Smicromyrme (Eremotilla) burgeri Lelej, 2020

Lelej, A. S., 2020, Three new species of velvet ants from the tribe Smicromyrmini (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) with unusual color syndrome, Far Eastern Entomologist 421, pp. 1-9 : 6-8

Smicromyrme (Eremotilla) burgeri Lelej , sp. n.

http://zoobank.org/NomenclaturalActs/ 041D8CF1-ADF1-4CE5-B354-DB19943B2532

Figs 7–9

TYPE MATERIAL. Holotype – ♀, India: S-India, [Karnataka], 15 km SE

Bangalore, KT [Käfer trap], 25.VII [19]96, [K.] Werner, [L.] Lorenz leg. [ MZUF].

Paratype: S-India, [Karnataka], 15 km N Bangalore , KT, 23–24.VII [19]96, 1 ♀ ,

[K.] Werner, [L.] Lorenz leg. [ IBSS].

DIAGNOSIS. FEMALE. First flagellomere 1.4 × as long as its maximal width,

1.55 × as long as flagellomere 2. Postgenal bridge with median tubercle and transverse microstriae. T2 disc ferruginous-red, laterally and posteriorly brownish to black.

Head dorsally with large spot of silver setae, T2 medially with small subbasal spot of golden recumbent setae. T2 posterad with median and lateral spots of silver setae. T4–5 with median spot of silver setae. MALE unknown.

DESCRIPTION. FEMALE. Body length 5.6(holotype)– 6.4 mm. Ratio of head width and pronotal maximal width 87:85. Ratio of mesosoma length and pronotal maximal width 120:85. Inner margin of mandible without weak teeth near apex.

Clypeus with transverse carina which limit anterior concave shiny part, basally subtriangular, elevated, with median tubercle. Antennal tubercle carinated above; first flagellomere 1.4 × as long as its maximal width, 1.55 × as long as flagellomere 2.

Genal carina weak, forming small tooth at hypostomal carina junction. Postgenal bridge with median tubercle and transverse microstriae. Frons and vertex with dense coarse punctures, gena with dense punctures. Humeral angle of mesosoma prominent.

Ratios of width at humeral angle, widest point of pronotum, anterior spiracle, propodeal spiracle and narrowest point of propodeum dorsally 75:85:80:83:70. Scutellar scale distinct, nail-like. Mesosoma dorsally with dense coarse punctures larger that on head. Mesopleuron smooth with distinct mesopleural carina; metapleuron with fine dense punctures. Propodeum laterally with shallow dense punctures. Lateral and posterior propodeal faces separated by wavy carina. Metacoxa carinated mesally.

Meso- and metatibia each with two rows of 4–5 strong fuscous spines. Metatibiotarsal ratios of 70:32:22:18:12:12. T2 with large dense coarse punctures, smaller posteriorly and sparser laterally. T3–5 with dense smaller punctures. S1 with longitudinal carina highest posteriorly. S2 with large dense separate punctures; S3–5

posteriorly with smaller dense punctures. Pygidial area well developed, widened basally, carinated laterally, with divergented striae.

Color and setation. Head black, mandible basally brownish; antennae black,

brownish ventrally; palps brownish. Mesosoma black, dorsally ferruginous-red,

pronotum brownish; posterior propodeal face ferruginous-red. Legs black. Tibial spurs whitish. T1 brownish. T2 disc ferruginous-red, laterally and posteriorly brownish to black. T3–6 black. S1–6 brownish. Head dorsally with large spot of silver setae, gena with recumbent silver setae. Mesosoma dorsally and posterior propodeal face with sparse suberect yellowish setae, pronotum with sparse recumbent brownish setae. Meso- and metapleuron in lower part with dense recumbent silver setae. T1 with apical median tuft of silver setae. T2 medially with small subbasal spot of golden recumbent setae. T2 posterad with median and lateral spots of silver setae. T4–5 with median spot of silver setae. T2, except golden subbasal and three apical silver spots, with sparse recumbent and suberect yellowish setae; T2

posteriorly, T3, T4–6 laterally with suberect black setae. Lateral felt line on T2 rufous.

Metasomal sterna with sparse whitish setae, which form apical fringe on S2–5.

DISTRIBUTION. India (Karnataka).

REMARKS. In having most part of T2 with ferruginous-red cuticle, this species differs from other known Smicromyrme .

ETYMOLOGY. The specific name is dedicated to Frank Burger who collected mutillids in the Indian subcontinent.

Of the nine East Asian mutillid taxa with other color patterns then BHCS and

RHCS, three species from the genus Taiwanomyrme (tribe Trogaspidiini ) (Tu et al.,

2015; Lelej, 2020 ) have a body entirely black, except for the second metasomal segment which is reddish. The latter pattern approximates Texan mimicry ring in

North America (Wilson et. al., 2015). The discovered three Oriental new species from the tribe Smicromyrmini with reddish second metasomal segment and mesosoma have the color syndrome, which approximates Eastern mimicry ring in

North America. These similarly colored insects from disparate continents cannot be treated as members of the same mimicry rings. The color patterns that define these mimicry rings, however, are significant indicators of aposematism, and potentially mimicry (Okayasu et al., 2018).

Figures

Figs 1–9. 1–3 – Ephucilla hejunhuai sp. n., holotype; 4–6 – Promecilla ovtchinnikovi sp.