Schusterphotopsis barghesti Pitts, 2003

Schusterphotopsis barghesti Pitts, 2003 , ♂ ♀

( Figs 256–269 View FIGURES 256–259 View FIGURES 260–265 View FIGURES 266–269 )

Schusterphotopsis barghesti Pitts, 2003: 3 View Cited Treatment . Holotype male: USA, California, San Bernardino County , 13 mi SE Lucerne Vly , 5000’, 2-VIII-1969, D. P. Levin (LACM), examined.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. As for genus. Body length 4.6–5.0 mm. MALE. As for genus. Body length 8–13.5 mm.

Description. Female (hitherto unknown). Coloration. Body uniformly pale orange-brown, except legs and antennae somewhat lighter yellow-brown. Body setae entirely silvery, except mesonotum and T2 disc with sparse pale orange appressed setae. Head. Head width 0.9 × mesonotal width; vertex width 0.8 × mesonotal width. Frons convex; vertex rounded; frons and vertex coarsely areolate-punctate. Eye large, ovate, in lateral view, height 1.35 × width; in anterior view, inner eye margins sub-parallel, malar space 0.6 × eye height, vertex height 1.0 × eye height, interocular distance 2.15 × eye height. Clypeus with distinct basomesal tubercle. Genal sculpture areolate; genal and postgenal carinae distinct, somewhat interrupted by surrounded punctures. Mandible oblique, bidentate apically; dorsal basal carina terminating in small sharp tooth in basal third; ventrally with large, rounded tooth basally. Antennal scrobe with surrounding sculpture coarse, approximating interrupted dorsal carina. Antennal tubercle mostly smooth, forming indistinct oblique shelf margined by weak carina. F1 length 1.8 × pedicel length; F2 1.65 × pedicel length. Mesosoma. Mesosomal length 1.1 × width; mesosomal length 0.95 × T2 length; mesosomal width 0.85 × T2 width. Humeral carina not reaching epaulet dorsally; epaulet placed on moderately sharp tubercle; humeral corner angular in dorsal view; lateral pronotal sculpture areolate with intervals largely obliterated posteriorly leaving large smooth area; setae sparse, brachyplumose. Mesosomal dorsum coarsely areolate, intervals reduced to carinae and scattered tubercles; setae interspersed erect and appressed brachyplumose; lacking scutellar scale or defined transverse arcuate carinae. Ratio of transverse distances, in dorsal view, between epaulets, humeral angles, anterior spiracles, widest lateral mesonotal margins, propodeal spiracles, and posterolateral propodeal corners 76:87:101:100:85:74. Vertical mesopleural ridge with coarse areolations; metapleuron and mesopleuron (posterior to ridge) smooth with few scattered setae. Propodeum areolate dorsally, evenly rounded into posterior face with shallower areolations; lateral propodeal surface smooth, differentiated by irregular carina. Metasoma. T1 shape narrowly petiolate, widest apically, apical width 0.45 × T2 maximum width; T1 disc areolate; disc setae interspersed short plumose and long brachyplumose; fringe plumose. S1 with blunt longitudinal carina. T2 length 1.0 × width; disc areolate antero-mesally with many longitudinal intervals cariniform, becoming sparsely punctate with flat intervals posteriorly; disc setae interspersed appressed simple and erect brachyplumose setae; fringe plumose; T2 felt line linear, 0.3 × T2 length; posterior felt line edge terminating at 0.65 × T2 length. S2 sculpture similar to posterior half of T2, with baso-medal longitudinal punctate ridge. T3–5 disc with interspersed appressed short and erect long simple to brachyplumose setae; fringe setae plumose. Pygidial plate triangular, basal width 1.2 × medial width, maximum length 0.9 × maximum width; sculpture coarse microreticulate; lateral carinae simple.

Material examined. USA, California, San Bernardino County, Cactus Flats , 20 km SE Lucerne Valley , 34.313 -116.806, 1835 m, E. E. and K. A. Williams GoogleMaps : 2–3.VII.2016 ( 12♂, CSCA EMUS) ; 29–31.VII.2016 ( 2♀ 2♂, CSCA EMUS) ; 23–24.VI.2017 ( 114♂, CSCA EMUS) .

Distribution. USA: California ( San Bernardino County ).

Remarks. The sex association was originally hypothesized based on similarity of the females to members of the genera Acrophotopsis and Dilophotopsis . It was then confirmed by the identical ITS1 sequences of a male and female ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ).