Schusterphotopsis, Pitts, 2003

SCHUSTERPHOTOPSIS Pitts, 2003

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

Schusterphotopsis Pitts, 2003: 2 View Cited Treatment . Type species: Schusterphotopsis barghesti Pitts, 2003 .

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Females can be recognized by the combination of these two characters: mandible basally with small sharp dorsal tooth and large ventral tooth ( Fig. 258 View FIGURES 256–259 ), and gena margined with moderately distinct carina. The following characters are also useful for identification: T1 shape narrowly petiolate; mesosomal dorsum without short bushy plumose setae; T2 disc with sculpture coarsely areolate baso-mesally without raised tubercles, posterior half with small sparse punctures; pygidial plate triangular with microreticulate sculpture ( Fig. 259 View FIGURES 256–259 ). MALE. This genus can be immediately recognized by the mesosternal armature, which consists of a small posteriorly directed digitiform process placed approximate to the mesocoxae.The following diagnostic features are also useful: mandible apically tridentate with large ventral tooth basally ( Fig. 263–264 View FIGURES 260–265 ); hypopygium with baso-lateral longitudinal carina; hypopygium flattened with posterior margin weakly emarginated or truncate mesally.

Included species. Only the type species, Sc. barghesti , which is known from both sexes.

Remarks. This genus was erected for a single species based on a single specimen collected in 1969 ( Pitts 2003). Since its description, no additional specimens have been examined in loans from various museums (KAW, JPP, pers. obs.). In 2016, KAW collected the first recent specimens of the genus. In subsequent expeditions, over 120 specimens were collected at the same site by KAW, including the first known females in the genus.

Based on the male mandible and hypopygium structure, this genus was recognized as a close relative of Acrophotopsis and Dilophotopsis . The female mandible structure confirms their relatedness; the presence of a sharp dorsal tooth and large ventral tooth in the basal third of the mandible is an apparent synapomorphy for these three genera. Furthermore, Schusterphotopsis has its ITS1 sequences more similar to Acrophotopsis and Dilophotopsis than to any other genus ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ).