Anoplius (Dicranoplius) areatus (Taschenberg, 1869)

Sadler, Emily, 2017, Review of the Neotropical spider wasp subgenus Anoplius (Dicranoplius) Haupt (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae), new comb., Zootaxa 4311 (4), pp. 537-550 : 539-540

Anoplius (Dicranoplius) areatus (Taschenberg, 1869)

Pompilus areatus Taschenberg, 1869 , Zeitschr. Gesammt. Naturwiss., 34: 66 [Type: ♀, Brazil: Lagoa Santa (Minas Gerais) ( MLUH)].

Dicranoplius stangei Evans, 1969 , Studia Ent., 12: 395–397 [Holotype: ♂, Argentina: 11 km Las Cejas , Tucumán, 3– 18.Dec.1966 (L. Stange) ( MCZC. Type no. 31698)]. New Synonym.

Diagnosis. For A. areatus , this species can be separated from the others in the genus by coloration and the exceedingly short antennal segments. Both sexes have a black head and mesosoma with reddish orange metasoma, but have silver setae surrounding areas of black setae forming an obvious pattern on the dorsum of the head, pronotum, mesonotum and scutellum, and on the propodeum laterally ( Figs. 1 b & 5a,b). Additionally, the female has three comb spines that are approximately equal to the apical width of the basal tarsomere, sometimes has a smaller forth spine, and also has thin setae on the last metasomal tergum. The male has a posterior band on the pronotum, has dense white setae on the posterior face of the propodeum, and has an aedeagus that is about as long as the parapenial lobes with a simple apex ( Fig. 5 in Evans (1969)).

Distribution. Argentina, Brazil and Peru.

Material Examined. Argentina: Catamarca, Palo Lobrado, 25 km S La Merced , 25♂, 24.Oct–12.Nov.2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker ( EMUS) ; Chubut, 2 km SE Trelew , 9♂, 30.Dec.2005, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker ( EMUS) . Brazil: Goias, Parque Nacional da Chapada dos Veadeiros , 70♂, 7–25.IX.2005, Aquiar ( EMUS, UFES) . Peru: San Martin, 23 km S Picota, Concervación Mun. Zona Barreal , 4♂, 6–15.Mar.2005, 1♀, 14–17.Mar.2005, J.D. Vasquez ( EMUS) .

Variation. Substantial color variation occurs in this species (see remarks below), as well as slight variation in genitalic morphology and tarsal comb count as documented by Evans (1969) under D. areatus and D. stangei .

Remarks. The holotype of A. areatus was not studied; specimens identified by Evans (1969) as A. areatus deposited in the MCZC were studied. The holotype (male), allotype (female), and five paratypes (male) of A. stangei were studied. Evans described A. stangei in 1969 based on the male sex and associated a female with this species. The color patterns of the holotype male and allotype female do not match, but represent two different color forms. The holotype male has extensive patches of grey setae and metasomal bands—the banded color form ( Fig. 5 a). The allotype female, however, represents a second color form having less grey setae and no metasomal banding—the unbanded color form. Evans actually had both color forms, banded ( Fig. 5 a) and unbanded ( Fig. 5 b), of the male in his paratype series, but did not recognize this as such. Subsequently, banded males of this species were collected with females of A. areatus . This second species is only known from the female and is exact match in coloration to the holotype of A. stangei . Furthermore, it differs from the allotype of A. stangei in coloration only, and, therefore, represents the banded color form of the female. As such, we synonymize A. stangei with A. areatus , and recognize that this species has two color forms. The two color forms of the female key out separately in the key to species. The unbanded, darker color forms are more prevalent in the specimens from Argentina while the lighter, banded color forms are more prevalent in specimens from Brazil. Due the much shortened segments of the antennae, this species may be a cleptoparasite.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus. A. Anoplius (Dicranoplius) albidus holotype female; B. A. (D.) areatus female; C. A. (D.) brevitarsus female; D. A. (D.) brevitarsus male; E. A. (D.) cujanus female; and F. A. (D.) cujanus male.

FIGURE 5. Anoplius (Dicranoplius) areatus male habitus. A. banded color form; and B. unbanded color form.