Protopolybia weyrauchi Bequaert, 1944

Dos Santos Junior, José N. A., Silveira, Orlando T. & Carpenter, James M., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Protopolybia sedula species-group (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae), with an new identification key to species, Zootaxa 4403 (1), pp. 87-98 : 93-96

Protopolybia weyrauchi Bequaert, 1944

(Figs. 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 28)

Protopolybia weyrauchi Weyrauch, 1943: 73 (nomen nudum).

Protopolybia weyrauchi Bequaert, 1944a: 126 (holotype: ♀, Peru, San Ramon , Valle Chanchamayo 800m, 01.ii.1940 (W. Weyrauch), examined ; paratype: 2♂, 45♀ (same data as holotype) ( AMNH), examined).

Protopolybia weyrauchi: Richards, 1978: 140 , 149; Rasmussen & Asenjo, 2009: 50; Rasmussen & Lamas 2011: 57.

Diagnosis. Cuticle dull to shiny; mesoscutum and scutellum with strong and dense micropunctation and shallow mesopunctation; color brown, richly marked with yellow to whitish spots (Fig. 10), metanotum triangular, metanotal process elongate (Fig. 11); pronotal fovea distinct, preceded by anterior prominence relatively distant from the pronotal carina.

FIGURES 13–20. 13, 14, 15, 16. Protopolybia sedula ; 17, 18, 19, 20. Protopolybia weyrauchi ; 13, 17. Parameres of male genitalia. 14, 15, 18, 19. Aedeagus in dorsal and lateal views. 16, 20. Volsella of male genitalia in lateral view. Scale 0.2 mm.

Redescription. FEMALE. Length of fore wing 5.10 mm; clypeus relatively wide, approximately as long as wide (HClp=0.65; MxWClp= 0.70;TeW= 0.48; MiWClp= 0.63 mm), with ventral margin pointed; tentorial pit closer to antennal socket than to eye margin; interantennal area relatively wide, approximately two times diameter of antennal socket; mandibles relatively short with length 0.71 × distance between eyes at vertex; occipital carina distinct, fading very close to insertion of mandible; humerus normal, pronotal carina blunt, non-lamellate, distinctly extending downwards at side; pronotal fovea distinct, preceded by anterior prominence relatively distant from the pronotal carina; length of mesoscutum approximately 1.02 × its width; mesepisternal groove absent; scutellum with short but well-marked median line; metanotum triangular, length of median axis approximately 0.93 × width of central disk, metanotal process elongate; propodeum with a wide and shallow cavity; first metasomal segment with petiole short, almost as long as wide; T1 notably narrower than T2.

Front, mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum with strong and dense micropuntation and shallow mesopunctation ( Fig. 28 ); ventral region of mesopleuron and T2 to T5 with distinct punctures; clypeus with short golden bristles, except ventral margin, which has elongated bristles; eyes with minute and sparse bristles; body almost completely with short bristles; propodeum with long bristles.

Coloration: species brown, richly marked with yellow to whitish spots; antennae ventrally testaceous, dorsally brown to black; mandibles, clypeus, inner and outer orbit and front testaceous with yellowish spots, extensive mark on the pronotal carina and fovea, two stripes on the mesoscutum, tegulae partially (Fig. 12), large spot on the mesepisternum extending to scrobe, extensive mark on metapleuron, scutellum and metanotum partially, propodeum with paired dorsal marks, T1 with distal band, T2 with basal piriform mark, and distal band yellow on T2, T3 to T5. Coxae yellow, femora and tibiae brown to black; tarsi brown; wings hyaline, venation brown.

MALE. Length of fore wing 5.5 mm; eyes wide, strongly produced inwards; clypeus narrow, longer than wide, with elongated gold bristles, ventral margin little produced and pointed; tentorial pit closer to eye margin than to antennal socket; gena very narrow; color pattern as female. Genitalia. Basal angle of paramere widened, apical angle narrower (Fig. 17); digitus narrow with apical margin approximately curved, and with short bristles (Fig. 20); basal process narrow, but not distinctly pointed; cuspis with short and sparse bristles; ventral process of aedeagus approximately angular, not laterally produced in dorsal view, very sclerotized and laterally serrated (Fig. 19); preapical region of aedeagus not angular.

Material examined. Paratypes: PERU: San Ramon , Valle Chanchamayo 800m, 2♂, 45♀, 01.ii.1940 (W. Weyrauch) ( AMNH). Other material . PERU: Valle Chanchamayo 800m 2♀, 3♂, 1939 ( UFRJ-MN), 12♀ ( BMNH).

Distribution. Peru: Junin.

Figures

FIGURES25–28.25.Protopolybiaacutiscutis, mososcutum, dorsalview;26.P.amarella; 27. P.sedula; 28.P.weyrauchi. Red arrows, micropunctation and mesopunctation.