Trichoscelia Westwood 1852

Trichoscelia Westwood, 1852

Trichoscelia comprises 13 species distributed from southern Mexico to southern Argentina. This genus was reviewed by Penny (1982b) and Penny & da Costa (1983) for members occurring in the Amazon basin. However, currently no comprehensive review of the group is available. The determination of species, especially those found in northern South America and Central America is consequently particularly difficult. In this work we registered three new species, T. andina, T. gorgonensis and T. karijona.

The biology of Trichoscelia is poorly documented, the available literature cites some species in the tribe Polibiini (Vespidae) as victims of immature stages of this genus. Dejean & Canard (1990), cited observations in colonies of Polybia occidentalis and P. rejecta and described some aspects of the association of T. santareni with P. diguetana. Taxonomic knowledge about distribution and biology of Trichoscelia species is summarized in Table 3.

Trichoscelia andina Ardila-Camacho, n. sp. (Figs. 9 a‒c, 10a‒d, 25, Map 2)

Type material. Holotype ♂, Colombia: Cundinamarca: Sasaima, Vda. Santana, 1800 m, H. Schmit [forewing length, 9.7 mm; hindwing length, 7.5 mm] (MPUJ).

Holotype condition good, wings spread, abdomen dissected and stored in glycerin in a microvial pinned beneath the specimen.

Diagnosis. Trichoscelia andina, n. sp. is separated from other species in the genus because of a male ectoproct subtrapezoidal in lateral view, a sternite IX subpentagonal in ventral view, with an attenuated and rounded posteromedial lobe. Gonocoxites are short, widened towards the apex and with one apical and five preapical spines. The gonarcal median lobe is posterodorsally directed in lateral view, it has a subtrapezoidal projection posteromedially, and it is medially sinuous, W-shaped in ventral view.

Description. Based on a single pinned male.

Head. Mostly yellow, frons with a dark brown pigmentation. Clypeus and labrum yellow, scape and pedicel yellow, flagellum composed of 35 articles, brown, densely covered with dark brown setae. Vertex with a dark brown stripe that arises from antennal bases and extends posteriorly to the occiput (Fig. 9 c). Maxillary and labial palpi brown.

Thorax. Pronotum with a dark brown longitudinal band, laterally ochre, dark brown on the anterior edge, entire surface covered with thick setae. Pterothorax with sclerites dark brown in the middle, ochre at the periphery.

Legs. Foreleg with coxa pale brown, covered with long and dark brown setae. Trochanter pale yellow or ochre, covered with brown setae. Forefemur yellow, outer surface with a diffuse brown spot extending from the middle to the dorsal region, remainder yellow or ochre (Fig. 9 b); tibia pale brown dorsally, dark brown at base, remainder ochre. Tarsomeres pale brown. Mid- and hindlegs pale brown, densely covered with brown setae.

Wings. Forewing length, 9.7 mm; membrane hyaline, venation alternating brown and yellow (Fig. 9 a). Costal field with 11 crossveins. Two veins arising from each of the anterior radial cells. Pterostigma proximal- and distally dark brown, pale yellow in the middle (Fig. 9 a). Rs with six gradate crossveins. Hindwing similar to forewing, length 7.5 mm. Costal field with five crossveins; two veins arising from 1RA cell, one from the 2RA. Rs with four gradate crossveins.

Male genitalia. Ectoproct subtrapezoidal in lateral view (Fig. 10 b), sternite IX subtriangular in ventral view, anterolaterally rounded, posterior margin produced with an attenuated and rounded medial lobe (Fig. 10 c). Gonocoxites short in lateral view, slightly arched with the base at the level of segment VIII, apically widened, with one apical and five preapical spines (Figs. 10 b, d). Gonarcus with lateral lobes slightly arched in lateral view, medially W-shaped in ventral view (Fig. 10 a); median lobe rounded in lateral view, with a subtrapezoidal projection (Figs. 10 a, b). Pseudopenis strongly coiled in lateral view, sinuous at base; apex protruding from abdomen (Fig. 10 b).

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Species only known from Cundinamarca (Fig. 25).

Adult flight period. Unknown.

Etymology. Named in reference to the Colombian Andean region.

Remarks. Trichoscelia andina, n. sp. is easily distinguished from other known species in the genus by the distinctive morphology of the gonarcus and for the six dentiform processes in the gonocoxites.