Scolomus valenzuelai Araujo, Pádua & Silva-Santos, 2025

Scolomus valenzuelai Araujo, Pádua & Silva-Santos sp. nov.

Figs 1–3 View Figures 1–3

Type material.

Holotype. Chile • 1 ♀; Región del Maule, Cauquenes, El Secreto de Pilén ; 35°59′1″S, 72°28′21″W; 1, 370 m alt.; 09 Sep – 09 Oct 2024; Malaise trap; R. O. Araujo, D. G. Pádua & B. Cortés-Rivas leg.; ( MNNC). GoogleMaps

Type locality.

Chile: Región del Maule, Cauquenes, El Secreto de Pilén; 35°59′1″S, 72°28′21″W; 1, 370 m alt.

Diagnosis.

Scolomus valenzuelai sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by the combination of the following characteristics: 1) clypeus lightly punctate with setae, flat in profile, weakly impressed; 2) postscutellum rounded posteriorly; 3) metapleuron strongly strigose near its ventral margin; 4) lateromedian longitudinal carina elevated, strong until the intersection with the anterior transverse carina, and faintly impressed posteriorly, lateromedian longitudinal carina parallel; 5) area basalis present, well delimited, trapezoidal and smooth; 6) lateral longitudinal carina slightly curved in apical third; 7) fore wing with a lightly petiolate areolet, rhomboidal; 8) wings strongly and entirely infuscate, and pterostigma and all veins dark brown.

Description.

Holotype female (Figs 1–3 View Figures 1–3 ). Body length (without ovipositor): 7.85 mm; antenna length: 6.70 mm; fore wing length: 6.75 mm.

Head. Head polished, with sparse short pubescence. Face narrowly elongate, densely punctate, with setae laterally and dorsally but sparse centrally. Maximum face width about 1.20 × as high (measured from base of antennae to base of clypeus) as wide. Anterior tentorial pits visible. Clypeus lightly punctate with setae, flat in profile, weakly impressed, its apical margin truncated, sinuous, 1.40 × as wide as high. Labrum slightly visible even with mandibles closed. Malar space 1.25 × as long as basal mandibular width; mandible relatively stout, mandible basally and centrally punctate, with setae. Mandible bidentate, teeth smooth, upper tooth longer than lower tooth. Upper tooth 3.35 × as long as basally wide. Frons without distinct punctures. Inner orbits almost parallel, very slightly indented opposite antennal socket. Stemmaticum slightly convex. Posterior ocellus separated from eye about 0.95 × its maximum diameter. Distance between posterior ocelli 1.15 × the maximum diameter of posterior ocellus. Vertex shiny, without punctures. Temple shiny with setiferous punctures; temples almost parallel behind eye. Antenna with 36 flagellomeres; first flagellomere 3.85 × as long as apically wide.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma polished, with very short whitish setae, longer on propodeum. Pronotum with very small punctures with setae, smoother laterally. Mesoscutum slightly convex dorsally, strongly carinate, especially posteriorly; notaulus faintly impressed anteriorly. Mesoscutum polished, with very small, dense, and evenly distributed punctures. Scuto-scutellar groove very deep. Scutellum convex in profile, with strong anterolateral carinae. Postscutellum rounded posteriorly. Scutellum and postscutellum polished, elevated, with very small and dense punctures. Subtegular ridge produced into a sharp, curved spine. Mesopleuron polished, with small, dense punctures with setae on dorsal half anterior to speculum and on ventral half; speculum polished and entirely smooth. Epicnemial carina complete, strong, elevated, reaching anteroventral margin of mesopleuron. Sternaulus indistinct. Posterior transverse carina of mesosternum complete, medially strongly excised. Posterior margin of mesosternum expanded and upcurved, producing into a small lobe. Metapleuron polished, with many small punctures, strongly strigose and convex near its ventral margin, about 1.15 × as long as height. Submetapleural carina complete, strong, produced anteriorly and posteriorly into a small lobe. Propodeal spiracle circular, almost connected to laterolongitudinal carina. Propodeum shiny, in dorsal view about 1.10 × as medially wide as long. Anterior transverse carina complete, medially lightly excised. Laterolongitudinal carina complete, strong, explanate above spiracles, elevated at intersection with anterior transverse carina and with posterior transverse carinae, forming apophyses just after the last-mentioned intersection. Posterior transverse carinae absent medially, between apophyses; lateromedian longitudinal carina elevated, strong until the intersection with the anterior transverse carina, and faintly impressed posteriorly; lateromedian longitudinal carinae parallel. Area basalis present, well delimited, trapezoidal, and smooth. Area externa shiny and smooth. Lateral longitudinal carina slightly curved in apical third. Coxae shiny, punctate with setae well distributed throughout. Hind femur about 5.35 × as long as its maximum height and about 0.90 × as long as hind tibia. Tarsal claws large, longer than arolium. Fore wing with large pterostigma and a lightly petiolate areolet, rhomboidal. Vein 1 cu-a inclivous, lightly postfurcal relative to M & RS. Distal abscissa of Rs very slightly sinuate. Abscissa of CU present and touching wing posterior margin. CU strongly inclivous, cu-a reclivous.

