Parancistrocerus holzschuhi Gusenleitner, 1987

P. Girish Kumar, J. M. Carpenter & P. M. Sureshan, 2016, A taxonomic review of the genus Parancistrocerus Bequaert (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from the Indian subcontinent with the description of three new species, Halteres 7 (1), pp. 36-156 : 141-142

5. Parancistrocerus holzschuhi Gusenleitner, 1987

(Figs. 7-12)

Parancistrocerus holzschuhi Gusenleitner, 1987: 258 , figs. 3-5, male, female, “Nepal: Fußweg: Hedangna - Lamobagar, 1100-1200 m” (holotype male OLM); Giordani Soika, 1994: 156 (key), 171, fig. 45; Gusenleitner, 2013: 121 (compared to P. simoni n. sp.).

Diagnosis: Female (Fig. 7): Clypeus weakly emarginate at apex (Fig. 8); anterior face of T1 (Fig. 11) with well-developed vertical carina in upper half; horizontal carina of T1 distinct, and deformed by large punctures of dorsal face of T1, punctation of dorsal face abruptly stops at meeting with front face; front face of T1 without punctures; S2 strongly and sharply lowered at base after it wide and almost entirely depressed; T2 not reflexed at apex (Fig. 12); punctures on frons and vertex very coarse and dense, interspaces smaller than diameter of punctures; clypeus 1.2x broader than long.

Colour description: Body black with orangeyellow and red markings. Orange-yellow markings: two small spots at clypeus subapically (absent in Cherrapunji specimen); ventral side of antennal scape; small round spot on lower frons; outer side of fore tibiae. Red markings: small spots on tempora (very faint in Dirang specimen); wide uninterrupted band on pronotum; tegulae and parategulae; stain on upper portion of mesopleuron; transverse band on metanotum; apical band on T1 which narrows on both sides; uniform band on T2 and very narrow band on S2 which slightly enlarged at sides.

Length (H+M+T1+T2): 7-7.5 mm.

Variation: Colour pattern slightly varying as follows: In Gusenleitner̕s description (1987: 261) of the Nepal paratype specimen, there is an orange-yellow short transverse spot at base of mandibles (but in our specimens from India, it is absent); orange-yellow mark present at outer side of fore and mid tibiae in Nepal specimen (no orange-yellow mark present at outer side of mid tibiae in Indian specimens).

Material examined: INDIA: Arunachal Pradesh, West Kameng Dist., Dirang, Alt. 1400 m, 1♀, 13.x.2001, Coll. B. Mitra & Party, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRS/I.R- INV.6952. Meghalaya, East Khasi Hills Dist., Cherrapunji, Alt. 4400 ft., 1♀, 2-8.x.1914, Coll. S.W. Kemp, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRS/I.R-INV.6953.

Distribution: India (new record): Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya; Nepal.