Thaumatodryinus koebelei Perkins, 1905, by monotypy.

Among living and fossil dryinids, the species of Thaumatodryinus can be recognized by the following combination of characters: mandible with four teeth in both sexes, teeth progressively larger from anterior to posterior ends along cutting edge; outer surface of mandible with a distinct basal sulcus, extending from the anterior to the posterior condyle; mid portion of anterior margin of clypeus straight or convex; occipital carina complete in fossil taxa and in males of most living species, females of many living taxa with incomplete carina; maxillary and labial palpomeres in proportion 6:3; antenna filiform in both sexes; flagellomeres 3–7 of female with single set of rhinaria on its mid length, flagellomere 8 with two sets of rhinaria along its length; rhinaria on flagellomeres 5–8 each with four long setae, two at each side; pronotum saddle-shaped and crossed by strong transverse impression at central portion, pronotal lobe reaching tegula; anterior margin of mesoscutellum with a foveate groove; fore wing with 2r-rs shorter than 3Rs&4Rs; female with tarsal claw simple and with basal expansion, male with bifid claw, without basal expansion; apex of 3^rd tarsomere of fore leg with variable number of thick bristles in female; chela with rudimentary claw, enlarged claw with one row of lamellae and two subapical teeth laterally on outer surface; female hind coxa with a distinct basal projection ventrally; dorsal and posterior surfaces of propodeum convex; tibial spur formula for both sexes 1/1/2.

Thaumatodryinus fuscescens sp. nov. is characterized by the body predominantly testaceous, except head and part of pronotum and remainder of mesosoma black; eyes hemispherical, about 1.1× longer than wide; maximum head width about 1.9× distance between inner margins of tegulae; frontal line present; mid portion of clypeus with anterior margin straight; antenna with 1^st flagellomere as long as 2^nd; POL 3.2× OL; OOL about 6× OPL; occipital carina complete; notauli percurrent, extending from anterior to posterior margins of mesoscutum.

Female holotype (Fig. 1A–F). Approximate body length: 4.1 mm. Color. Head black, except mandible, clypeus and antenna testaceous (Fig. 1A–D); pronotum black, except dorsal-posterior surface brown (Fig. 1B); mesosoma black; legs testaceous, except pro- and metafemur with middle portion darkened (Fig. 1); fore wing with one transverse darkened band; metasoma testaceous. Pubescence. Head with short setae (Fig. 1A–C); antenna with setae; eye glabrous (Fig. 1C); pronotum with fine and erect setae (Fig. 1B); mesosoma with conspicuous erect setae (Fig. 1B); propodeum with erect setae; metasoma with more conspicuous erect pilosity on last tergum. Integumental sculpture. Head finely granulated (Fig. 1A–C); frontal line in the form of a low carina and apparently complete, not visible near mid ocellus; malar sulcus well-marked; mandible with a marked groove at the base; pronotum granulate, except by rugosity on lateral portions of transverse impression; mesoscutum granulate; notauli complete; mesoscutellum rugulose, its anterior margin with a narrow row of small foveae, not with a groove; mesopleuron rugose; metapleuron reticulate-rugose; propodeum reticulate rugose. Structure and proportions. Vertex convex, except by ocellar triangle slightly elevated. Ocellar ratio: POL = 16; OL = 5; OOL = 25; OPL = 4; TL = 9. Antennomeres in following proportions: 35: 15: 45: 45: 60: 65: 55: 23: 27: 25. Eye hemispherical, about 1.1× longer than wide; maximum head width about 1.9× distance between inner margins of tegulae; occipital carina complete; mid portion of clypeus with anterior margin straight; maxillary palpomeres elongated; malar space about as long as basal width of mandible; notaulus complete (Fig. 1B). Head longer than pronotum (60:55); mesoscutum longer than mesoscutellum and metanotum shorter than propodeum. Fore wing with three cells closed by pigmented tubular veins; vein abscissa 3Rs&4Rs longer than 2r-rs (65:30). Dorsal surface of propodeum distinctly longer than posterior surface (50:45); mesopleuron with a groove in the central region. Articles of fore leg (Fig. 1E–F) in the following proportions: 54 (coxa): 50 (trochanter): 63 (femur): 80 (tibia), 46: 8: 15: 34: 50 (tarsomeres 1–5), and 46 (enlarged claw). Segment 3 of protarsus with four long bristles and segment 4 with five long bristles. Chela (Fig. 1E–F) and enlarged claw with two subapical teeth and one row of about 26 lamellae. Segment 5 of protarsus with two rows of at least 40 lamellae; distal apex with group of approximately seven long lamellae.

