Lestrimelitta galvisi, Guevara & Gonzalez & Ospina, 2020

Lestrimelitta galvisi , new species

ZooBank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B459FD76-60B8-4B87-858D-2FFFA4A3196A

Holotype. COLOMBIA. Nariño: ♀, El Charco , nido en Avicenia [ Avicennia sp. ], xi-16-82 [15 Nov. 1982] / 14417 / LABUN010988 ( LABUN).

Paratypes. 4♀, same data as holotype but with catalogue numbers 14418–14419 ( LABUN), 14421 ( SEMC) .

Diagnosis. This species can be easily recognized by the following combination of features ( Fig. 3 View Figure 3 ): propodeal spiracle elongate; vertex, preoccipital margin, anterior margin of mesoscutum, and terga with erect, long setae; propodeum laterally with short, sparse, simple setae; and mesotibial spur reduced. This species runs to L. huilensis in the key to species of Lestrimelitta from Central America and Northern South America by Gonzalez and Griswold (2012). It differs from that species in the mesotibial spur reduced (1.3× mesobasitarsal width basally in L. huilensis ) and mesepisternum and disc of mesoscutum with short but distinct, decumbent setae (glabrous or nearly so in L. huilensis ). In addition, both species are geographically separated and inhabiting different ecosystems. Lestrimelitta galvisi occurs in tropical rain forests of the Choco bioregion whereas L. huilensis in dry tropical forests along the Magdalena valley in Colombia.

Description. ♀. Total body length 6.9 mm; forewing length 4.8 mm; head width 2.2 mm; maximum width of T2 1.8 mm. Head 1.2× broader than long; inner orbits of compound eyes subparallel; malar area 1.4× OD; clypeus 3.5× broader than long; intertorular distance shorter (0.8×) than torular diameter; torulorbital distance 2.4× torular diameter, 2.5× intertorular distance; interocellar distance 2.2× OD, shorter (0.8×) than ocellocular distance; scape about 6.5× longer than wide; pedicel longer than broad (1.2×); first flagellomere slightly longer than broad (1.1×), longer than second flagellomere, remaining flagellomeres broader than long, except apical flagellomere much longer than broad; compound eye 2.5× longer than broad; gena broader than width of compound eye in profile; mandible bidentate. Mesoscutellum elevated, not flattened, partially covering metanotum medially; propodeal spiracle elongate, about 4.7× longer than wide; mesotibial spur reduced; metatibia about 3.0× longer than broad.

Integument smooth and shiny between minute, sparse punctures as in other species of the genus; terga and sterna weakly lineolate-imbricate.

Color predominantly dark reddish-brown, lighter on labrum, mandible (except basally), clypeal margin, scape, legs, T1 and T2, and sterna. Wing membrane light brownish; veins and pterostigma brown.

Body largely glabrous, sparsely covered with minute, appressed, simple yellowish setae, denser on head and mesosoma. Propodeum laterally with short, sparse, fine setae. Erect, long, stout, dark brown setae on: distal margin of labrum and inferior margin of mandible (longest, ≥ 2.0× OD); vertex and preoccipital border (0.6× OD), anterior and lateral margins (next to axilla) of mesoscutum (1–1.5× OD); axilla (0.5× OD); mesoscutellum with sparse setae on disc (0.6× OD), much longer (1.8× OD) on distal margin; pro-, meso-, metacoxae, mesotibia (0.5× OD), and propodeum laterally (1–1.2× OD); posterior margin of metatibia (0.6–2.0× OD); T1 (0.4× OD), T2, and T3 laterally (0.6× OD), and entire T4–T6 (0.7–1.3 × OD).

Etymology. This species is a patronymic honoring Germán Galvis Vergara, friend and colleague from the Department of Biology, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, in recognition for his efforts in documenting and protecting the biodiversity of Colombia.

Additional material examined. Two females with the same data as holotype but with catalogue numbers 14439 and 14422 (not designated as paratypes). One of them is a callow specimen judging by its body yellow coloration (14439). The other specimen has a normal adult coloration but all legs and metasoma are missing. Both specimens are in LABUN .

Comments. This species is known from the type locality in the Colombian Pacific coast ( Fig. 2 View Figure 2 ). According to the label information, all specimens of this species were collected from a nest found in a mangrove ( Avicennia sp. , Acanthaceae ).