Hedychridium periotoi, Lucena, 2018

Hedychridium periotoi sp. nov.

( Figures 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 )

Diagnosis

The new species can be readily distinguished by distinctive traits that are absent in H. argentinum such as: second tarsomere of metaleg with double line of spines; metabasitarsus with apical crown of spines; mesoscutal integument rugulose to striate anterolaterally; fore wing entirely setose; apical margin of T3 with narrow translucent edge; compound eyes with sparse short microtrichia.

Description

Holotype female ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (a–d)). Body size: 3.6 mm ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (a)). Coloration: body predominantly light green with purplish blue bands on dorsum; head green with purplish blue stain among ocelli ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (b)); scape greenish; pedicel brownish; flagellomeres brown; mandible brown; mesosoma primarily light green, with bluish tint on pronotum; golden highlights on dorsum of pronotum and metasoma; mesoscutellum, metanotum and propodeum with dark band covering much of disc; dark band covering the mesoscutum ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (b)); tegula brown; coxae and femora green; trochanters light brown; tibiae green; tarsi light brown; sterna brown; T1 light green with golden highlights; T2 light green marginally, with dark blue band occupying much of disc ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (d)); T3 light green with reddish shine. Head: scapal basin densely marked by crossridging ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 (c)), without setae; compound eye with microtrichia among ommatidia (as in Figure 1 View Figure 1 (e)); malar space short, less than 0.2 × MOD; subantennal space 0.6 × MOD; clypeal margin straight; mandible with sub-medial tooth (as in Figure 1 View Figure 1 (e)); F1 1.3 × longer than F2; genal margin without definite carina, with somewhat irregular ridge. Legs: tarsal claw with single perpendicular submedial tooth; metabasitarsus with crown of spines apically; second tarsomere of metaleg with double line of spines on ventral surface; metafemur enlarged. Wings: fore wing entirely setose (as in Figure 2 View Figure 2 (h)); M gently curved, almost straight, arising slightly after 1cu-a; Rs short, evenly curved, tubular proximally, fading distally; A1 tubular at cu-a intersection, fading gradually. Pronotum: clearly narrower than head; medial notch slightly marked; anterolateral margin discretely carinate; lateral depression roughly sculptured. Mesoscutum: integument somewhat rugulose, striate anterolaterally; notauli deeply impressed; parapsidal lines discrete, surrounded by punctures. Mesopleuron: round, gently deflected posteriorly, with discrete scratch marks, scrobe deeply marked. Mesoscutellum: one-third as long as mesoscutum. Metanotum: posterior margin convex, as long as mesoscutellum. Propodeum: dorsal surface macro-foveolate, V-shaped; lateral process with some striate marks both dorsolaterally and lateroventrally; lateral process pointed apically. Metasoma: T3 with narrow apical translucent edge; margins smooth, round, without notch or corners; S1 polished; S2–S3 with silvery semi-decumbent setae. Punctation: head regularly punctate, changing abruptly in the scapal basin, which is densely striated (as in Figure 1 View Figure 1 (e)); mesosoma mostly foveate, with some rugulose and striate areas marginally; metasoma with integument predominantly puncticulate, with discrete striate marks laterally on T2 and entirely on T3; T1–T2 finely punctate, distinctly shallower than the rest of body, with broad shiny interspaces among well-separated punctures.

Male ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (a–h)). Similar to female, except: distinct bronze shine on frons ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (c)), pronotum, mesoscutum and T1–T2 ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (a)); mesosoma primarily green blue, with bluish highlights on pronotum, mesoscutellum, metanotum and propodeum; large dark blue band covering the mesoscutum ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (b)); tibiae brownish green; T1 light green marginally, with dark blue band on disc; T2 light green marginally, with large dark blue band occupying much of disc ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (d)); T3 light green with bluish tint on disc; metafemur not so enlarged as in females; genital capsule ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 (e–g)), gonocoxal lobes widely fused dorsally, lobes as long as aedeagus; cuspis with long apical setae.

Material examined

Holotype ♀, BRAZIL, São Paulo, Itirapina, Est. Ecol. Itirapina, 26–28 November 2016, Almeida, Porto , Lucena , Gibran and Yoshida ( RPSP) . Paratypes: 16♀ 3♂. 2♀ same data as holotype ( RPSP) . BRAZIL, São Paulo, Luiz Antônio, Est . Ecol. de Jataí, 29 November 2016, Almeida, Porto, Lucena, Gibran and Yoshida , 1♀ ( RPSP); same data except 28–29 October 2016, Tavares, Porto, Lucena, Gibran and Yoshida, 1♀ ( RPSP) . São Paulo, São Carlos, 6 September 1991, MT Tavares , 1♂ ( UFES) . São Paulo, Luiz Antônio, Estação Ecológica de Jataí, Cerrado / Malaise trap 1, 11 October 2007, NW Perioto, 1♀ ( LRRP); same data except, 5 December 2007, 1♀ ( LRRP), 29 October 2008, 1♀ ( MZUSP), 10 December 2008, 1♀ ( MZUSP); same data except, Mata ciliar/ Malaise trap 2, 11 October 2007, NW Perioto, 3♀ ( MZUSP), 5 December 2007, 1♀ ( MZUSP), 7 November 2007, 1♀ ( RPSP), 12 November 2008, 1♀ ( RPSP) . São Paulo, Luiz Antônio, Est . Ecol. de Jataí, 16 October 1999, GAR Melo, 2♀ 2♂ ( DZUP) .

Variation

The microtrichia on eyes of females are shorter and sparser than in males. In some females, the microtrichia are particularly difficult to see (magnification above 100 ×). General body size = 3.4–3.9 mm.

Etymology

The species is named after the Brazilian entomologist Professor Nelson W. Perioto.

Biology

Some specimens were collected near aggregations of Oxybelus (Crabronidae) , but no incursions into the nests were observed (personal observation).