Metasoma. Metasoma polished, with very short and relatively sparse setae. Tergite I about 1.20 × as long as posteriorly wide. Spiracle near its center, smooth, with isolated setiferous punctures. Dorsolateral carina of tergite I absent. Postpetiole 4.35 × as long as maximum width. Glymma deep, seemingly with thin membrane between both sides. Tergal-sternal suture of first metasomal segment complete and strong. Tergite II 2.00 × as long as its height (lateral view). Thyridium not discernible. Tergites III – VII similarly sculptured. Hypopygium large and triangular in lateral view, 2.85 × as long as wide. Ovipositor short, needle-shaped, 5.00 × as long as basal width.

Color. Predominantly black and turquoise-green. Head black; antenna, basal half of mandible, and palpi brownish black. Mesosoma entirely black. Tegula black; legs with all coxae, trochanters, femurs, and tibia turquoise-green; all trochantelli brownish black. Wings strongly and entirely infuscate; pterostigma and all veins dark brown. Metasoma turquoise green, with posterior margin of tergites III, T-shaped mark extending from the apical margin to the center of tergite III; tergites VI onwards black. Ovipositor sheath black, ovipositor yellowish red. Body covered by silvery pubescence.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology.

Scolomus valenzuelai is named in honor of Pablo Valenzuela, a distinguished Chilean biochemist whose pioneering contributions to biotechnology and molecular biology have been profound in both scientific research and public health. Dr Valenzuela’s crucial role in the development of the hepatitis B vaccine, the identification of the hepatitis C virus, and Chile’s genomic research advancement has significantly shaped the country’s biomedical innovation. His work fosters a legacy of scientific excellence and technological progress. By dedicating this species to him, we recognize science’s debt to his invaluable contributions and his enduring influence on future generations’ research. The species epithet, valenzuelai , is to be treated as a noun in genitive case.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 7 View Figure 7 ).

Biology.

Unknown.

Comments.

Scolomus valenzuelai sp. nov. is most similar to the South American S. magellanicus and S. viridis by the stout mandible; the subtegular ridge produced into a sharp, curved spine; a deep groove between the propodeum and metanotum; and predominantly green coloration. The new species can be differentiated from these species by (1) the lateromedian longitudinal carina, which is strong and elevated until the intersection with the anterior transverse carina, then becoming faintly impressed posteriorly; the parallel lateromedian longitudinal carina (vs. lateromedian longitudinal carina converging posteriorly, generating a reduced, triangular area basalis in S. magellanicus ; and lateromedian longitudinal carina strongly impressed posteriorly in S. viridis ); (2) fore wing with a lightly petiolate areolet, rhomboidal (vs. a pentagonal areolet, with vein 2 rs-m complete and 3 rs-m partially complete and both independently touching RS); 3) the strongly and entirely infuscate wings, with the pterostigma and all veins dark brown (vs. wings with pterostigma and all veins brown, hyaline to lightly infuscate in S. magellanicus and lightly infuscate in S. viridis ); 4) the posteriorly rounded postscutellum (vs. posteriorly straight in S. magellanicus and S. viridis ). Additionally, S. valenzuelai sp. nov. differs from S. magellanicus by having the lateral longitudinal carina slightly curved in its apical third (vs. straight in its apical third); the hypopygium large, 2.85 × as long as wide (vs. hypopygium 1.70 × as long as wide); and differs from S. viridis due the absence of the superomedia area (vs. present, although open posteriorly).