Ephucilla suginoi Okayasu, 2020

Okayasu, Juriya, 2020, Velvet ants of the tribe Smicromyrmini Bischoff (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) of Japan, Zootaxa 4723 (1), pp. 1-110 : 71-76

Ephucilla suginoi Okayasu , sp. nov.

( Figs 32 C–D, 33C–D, 34C–D, 35D, 36D–F, 37B, 38C–D, 39C–D, 40D–F, 41B, 42B, 43B)

Ephucilla naja: Terayama et al. 2011: 13 , 21, ♂, in part; Lo Cascio 2015: 548, in part; Terayama et al. 2016: 166, ♂, in part. Ephucilla sp.: Terayama 2019: 48, ♀.

Diagnosis. MALE. Vertex elevated posteriorly; frons and vertex longitudinally striate; OL:MOD:LOD = 1:1.25– 1.40:1.08–1.40; median ocellus with posterior longitudinal carina; clypeus convex. Mandible tridentate, without dorsal crook; second inner subapical denticle reduced. F1 as long as wide. Mesosoma yellowish red except propleuron, ventral half of mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum black; parapsidal line long; tegula posteriorly rounded, hardly reaching mesoscuto-scutellar articulation, 1.45 times longer than wide; mesopleuron beneath with short longitudinal precoxal impunctate line; lateral margins of propodeum abruptly convergent posteriorly. Metasoma with bluish metallic luster; T2–T3 with sparse pale setal fringe on apical margin; parapenial lobe with small lobe on outer margin; cuspis wide, with distinct ventral face. FEMALE. Head black; frons and vertex densely punctate, intervals smooth; gena with large confluent punctures. Mandible with two weak inner denticles. Mesosoma convergent posteriorly; anterior margin of dorsum of pronotum with a pair of weak pointed tooth; humeral carina strongly projecting, dorsally tuberculate; scutellar scale more than 3.0 times wider than long. T1 black; T2 with weak bluish metallic luster but without setal spot.

Description. MALE (n = 2). Body length: 11.3 mm– 14.9 mm (holotype: 14.9 mm); fore wing length: 6.96 mm– 9.42 mm (holotype: 9.42 mm).

Color and setae. Head including clypeus black except antennal tubercle dark brown; frons with sparse long recumbent and sparser long erect pale golden setae; vertex (except posterior margin) with very sparse long erect pale golden setae; posterior margin of vertex with sparse long recumbent pale golden setae; eye dorsally edged with long erect black setae; gena with sparse short recumbent and sparser long erect pale golden setae; gena above hypostomal carina with very sparse short recumbent and sparser long erect pale golden setae; antennal scrobe glabrous; clypeus basally and laterally with sparse long appressed pale golden setae and with sparse long erect golden setae medially. Mandible black except median 1/6–1/4 reddish brown to dark brown with sparse long erect pale golden setae, basally appressed. Prementum and stipes black with sparse short recumbent pale golden setae; palpi yellow with sparse extremely short erect pale golden setae. Antenna black, sometimes scape and pedicel brownish black; scape with sparse long recumbent and sparser long erect pale golden setae; pedicel and flagellum with dense extremely short erect pale golden to golden setae.

Mesosoma yellowish red except propleuron, ventral half of mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum black; dorsum of pronotum, propleuron and mesoscutum with sparse short recumbent and sparser short erect pale golden to golden setae; tegula with sparse short recumbent pale golden to black setae; scutellum with sparse long erect pale golden setae; metascutellum with sparse extremely short recumbent and sparse long erect pale golden setae; axilla and metanotal trough with dense short appressed pale golden setae; dorsal propodeal face with sparse short recumbent and sparse long erect pale golden setae; basomedial enclosed cell with sparse short recumbent pale golden setae only; lateral face of pronotum with sparse long appressed pale golden setae; mesopleuron with sparse long recumbent and sparser long erect pale golden setae; metapleuron with sparse short appressed pale golden setae on anterior half, with sparse extremely short recumbent and sparser short erect pale golden setae on posterior half; lateral propodeal face ventrally with sparse short appressed pale golden setae, dorsally with sparse short recumbent and sparser long erect pale golden setae.

Wings hyaline, pale brown, with sparse short erect black, regularly distributed setae.

Legs black, posterior half of procoxa sometimes yellowish brown; protibial spur pale brown; meso- and metatibial spurs yellowish white; procoxa with sparse short appressed white to pale golden setae, laterally long, anterolaterally also with few long erect white to pale golden setae; meso- and metacoxa with sparse long recumbent white to pale golden setae; trochanters with sparse long erect white to pale golden setae; femora with sparse short recumbent and sparser long erect white to pale golden setae; tibiae with sparse long recumbent and sparser long erect white to pale golden setae; tarsi with dense long appressed pale golden setae.