Figure 1. 

†Thaumatodryinus fuscescens sp. nov., female holotype. A habitus, dorsal view B right antenna, dorsal view C head and mesosoma, antero-ventral view D head and mesosoma, dorsal view E apical portion of flagellum, with details of flagellomeres 5–8 F–G Apical portion of fore leg, with details of the chela. Scale bars: 2 mm (A), 0.5 mm (B), 0.5 mm (C–D), 0.3 mm (E–G).

Thaumatodryinus fuscescens sp. nov. is more similar to the extant Neotropical fauna than to the other two species found in the Dominican amber. It has in common with some of the living species a convex vertex and slightly elevated ocellar triangle, straight lower clypeal margin, complete occipital carina, percurrent notauli and anterior margin of mesoscutellum with a narrow row of small foveae. Among the fossil species studied here, T. fuscescens sp. nov. is more similar to T. miocenicus and differs from T. priscus by the head shape with eyes protuberant on the lateral side, frontal line present and ratio of OL short than TL. The new species differ from T. miocenicus and T. priscus by the granulated integument of the head; clypeus with lower margin straight; 1^st flagellomere as long as 2^nd; hemispherical-shaped eyes; and percurrent notauli. The chela of T. fuscescens is closed and for this reason it is not possible to determine the number of lamellae in the enlarged claw and in the 5^th tarsomere.

The species is named in reference to its overall dark coloration, from the Latin fuscus, dark, dusky, and -escens, beginning of, becoming.

Holotype female, in amber from the Dominican Republic (piece DZUP Dom-018). According to the amber dealer, it is probably from La Toca or Los Cacaos mine, in Santiago de los Caballeros.

Female holotype, 5.6 mm (see fig. 1–2 in Olmi (1995) and fig. 140 in Olmi and Virla (2014)). Thaumatodryinus miocenicus is easily recognized by the following combination of characters: black head, except antenna brown to dark brown; mesosoma mostly black; legs and metasoma apparently brown. Antenna with dense and short setae. Head slightly convex, granulated; upper frons and vertex with pilosity; occiput slightly excavated and densely hairy; frontal line present but apparently incomplete in holotype (complete in paratype Do-4066-M); mid portion of clypeus with anterior margin convex. Mesoscutum reticulate rugose; notauli incomplete, reaching approximately half the length of mesoscutum; mesoscutellum reticulate rugose, hairy and shorter than mesoscutum; anterior margin of mesoscutellum with a foveate narrow groove; metanotum reticulate rugose, shorter than scutellum. Propodeum apparently reticulate rugose and short, distinctly shorter than high in lateral view; fore wing overlapped in holotype and color not visible, but in paratypes, fore wing with one dark transverse band beneath pterostigma. Ocellar ratio: POL= 7; OL= 3; OOL= 10; OPL= 2; TL= 3. Antennomeres in following proportions: 14:7:22:24:34:20:19 (flagellomere 8–10 not visible). Eye somewhat elongate, about 1.3× longer than wide; maximum head width about 1.7× distance between inner margins of tegulae. Pronotum shorter than head (16:37). Mesoscutum longer than pronotum (20:16). Fore wing with 2r-rs shorter than 3Rs&4Rs. Fore leg segments in following proportions: 30 (coxa): 15 (trochanter): 40 (femur): 43 (tibia): 22 (1^th tarsomere): 3 (2^nd tarsomere): 7 (3^rd tarsomere): 22 (4^th tarsomere): 36 (5^th tarsomere); 5^th tarsomere longer than enlarged claw and with two rows of at least 30 lamellae; distal apex with group of approximately three long lamellae; enlarged claw with two subapical teeth and one row of 29 lamellae. Propodeum short, distinctly shorter than high in lateral view, with dorsal surface shorter than posterior surface (45:50).

