Orientidia thoawanae Williams, 2019

Williams, Kevin A., Lelej, Arkady S., Okayasu, Juriya, Borkent, Christopher J., Malee, Rufeah, Thoawan, Kodeeyah & Thaochan, Narit, 2019, The female velvet ants (aka modkhong) of southern Thailand (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), with a key to the genera of southeast Asia, Zootaxa 4602 (1), pp. 1-69 : 38-39

25b. Orientidia thoawanae Williams , sp. nov.

( Figs 139–140 )

Diagnosis. FEMALE. This is apparently the only Orientidia species with the scutellar scale narrow and spine-like. The following characters may also be useful for identification: pronotum broader than propodeum, mesosoma uniform orange, legs largely orange, metasoma entirely black, T2 sculpture coarse, T2 disc spots small and separated by more than spot diameter, T2 and T3 bands entire, and T6 without pygidium. Body length 4–8 mm. MALE. Unknown.

Description. FEMALE. Body length 4.4 mm. Coloration. Head black, except antennal tubercle, mandible, scape, and pedicel largely orange-brown. Mesosoma, coxae, and femoral bases orange-brown, femoral apices, tibiae, and tarsi brown. Metasoma black, except T1 and T6 dark red-brown, and S1 orange-brown. Body setae generally sparse and silvery, except frons and mesosomal dorsum with sub-erect mostly red-brown setae; T2 disc, T4, and T5 setae dense black; and vertex, T2 disc lateral spots, T2 apical band, T3 entirely, and T6 basal tuft with dense pale golden setae; T2 lateral spot diameter 0.8 × distance between spots; T2 apical band and T3 band entire. Head. Width behind eye 1.1 × mesosoma width. Frons, vertex, and gena punctures confluent. Mandible apex narrow bidentate. Clypeus apically weak bidentate, teeth connected by weak transverse lamella; basomedial portion with robust tubercle. Antennal scrobe with arcuate dorsal carina nearly continuous to mandible base. Antennal tubercle with weak punctures and sparse setae. Genal carina forming small tooth at hypostomal carina and extending posteriorly to occipital carina. F1 1.8 × pedicel length, F2 1.2 × pedicel length. Mesosoma. Length subequal to width. Dorsum of mesosoma with confluent punctures; wavy carina separating dorsal and lateral faces of pronotum and mesonotum. Side of mesosoma with dense micropunctures and short setae. Mesopleural lamella an obscure carina. Humeral carina distinct, moderately expanded dorsally. Ratio of width of humeral angle, anterior spiracle, narrowest point of mesonotum, propodeal spiracle, and midpoint of propodeum 68:78:68:71:75. Scutellar scale sharp triangular, narrower than one puncture. Posterior propodeal face reticulate. Lateral and posterior propodeal faces separated by row of teeth. Metatibio-tarsal ratio 46:19:13:8:6:6. Metasoma. T1 anterior face with separated punctures, posterior with confluent punctures. T2 disc with separated ovate pits, interspaces densely micropunctate and setose; with obscure transverse arcuate depression in apical half. T3–5 and S3–5 with small dense punctures. S1 with longitudinal lamella, sub-interrupted with notch medially. S2 with sparse punctures, interspaces smooth. T2 felt line 0.3 × T2 total length. T6 convex without any trace of pygidium. S6 posterior margin rounded.

Material examined. Holotype ♀, THAILAND, Songkhla, Hat Yai, Prince of Songkhla University , forest edge, 7.008 o N 100.508 o E, 40 m, 12.IV.2017, MKT (CSCA). Paratypes (33 ♀), MALAYSIA , Kedah, Pantai Kok Pulau Langkawi , 6 o 22'N 99 o 42'E, 19–21.VI.1996, S.L. Heydon and S. Fung (1♀ UCDC) . THAILAND: Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep, near Chiang Mai, 500–700 m, 1.IV.2006, Sk. Yamane (1♀ SKYC) ; 19.VIII. 1998, Sk. Yamane (1♀ SKYC) ; Kanchanaburi, Thong Pha Phum, Vimarndin farm stay, 14.655 o N 98.521 o E, 200 m, 17–20.V.2018, MKT (1♀ CSCA) ; Nakhon Si Thammarat, 4.4 km N Hin Tok, Mountainside rubber farm, 8.303 o N 99.849 o E, 7.IV.2017, MKT (1♀ CSCA) ; Phatthalung, 2.4 km S Ban Na, Farm , 7.543 o N 99.883 o E, 50 m, 6.IV.2017, MKT (1♀ CSCA) ; Songkhla, Hat Yai, Prince of Songkhla University , forest edge, 7.008 o N 100.508 o E, 40 m, 11–12.IV.2017, MKT (25♀ CSCA EMUS MIUP PSUC QSBG) ; Surat Thani, Khlong Sok: Khao Sok Jungle Huts , 8.909 o N 99.526 o E, 70 m, 25–26.V.2018, MKT (1♀ CSCA) ; Our Jungle House resort, 8.908 o N 99.534 o E, 75 m, 25–27.V.2018, MKT (1♀ CSCA) .

Distribution. Malaysia (Kedah), Thailand (Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Surat Thani).

Etymology. KAW is happy to name this species for the co-author and type collector, Kodeeyah Thoawan.

Remarks. This species is unique in having a narrow spine-like scutellar scale. Its placement in Orientidia is somewhat tenuous and further study may necessitate transferring it to Promecidia or another genus.

Figures

FIGURES 137–146. Mutillinae: Trogaspidiini females III. 137–138. Orientidia manleyi, sp. nov.; 139–140. O. thoawanae, sp. nov.; 141–142. Petersenidia modkhong, sp. nov.; 143–144. Petersenidia leleji, sp. nov.; 145–146. Promecidia ninnii. 137, 139, 141, 143, 145. Habitus, dorsal view; 138, 140, 142, 144, 146. Habitus, lateral view.