Traumatomutilla quadrinotata

Traumatomutilla quadrinotata species-group Diagnosis Female Lateral margins of the mesonotum projected laterally into blunt tubercles; head unarmed on posterior margin of vertex; scutellar scale narrow, usually lacking anterolateral carinae; pygidial plate narrow, sides strongly convergent basad, subpyriform. Male Mesopleuron always tuberculate on dorsal half; axillar projections always truncate; S2 always lacking setae filled pit; hypoygium elongate, subrectangular, never defined by lateral carinae; cuspis slender, elongate, mostly asetose; paracuspis poorly developed, lobe-like. Included taxa Traumatomutilla ameliae Casal, 1969, T. austera (Gerstaecker, 1874), T. chrysozona (Gerstaecker, 1874), T. funebris (Gerstaecker, 1874), T. incerta (Spinola, 1841), T. infernalis (Gerstaecker, 1874), T. pompiliformis (Gerstaecker, 1874), T. quadrinotata (Klug, 1821), T. quadripustulata (Klug, 1821), T. sancta (Gerstaecker, 1874), T. tetratrauma Bartholomay & Williams sp. nov., and T. ursina (Gerstaecker, 1874). Distribution Widely distributed in South America from Colombia to Argentina, except Chile. Remarks The T. quadrinotata species-group is a more or less consistently large-bodied (> 10 mm) group in both sexes. The anterolateral carinae in the scutellar area – albeit partially concealed by dense setation – and the dorsolaterally expanded occipital carina observed in T. tetratrauma sp. nov. were not included in the original diagnosis of the T. quadrinotata species-group by Williams et al. (2017). Apart from these two new characters, the remaining characters for the species-group are relatively consistent and nonvariable for both sexes, most notably so for males, which apart from the length of certain genitalia setae and sculpture of the pronotal dorsum, can only be distinguished based on color and setae characters. The most conspicuous and reliable character for identifying females is the lateral expansion of the mesonotum which varies slightly from broad and blunt (e.g., T. funebris and T. quadrinotata) to narrow and tuberculiform (e.g., T. ameliae and T. sancta). The post-mesonotal tubercle is a character that was first observed in T. poranga Bartholomay & Williams, 2018 and, though it can be found in four species of the T. quadrinotata species-group, it is most conspicuous in T. quadripustulata. Key to females of the T. quadrinotata species-group 1. Lateral surface of metapleuron and propodeum almost entirely concealed by dense golden appressed setae (Figs 12B, 18B); sculpture sparsely foveolate-punctate with densely micropunctate intervals where visible; vertex always clothed with black setae (Figs 12A, 18A) (mostly restricted to the Atlantic Forest domain) .................................................................................................................... 2 – Lateral face of metapleuron and propodeum generally smoother, at most with sparse erect silvery-white setae (e.g., Fig. 7C); sculpture entirely exposed, sparsely foveolate-punctate with smooth, shining unsculptured intervals (e.g., Figs 1C, 8B, 14B); vertex sometimes clothed with silvery-white setae (e.g., Fig. 8D) ........................................................................................................................... 3 2. Frons with patch of golden setae (Fig. 18B); occipital carina slighty swollen dorsolaterally; anterolateral carinae present in scutellar area; dorsal mesosomal setae, when present, more or less uniform in length (Fig. 18B) ................................. T. tetratrauma Bartholomay & Williams sp. nov. – Head setae entirely black (Fig. 12A–B); occipital carina equally wide throughout; anterolateral carinae absent in scutellar area; pronotum and anterior portion of mesonotum with numerous long erect setae when present (Fig. 12B) ..................................................... T. quadrinotata (Klug, 1821) 3. T2 marked with two round orange to reddish integumental spots (Fig. 8A, D, F, H); mesonotum with transverse silvery band of setae, sometimes largely obliterated (Fig. 8A, D, F, H); occipital carina slightly swollen dorsolaterally (commonly found in the northern Amazon) ........................... .................................................................................................................... T. incerta (Spinola, 1841) – T2 generally with four yellow to red integumental spots (e.g., Figs 1A, 7A, 14A), anterior spots sometimes reduced or obliterated, posterior spots sometimes enlarged and confluent; mesonotum setae generally either entirely black (e.g., Fig 14A) or with lateral longitudinal stripes of silver to golden setae (e.g., Fig. 17A, D); occipital carina equally wide throughout ..................................... 4 4. Head and mesosomal dorsum with setae entirely black, silvery-white setae greatly reduced on entire body, often completely absent (Figs 4A–B, 14A–B) ........................................................................ 