Traumatomutilla chrysozona ( Gerstaecker, 1874 )

Bartholomay, Pedro R., Williams, Kevin A., Cambra, Roberto A., Lopez, Vinícius M. & Oliveira, Marcio L., 2025, Revision of the Traumatomutilla quadrinotata species-group (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae, Sphaeropthalminae): new synonyms, sex associations, and a new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, European Journal of Taxonomy 995, pp. 1-75 : 19-25

Traumatomutilla chrysozona ( Gerstaecker, 1874)

Figs 4–6

Mutilla lugubris Burmeister, 1854: 8 (nec Fabricius, 1804; ♀ nec ♂).

Mutilla chrysozona Gerstaecker, 1874: 315 .

Mutilla burmeisteri Gerstaecker, 1874: 316 . Syn. nov.

Mutilla lugubrina Dalla Torre, 1897: 55 . Syn. nov.

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) dives André, 1906: 66 . Syn. nov.

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) burmeisteri – André 1902: 54.

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) chrysogona – André 1902: 54 (misspelling).

Ephuta (Traumatomutilla) lugubris – André 1902: 55 (misspelling).

Traumatomutilla burmeisteri – André 1904: 40.

Traumatomutilla chrysozona – André 1904: 40.

Traumatomutilla lugubrina – André 1904: 40.

Traumatomutilla dives – Nonveiller 1990: 77.

Diagnosis

Female

Occipital carina equally wide throughout; anterolateral carinae absent in scutellar area; body setae almost entirely black, at most with vestigial coppery setae in some metasomal fringes; T2 with two pairs of dark red integumental spots.

Male

Apex of cuspis with long setae; body setae black with conspicuous coppery areas.

Type material

Lectotype of Mutilla chrysozona

BRAZIL • ♂; S. Paul [São Paulo]; Sello S. leg.; ZMB.

Lectotype of Mutilla dives

BRAZIL • ♂; Piauhy [Piauí]; HNHM.

Other material examined (37 ♀♀, 23 ♂♂)

BRAZIL • Minas Gerais • 1 ♀; Lavras Novas , Ouro Preto; 4 Dec. 1995; A.M. Daniel leg.; MIUP • 2 ♂♂; Passa Quatro, 915 m [above sea level]; 27 Feb. 1922; J. Zikán leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂; Poços de Caldas; Nov. 1961; C. Elias leg.; DZUP • 1 ♀; 29 Dec. 1969; MNRJ • 1 ♀; Campo do Saco ; 12 Dec. 1967; MNRJ • 1 ♀; Seminario ; 10 Dec. 1967; MNRJ • 1 ♀; Mo S [Serra de Santo] Domingos ; 18 Dec. 1967; MNRJ • 2 ♂♂; Serra do Caraça ; MZSP • 1 ♂; 1880 m [above sea leve]; MZSP • 2 ♂♂, 27 Nov.– 5 Dec. 1972; Exp. Mus. Zool. [Expedição Museu de Zoologia] leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂; 1880 m a.s.l.; Nov. 1961; Kloss, Lenko, Martins and Silva leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂; Jan. 1970; F.M. Oliviera leg.; AEIC • 1 ♀; Barbacena; 15 Dec. 1905; Ducke leg.; MNHN • 1 ♂; 6 km NE [kilometers northeast] of Careacu ; 10 Dec. 2012; G.A.R. Melo and P. Grossi; DZUP . – Piauí • 1 ♀; Piauí; Mocszary leg.; MNHN . – São Paulo • 4 ♂♂; UMSP • 18 ♀♀; MZSP • 1 ♀; SDEI • 1 ♀; 1 Nov. 1920; SDEI • 1 ♀; San Pablo [sic!]; AMNH • 1 ♂; Ipiranga ; MZSP • 1 ♂; Nov. 1919; MZSP • 1 ♂; 30 Mar. 1936; CASC • 1 ♀; 31 May 1950; R. Spitz leg.; MNCN • 1 ♀; Jan. 1907; S.M. Torres leg.; MZSP • 1 ♂; Santo Amaro ; Jan. 1949; J. Lane leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀; Jun. 1932; Lane leg.; MNCN • 1 ♂; MZSP • 1 ♂; Jundiaí; 12 Dec. 1899; Schrottky leg.; MNHN • 1 ♂; 15 Dec. 1899; Schrottky leg.; MNHN • 1 ♀; Barueri; 28 Dec. 1965; K. Lenko leg.; MZSP • 1 ♀; Cotia; SDEI • 1 ♀; Capital [São Paulo]; 20 May 1956; L. Tzarasios and P. Nogueira leg.; CASC. – Locality unknown • 2 ♀♀; SDEI • 1 ♀; Alto da Serra [sic!]; Feb. 1929; F. Spitz leg.; MZSP .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 15 mm.