Metasoma black with bluish to violet metallic luster on T1–T6 and S2–S7; T1–T4, S1 and S3–S4 with sparse long erect pale golden setae; S2 with sparse short erect pale golden setae; T5–T7 with sparse short recumbent and sparser long erect black setae; S5 with sparse long erect pale golden to black setae; S6–S7 with sparse long erect black setae; S8 with sparse short recumbent and sparser long erect black setae; T1–T3 and S2–S3 with apical fringe of sparse long pale golden setae; T4 with apical fringe of sparse long black setae; S4 with apical fringe of sparse pale golden to black setae; T2 with lateral golden felt line.

Structure. Head 1.54–1.59 (holotype: 1.59) times wider than long; lateral margins strongly convergent posteriorly behind eye in dorsal view; vertex elevated posteriorly; POL/OOL = 0.59; OL:MOD:LOD = 1.00:1.25–1.40:1.40, 1.00:1.40: 1.40 in holotype; GOI = 1.14–1.57 (holotype: 1.57); median ocellus posteriorly with short longitudinal inconspicuous carina; lateral ocellus posteriorly with wide carina; lower frons with weak median longitudinal groove; antennal scrobe with weak dorsal carina reaching inner eye margin; frons and vertex longitudinally striate, intervals with minute dense punctures on frons and with small elongate dense punctures on vertex; inner notch of eye with small rounded dense punctures; posterior margin of vertex with small dense punctures; gena with small confluent punctures. Clypeus convex, basomedially elevated; anterior margin medially widely protruding, with median shallow emargination; surface of clypeus with minute sparse punctures. Mandible narrowed to apex, without dorsal crook, apically pointed and tridentate; first inner denticle distinctly smaller than apex; second inner denticle reduced, much smaller than first inner denticle; ventral margin of mandible excised into large tooth basally; surface of mandible with minute sparse punctures. Scape bending medially, with two parallel carinae beneath; surface of scape with small sparse puncture; pedicel with minute dense punctures; F1 length 0.96–1.10 (holotype: 0.96) × its width, 0.63–0.73 (holotype: 0.63) × F2 length; F2–F10 almost same in width; length of F2–F10 each little longer than the following segment; F11 as long as F2, conical, weakly compressed; surface of flagellum with minute dense punctures.

Mesosoma broadest at mesonotum including tegulae; ratio between head width:humeral width:pronotal width: mesonotal width = 75–79:64–65:87–92:100, 75:64:87: 100 in holotype; humeral angle weakly angulate; propodeum abruptly convergent posteriorly; mesoscutal width 1.15–1.16 (holotype: 1.15) × its length, 0.70–0.72 (holotype: 0.70) × mesonotal width; tegula rounded posteriorly, hardly reaching mesoscuto-scutellar articulation, 1.45 times longer than wide; mesoscutum slightly convex; notauli long, reaching about posterior 2/3–4/5 of mesoscutum, subparallel; parapsidal line long; parascutal carina weakly developed, forming small apically rounded tubercle on postero-lateral angle of mesoscutum; scutellum weakly convex without carina or impunctate line; mesopleuron without transverse mesopleural suture, beneath weakly concave with short longitudinal precoxal impunctate line; dorsum of pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum and metascutellum with large dense punctures; tegula with minute sparse, regularly distributed punctures; dorsal propodeal face areolate, with elongate tongue-like basomedial cell; lateral face of pronotum shallowly transversely striate and with minute sparse punctures; anterior half of mesopleuron, dorsal half of metapleuron and ventral half of lateral propodeal face with minute sparse punctures; posterior half and ventral face of mesopleuron, ventral half of metapleuron and dorsal half of lateral propodeal face with large confluent punctures.

Coxae, trochanters and femora with minute sparse punctures; tibiae and tarsi with minute dense punctures; metacoxa with weak inner carina throughout; tibiae without outer spines; claws simple, without inner denticles.

