Acanthophotopsis virguncula ( Blake, 1886 ), 2025

Acanthophotopsis virguncula ( Blake, 1886) , comb. nov., ♂ ♀

( Figs 7, 13 View FIGURES 2–13 , 19 View FIGURES 14–19 , 26 View FIGURES 20–26 , 32, 38 View FIGURES 27–38 , 54–56 View FIGURES 48–56 , 77–80 View FIGURES 69–80 )

Sphaerophthalma [sic] virguncula Blake, 1886: 253 . Holotype female: New Mexico (ANSP), examined, comb. nov. Acanthophotopsis bifurca Schuster, 1958: 98 . Holotype male: USA, Texas, Winterhaven, 15.V.1935, S. E. Jones (UMSP),

examined, syn. nov.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. This species can be recognized by its coloration: the head and mesosoma are orange-brown, the metasoma is darker reddish-brown with sparse whitish setae, except for a baso-lateral patch of dark brown setae ( Figs 7 View FIGURES 2–13 , 19 View FIGURES 14–19 ). The T2 disc is slightly longer than wide, has appressed or decumbent whitish setae in the posterior third, and the sculpture is areolate basally and moderately to sparsely punctate posteriorly. Body length 5.5–8.0 mm. MALE. This species can be recognized by the following combination of characters: mandible tridentate without inward-facing blunt tooth ( Fig. 55 View FIGURES 48–56 ), apically oblique with the dorsal carina terminating near mid-length ( Figs 55–56 View FIGURES 48–56 ); clypeus armed basally with mesal tubercle and longitudinal carina ( Figs 54–55 View FIGURES 48–56 ); vertex rounded with lateral margins convergent directly behind eyes; T1–2 mostly reddish-brown, concolorous with mesosoma, apical tergites sometimes darkened ( Figs 26 View FIGURES 20–26 , 32 View FIGURES 27–38 ); and free paramere length thick throughout most of length, only gradually tapering toward apex ( Fig. 77 View FIGURES 69–80 ). Body length 10–13 mm.

Description. Female (based on specimens from Las Animas County, Colorado). Coloration. Head and mesosoma cuticle orange-brown; antennae, legs and metasoma darker reddish-brown, nearly black on flagellum, femora, tibiae, and apical tergites. Body setae whitish, except vertex and mesosomal dorsum with pale orange setae and T2 disc with basolateral patches of dark brown setae. Head. Head width 0.85 × mesonotal width; vertex width 0.8 × mesonotal width. Frons convex; vertex elongated; frons and vertex areolate-punctate. Eye large, subcircular, in lateral view, height 1.25 × width; in anterior view, inner eye margins sub-parallel, malar space 0.45 × eye height, vertex height 1.1 × eye height, interocular distance 1.7 × eye height. Clypeus with punctate basomesal longitudinal ridge. Gena sculpture areolate; gena with faint trace of carina interrupted by puncture margins; postgenal carina obliterated. Mandible oblique, bidentate apically; dorsal basal carina gradually terminating near mid-length; ventral carina terminating in weak blunt angle.Antennal scrobe with faint trace of interrupted dorsal carina.Antennal tubercle smooth, tubercles separated. F1 length 1.6 × pedicel length; F2 1.4 × pedicel length. Mesosoma. Mesosomal length subequal to width; mesosomal length 0.95 × T2 length; mesosomal width 0.9 × T2 width. Humeral carina ostly obliterated; humeral corner indistinctly angular; lateral pronotal sculpture areolate; setae sparse brachyplumose. Entire mesosoma areolate-punctate, except mesopleuron anterior and posterior to vertical mesopleural ridge and metapleuron surrounding endophragmal pit 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 70:90:102:100:82:66. Dorsal, posterior, and lateral propodeal surfaces evenly rounded into one another. Metasoma. T1 shape subpetiolate, widest apically, apical width 0.4 × T2 maximum width; T1 disc areolate-punctate dorsally; disc setae interspersed long simple and short plumose; fringe setae plumose. S1 with blunt punctate longitudinal carina. T2 length 1.05 × width; disc areolate-punctate, many anterior intervals cariniform, disc anteriorly slightly raised with coarser sculpture, disc posteriorly with shallower oblique incomplete punctures; disc setae interspersed erect and appressed; fringe setae plumose; T2 felt line linear, 0.35 × T2 length; posterior felt line edge terminating at 0.7 × T2 length. S2 sculpture similar to T2. T3–5 discs with interspersed short appressed simple setae, short erect plumose setae, and long erect brachyplumose setae; fringe setae plumose to brachyplumose. Pygidium smooth, convex, without defined pygidial plate.

Material examined. USA: Colorado: Las Animas Co., Model, 13N 574541 4142405, J. Newton: 26.V.2009 ( 1♀ EMUS); 9.VII.2009 ( 3♀, EMUS); 20.VIII.2009 ( 1♀, EMUS); New Mexico: no additional data ( 1♀ holotype, ANSP); Texas: Jack Co., on ground, 24.X.1976, R. Starbuck ( 1♀ GCWC); Llano Co. , 11.VI.1941, J. Gillaspy ( 1♂ MIUP); Uvalde Co., Speir Ranch , 3 mi NW Uvalde , 4.V.1977, T. Eichlin and M. Wasbauer ( 1♂, CSCA). See Tanner et al. (2009) for additional records.

Distribution. USA: Colorado *, New Mexico, Oklahoma *, and Texas *.

Remarks. This species was thought to be remarkably rare; it was described nearly 150 years ago ( Blake 1886) and known from the single female type specimen until now. Structurally this female is nearly identical to the newly recognized female of Aca. bequaertii , but it has duller and paler coloration. The type locality is imprecise, providing only the state name: New Mexico. Additional females were found in museums from two localities, in southeastern Colorado and northern central Texas. Acanthophotopsis bifurca syn. nov., occurs farther east and north than any other species in the genus, and is the only Acanthophotopsis male known from the Great Plains or temperate forests in central Texas. Because the original description is especially short ( Blake 1886) and we have only been able to study this specimen using photographs, the female redescription is based on the specimens from Las Animas County, Colorado. This male is structurally similar to the male of Aca. bequaertii and differs from that species mainly in the duller and paler coloration. Acanthophotopsis bifurca syn. nov., is also found in New Mexico, like the type of Aca. virguncula comb. nov. We recognize Aca. bifurca as the male, and a junior synonym, of Aca. virguncula based on parallel morphology of both sexes with Aca. bequaertii , overlapping distribution, and similarities in size and color of males and females.