HEAD. Posterior margin almost straight. Occipital carina evenly arched and slightly swollen laterally. Vertex width 0.75× pronotal width. Eye almost circular, its length in frontal view almost equal to distance from its ventral margin to mandibular condyle. Head densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to areolate-punctate, less densely so on malar space. Genal carina well defined. Mandible oblique, tapering slightly towards apex with small subapical tooth. Dorsal scrobal carina present, well defined, narrowly disconnected from antennal tubercles. Lateral scrobal carina almost absent. Antennal tubercle coarsely and irregularly rugose. Flagellomere 1 2.6× pedicel length; flagellomere 2 1.9× pedicel length.

MESOSOMA. Length 0.8 × width. Mesosomal dorsum mostly concealed by dense setation, densely and coarsely areolate-punctate with apparent sharp to scabrous intervals where visible. Anterior surface of propodeum defined, short, slightly shorter than pronotal collar, coarsely striated longitudinally throughout with dense coarse punctures dorsad; dorsal surface rounded into anterior surface in lateral view. Humeral carina well defined, slightly projected dorsally, broadly separated from conspicuously projected 195 angulate epaulet; anterolateral corners of pronotum sharply angulate in dorsal view. Pronotal spiracle slightly projected from lateral margin of pronotum, rounded, bulging. Lateral surface of pronotum sparsely punctate with dense micropunctures except at smooth conspicuous subacute tubercle anterior to pronotal spiracle, distance between tubercles wider than distance between pronotal spiracles; mesopleuron mostly concealed by dense setation, densely micropunctate anteriorly, and densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to areolate-punctate on mesopleural ridge where visible; metapleuron completely concealed by dense setation, except small posterior area on dorsal fourth unsculptured, smooth and shining. Lateral surface of propodeum mostly concealed by dense setation, densely and coarsely areolate-punctate throughout with interspersed micropunctures where visible; intervals dull and blunt where visible. Ratios of width of humeral angles, pronotal spiracles, widest point of mesonotum, narrowest point of mesonotum and propodeum posterior to propodeal spiracles, 70: 83: 87:60: 60. Lateral margin of mesonotum conspicuously constricted anterior to propodeal spiracle, strongly diverging anterad, medially projected, into blunt process; post-mesonotal tubercle absent. Propodeal spiracle strongly projected from lateral margin of mesosoma; postspiracular area indistinguishable. Scutellar scale present, as wide or wider than surrounding sculpture; anterolateral carinae present, approximately twice as wide as scutellar scale; scabrous intervals vestigial on scutellar area. Propodeum simply convex, dorsal surface indistinguishable from posterior surface.

METASOMA. Ratios of width of T1, width of T2 and length of T2, 28: 64: 67. Disc of T2 mostly concealed by dense setation, densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to punctate with dense, interspersed coarse micropunctures where visible; sculpture sparser and micropunctures absent laterally and over integumental spots. T3–5 sculpture predominantly concealed by dense setation, densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to simply punctate with interspersed micropunctures where visible; T6, except pygidial plate, almost concealed by dense setation, densely foveolate-punctate where visible. S1 sparsely, coarsely and confusedly foveolate-punctate, surface cuneiform, ending in short blunt longitudinal carina, slightly higher medially. S2 densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate, sculpture conspicuously sparser posteromediad; anteromedial crest-fold present. S3–5 sculpture mostly concealed by dense setation, densely and finely foveolate-punctate with sparse micropunctures where visible; S6 sparsely foveolate-punctate. Pygidial plate subpyriform, defined by lateral carinae at apical fourth of plate; surface irregularly rugose; interstice apparently granulose.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 14–16 mm.

