First contribution to the study of the genus Micatagla Argaman, 1994 (Hymenoptera, Bradynobaenidae, Apterogyninae) in the fauna of Saudi Arabia, with the description of four new species Author Gadallah, Neveen Samy Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt n_gadallah@hotmail.com Author Soliman, Ahmed Mostafa https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5284-713X Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P. O. BOX 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia & Zoology Department, Faculty of Science (Boys), Al-Azhar University, P. O. Box 11884, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt Author Aldryhim, Yousif Nasser Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P. O. BOX 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia Author Al Dhafer, Hathal Mohammed https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4911-2332 Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P. O. BOX 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia text Journal of Hymenoptera Research 2019 2019-06-28 70 17 40 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.70.33381 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.70.33381 1314-2607-70-17 8B7FD9B06A7B40699E35945E1174EB04 FFE1FFC5FF8F7956FF97360AFFEFFFDB 3269961 Micatagla similis Gadallah & Soliman Figures 4D , 5D , 6D , 7D , 8D , 9D , 10D , 11D , 12D , 13D , 14D Material examined. Holotype ♀ : Saudi Arabia , Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 31.vii.2015 , PT4 ( Acacia 2), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] . Paratypes : 1♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha ( Amadan Madaq ), 19.v.2010 , leg. M.R. Sharaf [ZMB] ; 1♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 23.iv.2014 , PT2 ( Cactus 2), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 1♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 23.iv.2014 , PT4 ( Acacia 1), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 5♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 23.viii.2014 , PT4 ( Acacia 1), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 1♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 2.iii.2015 , PT2 ( Cactus 2), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 1♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 2.iii.2015 , PT5 ( Acacia 2), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 2♀ Saudi Arabia , Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 3.v.2015 , PT2 ( Cactus 2), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 4♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 3.v.2015 , PT3 ( Cactus 3), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 2♀ Saudi Arabi : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 31.vii.2015 , PT2 ( Cactus 2), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 3♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 31.vii.2015 , PT4 ( Acacia 1), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 4♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 31.vii.2015 , PT5 ( Acacia 2), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] ; 1♀ Saudi Arabia : Al-Baha , ( Al-Mukhwah , Shada Al-Ala Natural Reserve ), 15.xi.2015 , PT4 ( Acacia 2), leg. Al Dhafer et al. [ZMB] . Figure 12. Metasomal T2-T5. A Micatagla fuscogaster Soliman & Gadallah, sp. nov. B M. reemae Gadallah & Soliman, sp. nov. C M. saudita Soliman & Gadallah, sp. nov. D M. similis Gadallah & Soliman, sp. nov. Figure 13. Lateral aspect of second and third mesosomal segments. A Micatagla fuscogaster Soliman & Gadallah, sp. nov B M. reemae Gadallah & Soliman, sp. nov. C M. saudita Soliman & Gadallah, sp. nov. D M. similis Gadallah & Soliman, sp. nov. Diagnosis. Body relatively slender; face with bright red setae (Fig. 6D ); mesosomal dorsum slightly longer than wide; propodeum with posterior face gently declivous, oblique (Fig. 10D ); T2 and T3 with relatively broad yellow bands along their posterior margins (Fig. 12D ); T1 globular, as long as wide (Fig. 11D ); T2 and T3 with closed ellipsoid punctures bordered with coarse ridges, with broad yellow band, maximal thickness of yellow band on T2 about 1.3 x as long as eye height (Fig. 12D ); T6 with broad triangular lateral teeth, becoming minute to meaningless posteriorly (Fig. 14D ). This species may be confused with M. zavattarii (Invrea, 1950) (Fig. 16 ) (examined material received from Guido Pagliano, labelled: Rosso Mauritanie, leg. Amiet, 26.i.1964, RO59) in having the same body colour and sculpture, but it differs