Pristepyris ryukyuensis (Terayama, 1999)

Liao, Hauchuan, Terayama, Mamoru & Eguchi, Katsuyuki, 2022, Revision of Taiwanese and Ryukyuan species of Pristepyris Kieffer, 1905, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), ZooKeys 1102, pp. 1-42 : 1

Pristepyris ryukyuensis (Terayama, 1999)

Fig. 9

Acrepyris ryukyuensis Terayama, 1999: 702, figs 1, 2. Holotype (male, NIAES), type loc.: Shimoji, Miyako-jima, Okinawa, Japan. Pristepyris ryukyuensis : Azevedo et al. 2018: 104 (genus transfer).

Male diagnosis.

HL/HW × 100 = 105. Frons and vertex with deep foveolae (ca. 0.05-0.06 mm in diameter), of which intervals are smooth and shining and narrower than diameter of foveolate. Anterior clypeal margin nearly straight medially. Mandible with five apical teeth. Transverse pronotal carina present. Cervical pronotal area in lateral view strongly and roundly produced. LP/WP = 1.09. Metapostnotal median carina incomplete posteriorly.

Female diagnosis.

Unknown.

Male redescription.

Full description was given by Terayama (1999). Additional information as below.

Head. HL/ HW× 100 = 105. Frons and vertex with deep foveolae (ca. 0.05-0.06 mm in diameter), of which intervals are smooth and shining and narrower than diameter of foveolate. Occipital carina present. Median portion of clypeus roundly produced anteriad; median clypeal carina moderately distinct, almost reaching anterior margin; anterior clypeal margin nearly straight medially. Compound eye large and convex, with sparse thin erect setae. Mandible with five teeth.

Mesosoma. Dorsal area of pronotum smooth and shining, with deep foveolae; distinct transverse carinae present (arrow in Fig. 9D ); cervical pronotal area in lateral view strongly and roundly produced (arrow in Fig. 9C ). Mesopleuron elongate; anterior, upper and lower fovea distinct; acropleural area smooth and shining. Mesopleural pit absent. Metapectal-propodeal complex in dorsal view with LP/WP = 1.09, with lateral margins subparallel and slightly convex; metapostnotal median carina distinct, but incomplete posteriorly; submedian rugae irregularly running; sublateral margin distinct, incomplete posteriorly; posterior transverse margin distinct; dorsomedian and dorsolateral faces weakly rugoso-scabrous; median portion of propodeal declivity weakly rugoso-scabrous.

Metasoma. Missing.

Female description.

Unknown.

Taxonomic remarks.

This species is most similar to Pristepyris zhejiangensis. The two species share two remarkable features: mandible is five-toothed; cervical pronotal area in lateral view is strongly and roundly produced (arrow in Fig. 9C ). However, the type material (holotype only) of P. ryukyuensis lacks the mesosoma and no metasomal and genital morphology is given in the original description. Therefore, it is impossible to conclude whether the two morphospecies are conspecific or not. Pristepyris ryukyuensis is tentatively treated as an independent species of which the identity will be discussed, based on the further intensive sampling in the whole of the potential distributional range (the Ryukyus, Taiwan and the eastern coastal region of mainland China). Furthermore, the P. ryukyuensis -like and P. zhejiangensis -like specimens newly obtained from the Ryukyus and Taiwan were treated as P. zhejiangensis , based on the reliable male genital morphology.

Figures

Figure 9. Pristepyris ryukyuensis, male, holotype A head in full-face view B mandible C mesosoma in lateral view; arrow indicating an angulate corner present on cervical pronotal area D mesosoma in dorsal view; arrow indicating transverse pronotal carina present. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.