Paranysson assimilis (Bingham)

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2022, A Revision of the Genus Paranysson Guérin-Méneville, 1844 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 67 (16), pp. 361-393 : 371-373

Paranysson assimilis (Bingham)

Figures 11-16

Helioryctes assimilis Bingham, 1897:271 , ♀, ♂. Lectotype: ♂, Myanmar (= Burma): Tenasserim, now Tanintharyi Region: Yunzalin River Valley (BMNH), present designation, examined. – Bingham, 1898:105 ( Yemen: Aden). – As Paranysson assimilis : R. Turner, 1914:342 (new combination, in revision of Paranysson ); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:308 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION. Bingham (1897) described Helioryctes assimilis from the Sikkim

(as Sikhim) State of India and the Tanintharyi Region of Myanmar, both males and females, but he

did not designate the holotype. I have selected as the lectotype of this species a male in the BMNH

labeled “Tenasserim, Yunzalin Valley, 3. [18]91, Bingham coll.”, “ Helioryctes assimilis Bingham ♀ [sic], Type ”, apparently in Bingham handwriting, and “B.M. Type Hym. 21.1569.”

RECOGNITION. Paranysson assimilis is the only Asian representative of the genus (all others are Afrotropical). It is characterized by its small size (the length no more than 7 mm), all black femora, ocellocular distance 0.30-0.35 × distance between hindocelli ( Fig. 12 ), and nearly hyaline wings ( Fig. 11 ). In the Afrotropical species, the length of most specimens is more than 7 mm, the mid- and hindfemora in the vast majority of specimens are ferruginous, ocellocular distance 0.40- 1.20 × distance between hindocelli, and the wing membrane is conspicuously infumate ( Fig. 3 ) except slightly so in some P. helioryctoides . Two subsidiary recognition features of P. assimilis are: 1. clypeus without median glabrous line extending from the bevel, Figs. 13, 14 (line present, not attaining clypeal dorsal margin in all other species except line absent in P. melanopyrus ), and 2. the female hindcoxa with a tubercle on venter ( Fig. 15 ), unarmed in some specimens (unarmed in P. inermis , with a ventral tubercle in P. helioryctoides , and with a conspicuous ventral spine in the other species).

DESCRIPTION. Clypeal lamella with lateral teeth varying from insignificant to well defined; bevel not extending upwards as glabrous line ( Figs. 13, 14 ). Propodeal dorsum conspicuously reticulate, basomedian cells elongate. Longitudinal carina between propodeal side and posterior surface forming tooth at about two thirds of length. Femora all black. Terga varying from largely black to all ferruginous. Wings nearly hyaline ( Fig. 11 ).

♀ – Ocellocular distance equal to 0.30-0.35 × distance between hindocelli. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.6 × apical width, of apical flagellomere 1.5-1.6 × its basal width. Hindcoxal venter with small tubercle in some specimens, but tubercle mostly rudimentary or absent ( Fig. 15 ). Pygidial plate in most specimens rugose apically. Length 5.6-6.9 mm.

♂ – Ocellocular distance equal to 0.30 × distance between hindocelli; dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.5-1.6 × apical width, of apical flagellomere 1.3-1.4 × its basal width. Terga V and VI closely punctate, tergum VII closely to moderately sparsely punctate. Length 4.2-5.7 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION. India and Sri Lanka to Thailand, Laos, and southern Malaysia, also recorded from Aden in south Yemen by Bingham, 1898. Unfortunately, I was not able to verify the identity of the specimen from Aden. The following subscript in Bingham, 1898:101 suggests that the specimen was deposited at the BMNH: “The present list of the Hymenoptera of Aden has been compiled from pencil notes made by me at the British Museum while I was working out Colonel Yerbury’s and Capt. Nurse’s collections”. Actually, no such specimen can be found in the BMNH collection, as Dr. Joseph Monks, Curator of Hymenoptera , informed me on 3 November 2021 .

RECORDS. INDIA: Puducherry (= Pondicherry): Karikal (1 ♀, CAS) .

LAOS: Khammouan Province: Nakai (1 ♀, CAS) .

MALAYSIA: Johor (= Johore): Mawai (1 ♀, CAS) , Kampung Semangar (9 ♀, 3 ♂, CAS) , Kota Tinggi (1 ♀, CAS) . Pahang: Lata Lembik at 3°56ʹN 101°38′E (3 ♀, OÖLM) . Perak: 5 km E Tanjong Rambutan (2 ♀, OÖLM) .

MYANMAR: Kayin Region: Yunzalin [River] (1 ♀, USNM) . Tanintharyi Region: Yunzalin River Valley (1 ♂, BMNH, lectotype of Helioryctes assimilis ) .

SRI LANKA: Mannar District: Kokmotte Bungalow 0.5 mi. NE Wilpattu National Park (1 ♀, CAS; 1 ♀, USNM), Kondachchi (2 ♀, CAS) , Ma Villu (2 ♀, USNM) , Silvatturai (7 ♀, USNM) . Monaragala District: 13 mi. E Uda Walawe (1 ♀, CAS; 1 ♀, USNM) . Trincomalee District: Trincomalee: China Bay Ridge Bungalow (1 ♀, USNM) . Vavuniya District: Parayanalankulam Irrigation Canal 25 mi. NW Medawachchiya (1 ♀, CAS) .

THAILAND: Chiang Mai Province: Chiang Mai (1 ♂, CAS) . Kanchanaburi Province: dry

bed of Lam Ta Pen River 5 km NW Lat Ya (2 ♂, CAS) . Mae Hong Son Province: near Soppong (1 ♂, CAS) . Nakhon Ratchasima Province: Nakhon Ratchasima (1 ♀, USNM) . Nan Province: entrance to Mae Charim National Park at 18°36′0ʺN 100°58′34ʺE (2 ♀, OÖLM) .

YEMEN: Aden (Bingham, 1898).

Figures

FIGURES 11-15. Paranysson assimilis (Bingham). (11) Whole body of female in lateral view; (12) Ocellar area of female showing large distance between hindocelli; (13) Female clypeus and mandible; (14) Male clypeus and mandible; (15) Female hindcoxa.

FIGURE 16. Collecting localities of Paranysson assimilis (Bingham).

FIGURES 3-9. Paranysson abdominalis (Guérin- Méneville). (3) Whole body of female in oblique lateral view; (4) Female clypeus and mandible; (5) Male clypeus and mandible; (6) Posterior part of female mesopleuron and propodeal side (arrow shows the broadening of the longitu- dinal propodeal carina); (7) Female hindcoxa with spine; (8) Pygidial plate of female; (9) Male flagellomere I.