Neocorynura tangophyla, Smith-Pardo, Allan H., 2010

Smith-Pardo, Allan H., 2010, Taxonomic review of the species of Neocorynura (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini) inhabiting Argentina and Paraguay, Zootaxa 2507, pp. 44-68 : 62-65

Neocorynura tangophyla sp. nov.

( Figs. 7 , 8 )

Diagnosis. Females of Neocorynura tangophyla can be easily recognized by their vespid-like wasp appearance and their relatively large size (females more than 1.0 cm long). This species can be distinguished from N. codion by its clypeus weakly imbricate (strongly imbricate in N. codion ); the infuscation of forewings covering the submarginal cells (in N. codion , covering only the anterior margins); the base of propodeum strongly imbricate with few striae on anterior margin close to metanotum (smooth and completely sulcate in N. codion ); and the absence of metallic dark-blue reflections on pronotum, and on T1–T5 (present in N. codion ).

Description: Female (Holotype). Body length 10.9 mm; forewing length 9.9 mm. Head width 2.5 mm, length 2.4 mm. Scape longer than combined lengths of F1 to F5; F10 longer than preceding flagellomeres; F1 slightly shorter than F2. Clypeus wider than long; paraocular lobe obtuse. Mesoscutum slightly wider than long; metanotum less than half length of mesoscutellum. Mesotibial spur serrate and more than half length of mesobasitarsus; inner metatibial spur pectinate with 5 teeth, the last two slightly fused. Marginal cell semitruncate; 1m-cu almost confluent with 1rs-m; 2m-cu basad 2rs-m by approximately 5 times vein width; first submarginal cell as long as combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells; second submarginal rectangular; anterior border of second submarginal cell as long as anterior border of third submarginal cell; pterostigma large, margin in marginal cell convex; hamuli spaced 3-1-1-1-3 along anterior margin of hind wing. Basal area of propodeum mostly imbricate, slightly striate along sides and close to metanotum. Metasoma semi-petiolate (slightly longer than wide).

Labrum smooth, with small, more or less narrow central process. Clypeus weakly imbricate almost smooth, with punctures separated by 1 PD; supraclypeal area imbricate with punctures similar in size to those on clypeus but separated by 2 PD; subantennal and lower ocular areas imbricate; frons and remainder of face with smaller and more numerous punctures, integument between punctures strongly imbricate; vertex sculptured as frons; gena and postgena with small punctures and striate. Scape imbricate, with minute punctures broadly distributed. Pronotum and propleura faintly imbricate. Mesoscutum densely punctate, punctures coarse and separated by less than 1 PD, integument between punctures strongly imbricate; mesoscutellum smooth and punctate, punctures separated by 1 PD. Metanotum smooth, densely punctate, punctures of different diameter. Pleura densely punctate with some coarser punctures separated by 2 PD between smaller ones, integument between punctures strongly imbricate. Tegula faintly imbricate. Basal area of propodeum imbricate with some faint striae on margin close to metanotum and laterally.

Mandible dark brown, tip lighter. Labrum black; clypeus and supraclypeal area black, with some metallic purple reflections; remainder of head black. Mesosoma black except pronotum metallic dark-blue; margins of mesoscutum, and mesoscutellum metallic blue. Legs uniformly dark brown. Metasoma dark brown; T1 with a basal area metallic blue and T3–T5 with metallic reflections.

