Polistes (Polistella) nipponensis Pérez, 1905

Lien, Nguyen Thi Phuong, 2017, Notes on the paper wasp genus Polistes (Polistella) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) from the northern part of Vietnam with description of males and nests, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 65, pp. 220-225 : 225

3) Polistes (Polistella) nipponensis Pérez, 1905

Polistes nipponensis Pérez 1905: 82 , female, holotype, Yokohama , Japan (Musésum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris).

Remarks. This species was recorded from Vinh Phuc, Hai Phong, Hoa Binh and Ninh Binh (Nguyen at al., 2011). In this study, this species is also recorded from Cao Bang, the northernmost province of Vietnam, together with its nest.

Material examined. 19 females, 25 males, Phia Oac, Pha Den, Nguyen Binh , Cao Bang, 22°35′07.7″N 105°51′59.8″E, alt. 900–1100m, Nest#VN-CB-2014-P-01, 25–28.v.2014, T. V. Hoang .

Nest. A nest (Nest#VN-CB-2014-P-01) ( Fig. 18 ) collected in Phia Oac NP, Cao Bang was examined.

The nest was at the fully-developed stage and had a comb comprised of mainly long cells, collected together with 19 females and 15 males. Ten males emerged later when the nest was brought back to the laboratory and was being kept in a nylon bag. The nest was found under the broad leaf of a tree about 3 m above the ground. The nest characteristics are as follows: Petiole single, terminal, with thick central core of plant fibres, enlarged strictly with adult salivary secretion, black and lustrous, 4.2 mm long, 2.2 × 6.8 mm thick; salivary coating extended onto substrate and largely onto back of comb. Comb tough, pliable in texture, brown, subcircular (about 52 mm × 50 mm) in view from side of cell opening; ventral surface convex; dorsal surface deeply concave. Nest cells generally arranged regularly and round at open end, but partly irregularly arranged, where some cells are pentagonal; cell expanded towards open end, 3.4 mm (range 2.5–4.6 mm; n=10) wide at bottom and 5.6 mm (range 5.1–6.3 mm; n=10) wide at open end, 14.5 mm (range 13.0–16.2) mm; n=10) deep; cell wall about 0.02 mm thick. Cocoon caps slightly domed beyond rim of cell, yellow.

Distribution. China; Japan; Vietnam ( Nguyen et al., 2011, present study).

Figures

Figs. 11–18. 11–17, Polistes curcipunctum. 11–15, Male. 11, Head, frontal view; 12, Right antenna. 13–15, Genitalia. 13, Inner aspect of paramere with digitus and volsella; 14, 15, Aedeagus (14, Ventral view; 15, Lateral view). 16–17, Female. 16, Head, frontal view; 17, Habitus. Scale = 1 mm. 18, Polistes nipponensis, nest.