Celonites hermon Gusenleitner, 2002

Mauss, Volker & Prosi, Rainer, 2018, Identity and distribution of Celonites hermon Gusenleitner, 2002 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) from the Middle East with a description of the hitherto unknown male, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 66, pp. 55-70 : 57-62

Celonites hermon Gusenleitner, 2002

Figs 1 , 2-6 , 7-9

Material studied.

Israel: Mt. Hermon , 33.416111N, 35.857500E, 1900 m a.s.l., 17.07.1971, 1♀ (holotype, dbM No. 3579), leg. Bytinski-Salz, coll. JG . Syria: 40 km NE of Damascus, 33.416667N, 35.866667E, 13.05.1996, 4♀♀ (dbM No. 3684, 3685, 3686, 3687), 2♂♂ (dbM No. 3688, 3689), leg. Mi. Halada, coll. OLML; West Syria , Tartus env., 34.900000N, 35.883333E, 25.05.1996, 2♀♀ (dbM No. 3691, 3692), leg. Mi. Halada, coll. OLML .

Diagnosis.

Pale markings light yellowish to yellow without reddish tinges (Fig. 1 ). Immediate tip of antennal club (A8-12) and especially ventral side of A12 orange to orange-brown, not markedly contrasting in colour from adjacent light ventral side of antennal club. Axilla of mesoscutellum with short blunt lateral projection that only slightly projects over adjacent posterior part of tegula. Frons and clypeus covered with pale, stiff pollen collecting setae (Fig. 3 ). In females most, in males at least some of these setae with tiny spherical enlargement at tip ( “knob”). Diameter of median ocellus distinctly larger than diameter of lateral ocelli, ocelli larger than in C. abbreviatus and C. tauricus . Median ocellus circular, lateral ocelli more or less obliquely oval (Figs 4 , 7 ). Vertex falling away obliquely towards the occipital carina immediately behind ocelli (Figs 4 , 7 ).

Females with head in front view more elongated in relation to its length. Clypeus with lateral margins more continuously rounded leading to elongated appearance (Fig. 2 ). Cuticula on frons and at least dorsal half of clypeus densely and strongly shagreened leading to a conspicuous dull region covered with knobbed pollen-collecting setae, changing gradually into the adjacent smooth, shiny cuticula on vertex and less densely shagreened cuticula ventrally on clypeus (Figs 2 , 4 ). Knobbed pollen collecting setae on frons distinctly longer and relatively thinner in comparison with Celonites abbreviatus and C. tauricus , up to 1.4 times as long as diameter of median ocellus, with diameter almost equal along most of length, only weakly broadened towards base (Figs 3 , 4 ).

Males with only two oval-shaped tyloids situated ventrally on articles A9 and A10 of club-shaped antennae. Midcoxa with a small but distinct spine at distal end, on anterior side of midcoxa close to its antero-medial angle. Tergum VII markedly lobed posteriorly (Fig. 6 ). Sternum VIII only shallowly emarginate, surface not much sunk in towards emargination (Fig. 8 ). Tergum VII with medial lobe distinctly emarginate leading to quadrilobed appearance of posterior margin (Fig. 6 ). Emargination of posterior margin of sternum VIII medially angled, laterally with a transverse section well set off by protruded edge with distinct little spine on each side of posterior margin (Fig. 8 ). Posterior margin of stipes of male genitalia with dorso-medial concavity (Figs 9 , 10 ). Stipes in dorsal view elongated, with medial and lateral margin running more or less parallel towards posterior end (Figs 9 , 10 ). Posterior process of volsella conically rounded, proximally continuing into shaft of volsella. Medial process of volsella set off distinctly from shaft by longitudinal fold (Figs 9 , 10 ).

Description of the male.

Colour (Fig. 1 ): Black, changing into blackish-brown on strongly sclerotized parts of labio-maxillary complex, sterna, coxae, trochanters and femora. The following are light yellowish: large basal spot on mandible; labrum; central area of clypeus except small lateral and ventral margin; broad parallel-sided band at front of frons, shortly interrupted medially on the supra-antennal area, laterally extending obliquely towards upper inner margin of eye where it terminates with straight truncated end; small spot on ocular sinus; narrow streak on tempora along occipital carina at dorso-lateral corner of head; large spot on antero-dorsal angle of pronotum (humeral spot); stripe along dorso-medial (inner) margin of pronotum, posteriorly small becoming distinctly broader antero-medially where it continues into humeral spot in one specimen (Fig. 7 ); large spot on dorsal mesopleura; tegula except small black marking along anterior part of medial margin; medium-sized median spot on scutellum; propodeal lamella; distal part of femora, tibiae and tarsi (weakly mixed with reddish-brown in parts especially distally); continuous posterior bands on terga I-VI, somewhat smaller on each side of middle (Fig. 6 ), extending over lateral margin on ventral part of tergum; continuous broad posterior band on sternum II; small spots postero-laterally on sternum III. Reddish-brown are: distal two thirds of mandible; ventral margin of clypeus; claws. Antenna with A1-2 black; A3-6 anteriorly with light yellowish stripe otherwise blackish to dark orange-brown; A7-A12 orange-brown, posteriorly with blackish marking becoming lighter distally, anteriorly and on ventral side markedly orange without black. Wings translucent, weakly yellowish-brown.