T1 with distinct dorsum and with dorso-lateral subbasal rounded tubercle; T2 abruptly convex, 1.20–1.43 (holotype: 1.43) times wider than long; S1 with straight median longitudinal carina with its outer margin weakly emarginate medially, forming distinct angle posteriorly; S2 with basomedial short inconspicuous longitudinal carina; T1 except posterior margin with small sparse punctures; T1 on posterior margin with minute dense punctures; T2 disc with large sparse punctures; T2 around discal area and S1–S2 with large dense punctures; T3–T7 and S3–S8 with small dense punctures except T3–T6 with median narrow elongate impunctate line and T7 with wide triangular median impunctate line. Paramere down-curved without inner protuberance; inner face of paramere dorsally with long appressed golden setae on basal half; parapenial lobe narrow, bending, apically pointed, with subapical small rounded lobe on outer margin; volsella without basal external lobe; cuspis wide, convergent apically, pointed to roundly truncate at apex in inner view, incurved in ventral view, with distinct ventral face; dorsal margin of cuspis with row of long, at most little shorter than cuspis length, erect golden setae on basal 2/3; ventral face of cuspis with minute dense punctures and with dense long erect golden setae, apically and basally longer, at most 2/3 of cuspis length; inner face on ventral half of cuspis with minute sparse punctures and with sparse long recumbent golden setae, basally longer, at most 2/3 of cuspis length; digitus small fine, apically with 0–2 long erect golden setae; penis valve with apical pointed and subapical rounded lobes.

FEMALE (n = 1). Body length: 6.61 mm.

Color and setae. Frons, vertex and gena black except antennal tubercle reddish brown, shining among punctures; clypeus dark brown, anterior margin of transverse lamellate carina and median tubercle black; lower frons with sparse long recumbent pale golden setae; upper frons and vertex with sparse long recumbent golden tinged black setae; frons and vertex entirely with sparser very long erect black setae; eye dorsally edged with long erect black setae; gena with sparse long recumbent pale golden setae; antennal scrobe with sparse long appressed pale golden setae; clypeus with sparse long recumbent pale golden setae. Mandible reddish brown except apical half black with sparse long erect pale golden setae on outer face. Prementum and stipes dark brown with sparse extremely short erect pale golden setae; palpi brown with sparse extremely short erect pale golden setae. Scape black with extreme apex reddish brown, ventrally yellowish brown; pedicel reddish brown; flagellum black except F2–F10 reddish yellow ventrally; scape with sparse long recumbent pale golden setae; pedicel and F1 with sparse short recumbent pale golden setae; F2–F10 with dense extremely short recumbent pale golden setae.

Mesosoma entirely yellowish red; pronotal collar with sparse short erect pale golden setae; dorsum of pronotum with sparse short recumbent pale golden and sparser long erect golden tinged black setae; thoracic dorsum behind pronotum with sparse short recumbent golden tinged black setae; dorsal propodeal face with sparse long erect pale golden setae; propleuron with sparse long erect pale golden setae; lateral face of mesosoma with sparse short appressed pale golden setae.

Legs brownish black except coxae and trochanters yellowish red; protibial spur pale brown; meso- and metatibial spurs yellowish white; coxae and trochanters with sparse long erect pale golden setae; femora with sparse long recumbent and sparser long erect pale golden setae; tibiae with sparse long recumbent pale golden setae; tarsi with dense long appressed pale golden setae.

Metasoma black except S1 yellowish red and S2–S6 reddish tinged, with bluish metallic luster on T2; T1, T2 around discal area, T3 and S1–S6 with sparse long erect pale golden setae; T2 disc with dense short recumbent and sparse short erect black setae; T4–T5 with dense long recumbent black and sparse long erect black (laterally pale golden) setae; T6 with sparse long erect pale golden setae except pygidial area glabrous, and with thickened lateral pygidial fringe of long erect pale golden setae; S2–S6 with apical fringe of sparse long pale golden setae; T2 with apical narrow band of dense appressed pale golden setae, slightly triangularly widened medially; T2 with lateral golden felt line; T3 with wide uniform band of dense appressed pale golden setae.

Structure. In dorsal view, outline of head semicircular with anterior margin strongly protruding, 1.28 times wider than long; lateral margins strongly convergent posteriorly behind eye; posterior margin truncate. In lateral view, outline of head weakly longitudinally elongate; gena wide with GOI = 1.06. Frons and vertex with large dense punctures, intervals smooth; gena with large confluent punctures; genal carina weakly developed; hypostomal tooth dentiform; antennal scrobe with distinct dorsal carina; eye oval, slightly protruding from head capsule; minimum distance between eyes 1.02 × eye height; eye height 1.90 × malar length. Clypeus with minute sparse punctures, with weak median longitudinal tubercle and transverse lamellate carina on anterior margin; anterior margin of apical lamellate carina truncate, without notch; apex of median tubercle hardly reaching apical margin of transverse carina. Mandible slender, apically pointed with two extremely weak subapical inner denticles; ventral margin not excised. Prementum without dome-like tubercle. Scape bending medially; F1 length 1.36 × its width and F2 length; F2–F9 almost same in length and width; F10 as long as F1, conical; surface of antenna with minute dense punctures.