HEAD. Transversely subrectangular with posterolateral angles rounded in dorsal view; lateral margins of head convergent immediately behind eyes, but not contiguous with eye outline in dorsal view. Width 0.85 × pronotal width. Eye almost circular. Ocelli small; OOD 4.3× DLO, IOD 1.0× DLO. Occipital carina distinct. Head surface sparsely and finely punctate; sculpture sparser and finer posterad. Gena ecarinate. Antennal scrobe concave to eye margin, with well-defined transverse dorsal scrobal carina. Clypeus concave laterally immediately below antennal insertion, conspicuously convex medially; densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate medially and along apical/ventral margin laterally; apical/ ventral margin with a pair of medial short subacute free teeth medially. Scape bicarinate. Flagellomere 1 2.1 × pedicel length; flagellomere 2 2.9× pedicel length. Mandible obliquely tridentate apically, medial tooth smaller than inner tooth; lacking dorsal or ventral projections.

MESOSOMA. Epaulets well defined, sharply projected from anterior margin of pronotum, separated from well-defined humeral carina, anterolateral corners of pronotum not angulate.Anterior surface of pronotum, with sparse fine punctures laterad with interspersed micropunctures, mostly unsculptured mediad; with medial longitudinal slightly concave smooth area. Tegula convex, mostly glabrous and impunctate except for dense coarse punctures along inner and anterior margin. Dorsum of pronotum densely and coarsely foveolate-punctate to areolate-punctate with somewhat sharp intervals. Mesoscutum densely and finely foveolate-punctate, parapsis reduced to posterior half of mesoscutum, notaulus absent. Scutellum sloping throughout, somewhat depressed medially, without defined dorsal and posterior surfaces, densely and coarsely areolate-punctate to foveolate-punctate; anterior intervals somewhat aligned so as to form vestigial irregular longitudinal carina medially. Axilla produced posterolaterally as obliquely truncate projection, with inner margin slightly curved inward apicad in dorsal view; projection coarsely foveolate-punctate basad, unsculptured, smooth, shining apicad. Metanotum slightly wider laterad, its surface obscured by dense setation. Propodeal dorsum convex, mostly concealed, densely areolate; sculpture of lateral surface absent along most of anterior margin; dorsal surface indistinguishable from posterior surface. Lateral surface of pronotum sparsely and vestigially punctate with sparse interspersed micropunctures; mesopleura with conspicuous blunt projection on dorsal half; sculpture densely and coarsely areolate with interspersed micropunctures to simply micropunctate anterad. Metapleuron partially concealed by dense setation, micropunctate where visible, except basal third densely and coarsely areolate.

WINGS. Forewing with elongate sclerotized pterostigma; marginal cell elongated, roundly truncate apically; three submarginal cells.

LEGS. Simply setose, no strong spines discernible dorsally; spurs finely serrate on margins.

METASOMA. T1 0.5 × as wide as T2. T2 0.9× as long as wide. Dorsal metasomal sculpture, except pygidial plate, partially concealed by dense setation, densely and finely punctate with sparse interspersed micropunctures where visible; sculpture sparser and less defined in apical segments; pygidial plate slightly broader than long, weakly defined by parallel carinae laterally; surface densely micropunctate throughout. S1 longitudinally elevated medially, terminating in slightly concave low longitudinal carina. S2 sparsely and finely foveolate-punctate to punctate; sculpture sparser mediad; anteromedial crest-fold present, sternal pit absent. S3–7 sparsely and finely foveolate-punctate to punctate; S7 longer than broad, posterior margin projected medially into closely bidentate apex.

GENITALIA. Parapenial lobe not at all pronounced posteriorly, subacute. Ratios of free length of paramere, cuspis and digitus, 96:83: 22. Paramere almost straight with slightly outcurved apex in dorsal view, upcurved posteriorly in lateral view; almost asetose except for sparse scattered inconspicuous setae throughout, setae more evident in lateral view. Cuspis narrow, elongate, almost straight throughout and slightly wider posterad in dorsal view, almost straight and slightly wider posterad in lateral view, with conspicuous tuft of long setae at apex, inconspicuous short setae elsewhere. Paracuspis poorly developed, sessile, lobe-like, broader than long, posterior margin simply convex, with inconspicuous sparse setae. Digitus slightly incurved in dorsal view and upcurved in lateral view, soncpisuously narrower posterad in lateral view, apex subcapitate, with short inconspicuous setae on dorsal surface. Penis valve strongly concave on inner surface, with well-defined pair of teeth posteroventrally, posteriormost tooth acute, anterior tooth subacute to blunt, with poorly defined lateral pocket on outer margin, apical distance between teeth 0.1× length of valve, dense setae present along truncate posterior margin and inconspicuous setae present at base of anterior tooth on outer margin, posterior margin setae longer ventrad.