by the following characters: body relatively slender, with mesosomal dorsum longer than wide, covered on head and mesosoma with bright red setae (Figs 5D , 6D , 9D , 10D ) (robust, with mesosomal dorsum as long as broad, covered with white setae in M. zavattarii (Fig. 16A, B )); propodeal posterior face oblique (Fig. 10D ) (vertical in M. zavattarii (Fig. 16B )); T2 bell-shape, with lateral side broadly curved (Fig. 12D ) (semi-circular, with lateral side sharply curved in M. zavattarii (Fig. 16D )); T2 with coarse ridges (Fig. 12D ) (fine in Micatagla zavattarii (Fig. 16D )); T6 with broad triangular lateral teeth (Fig. 14D ) (with minute (meaningless) teeth in Micatagla zavattarii (Fig. 16E )). Figure 14. Metasomal T6. A Micatagla fuscogaster Soliman & Gadallah, sp. nov. B M. reemae Gadallah & Soliman, sp. nov. C M. saudita Soliman & Gadallah, sp. nov. D M. similis Gadallah & Soliman, sp. nov. Figure 15. Micatagla ezzati Gadallah & Soliman, 2014. A Frontal view of head B dorsal aspect of mesosoma C dorsal aspect of metasoma. Description. Female (Holotype). Body length 6.0 mm. Colour (Figs 4D , 5D , 14D ): Head (including antenna), mesosoma, legs and first metasomal segment red, head distinctly dark red; second and third metasomal segments black, with well-developed yellow bands at posterior margins of T2 and T3 (that widened medially in T2); S2 reddish; T4 and T5 reddish brown, with faint yellow posterior margins; T6 dark ferruginous, with black longitudinal ridges. Eye black; mandible dark reddish brown, red basally; maxillary and labial palpi yellow; fore tibial spur red, mid and hind ones waxy white. Pubescence (Figs 6D , 10D , 11D , 12D ): Face densely covered with radiated, bright red, long fine adpressed setae, such setae (but less bright) covering mesosoma, shorter and erect laterally as well as T1; remainder of metasoma clothed with whitish, erect to semi-erect fine setae especially laterally; posterior margin of metasomal tergites with rows of silvery setae; legs as well clothed with such fine setae. Posterior margin of metasomal S1 with dense fine, relatively long setae; S2-5 with a row of fine adpressed setae. Head (Figs 6D , 7D , 8D ): In dorsal view slightly wider than pronotum, setiferous punctate (except smooth malar space), with thin and sharp occipital carina; vertex broadly convex; eye relatively small, but distinctly bulged laterally when seen in front or dorsal view, located above mid line between clypeus and vertex when seen in front view; malar space relatively long, about 1.3 x as long as eye height; antennal tubercles away from each other by a distance shorter than tubercle length; antenna with scape about 2.5 x as long as F1, distinctly elbowed; F1 as long as F2 (that is slightly widened apically). Clypeus broad, setiferous punctate basally, with smooth and bent apical portion; mandibles somewhat thin, edentate. Mesosoma (Figs 9D , 10D ): Mesosomal dorsum slightly longer than wide at mesopleuron; pronotum about 1.7 x as wide as long, with gently declivous anterior margin, rounded humeral angle and broadly concave posterior margin; pronotum with dense rounded setiferous foveolae dorsally, superficially foveolate laterally; rest of mesosoma setiferous foveate-reticulate; propodeal posterior face gently declivous, smooth. Mesopleuron superficially foveolate; metapleuron superficially foveolate above, and weakly transversely ridged below; mesosternum smooth basally, punctate laterally, leaving an oval smooth and shiny area medially. Hind outer tibial spur about 0.6 x as long as related basitarsus. Metasoma (Figs 11D , 12D , 13D , 14D ): T1 globular, slightly wider than long, densely foveate; T2 bell-shape, with closed ellipsoid punctures; T3 longitudinally ridged, with ellipsoid punctures in between [as in T2 but punctures more elongate here]; T4 and T5 smooth to very finely sculptured, with dense close longitudinal sockets posteriorly; T6 densely ridged, ridges are interrupted, rounded apically, laterally with relatively short and dense, very close teeth at basal two thirds, becoming minute and meaningless posteriorly. S1 nearly smooth; S2 and S3 (except smooth and shiny posterior margin) with moderately scattered punctures that are irregularly separated. Etymology. The Latin name Micatagla similis (adjective) refers to the similarity of this species with Micatagla zavattarii (Invrea). Figure 16. Micatagla zavattarii (Invrea, 1950). A Dorsal habitus B lateral aspect of mesosoma C metasomal T1 and part of T2 D metasomal T2 and T3 E matasomal T6.