Mesosoma broadest at pronotal spiracles and distinctly convergent posteriorly in dorsal view; ratio between head width:humeral width:pronotal width:mesonotal width:propodeal width:metasomal width (average in parentheses) = 100:82:96:82:78:116; dorsal thoracic length 0.98 × pronotal width; anterior margin of dorsum of pronotum nearly straight, with a pair of small pointed sublateral teeth; pronotum laterally projecting, forming distinct angle at pronotal spiracle; lateral margin of mesosoma weakly crenulate; humeral angle angulate; humeral carina lamellately projecting, dorsally tuberculate; scutellar scale weakly elevated, 4.00 times wider than long, 0.13 times wider than propodeum, 2.5 times wider than diameter of nearby punctures; transverse sulcus absent; pronotal collar with minute sparse punctures; thoracic dorsum with large confluent punctures; dorsal propodeal face puncto-reticulated by large confluent punctures, many transverse intervals obliterated leaving longitudinal carinae, with median longitudinal carina not reaching scutellar scale; lateral face of mesosoma with extremely minute dense punctures except ventral half of mesopleuron with large confluent punctures.

Coxae, trochanters, femora, tibiae and tarsi with minute sparse punctures; metacoxa with weak inner carina throughout; mesotibia with a pair of longitudinal rows of few spines on outer face; metatibia with one longitudinal row of few spines on outer face; protarsomeres each with one short external spine apically; claws simple, without inner denticles.

T1 without distinct dorsum; T2 evenly convex, dorsal T2 length 1.09 × T2 width; S1 with straight median longitudinal carina with its outer margin weakly emarginate medially; S2 with basomedial short inconspicuous longitudinal carina; T1 on basal half and S1 with minute sparse punctures; T1 on apical half and S2 with small sparse punctures; T2 disc with small confluent punctures; T2 around discal area with small dense punctures; T3–T6 except pygidial area and S3–S6 with minute dense punctures; pygidial area convex, elongate, weakly convergent basally; lateral margins of pygidial area very weakly carinate on apical half; surface of pygidial area unsculptured and polished.

Type materials. Holotype: Japan: [Okinawa Islands] ♂ ( Figs 32 C–D, 34C–D, 35D, 36D–F, 37B, 38C–D), Sashiki [ ÉH], Nanjyô-shi [+µ市], Okinawa-jima Island , 1.VIII.1976, S. Yamauchi leg. [ HUM] . Paratypes: 1♂ 1♀. Japan : 1♂ 1♀: [Okinawa Islands] 1♂, Oku [ĸ], Kunigami Village [ ḆḀIJ], Okinawa-jima Island , 24.VII.2003, Hiroshi Makihara leg., MST [ TPM] ; 1♀ ( Figs 33 C–D, 39C–D, 40D–F, 41B, 42B, 43B), same place, 13.V.2011, Kôichi Sugino leg. [ EUM] .

Distribution. Japan: Okinawa Islands (Okinawa-jima Island).

Occurrence in Japan. May–August.

Biology. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific name suginoi is dedicated to Kôichi Sugino who collected the female paratype during his field survey in Okinawa-jima Island.

Comparison. The male of this new species is similar to that of E. brevitegula sp. nov., E. naja and E. yoshitakei sp. nov. as mentioned above. Specifically, E. brevitegula and E. suginoi are recognized by the rounded tegula. They can be separated only by the mesosomal color: yellowish red except the propleuron, ventral half of mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum are black in E. suginoi ; metanotum also black in E. brevitegula .

The female of this new species and that of E. brevitegula and E. thalia can be separated from E. yoshitakei by the simply punctate frons and vertex, the lamellately projecting humeral carina and the wider scutellar scale. Ephucilla suginoi differs from these in having the dorsal pronotal tooth weak and pointed (weak and rounded in E. thalia ; strong and pointed in E. brevitegula ) and the humeral carina dorsally tuberculate (rounded in E. thalia ). These features are slight, but consistent among the materials studied.

Remarks. The male of this new species was recorded from Okinawa-jima Island as E. naja by Terayama et al. (2011). There is no direct evidence to support the sex association of this species.

Figures

FIGURE 32. Ephucilla spp., ♂, habitus. A–B. Holotype, E. yoshitakei sp. nov.; C–D. holotype, E. suginoi sp. nov.; E–F. holotype, E. brevitegula sp. nov.; G–H. paralectotype, E. naja (Zavattari); A, C, E, G. dorsal view; B, D, F, H. lateral view.

FIGURE 33. Ephucilla spp., ♀, habitus. A–B. Paratype, E. yoshitakei sp. nov.; C–D. paratype, E. suginoi sp. nov.; E–F. paratype, E. brevitegula sp. nov.; G–H. holotype, E. thalia (Mickel); A, C, E, G. dorsal view; B, D, F, H. lateral view.