar, surface horizontal and angulate ventrally, basal half wide, inner margin with strong median concavity before apex, outer margin convex above, apex much expanded and thick; dorsal body laminar, surface vertical, base wide, narrowing to apex with concavity mesad, apex rounded, ventral margin with long projection directed to apical part of ventral ramus, dorsal margin sinuous and serrate at apex; crown-process small. Apodeme of aedeagus not extending beyond subcircular genital ring.

Material examined: HOLOTYPE: male, COSTA RICA, [Puntarenas], San Vito de Coto Brus, Las Cruces, 1200m, [8°28’12”N 82°34’12”W], 17.VIII.–12.IX.1982, Malaise trap, B. Gill col. ( CNCI). PARATYPES: COSTA RICA, [Puntarenas], San Vito de Coto Brus, Las Cruces, 1200m, [8°28’12”N 82°34’12”W], Malaise trap, B. Gill col.: 2 males, 9.VII–7.VIII.1982 ( CNCI); 1 male, 7–14.VIII.1982 ( PMAE); 1 male, Heredia, La Selva Biol[ogical] St[ation], [10º25’48”N 84º1’12”W], 26.VI–1.VII.1993, Malaise#2, B. V. Brown and D. Feener col. ( LACM); 1 male, Alajuela, Peñas Blancas, [10°45’N 85°10’W], 7.VII.1987, Malaise trap, E. Cruz col. ( PMAE); 1 male, BRAZIL, Rondônia, 62km SE Ariquemes, [10°18’0”S 62°34’25”W], 15–22.III.1991, W. Hanson and G. Bohart ( EMUS).

Variation: the only specimen from Rondônia has the tergal process with depression circular, larger, deeper and closer than in other specimens, and tuft less dense. Some specimens from Costa Rica have depression small, inclined and more distant.

Comments: this species is easily recognized by having the ventral ramus of the aedeagus with inner margin with strong median concavity before the apex. The dorsal body of the aedeagus is quite similar to that of D. coronatus and D. decussatus in shape but the apical half of the ventral ramus in D. coronatus and D. decussatus is entirely narrow.

Etymology: specific epithet comes from Latin and refers to the shape of the ventral ramus of the aedeagus which resembles a helmet.

Distribution: Costa Rica, Brazil (Rondônia).

Figures

FIGURES 12 – 23. 12 – 14, Dissomphalus declinatus sp. nov. 12, metasoma, dorsal view; 13, genitalia, ventral view; 14, genitalia, dorsal view; 15 – 17, Dissomphalus decussatus sp. nov. 15, paramere, lateral view; 16, genitalia, ventral view; 17, genitalia, dorsal view; 18 – 19, Dissomphalus flexuosus 18, genitalia, ventral view; 19, genitalia, dorsal view; 20 – 21, Dissomphalus galeatus sp. nov. 20, genitalia, ventral view; 21, genitalia, dorsal view; 22 – 23, Dissomphalus hirtus sp. nov. 22, genitalia, ventral view; 23, genitalia, dorsal view. (Scale bars = 250 μm).