Structure: Head in front view as long as broad. Clypeus a little broader than long, distal margin deeply emarginate; cuticula shiny and smooth with close macropunctation becoming less distinct towards distal margin; pale stiff setae arising from macropunctures without distal “knob”; lateral setae with distal ends frequently curved in distal-medial direction. Frons diagonally striated with moderately spaced to close macropunctation, interstices smooth; bearing pale stiff setae, up to 0.22 mm long, 1.1 times as long as diameter of median ocellus, laterally some with curved distal end, in centre mainly with tiny distal “knob”; frontal line in one specimen raised to form a small pro tuberance in centre of frons. Median ocellus circular, lateral ocelli more or less obliquely oval; diameter of median ocellus distinctly larger than diameter of lateral ocelli. Vertex falling away obliquely towards occipital carina immediately behind ocelli (Fig. 7 ); cuticula with close macropunctation becoming more distinct and closely reticulate behind ocelli, where longitudinal interstices are more strongly raised forming lines; cuticula of interstices shiny and smooth; covered with short setae arising from macropunctures. Compound eye sparsely covered with small setae. Gena very narrow; preoccipital carina sharp. Antenna with articles A8-A12 forming ventrally flattened club about 2.0 times as long as broad (viewed dorsally) (Fig. 1 ); two oval-shaped, perhaps sensory, depressions (tyloids) on concave, ventral side of club, situated within antennal articles A9 and A10.

Anterior margin of pronotum raised to carina especially sharp medially (erroneously termed anterior pronotal carina by Mauss 2013). Short anterior pronotal carina (sensu Carpenter 1988) distinctly present at antero-ventral angle of pronotum running parallel to anterior margin, preceding crenate groove; distance between anterior pronotal carina and anterior margin of pronotum about width of fore metatarsus. Posterior pronotal carina forms narrow translucent sinuate crest on humeral angle of pronotum. Posterior margin of pronotum raised to short carina dorsally in front of tegula. Cuticula of pronotum shiny, with close to reticulate macropunctation, interstices smooth, rounded, with very sparse uneven micropunctation; laterally fairly horizontally striated due to slightly more raised interstices. Cuticula of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum shiny, reticulate with close, deep macropunctation and raised interstices. Postero-medial cuticula of mesoscutum and especially of mesoscutellum with longitudinal interstices becoming narrower and more strongly raised to sharp edges leading to distinctly striated appearance; interstices smooth, laterally on mesoscutellum somewhat finely longitudinally wrinkled. Mesoscutellum laterally with distinct carina along posterior margin, carina medially reduced to a few small tooth-like projections along posterior margin. Carina along posterior margin of metanotum medially with small tooth-like projections. Axilla with short blunt lateral projection only slightly projecting over adjacent, somewhat emarginate, posterior part of tegula. Tegula shiny, closely covered by macropunctures except less densely punctured or completely smooth central convex area. Mesepisternum with pronounced epicnemial carina deflexed backwards to run transversely in front of mid coxa; cuticula shiny, with close macropunctation; horizontally striated by raised interstices; area ventral to scrobal groove coarsely punctured with some interstices strongly raised to knife-like edges forming coarse honeycomb-like sculpture. Process at mesepisternal scrobal groove of moderate size; cuticula on posterior side shiny in centre with irregularly moderately spaced distinct micropunctation, ventrally densely longitudinally wrinkled. Horizontal propodeal triangle laterally delimited by a perpendicular declivity, somewhat laterally produced at postero-lateral edge of propodeal triangle, posteriorly bordered by serrated carina; cuticula shiny, coarsely punctured, interstices almost knife-like. Posterior surface of propodeum striated by strong vertical cuticula-folds; cuticula shiny, without punctuation, weakly coriaceous and covered with short fine pale setae. Cuticula of sides of propodeum and metepisternum shiny, densely horizontally wrinkled. Lateral lamella broad and somewhat convex; lateral margin slightly convex; posterior margin straight, not crenate; medially where lamella joins central part of propodeum with a rounded emargination, ventro-medial edge of which produced to a small blunt protrusion; dorsal cuticula of lamella shiny, with moderately spaced macropunctation, interstices medially smooth, dorso-laterally shagreened. Midcoxa with small but distinct spine at distal end on anterior side close to anterio-medial angle. Claws ventrally with small tooth.

