Dasyproctus attenboroughi Binoy, Santhosh & Girish Kumar, 2021

Binoy, C., Kumar, P. Girish & Santhosh, S., 2021, Review of Indian Dasyproctus Lepeletier & Brullé 1835 (Hymenoptera Crabronidae) with description of four new species, Zootaxa 4991 (3), pp. 467-498 : 472-474

2. Dasyproctus attenboroughi Binoy, Santhosh & Girish Kumar , sp. nov.

( Figs 15–24 )

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Diagnosis. The new species runs close to the widespread D. agilis (F. Smith) in the key to Asian and Oceanic Dasyproctus ( Leclercq 2015) in having: clypeal lobe antero medially narrower than antennal torulus; prepectus black; hind basitarsus yellow; pronotum anteriorly without conspicuous wrinkles preceding pronotal lobe; hind femur completely brown. The new species, however, differs from D. agilis in having: medio apical lobe of clypeus bevelled to slightly emarginated (in D. agilis , clypeus medio apically broad, apical margin truncated); axilla and scutellum entirely black (in D. agilis , axilla and scutellum with yellow macula at least on lateral corner); all flagellomeres brownish black (in D. agilis fu 1 and fu 2 yellowish orange; Gt 3 immaculate (in D. agilis, Gt 3 bimaculate); Gt 5 with a pair of yellow streaks, Gt 6 immaculate (in D. agilis, Gt 5 and Gt 6 with continuous median yellow band).

Description. Holotype ♂ ( Figs 15–24 ). Body length 4.45 mm; fore wing length 4.74 mm.

Colour. Body matt black with following parts variously coloured: scape yellow with baso-ventral brown spot; pedicel pale brown, remaining antennomeres brown; mandible yellowish brown basally, apical part reddish to black; pronotal collar black with yellow streak restricted to antero-median margin; pronotal lobe yellow; all coxae and trochanters deep brown, fore and mid femora brown with yellow patch apically; fore and mid tibiae yellow, inner side with brown patch; hind femur entirely brown; hind tibia brown with irregular yellow streaks, more yellow apically; hind basitarsus yellow, all other tarsomeres yellowish brown; Gt 2 bimaculate; Gt 4 and Gt 5 with yellowish orange macula laterally.

Pubescence. Thick silvery bristles on clypeus ( Fig. 18 ), comparatively fainter setosity concentrated on outer side of scapal basin, beyond IOC and gena; long scattered pale brown setae on vertex, pronotum, mesoscutum, mesopleuron, scutellum and anterior part of propodeum; posterior surface of propodeum with long white setae; legs moderately setose; Gt 1 with longer setae at base, remainder of vertex, mesosoma and metasoma with thicker and stouter brown setae, densest at vertex and upper frons.

Head. As seen from above transverse, 1.54 × as wide as long ( Fig. 19 ); mandible bidentate with inner tooth shorter than outer; clypeal surface well-hidden below thick silvery bristles, apico-medially produced forward, truncated at slightly emarginated margin ( Fig. 18 ); longitudinal carina slightly indicated, not reaching apical margin ( Fig. 17 ); antennal toruli touching one another, and inner eye margin; scapal basin densely rugose reticulate with inconspicuous longitudinal furrow; IOC conspicuous medially, obsolete near inner margin of eye; inconspicuous transverse grove beyond IOC; frons matt, with well imprinted setigerous pits; vertex with similar sculpturing; gena with minute setigerous punctures ventrally; supra orbital furrow shallow; POD 1.05 × OOD ( Fig. 19 ); scape with two ventral carinae; relative lengths of scape: pedicel: flagellomeres I to XI (last) = 6.1: 1.3: 1.3: 1.4: 1.3: 1.1: 0.9: 0.9: 0.7: 0.7: 0.7: 0.7: 1.3.

Mesosoma . Pronotum with conspicuous transverse carina dorsally and several rugulae laterally; collar with lateral corner slightly angulate, medial notch on collar distinct, conspicuous medio-posterior bordering ridge present, anterior carina on collar inconspicuous dorsally ( Fig. 20 ); mesoscutum and scutellum matt with scattered setigerous micropunctures; lateral mesoscutal margin carinate, mesoscuto-scutellar margin wide; scutellum with few setigerous micropunctures, apical margin coarsely foveolate; metanotum rugose, not separated from propodeum, with conspicuous lateral depressions; propodeum with coarse conspicuous rugae, interspaces smooth; hind femur basally angulate, as wide as basal width of Gt 1; hind tibia with three stout spines; mesopleuron and mesosternum matt, with scattered setigerous micropunctures ( Fig. 21 ); fore wing moderately setose, with brown tinge apically.

Metasoma. Sub-sessile; all terga matt black, Gt 1 2.94 × as long as wide, anterior third polished with faint striation, remainder matt with very few setigerous micropunctures, laterally setose ( Fig. 23 ); remaining terga matt, with scattered setigerous micropunctures.

Female. Unknown.

Prey. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a commemorative, genitive noun in apposition taken from the patronym Attenborough after the naturalist and broadcaster, Sir David Frederick Attenborough for making the world’s natural history accessible and understandable to millions with his outstanding documentaries.

Distribution. India: Kerala.

Material Examined. Holotype ♂, India: Kerala: Kannur dt., Kannapuram (12°25’4.8”N 75°21’1.62”E, 780m), 10.ii.2019, Coll. C. Charesh, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV.16506 . Paratype 2 ♂, same collection details ex- cept date 03.ix.2017 06.v.2018, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV.16507 & 16508 .

Figures

FIGURES 15–22. Dasyproctus attenboroughi Binoy, Santhosh & Girish Kumar, sp. nov. Holotype ♂. 15. Habitus, lateral view; 2. Head and pronotum, lateral view; 17. Head, frontal view; 18. Clypeus; 19. Head, dorsal view; 20. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 21. Mesosoma, lateral view; 22. Fore wing.

FIGURES 23–24. Dasyproctus attenboroughi Binoy, Santhosh & Girish Kumar, sp. nov. Holotype ♂. 23. Gt1 & Gt2, dorsal view; 24. Metasoma, lateral view.