Odontomutilla storozhenkoi Lelej, 2025

Odontomutilla storozhenkoi Lelej , sp. nov.

( Figs 1–4)

Type material. Holotype — ♀, Iran, Loristan Province , Mahmudvand [Veysian, 33°29′10″N 48°01′46″E], 4–5.VI. 2010, R. Yakovlev [ IBSS] GoogleMaps . Paratype, SW Iran, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province , Gandoman, Kuhe-Kalar, 2750 m, 13–14.VII.1982, H. Brouman & A. Pazuki, 1♀ [ IBSS] .

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Genal carina strong, forming tooth at hypostomal carina and extending posteriorly to occipital carina where distinctly angulate. Head, mesosoma, legs and antennae ferruginous-red; metasoma black. T2 with basal medial spot of white setae. T3 with no interrupted band of white setae. MALE. Unknown.

Description. FEMALE. Body length 8.4–11.2 mm. Coloration and setation. Head and mesosoma ferruginous-red, while metasoma black. Legs, antennae and palps ferruginous-red. Mandible ferruginous-red with brown apex. Body setae generally sparse and whitish, except on T1, T2, T4–6 with subappressed and brownish setae. Frons, vertex and mesosomal dorsum with sparse, suberect, brownish setae, while posterior propodeal face and anterior face of T1 with long, dense, recumbent setae. Mesopleural vertical carina has long erect whitish setae. Legs, especially meso- and metatibia, with long, dense, recumbent, whitish setae. T2 with basal medial spot of whitish setae. T3 with noninterrupted band of whitish setae. S2–6 with sparse, suberect, long, whitish setae, forming apical fringe of dense setae on S2–5.

Head. Width behind eye 0.93 × humeral mesosomal width. Frons, vertex, and gena with large sometimes confluent punctures. Mandible with dorsal carina extending from base to apex, apex unidentate. Clypeus apically not dentate, with transverse preapical carina. Antennal scrobe with arcuate lateral carina. Genal carina strong, forming large tooth at hypostomal carina and extending posteriorly to occipital carina where distinctly angulate. F1 1.7 × F2 and 2.0 × pedicel length, F2 1.25 × pedicel length.

Mesosoma. Length 1.08 × maximum width. Dorsum of mesosoma with large elongated coarse punctures; mesopleuron convex, punctured, vertical carina ending dorsally to tooth. Humeral carina well developed with oblique carina posterad. Ratio of width of humeral angle, anterior spiracle, lateral mesonotal tooth, propodeal spiracle, and posterolateral propodeal angle 72:78:82:75:67. Scutellar scale lacking. Posterior propodeal face abrupt, with dense punctures smaller to metasomal base; lateral propodeal face with large dense punctures.

Metasoma. T1 broad with distinct anterior and dorsal faces, dorsally with small dense punctures. T2 with large coarse punctures, posteromedially with small dense ones; posterior border smooth. T4–5 with small dense punctures, posterior half smooth. S3–5 with small dense punctures, posterior border smooth. S1 with simple longitudinal lamella. S2 with dense large punctures, posterior border smooth. T2 anterolaterally with linear felt line. T6 basally and laterally coarsely punctate, setose, apical half with medial part without setae, pygidial plate not carinated laterad even apically, considerably convergent basally, with transverse striae.

MALE unknown.

Distribution. Iran (Loristan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari).

Remarks. A new species is the second one of Odontomutilla in the Palaearctic and related with species from the Afrotropical region by the linear shape of lateral felt line on T2. The female of Odontomutilla storozhenkoi , sp. nov. easily differs from that of O. chrysococcina (Sichel & Radoszkowski, 1869) also described from Iran by the lacking of lateral pale spots on T2.

Etymology. I am pleased to name this new species in honor of Prof. Sergey Yu. Storozhenko, world authority on orthopterous insects and grilloblattids and my best colleague, on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Treat as a noun in apposition.