Metasomal terga with dark anterior part continuing into posterior pale part by slight declivity; postero-lateral corners slightly produced; posterior margin of tergum I weakly crenulated, crenulation not produced into spines and not projecting over smooth translucent posterior margin of tergum; posterior margin of terga II-VI crenulated, crenulation produced into short partially posteriorly truncated spines, not or only slightly projecting over smooth translucent lower posterior margin of terga (Fig. 6 ); cuticula with silken sheen, densely covered with moderately coarse macropunctation, diameter of punctures and distance between them fairly larger on posterior pale part of tergum, with about seven macropunctures along median axis of tergum III; single thin seta arises from bottom of each macropuncture, only slightly protruding over rim of puncture; interstices finely shagreened, moderately covered with very tiny, decumbent, pale setae, all setae orientated towards caudal end. Posterior margin of tergum VII with two lateral deep emarginations, resulting in two lateral lobes that continue laterally into margins of tergum and single medial lobe divided into two lanceolate more or less pointed medial projections of variable length (Fig. 6 ). Metasomal sternum I shiny, finely shagreened, with tiny setae but without punctures. Sterna II-VI posteriorly with broad stripe of asetose, translucent cuticula adjacent to posterior margin of more strongly sclerotized cuticula; small sparse band of setae along posterior sclerotized margin somewhat projecting over anterior part of translucent stripe of cuticula; sclerotized cuticula shiny, close to anterior margin faintly shagreened, on posterior half of sternum II-VI medially and laterally with sparse punctuation of shallow micropunctures from which short pale setae arise, on sternum II antero-laterally with a few small shallow macropunctures from which short pale setae arise, on sternum III-VI anteriorly with moderate to sparse shallow macropunctation. Sternum VIII with distinct little spine on each side of posterior margin; emargination of posterior margin medially angled, laterally with a transverse section well set of by protruded edge (Fig. 8 ).

Male genitalia as in Figs 9 - 10 . Dorso-medial shovel-like lobe of harpide large, densely covered ventrally with long setae. Dorso-posterior margin of stipes with dorso-medial concavity angled. Stipes in dorsal view elongated, with medial and lateral margin running more or less parallel towards posterior end. Sides of stipites converging continuously anteriorly towards cupula. Volsella moderately large and broad, not reaching antero-medial margin of dorso-medial lobe of harpide; dorsal area with strongly sclerotized, large, dark tubercles; distances between tubercles moderate; plane medial process curved more or less hook-like towards posterior end, set off distinctly from shaft by longitudinal fold; posterior process conically rounded, proximally continuing into shaft of volsella. Sides of thyrsoi more or less parallel only slightly converging towards posterior (apical) end of aedoeagus. Each thyrsos continues anteriorly into apodema thyrsos with a distinct outwardly directed curve. On ventral side cupula medially protruded towards anterior end projecting over dorsal margin of cupula in ventral view of genital capsule.

Measurements.

Measurements of the exoskeleton are summarized in Table 1.

Floral association.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Celonites hermon is known only from three localities in the ranges of the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains along the Lebanese section of the Dead Sea Transform (Fig. 11 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Imagines of Celonites hermon in lateral view (female dbM No. 3692, male dbM No. 3689).

Figure 10. Male genital of Celonites hermon (dbM No. 3689) in dorsal (left) and ventral view (right). Setae only shown on one side of each drawing. Nomenclature follows that of Birket-Smith (1981): ad, aedoeagus; at, apodema thyrsos; cu, cupula; dc, dorso-medial concavity of the posterior margin of the stipes; ha, harpide; mp, medial process of volsella; pp, posterior process of volsella; sl, shovel-like dorso-medial lobe of harpide; sp, stipes; ty, thyrsos; vo, volsella.

Figure 11. Geographic distribution of the species of the Celonites abbreviatus - complex occurring in the Middle East. Records of Celonites andreasmuelleri taken from Mauss 2013 and Mauss unpublished, records of Celonites tauricus according to Mauss et al. 2016 and Mauss unpublished.

Figures 2 - 6. Head of female of Celonites hermon (dbM No. 3685) 2 in frontal view 3 in lateral view showing pollen collecting apparatus with " knobbed " setae on frons and clypeus 4 in dorsal view 5 - 6 Metasoma of Celonites hermon in dorsal view 5 female (dbM No. 3685) 6 male (dbM No. 3689).

Figures 7 - 9. Head of male Celonites hermon in dorsal view (dbM No. 3456) 8 Metasomal sternum VIII of male of C. hermon in ventral view (dbM No. 3689) 9 Male genital of Celonites hermon (dbM No. 3689) a in dorsal b ventral view.