Calligaster himalayensis (Cameron, 1904)

Nguyen, Cuong Quang, Dang, Hoa Thi & Nguyen, Lien Thi Phuong, 2024, A new species of the presocial potter wasp genus Calligaster de Saussure, 1852 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) from Vietnam, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 97, pp. 241-254 : 241

Calligaster himalayensis (Cameron, 1904)

Figs 11-15 , 16-21

Zethus himalayensis Cameron, 1904: 13, ♀, “Sikkim” (The Natural History Museum, London).

Calligaster himalayensis ; Bequaert 1928: 157 (holotype examined; possibly a valid species).

Zethus hymalayensis [!]; Giordani Soika 1941: 216 (incorrect spelling of Zethus himalayensis Cameron; syn. of C. cyanoptera de Saussure).

Note.

This species was recorded from Vietnam by Nguyen et al. (2014) and Nugroho et al. (2016). The species occurs in the northern and central parts, as well as the Tay Nguyen highlands. Refer to Nugroho et al. (2016) for the diagnosis of this species.

Material examined.

Vietnam: 1♂, Cao Bang, Nguyen Binh, Thanh Cong , 22°32.5'N, 105°53'E, alt. 1000 m, 8 Aug. 2012, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen et al. leg .; 1♀, Cao Bang, Tra Linh, Ho Thang Hen , 22°45'47.5"N, 106°53'35.7"E, alt. 619 m, 20 May 2023, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen, Ngat Thi Tran, Cuong Quang Nguyen leg. ; 1♀, 1♂, Tuyen Quang, Ham Yen, Phu Luu , Cham Chu NP, alt. 200 m, Jun. 2011, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen leg. ; 1♀, Son La, Moc Chau, Chieng Son, Chieng Ve , 21 Jun. 2015, Long Dang Khuat leg. ; 1♀, Dien Bien, Dien Bien, Pa Thom , 20°17'50"N, 102°54'37"E, alt. 693 m, 01 Mar. 2023, Hoa Thi Dang leg. ; 1♀, 1♂, Dien Bien, Tua Chua, Muong Fang , 21°50'46"N, 103°22'53"E, alt. 735 m, 04 Mar. 2023, Hoa Thi Dang leg. ; 1♂, Vinh Phuc, Me Linh, Me Linh Station , 25 May 2013, Nest #ML-2013- Eum 1, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen leg. ; 1♀, Vinh Phuc, Me Linh, Me Linh Station , 2 Jun. 2018, Cuong Quang Nguyen leg. ; 1♀, 1♂, Vinh Phuc, Me Linh, Me Linh Station , 01 Jul. 2020, Hoa Thi Dang leg. ; 1♂, Hoa Binh, Ngo Luong, Ngoc Son NR, 20°25'13.3"N, 105°18'36"E, alt. 200 m, 27 Aug.2020, Ngat Thi Tran leg. ; 1♂, Thanh Hoa, Ba Thuoc, Thanh Son , alt. 200 m, 16-18 Jun. 2003, Huong Thi Thu Nguyen leg. ; 1♀, Thanh Hoa, Thuong Xuan, Van Xuan, Hon Can , Xuan Lien NP, 19°52'27.5"N, 105°14'20.8"E, alt. 106 m, 24 Aug. 2012, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen leg. ; 1♂, Thanh Hoa, Quan Hoa, Pu Hu NP, 20°29'13.3"N, 104°57'47.2"E, alt. 408 m, 13 Jun. 2016, Lam Xuan Truong, Dac Dai Nguyen, Ngat Thi Tran, Linh Ngoc Ha leg. ; 1♀, Ha Tinh, Vu Quang NP, 18°17'45"N, 105°22'29"E, alt. 78 m, 12 Jun. 2023, Cuong Quang Nguyen, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen, Ngat Thi Tran leg. ; 1♀, Quang Nam, Song Thanh, Cha Vai , alt. 400-600 m, 29 Apr. 2005, collectors from the Insect Systematic Department (IEBR) leg .; 1♀, Kom Tum, Dak Ha, Dak Mar , Dak Uy SUF, 14°33'04.6"N, 107°55'08.0"E, 19 Jun. 2012, alt. 630 m, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen leg. ; 3♂♂, Gia Lai, Chu Se , 14 Apr. 2013, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen leg. ; 1♀, Gia Lai, KBang, Kon Chu Rang NR, 14°31'10.4"N, 108°36'24.9"E, 6 Sep. 2018, Lam Xuan Truong, Tuan Viet Luong leg. ; 1♀, Dak Lak, Buon Me Thuot city, Tan Hoa , 28 Jul. 2020], QH-L22-01, Bui Thi Quynh Hoa leg. , 2♀♀, Dak Nong, Dak Giong, Dak Som, Ta Dung NP, 11°50'16.1"N, 107°59'16.7"E, alt. 475 m, 6 May 2016, Nest #VN-TN-2016-E-01, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen, Dai Dac Nguyen, Ngat Thi Tran leg.

The male genitalia of this species were described by Giordani Soika (1960) but are redescribed here with added detail.

Description.

Male genitalia. As in Figs 16-19 . Parameral spine with setae (Fig. 16 ). Volsella flattened, wide on inner aspect, without setae at top (Fig. 16 ). Digitus gradually narrow from base to apex, with round apex, with setae on apical half (Fig. 17 ). Penis valve (Fig. 18 ), about 1.9 times as long as basal apodeme, in profile apical part strongly produced into a large pointed lobe (Fig. 19 ), with apical part smooth (Fig. 19 ), middle rod slightly shorter than basal apodeme (Figs 18 , 19 ).

Nest. Three nests comprising 15 cells of this species were collected at Me Linh Station for Biodiversity of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), Vinh Phuc Province on 1st July 2020. These nests were made on the branch of bougainvillea. They were not only protected by the roof like the nest of C. inflata , but the entire nests were covered with leaves (Fig. 21 ). The detailed structure of these nests was similar nest of C. inflata : the nests consisted of four to six cells, each bent at the neck and enlarged at the bottom; the inner diameter of open end of cells varied from 6 to 6.5 mm; the oldest cell was strongly secured to a twig of a tree, and from its underside the second cell and then those following depend; the entrance of the cell was closed up with leaf-bits; those plugs were concave and smooth surfaced on the outer side, rather crude on the inner surface. The length of the cells measured 32 to 40 mm. Among 15 cells in three nests examined, three individuals developed to the mature stage (two females and one male), other 12 cells died. Of 12 dead cells, three died at the larval stage for unknown reasons; six cells with a small hole in the wall and they were empty except for their cocoons; the other three cells containing prepupae were attacked by an eulophid species. The cocoon was 20 to 22 mm long. They were thickest in the part facing the open end of cells and thinner at the wall of the cells. The feces and the prey remain were always at the bottom of the cells and positioned outside the cocoon.

Distribution.

India: Sikkim; China: Guangdong, Hong Kong; Laos; Vietnam.

Figures

Figures 11 - 15. Calligaster himalayensis 11, 13 - 15 female 12 male 11 head, frontal view 12 head, frontal view 13 mesoscutellum, metanotum, and propodeum, dorsal view 14 metasomal tergum I, dorsal view 15 metasomal terga II-VI, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figures 16 - 21. Calligaster himalayensis. 16 - 19 male genitalia 16 inner aspect of paramere with volsella and digitus 17 volsella and digitus 18 aedeagus, ventral view 19 aedeagus, lateral view 20 - 21 adult and nest. Scale bars: 1 mm.