Pararrhynchium, de Saussure, 1855

Nguyen, Lien Thi Phuong, Tran, Ngat Thi, Bui, Dien Trong & Ljubomirov, Toshko, 2021, Contribution to the genus Pararrhynchium de Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae Eumeninae), with description of two new species from Vietnam, Zootaxa 5082 (2), pp. 159-168 : 166-167

Key to species of genus Pararrhynchium

(Based on the key to species in Nguyen 2015 and Li and Chen 2018)

This key deals with all species of Pararrhynchium , excluding the species of the “ Lissodynerus ” which was synonymized with Pararrhynchium and can be separated from the remaining members of the genus by these characters: propodeal dorsum below plane of metanotum, and prestigma of forewing more than half as long as pterostigma, measured along the posterior part (propodeal dorsum forming shelflike area behind metanotum and prestigma less than half as long as pterostigma in other members of the genus).

The characters are applicable to both sexes unless the sex is specified.

1. Epicnemial carina absent............................................................................... 2

- Epicnemial carina present............................................................................... 3

2. Propodeum without shelf. Anterior vertical face of T1 with a median longitudinal carina. Japan (Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands)............................................................................... P. oceanicum Yamane, 1990

- Propodeum with a distinct shelf between crest and metanotum. Anterior vertical face of T1 without a median longitudinal carina................................................................... P. simsanum Nguyen & Tran , sp. nov.

3. T1 with distinct basal transverse carina.................................................................... 4

- T1 with partial transverse carina at base.................................................................. 16

4. Dorsal lateral area of propodeum with impunctate, partly rugose area in the middle................................. 5

- Dorsal lateral areas of propodeum with coarse and dense punctures............................................. 6

5. Horizontal area of propodeum as long as metanotum, dorsal lateral area of propodeum without rugae medially. China (Anhui)......................................................................... P. impunctatum Li & Chen, 2018

- Horizontal area of propodeum shorter than metanotum, dorsal lateral area of propodeum partly finely rugose medially. China (Shanghai, Sichuan (“Yachow”), Guangdong)........................................ P. smithii (de Saussure, 1855)

6. Apical margin of T3 lamellate........................................................................... 7

- Apical margin of T3 not lamellate....................................................................... 11

7. Female clypeus with flattened part. China (Sichuan, Chongqing, Zhejiang, Henan, Anhui, Beijing), Japan (Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Tsushima, Goto, Osumi).................................................... P. ornatum ( Smith, 1852)

- Female clypeus without flattened part..................................................................... 8

8. Propodeum with superior carinae, the carinae apically not forming teeth behind metanotum. Taiwan......................................................................................... P. taiwanum Kim & Sk. Yamane, 2007

- Propodeum with superior carinae apically forming a pair of sharp teeth behind metanotum........................... 9

9. Scutellum and metanotum with a medial longitudinal furrow. China (Sichuan)............ P. foveolatum Li & Chen, 2018

- Scutellum and metanotum without a medial longitudinal furrow............................................... 10

10. Epicnemial carina weak, almost obsolete. Clypeus wider than long. China (Yunnan)........ P. obsoletum Li & Chen, 2018

- Epicnemial carina not obsolete. Clypeus narrower than long. China (Guangdong, Sichuan).... P. sinense ( Schulthess, 1913)

11. Female clypeus with the apical margin lamellate. Upper half of the anterior vertical face of T1 with a medial longitudinal carina. Japan (South Ryukyus)...................................................... P. ishigakiense ( Yasumatsu, 1933)

- Female clypeus with the apical margin not lamellate. Upper half of the anterior vertical face of T1 without a medial longitudinal carina............................................................................................. 12

12. Female clypeus wider than long. Sri Lanka..................................... P. unifasciatum Gusenleitner, 1998

- Female clypeus longer than wide or as long as wide........................................................ 13

13. Female clypeus as long as wide. Body almost black. Vietnam................ P. sparsum Nguyen & Ljubomirov , sp. nov.

- Female clypeus longer than wide. Body black with largely yellow or orange marks................................ 14

14. Female clypeus without flattened part, with coarse and dense punctures. Propodeum with superior carinae apically round, not forming a pair of relatively sharp teeth behind metanotum. Russia (Primorskiy Terr.), China (Guangdong, Liaoning, Henan), Korea.................................................................. P. paradoxum ( Gussakovskij, 1932)

- Female clypeus with flattened part well defined, with sparse fine punctures. Propodeum with superior carinae apically forming a pair of relatively sharp teeth behind metanotum.......................................................... 15

15. Female clypeus with two longitudinal carinae in flattened part almost parallel. Propodeum with superior carinae streamlined, not curved. China (Guangxi).................................................... P. parallelum Li & Chen, 2018

- Female clypeus with two longitudinal carinae in flattened part not parallel. Propodeum with superior carinae curved. Japan (Ryukyus: Amami-Oshima)................................................ P. tsunekii Tano & Sk. Yamane, 1983

16. Gena much wider than eye (about 1.2 times wider than eye).................................................. 17

- Gena as wide as eye or narrower than eye................................................................ 18

17. Area on vertex behind posterior ocelli strongly depress, T3 with apical lamella bent upward and T4 with a very short lamella. Malaya.......................................................................... P. aurigaster Selis, 2018

- Area on vertex behind posterior ocelli normal, not depress, T3–4 without apical lamella. India (Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Sikkim)..................................................... P. venkataramani Girish Kumar & Carpenter, 2017

18. Gena narrower than eye. Propodeum with horizonal area as long as the length of metanotum, dorsal lateral areas each with impunctate area in the middle, posterior surface shiny, with oblique striations, propodeal carina not curve. Female clypeus black with yellow spots at basal and apical lateral margins. China (Guangxi, Guizhou), Vietnam....... P. striatum Nguyen, 2015

- Gena as wide as eye. Propodeum with horizontal area shorter than the length of metanotum, dorsal lateral areas with coarse and dense punctures, posterior surface dull, without striations, propodeal carina curve. Female clypeus entirely black. Vietnam................................................................................. P. concavum Nguyen, 2015