Pseudagris carinata ( de Saussure, 1863 )

Selis, Marco, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the Afrotropical genus Pseudagris de Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), with description of four new species, Zootaxa 5315 (3), pp. 201-230 : 209-211

Pseudagris carinata ( de Saussure, 1863)

( Figs. 4a–e , 10e , 13d )

Synagris carinata de Saussure 1863: 203 , pl. II figs. 18c, 18m, ♀ [erroneously described as male]—“ Port Natal ” (holotype MHNG).

Diagnosis. This species can be recognized by the following combination of characters: longitudinal carinae of male clypeus strong ( Fig. 4b ), flagellomeres not convex dorsally, F11 of male pointed apically in dorsal view and not flattened ( Fig. 4d ), apical margin of female clypeus narrow and 0.2× as wide as clypeus width, longitudinal carinae of female clypeus sharp on ventral third and dull above ( Fig. 4c ), irregular pit on female vertex shallow and without elevated posterior margin ( Fig. 4e ), female propodeum with posterolateral angles produced in short tooth, female S 2 in lateral view strongly produced basally and then flattened ( Fig. 10e ), interspaces on mesepisternum shorter than diameter of punctures, tegula micropunctate, lateral faces of propodeum with shallow irregular striae, apical tergites and sternites orange, wings with purplish reflections.

Material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Mfongosi, Zulu L., leg. W.E. Jones, 1♂ ( MSNVE) ; ZIΜBABWE: S. Rhodesia, Bulawayo, 9.IX.1923, leg. R.H.R. Stevenson, 1♀ ( MSNVE) ; S. Rhodesia, Bulawayo, 23.XI.1924, leg. R.H.R. Stevenson, 1♀ ( MSVI) .

Description. Male. Body length 10.9 mm; fore wing length 11.1 mm.

Head 1.1× as wide as long in frontal view. Clypeus in frontal view 1.25× as long as wide, narrowly truncated apically, apical margin 0.12× as wide as width of clypeus, two sharp carinae running from apical angles up to basal third, becoming dull dorsally, area between carinae flattened; clypeus in lateral view evenly convex. Distance from posterior ocellus to occipital carina 1.5× as long as the distance from posterior ocellus to inner eye margin. Gena 0.6× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus; occipital carina entire, shortly lamellate on gena, weak on vertex. F1 2.15× as long as wide; F2–F10 longer than wide; F11 oval in section, claw-shaped in lateral view, tapering to pointed apex in dorsal view, reaching apex of F8. Mesosoma 1.15× as long as wide. Pronotal carina complete, sharp but not lamellate. Mesoscutum 1.1× as wide as long, weakly convex in lateral view. Scutellum nearly flattened, on same level of mesoscutum. Metanotum almost vertical, flattened from base to apex, slightly projecting anteriorly. Epicnemial carina sharp and almost reaching pronotal margin, higher below transverse furrow. Propodeum in lateral view convex; dorsal faces convex and not separated from posterior face; lateral faces weakly convex on whole surface, more markedly posteriorly. T 1 in dorsal view 2.3× as wide as long; T 2 in dorsal view wider than long; S2 with deep depression on basal half almost reaching basal corners, in lateral view more convex basally, then evenly convex.

Clypeus dull, with some fine punctures basally. Interantennal area and lower part of ocular sinus smooth and shiny. Frons with dense shallow flat-bottomed punctures; vertex with deeper punctures, interspaces with some micropunctures; gena smooth with deep punctures along eye margin. Pronotum, mesoscutum and scutellum with very deep dense punctures, arranged in irregular series, larger on scutellum; ventral corners of pronotum smooth. Metanotum coarsely punctured, interspaces reduced to thin carinae. Mesepisternum with large flat-bottomed punctures, interspaces barely visible dorsally and becoming larger posteroventrally; epicnemium densely microreticulate. Metaepisternum smooth with some sparse shallow punctures. Tegula dull, with sparse shallow punctures on whole surface. Dorsal faces of propodeum coarsely punctured, punctures large and flat-bottomed, interspaces reduced to thin carinae; posterior face smooth and shiny, with some fine striae ventrally; lateral faces dull with irregular and shallow punctures and striae. T1–T2 with dense shallow oblique punctures, interspaces larger on T1 and base of T2, becoming shorter than diameter of punctures on apex of T2; T3–T4 punctured like previous tergites, but punctures smaller and shallower; T5–T7 dull and impunctate; S2 shining, with deep punctures sparser on basal depression and denser on sides; S3–S7 punctured like respective tergites, but punctures shallower.

Head and mesosoma with sparse short brownish setae. T1–T3 with moderately dense blackish pubescence, T4–T7 with silvery pubescence.

Genitalia in Fig. 13d .

Black; following parts dark red: lateral margins of clypeus, triangular spot above antennal insertions, bottom of ocular sinus, mandible except apical margin, dorsal half of gena, scape and dorsal side of flagellum, line on pronotal carina partly expanding on anterior and dorsal faces of pronotum, basal part of T1, most of fore and mid legs, inner side of hind leg, part of tegula; following parts bright orange: T4–T7 almost entirely, sides of S4, S5–S7; clypeus pale yellow except for red lateral margins; ventral side of flagellum ferruginous. Wings fuscous with weak purplish reflections.

Female. Body length 13.4–14.0 mm; fore wing length 12.8–13.5 mm.

Like male, except clypeus 1.2× as long as wide, apical margin truncated and 0.2× as wide as clypeus width, longitudinal carinae sharper but dull on upper part, cephalic foveae located in a irregularly shaped transverse depression, basal depression on S2 broader and deeper, margined anteriorly by a rounded hump on each side; clypeus densely covered by small deep punctures, except on smooth area between carinae. Colored like male, except the following: clypeus entirely red, area from clypeus to dorsal margin of ocular sinus more extensively red, anterior face of pronotum nearly entirely red, tegula entirely brownish-red, apical margin of T3 and whole following tergites bright orange, apical orange line on S4 widened laterally.

Distribution. South Africa, Zimbabwe * ( Bequaert 1923; de Saussure 1863; Maidl 1914b) ( Fig. 14 ).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Pseudagris carinata (de Saussure, 1863). a, habitus of female. b, head of male. c, head of female. d, antenna of male. e, vertex of female.

FIGURE 10. a–d, Pseudagris tanzanica sp. nov., female holotype. e, Pseudagris carinata (de Saussure, 1863). a, habitus. b, head. c, vertex. d–e, S2.

FIGURE 13. Male genitalia: aedeagus in ventral view, aedeagus in lateral view, volsella. a, Pseudagris albicauda (von Schulthess, 1923). b, P. apicalis sp. nov. c, P. brunnea Gusenleitner, 2007. d, P. carinata (de Saussure, 1863). e, P. nigrithorax sp. nov. f, P. nigrorufa sp. nov. g, P. pygmaea Gusenleitner, 1998.

FIGURE 14. Distributional map of Pseudagris species.