Acanthophotopsis falciformis Schuster, 1958

Acanthophotopsis falciformis Schuster, 1958 , ♂ ♀

( Figs 5, 11 View FIGURES 2–13 , 17 View FIGURES 14–19 , 23–24 View FIGURES 20–26 , 30, 36 View FIGURES 27–38 , 48–50 View FIGURES 48–56 , 69–72 View FIGURES 69–80 )

Acanthophotopsis falciformis falciformis Schuster, 1958: 108 . Holotype male: USA, California, Palm Springs, Fall.1932, T. Zschokke (UMSP), examined.

Acanthophotopsis falciformis furcisterna Schuster, 1958: 111 . Holotype male: USA, Arizona, Tucson, 5.X.1935, O. Bryant (UMSP), examined. Synonymized by Tanner et al. (2009).

Diagnosis. FEMALE. This species can be immediately recognized by the T2 shape, sculpture, and coloration: T2 is wider than long ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 2–13 ); entirely with coarse longitudinal areolations; and with sparse, scarcely defined, broad patches of brown setae basally ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 2–13 ). Body length 5–7.5 mm. MALE. This species can be immediately recognized by the quadridentate mandible, with a large blunt tooth along the inner surface near mid-length ( Figs 48–49 View FIGURES 48–56 ). Body length 7.5–10 mm.

Description. Female (hitherto unknown). Coloration. Body cuticle entirely pale brown, except legs and antennae slightly lighter yellow-brown. Body setae entirely whitish, except mesosomal dorsum and T2 disc basally with indistinct brown setae. Head. Head width 0.8 × mesonotal width; vertex width 0.7 × mesonotal width. Frons convex; vertex elongate; frons and vertex areolate-punctate. Eye large, ovate, in lateral view, height 1.3 × width; in anterior view, inner eye margins sub-parallel, malar space 0.5 × eye height, vertex height 1.0 × eye height, interocular distance 1.7 × eye height. Clypeus with punctate basomesal tubercle. Gena sculpture areolate; genal and postgenal carinae obliterated. Mandible oblique, bidentate apically; dorsal basal carina gradually terminating near mid-length; ventral carina terminating in weak blunt angle. F1 length 1.5 × pedicel length; F2 1.35 × pedicel length. Mesosoma. Mesosomal length 1.1 × width; mesosomal length 0.9 × T2 length; mesosomal width 0.7 × T2 width. Humeral carina mostly obliterated; humeral corner rounded; lateral pronotal sculpture areolate; setae sparse brachyplumose. Entire mesosoma areolate-punctate, except mesopleuron anterior and posterior to vertical mesopleural ridge and metapleuron with sparser sculpture; setae interspersed erect and appressed brachyplumose; lacking any trace of scutellar scale or 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 73:88:100:100:80:67. Dorsal, posterior, and lateral propodeal surfaces evenly rounded into one another. Metasoma. T1 shape subsessile, widest apically, apical width 0.35 × T2 maximum width; T1 disc areolate-punctate dorsally; disc setae interspersed long simple and short plumose; fringe setae plumose. S1 with short high longitudinal carina. T2 length 0.85 × width; disc coarsely longitdunally areolate, intervals mostly rounded, areolations sparser and intervals flatter postero-mesally; disc setae interspersed erect and appressed; fringe setae plumose; T2 felt line ovate, 0.25 × T2 length; posterior felt line edge terminating at 0.65 × T2 length. S2 sculpture similar to T2. T3–5 discs with interspersed short appressed simple setae and long erect brachyplumose setae; fringe setae plumose to brachyplumose. Pygidium smooth, convex, without defined pygidial plate.

Material examined. USA: Arizona: Mohave Co. : 15 mi SE Boulder Dam ( 1♀, CSCA) ; Lime Kiln Canyon Road, 7.2 mi. SE Virgin River ( 1♀, CSCA) ; Yuma Co., S edge Dateland ( 1♀, CSCA) ; Yuma Proving Grounds ( 1♀, EMUS) ; California, Riverside Co. , 3 mi E Mecca ( 1♀, CASC) ; Deep Canyon ( 1♀, UAIC) ; Nevada, Clark Co. , 9 mi S, 8 mi W Overton ( 4♀, CSCA) . Over 150 males were examined ( CSCA, EMEC, EMUS, FSCA, UMSP) . See Tanner et al. (2009) for additional records.

Distribution. MEXICO: Sonora; USA: Arizona, California, and Nevada.

Remarks. The sex association is based on identical ITS1 sequences of a female and male specimen ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ). In both sexes, this species is somewhat atypical for Acanthophotopsis ; males have a unique quadridentate mandible and females have unique T2 sculpture. This species represents the westernmost records for this genus. This is the most abundant species in the genus; we have examined over 150 males and 10 females.