5 – Silvery-white setae always conspicusouly present at least on propodeal dorsum and/or vertex (e.g., Fig. 3E) ............................................................................................................................................. 6 5. Post-mesonotal tubercle present, sometimes reduced but still conspicuous; lateral surface of propodeum usually with large, unsculptured smooth area posteriorly; silvery-white setae present, though greatly reduced, on different areas of T2–4, S1–4, and often on metapleuron (Fig. 14B) (mostly found in the southern Amazon) ......................................... T. quadripustulata (Klug, 1821) – Post-mesonotal tubercle absent; lateral surface of propodeum usually uniformly and densely areaolatepunctate to foveolate-punctate; body setae almost all black(Fig. 4A–B); if different color setae present, then of a coppery-golden tone and reduced to inconspicuous patches on fringes of T2–4 medially and/or laterally (Fig. 5B) (mostly found in Cerrado areas) ......... T. chrysozona (Gerstaecker, 1874) 6. T2 virtually devoid of sculpture anterolaterally, smooth, shining and asetose (Fig. 20A, C); in addition to dense short black and silvery-white setae, entire body (except mandibles, antennae, and tarsi) clothed with dense conspicuously long brownish setae (known only from Cerrado areas so far) (Fig. 20A, C) ........................................................................................ T. ursina (Gerstaecker, 1874) – T2 at most with sparser sculpture and setation anterolaterally; body setae usually of equal length throughout, either black or silvery-white, never brownish (e.g., Fig. 1A–C) .................................. 7 7. Post-mesonotal tubercle absent, at most with slight swelling of lateral margin posterior to mesonotal projection; T2 with orange integumental spots which can sometimes be dulled in color (found only in Cerrado/Atlantic Forest transition zones so far) (Fig. 7A–C) ...... T. funebris (Gerstaecker, 1874) – Post-mesonotal tubercle present, often reduced but still conspicuous; T2 integumental spots yellowish or reddish (e.g., Figs 3A, 17A) ......................................................................................... 8 8. Integumental spots of T2 with scatterd foveolations usually restricted to the edges (Fig. 17A); spots yellowish in color, often linear in shape (commonly found in Cerrado and Caatinga areas) (Fig. 17D) ............................................................................................ T. sancta (Gerstaecker, 1874) – Integumental spots of T2 with sparse foveolations throughout; spots reddish, always subquadrate or subrectangular (e.g., Figs 1A, 3E) .................................................................................................... 9 9. Lateral surface of propodeum densely areolate-punctate with smooth flat intervals; intervals conspicuously broader along posterior margin of lateral propodeal surface; vertex and mesonotum conspicuously clothed with silvery-white to silvery-golden appressed setae (known from Cerrado, Pampa and Atlantic Forest) (Fig. 3A, E) ............................................ T. austera (Gerstaecker, 1874) – Lateral surface of propodeum densely areolate-punctate with sharp homogeneous intervals (Fig. 1C); vertex and mesonotum clothed with black setae only (common in Chaco, Pampa, and xeric regions of Argentina) (Fig. 1A) ................................................................................... T. ameliae Casal, 1969 Key to the known color forms of the T. quadrinotata species-group females 1. Mesonotum with transverse band of silvery or golden setae ............................................................ 2 – Mesonotum entirely black, with parallel longitudinal stripes of silvery setae, or with separated spots of silvery setae .................................................................................................................................. 7 2. T2 having four integumental spots ................................................................................................... 3 – T2 having two integumental spots .................................................................................................... 4 3. Head clothed entirely with black setae ............................................................................................... ....................................... T. quadrinotata (Klug, 1821) [nominotypical and only known color form] – Frons clothed with golden setae ......................................................................................................... ........ T. tetratrauma Bartholomay & Williams sp. nov. [nominotypical and only known color form] 4. Spots of T2 broadly confluent ........................................................................................................... 5 – Spots of T2 widely separated .........................................................................................................