Figure 2. 

†Thaumatodryinus miocenicus Olmi, 1995, female holotype. A habitus, dorsal view B habitus, ventral view C habitus, lateral view D habitus, dorsal view E head and mesosoma, ventral view F habitus, lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm (A–C), 1 mm (D, F), 1 mm (E).

While in the original description Olmi (1995) mentioned that the mandibles are “not distinctly visible”, Olmi and Virla (2004) stated that the mandibles are “tridentate”. We could not clearly see the condition in the type material but consider more likely that T. miocenicus has quadridentate mandibles as in all other Thaumatodryinus. When the mandibles are closed, it is quite hard to observe the tooth closer to the clypeus, giving the impression that the mandibles are tridentate.

Female holotype, in amber from the Dominican Republic: amber from an unknown mine (probably El Valle mine) DR-99-146 HT (AMNH). Two paratype females: same locality label as holotype, DR-99-147 PT and DR-99-148 PT (AMNH).

Female holotype, 4.0 mm (see fig. 55 in Olmi 1998). Thaumatodryinus priscus is easily recognized by the body testaceous, except by the dark petiole and mesoscutellum apparently black or brown. Antenna with dense and short setae and rhinaria present in flagellomeres 3–8. Head slightly convex, apparently granulated; eye somewhat bulging; frontal line absent; mid portion of clypeus with anterior margin convex. Pronotum granulated; mesoscutum granulated, notauli incomplete, reaching approximately 0.7 of mesoscutum length; mesoscutellum shorter than mesoscutum, with sculpture not clearly evident; anterior margin of mesoscutellum with broad, shallow groove; metanotum shorter than mesoscutellum, with indistinct sculpture; propodeum reticulate rugose and distinctly long, about as long as high in lateral view. Ocellar ratio: POL= 5; OL= 2.5; OOL= 10; OPL= 2; TL= 3. Antennomeres in following proportions: 9:5:20:19:23:27:20:15:10:12. Eye elongated, about 1.4× longer than wide; maximum head width about 1.7× distance between inner margins of tegulae; pronotum shorter than head (15:26); mesoscutum as long as pronotum (16:15). Fore wing with one dark transverse band and vein 2r-rs shorter than 3Rs&4Rs (11:21). Fore leg segments in following proportions: 19 (coxa): 20 (trochanter): 45 (femur): 30 (tibia): 11 (1^th tarsomere): 4 (2^nd tarsomere): 6 (3^th tarsomere): 21 (4^th tarsomere): 31 (5^th tarsomere); 5^th tarsomere slightly longer than enlarged claw (31:27) and with two rows of numerous lamellae (exact number hard to observe); enlarged claw apparently with one subapical tooth and with one row of numerous lamellae (exact number hard to observe). Propodeum distinctly long, about as long as high in lateral view, dorsal surface as long as posterior surface.

This species was originally described in the genus Dryinus by Olmi (1998) and redescribed as such by Olmi and Virla (2014), but this taxon belongs in Thaumatodryinus since it exhibits all the diagnostic features of the genus, including the characteristic long setae on flagellomeres (see Fig. 3). Furthemore, we have noticed that the specimen illustrated by Olmi and Virla (2014: 254) representing Dryinus priscus Olmi does not correspond to the holotype. The inclusion shown in their Plate 100 corresponds to a species of Harpactosphecion Haupt, which can be easily recognized by the long and distinctly curved, fore trochanter, and the thin flagella.

Figure 3. 

†Thaumatodryinus priscus (Olmi, 1998), female holotype. A habitus, lateral view B habitus, ventral view C head and mesosoma, lateral view D head and mesosoma, dorsal view E head and mesosoma, ventral view F apical portion of fore leg, with details of the chela. Scales: 1 mm (A), 1 mm (B), 0.5 mm (C), 0.5 mm (D–F).

Female holotype, in amber from Dominican Republic: amber from an unknown mine (probably El Valle mine) DR-14-341 (AMNH).