The Wharton Lab

Westwoodia rodmani Wharton and Roeder, 2008 in Wharton et al. (2008: 13)

Westwoodia
Westwoodiini
Ctenopelmatinae

The paratype differs from the holotype in several respects, but we consider the variation to be in line with that observed in W. ruficeps. The face, including the malar space, is more heavily and extensively sculptured (granular-punctate throughout), as is the propodeum. Fore wing 2m-cu is also more distally displaced in the paratype and 1cu-a is interstitial rather than weakly antefurcal. The paratype is not well preserved. Both antennae are broken, the right fore and hind leg are missing, and the apical tarsomeres are missing on all remaining legs. Setal patterns are difficult to discern because of damage, dirt, and grease

The low, somewhat irregular, parallel ridges on the frons may be remnants of the interantennal flanges seen in species such as W. romani and W. longipes, but these are not easy to discern amongst the generally rugose sculpture of the frons, and appear situated slightly differently than the diverging carinae of these other species. The inner hind tibial spur is longer in this species than in the others treated here.

This species, having several unique characteristics and known only from the male, is named in honor of Jim Rodman for his contributions to systematic biology.

First flagellomere of antenna (Fig. 1) moderately densely setose (more densely setose than W. ruficeps but less densely setose than W. longipes); interantennal flange absent (Fig. 2), and without trace of median carina; lateral swelling of frons weak (Figs 2, 3), with weak, irregular carinae on inner margin of swelling; face heavily sculptured medially (holotype), uniformly granular-punctate (paratype, Figs 3, 4); occipital carina complete, distinctly developed throughout (Fig. 2); shape of female tarsi unknown, tarsus of male as in Figs 5 and 6; fore wing (Fig 7) with stigma brown; fore wing areolet present, with 2m-cu variable in origin; body (Figs 8, 9) entirely orange, wings hyaline.

Readily distinguished from other species of Westwoodia by the rugose face and entirely orange body (including antenna). In all other known species, there are at least some black markings on either the mesosoma, metasoma, or both. None of the other species have rugose facial sculpture. Facial sculpture is a useful identification feature for species of Westwoodia: finely and sparsely punctate, nearly smooth, in some species; densely punctate in others.

Westwoodia rodmani does not appear to be closely related to the other described species because of the more heavily sculptured body and unique coloration. It is the only species with hyaline wings. As in W. romani, n. sp., and W. longipes, however, there is no interantennal flange and the frons is at most shallowly impressed.

See monograph on Westwoodia by Wharton et al. (2008).

Australia.
Known only from the southwestern corner of Western Australia.

Unknown

Unknown

Holotype ♂ (Western Australia Museum)
four labels
top label = printed, black ink on white paper, 4 lines as follows:
DENMARK
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
19 JAN 1984
R. P. MCMILLAN

2nd label = printed, black ink on white paper:
AT LIGHT (MV)
AT NIGHT

3rd label = black print on yellow paper:
Western Australian
Museum Entomology
Reg no 26618;

4th label = hand-written with black ink on white paper:
Westwoodia
det. MW SHORT 2000.

Paratype ♂ (Queensland Museum)
Two labels
top label = printed, black ink on white paper, 3 lines as follows:
Mundaring
W. Australia
J. Clark

2nd label = black ink on white paper, 2 lines (first hand-written, 2nd printed) as follows:
Westwoodia
det. I. D. Gauld, 1984

This page was assembled by Bob Wharton, and is part of a revision of the genus Westwoodia by Wharton, Karl Roeder, and Matt Yoder (Wharton et al. 2008). Kira Zhaurova analyzed the relationships among the Westwoodiini and Scolobatini as part of her M. S. thesis at Texas A&M University, completed in 2006. The material she borrowed for her thesis forms the basis for this revision of Westwoodia. We are grateful to Terry Houston (Western Australian Museum) for sending specimens of Westwoodia, one of which is now the holotype, and to Chris Burwell (Queensland Museum) for the extended loan of the paratype. This material is based upon work conducted at Texas A&M University and supported by the National Science Foundation’s PEET program under Grant No. 0328922 and associated REU supplement # 0616851. Page last updated February, 2011.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number DEB 0328922 with REU supplement 0616851.
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.