Coloration and variations

Female

Integument black, except mandibles and antennal flagellomeres partially reddish-brown, and T2 with four large dark-orange to dark-red integumental spots. Body setae almost entirely black varying in density, except the following areas with vestigial traces of coppery-golden to silvery-golden setae: lateral margin of T2, fringe of T2 medially and laterally, fringe of T3 laterally, fringe of S3 laterally, fringe of T4 medially and laterally.

Male

Integument black to brownish-black. Body setae predominantly black varying in density, except the following areas with coppery-golden setae: posterior half of T1, anterior margin of T2, fringe of T2–4, fringe of S2–3, and fringe of S4 laterally. Certain specimens may have coppery-golden setae on posterior half of scutellum and covering dorsal surface of propodeum, T1, and anterior third of T2 entirely.

Distribution

Brazil (Piauí, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo).

Remarks

The association and synonymy of T. chrysozona with T. lugubrina was initially confusing, as the females ( T. lugubrina ) usually have exclusively black setae, while the males are extensively covered with brilliant coppery setae. Many females in São Paulo, however, have traces of coppery setae that are the same tint as seen in males from São Paulo, and differ from the setal markings of other members of the T. quadrinotata species-group. One additional male, T. dives from Piaui and Minas Gerais, is identical to the type of T. chrysozona in every aspect except it has the propodeal dorsum clothed with dense coppery setae. Though we haven’t seen any intermediate forms between T. chrysozona and T. dives , we consider T. dives to be conspecific with T. chrysozona , as their external morphology and genitalia are indistinguishable. Further, although females of T. lugubrina are known from Minas Gerais, males of the typical form are apparently restricted to São Paulo. We therefore hypothesize that T. dives is a northern color variant of T. chrysozona .

Burmeister (1854) described both sexes of Mutilla lugubris based on at least two specimens from Queluz (present day Conselheiro Lafaiete) and Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais. Gerstaecker (1874) stated that he was unable to locate the male specimen of M. lugubris , considered both sexes as distinct species, and described the male as a new species, M. burmeisteri , without actually seeing the specimen. The original description of the male of M. lugubris in Burmeister (1854) mentioned that the male has a narrow reddish band on the abdomen (meaning metasoma), and Gerstaecker (1874) placed M. burmeisteri in a subcategory that included only males with black spurs and reddish markings on the metasoma, probably based on Burmeister’s original description of the reddish band. The black spurs are evident in T. chrysozona and it’s very likely that the narrow reddish band mentioned by Burmeister (1854) is in fact his interpretation on the coppery setae clothing the fringe of T2–3, especially since he used the same word “rubra” to define the coppery metasomal marking of Hoplocrates cephalotes (Swederus, 1787) . Based on this, we place T. burmeisteri as a junior synonym of T. chrysozona .

Figures

Fig. 4. Traumatomutilla chrysozona (Gerstaecker, 1874), ♀ (non-type specimen). A. Dorsal habitus. B. Lateral habitus. Scale bars = 5 mm.

Fig. 5. Traumatomutilla chrysozona (Gerstaecker, 1874), lectotype, ♂ (ZMB). A. Lateral habitus. B. Vestigial coppery setae on female metasoma, lateral view. C. Type labels. D. Genitalia (halved), dorsal view. E. Genitalia (halved), ventral view. F. Genitalia (halved, penis valve removed), lateral/ inner view. G. Cuspis (removed, not to scale), lateral/inner view. H. Penis valve (removed, not to scale), lateral/outer view. Scale bar = 2 mm.

Fig. 6. Traumatomutilla dives (André, 1906), lectotype, ♂ (HNHM). A. Lateral habitus. B. Genitalia (halved), dorsal view. C. Genitalia, (halved), ventral view. D. Genitalia (halved, penis valve removed), lateral/inner view. E. Cuspis (removed, not to scale), lateral/inner view. F. Penis valve (removed, not to scale), lateral/outer view. G. Type labels. Scale bar = 2 mm.