Pison vestitum F. Smith

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2018, A Revision of the Wasp Genus Pison Jurine, 1808 of Australia and New Zealand, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-584 : 480-484

Pison vestitum F. Smith

Figures 1167-1174.

Pison vestitum F. Smith, 1956:315 , ♀ (as vestitus, incorrect original termination). Lectotype: ♀, Australia: no specific locality (BMNH), present designation, examined. – F. Smith, 1869:290 (in checklist of Pison , as vestitus); Kohl, 1885:189 (in checklist of world Pison ); Froggatt, 1892:218 (in catalog of Australian Hymenoptera ); Dalla Torre, 1897:713 (in catalog of world Hymenoptera ); Turner, 1916b:598 (in key to Australian Pison ), 613 (good species, as vestitus); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:337 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:263 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

Pison pulchrinum Turner, 1916b:613 , ♀, ♂. Lectotype: ♀, Australia: Queensland: Mackay (BMNH), present designation, examined. New synonym. – Turner, 1916b:598 (in key to Australian Pison ); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:336 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:261 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION.– Smith (1856) did not indicate the number of specimens examined in the original description of Pison vestitum . I have designated as the lectotype of this species the only specimen, a female, in The Natural History Museum, London. It bears a label “ vestitus Sm. Type”.

Turner described Pison pulchrinum from both female and male specimens originating from Mackay and Kuranda , Queensland. Five females and one male from Mackay and one female from Kuranda , all collected by Turner, are present in The Natural History Museum. I have selected as lectotype a female from Mackay bearing the label “ Pison pulchrinum Turn. Type” and designated the remaining specimens as paralectotypes .

RECOGNITION. – Pison vestitum has three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein joining the second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so, tegula largely unsculptured, gaster all black (apical setal fasciae golden), and sterna conspicuously punctate throughout; the setae of tergum I are erect in most specimens, only slightly longer than midocellar diameter in some specimens, all appressed in rare specimens.

The female resembles Pison simillimum in having the clypeal lamella unusually short, about as long mesally as laterally and without lateral corner, the acetabular groove of the mandible with two rows of setae, and the tibiae and tarsi ferruginous (tibiae and tarsi black in some P. simillimum ). Unlike P. simillimum , the mesopleural punctures of P. vestitum are only slightly larger than the scutal punctures (rather than markedly larger), the scutal setae are erect or suberect, about as long as the midocellar diameter (rather than appressed, markedly shorter than the midocellar diameter), the propodeal dorsum is punctate (rather than ridged), and in most specimens the setae are erect on tergum I (rather than appressed).

As in P. dives and P. simillimum , male tergum VII is emarginate apically (see Fig. 1011). Unlike P. dives , the tibiae and tarsi are ferruginous in P. vestitum (rather than all black), the mesopleural punctures average less than one diameter apart (more than one diameter apart in P. dives ), and the tegula is evenly rounded (in P. dives the anterior half of the outer margin is straight or slightly concave, markedly contrasting with the remaining margin). Unlike P. simillimum , the scutal punctures of P. vestitum are only slightly smaller than the mesopleural punctures (rather than markedly smaller), the scutal setae are erect or suberect, about as long as the midocellar diameter (rather than appressed, markedly shorter than the midocellar diameter), the hindfemur is not incrassate apically (rather than incrassate), and in most specimens the setae are erect on tergum I (rather than appressed).

JUSTIFICATION OF NEW SYNONYMY.– Turner (1916b:514) discussed the differences between Pison pulchrinum and P. vestitum : the presence or absence of golden fascia on tergum II, color of antenna and legs, and the distance between eyes at the clypeus and at the vertex. A closer analysis, however, shows that these characters fell within the range of individual variation. Also, Turner did not pay attention to the shared essential characters of these presumed two species, such as the mesopleural and propodeal punctation, and in the female the medioventral clypeal concavity and the shape of the clypeal lip.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, microsculptured, finely punctate, punctures of upper frons about one diameter apart. Occipital carina joining hypostomal carina. Ventral margin of labrum rounded or shallowly emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about 3 × as long as midocellar diameter. Propleuron either all densely punctate or sparsely punctate anteriorly. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures averaging less than one diameter apart (punctures behind center mesally may be more than one diameter apart). Mesopleural punctures well defined, larger than those on scutum, averaging less than one diameter apart but well separated from one another; interspaces inconspicuously microsculptured, shiny. Tegula slightly enlarged. Postspiracular carina evanescent to absent. Metapleural sulcus inconspicuously costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum in most specimens with irregular longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle (carina absent in many specimens); dorsum punctate (Fig. 1169), some punctures less, others more than one diameter apart, interspaces slightly microsculptured, in many specimens not merging into ridges), with series of short, transverse carinae emerging from middle carina, in many specimens also with oblique ridges next to

Sterna conspicuously punctate throughout.