Mandible with brown, unbranched setae, 0.5–2.5 OD in length, scattered. Labrum mostly bare with a row of coarse, hyaline, unbranched setae along anterior margin. Clypeus with light brown and branched setae, minute—0.5 OD in length, sparsely distributed over surface some minute setae present on lateral margins and close to compound eyes. Supraclypeal area as on clypeus; subantennal area and frons with white, minute branched setae more or less densely distributed between equally distributed dark brown, poorly branched setae 1.0–1.5 OD in length. Scape mostly with minute brown, poorly branched setae sparsely distributed, few longer setae (0.5 OD) close to scape base and pedicel. Vertex as on frons, except for some coarse, light brown setae sparsely distributed; gena with minute, light brown setae densely distributed; postgena as gena but with longer (1.0–2.0 OD), branched setae scattered. Pronotum densely covered with minute, whitish setae with some coarse, dark brown and unbranched setae among them. Mesoscutum with minute, light brown setae more or less densely distributed. Mesoscutellum as mesoscutum, except for some coarse, dark brown, unbranched setae, 1.0–3.0 OD in length sparsely distributed between the minute setae. Metanotum as mesoscutellum but with light brown setae, 0.5–1.5 OD in length and branched. Base of propodeum mostly bare, rest of surface with minute, light brown setae, densely distributed on posterior sides, longer setae (1.0 OD) broadly distributed among the minute ones. Preepisternum and mesepisternum with coarse, light to dark brown setae, 1.0–2.0 OD in length, scattered among minute, whitish setae; metepisternum densely covered with minute, light brown setae. Procoxa with coarse, dark brown setae, poorly branched, and 1.0–1.5 OD in length scattered among minute, light brown ones; protrochanter mostly bare but with some coarse, light brown, unbranched setae, 1.0–3.0 OD in length along posterior margin mixed with some minute, light brown setae; profemur with outer side mostly covered with light brown, poorly branched setae, sparsely distributed and 0.5–2.0 OD in length (longer ones close to trochanter), inner surface more densely covered with minute, whitish setae; protibia with outer side mostly covered with minute light brown setae, densely distributed, inner surface more densely covered with longer setae (minute—1.0 OD); tarsi as in protibia; mesocoxa covered with minute, whitish setae, with few coarse, light brown, unbranched setae, 1.0–2.0 OD in length close to articulation with mesotrochanter; mesotrochanter with light to dark brown, unbranched setae, 0.5–2.0 OD in length mixed with some minute, light brown setae; mesofemur inner side with coarse, light brown setae, 0.5 OD in length and densely distributed in anterior angle and forming a patch, rest of surface with coarse, dark brown, poorly branched setae, minute—2.0 OD in length, sparsely distributed; mesotibia densely covered with unbranched setae, minute—0.5 OD in length, those on posterior margin dark brown on base and white on tip; mesotarsi as protarsi; metacoxae as procoxae, except setae more abundant and dark brown, 0.5– 1.5 OD in length; metatrochanter more or less densely covered with coarse, dark brown, branched setae, 0.5– 1.0 OD in length; metafemur with coarse, dark to light brown setae, long (some as long as 3.5 OD) somehow bending and forming scopae; metatibia sparsely covered with coarse, dark brown setae, those in anterior margin 1.0–1.5 OD in length, sparsely distributed, and with 3.0–4.0 branches mostly on tip, rest of surface with coarse, dark brown or white, unbranched setae, more or less densely distributed. T1 with coarse, light brown, branched setae, 1.5–2.5 OD in length and sparsely distributed; T2 and T3 densely covered with minute, dark brown setae, with some coarse, dark brown, unbranched setae sparsely distributed; T2 with a basal band of light brown, branched setae approximately 1.0 OD in length; T4 as T2 and T3 except, darker setae more abundant and almost 2.0 OD in length; T5 densely covered with coarse, brown setae, minute—2.0 OD in length, some branched and sparsely distributed among poorly branched ones, lateral region with longer ones (1.5–2.0 OD).

Male. As described for the female except as follows: Body length 12.8 mm; forewing length 11.2 mm. Head width 2.4 mm, length 2.5 mm. Antennae almost reaching base of metasoma; F2 longer than F1. Mandible slender and pointed and without preapical teeth. Labral surface smooth along anterior margin. Mesoscutum slightly wider than long. Basitibial plate absent; inner metatibial spur one fourth the length of metabasitarsus, rather slender and serrated. Hamuli with a spacing pattern 4-1-1-2. Basal area of propodeum rugose, marginally imbricate. Metasoma with a slightly more elongate appearance; S6, S7, S8, and genital capsule as in Fig. 7 .

Mandible without grooves on outer surface, slightly carinate along posterior margin, anterior margin continuous. Subantennal and lower ocular areas strongly punctate. Mesoscutellum with punctures of irregular size and shape. Posterior side of propodeum with coarse punctures.

Clypeus metallic greenish-blue. Lower paraocular margins with metallic coppery and yellowish reflections; rest of the head dark, almost black. Legs uniformly dark brown, but lighter between tarsomeres. T1 and T2 with basal band metallic blue.

Mandible with some coarse, light brown, poorly branched setae, 0.5–1.0 OD in length. Labrum largely bare. Postgena with white, long setae (0.5–2.0 OD in length) more sparsely distributed. Tegula with anterior half pubescent and posterior glabrous. Metanotum in general with longer setae (0.5–2.0 OD) sparsely distributed. Legs (especially hind ones) in general less pubescent; protrochanter with some light brown, unbranched setae minute—1.0 OD in length scattered on the posterior margin; profemur with white setae, 0.5–1.0 OD in length on posterior margin; protibia less densely covered; mesofemur with most of the inner side bare; metatrochanter poorly covered with setae, most of them unbranched; metafemur with some white, minute—1.0 OD in length setae, sparsely distributed on anterior margin. Metasomal pubescence as in the female except with a basal band of light brown, branched setae 0.5–1.0 OD in length; sterna with less pubescence, setae more scattered on S1–S3.

Type material. Holotype. Ƥ, ARGENTINA: Salta, La Caldera. 2-1996. Albeza Coll [ AMNH].

Paratypes. Label data as in the holotype (1 Ƥ, 1 3 AMNH); Idem, except 1-1996. Fritz Coll. (1 3 SEMC); Camino Comisa, Selva Humeda. 6-XI-1990. C. Porter & T. O’Neill Coll. (2 ƤƤ FSCA, 1 Ƥ SEMC).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a combination of the words Tango, a musical genre originally from Argentina (type locality of the species) and the adjective Phyla , from the ancient Greek word philia (φɩλία), which means affinity or ‘love of something (verb).’

Variation. There is some variation in the degree of infuscation of the forewings (darker and covering larger area in the specimens from La Caldera) and the presence of a very narrow metallic line along posterior margins of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (broader in the specimens from La Caldera).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Neocorynura tangophyla sp. nov.: lateral habitus of the female (top left), lateral habitus of male (bottom left); male terminalia: a: genital capsule: ventral (left half) and dorsal (right half), b: lateral view of genital capsule, c: fused S 7 + S 8. Scale = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 8. Geographic distribution of the species of Neocorynura inhabiting Argentina and Paraguay.