Polistes (Polistella) mandarinus de Saussure, 1853

Nguyen, Lien Thi Phuong & Kojima, Jun-ichi, 2014, Distribution and nests of paper wasps of Polistes (Polistella) in northeastern Vietnam, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae), ZooKeys 368, pp. 45-63 : 47-48

Polistes (Polistella) mandarinus de Saussure, 1853

Polistes mandarinus de Saussure 1853 in de Saussure 1853−1858: 58, female, "Le norde de la Chine" [lectotype in The Natural History Museum, London].

Material examined.

Northeastern provinces: Cao Bang: 12 males, 4 females, Phi Oac Nature Reserve, Thanh Cong, Nguyen Binh, 22°32.5'N, 105°53'E, alt. ca 1000 m, L.T.P. Nguyen et al. [11 males, 3 females, Nest#VN−NE2012−P−07, 8.VIII.2012; 1 male & 1 female, 9.VIII.2012]; 2 females, Phi Oac Nature Reserve, 22°35.567'N, 105°51.417'E, alt. ca 1035 m, 7−10.V.2013, T.V. Hoang. Bac Kan: 7 females, Kim Hy NP, Na Ri, alt. ca 600−700 m, 22°19'N, 105°54'E, Nest#VN−NE2012−P−03, 4.VIII.2012, L.T.P. Nguyen et al. Other province: Hai Phong: 1 female, Cat Ba NP, Cat Hai, 20°47'N, 106°59'E, 26.VII.2013, L.T.P. Nguyen & D.D. Nguyen.

Remarks on distribution records.

The distribution records of Polistes mandarinus reported may need confirmation as several species were erroneously identified as " Polistes mandarinus " (see Kojima 1997). In Vietnam, this species has been known from the provinces of Quang Tri ( Nguyen and Ta 2008), Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Thua Thien Hue ( Nguyen et al. 2011), Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Hai Phong (present study); this species may occur in the areas north of the Hai Van Pass, but its occurrence in nothwestern Vietnam needs further researches. The species has also been recorded from eastern China and Tibet ( Hou et al. 2012) and Korea ( Carpenter 1996), however its occurrence in Korea may need confirmation (J.K. Kim & J. Kojima, unpublished data).