Setae varying from intense golden to silvery, but erect setae on upper frons and scutum dark brown in many specimens, silvery in some; erect on upper frons, thorax, forecoxal venter, fore- and midfemoral venters; setae of tergum I erect in most specimens, only slightly longer than midocellar diameter in some specimens, all appressed in rare specimens; not concealing integument on clypeus; setae of lower gena of two types: subappressed, curved, shorter than midocellar diameter, and suberect, sinuous, about 1.5 × midocellar diameter; setal length (expressed as a fraction of midocellar diameter): 1.5 × on upper frons, about 1.0 × on scutum, up to 1.0 × on fore- and midfemoral venters. Apical depressions of terga with setal fasciae that conceal integument (fascia of tergum I particularly well developed), except fascia of tergum II in many specimens visible only from certain angles and not concealing integument (but well defined laterally), thus contrasting with those of adjacent terga (Fig. 1170).

Head, thorax, propodeum, and gaster black (apical depressions of terga II-V brown); mandible all black or dark ferruginous subapically; antenna all black or scape, pedicel and basal three flagellomeres ferruginous. Femora all ferruginous to nearly all black; tibiae and tarsi ferruginous, tarsal apex dark brown in some specimens

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.66-0.68 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.6-1.0 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.7-1.0 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.90-0.92 × distance between eye notches. Clypeal lamella wider than distance that separates it from eye margin, its free margin broadly arcuate (Fig. 1167); clypeal surface slightly concave adjacent to lamella. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.8-3.3 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.2-1.6 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision at about two thirds of length; acetabular carina, in some specimens, with two rows of punctures. Tergum VI narrowly rounded apically. Length 9.2-12.5 mm; head width 2.5-3.5 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.74-0.78 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.1-1.6 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.9-1.1× hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.92 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate (Fig 1168). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 3.0 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.1 × apical width. Apical margin of tergum VII slightly concave. Sternum VIII conspicuously emarginate apically (Fig. 1171). Genitalia: Figs. 1172, 1173. Length 8.4-10.4 mm; head width 2.3-3.0 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 1174).–

New South Wales, Northern Teritory , Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia.

RECORDS.– AUSTRALIA: Australian Capital

Territory: Black Mountain (1 ♀, ANIC), Canberra

(1 ♀, ANIC), Canberra : Paddys River (1 ♂,

BMNH). New South Wales: 4 km N Bilpin near

Kurrajong (1 ♀, AMS), 6 km NE Bilpin (1 ♂, AMS) ;

Binnaway: Tipaminka Brooks Road (2 ♀, AMS) ,

Cheltenham (2 ♀, AMS), Coolbaggie Forest

Reserve 10 km E Eumungerie at 31°58.5ʹS

148°40.5ʹE (3 ♀, CAS), Fraser Park (1 ♀, AMS) ,

Gilgandra Flora Reserve at 31°39.7ʹS 148°46.3ʹE

(1 ♀, CAS), Hornsby (1 ♀, AMS), Iluka: Clarence

River (1 ♀, AMS), 16 km N Mudgee (1 ♂, ANIC), FIGURE 1174 . Collecting localities of Pison vestitum F. Smith .

Nadgee Nature Reserve 10 km S Newton’s Beach

(2 ♀, 2 ♂, ANIC), 2.7 km NE Queanbeyan (1 ♀, ANIC), Rock National Park (1 ♀, QMB), 23 km SE Tamworth (1 ♀, ANIC), Warrumbungle National Park at 31°16.9ʹS 148°59.1ʹE (1 ♀, AMS; 7 ♀, 5 ♂, CAS), West Pymble near Sydney (1 ♀, AMS), Wollemi National Park (northern edge) at 32°23.4ʹS 150°24.8ʹE (2 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS). Northern Territory: 7 km NNW Cahills Crossing on East Alligator River at 12°23ʹS 132°56ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), Nourlangie Rock in Kakadu National Park (1 ♂, ANIC). Queensland: Agnes Water 40 km E Miriam Vale (1 ♂, AMS), Atherton at 17°17ʹS 145°29ʹE (2 ♀, ANIC), 10 km S Ayr (2 ♂, AMS), 15 km WNW Bald Hill in McIlwraith Range at 13°43ʹS 143°19ʹE (1 ♂, ANIC), Ban Ban Range (1 ♀, ANIC), 4 km NE Batavia Downs at 12°39ʹS 142°42ʹE (3 ♀, 7 ♂, ANIC), The Bend 3 km NW Coen at 13°56ʹS 143°12ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), Biggenden (1 ♀, ANIC), Biggenden: Bluff Range (3 ♀, ANIC), Brisbane: Blunder Creek (5 ♀, QMB), near Brisbane Forest Park at 27°26.0ʹS 152°55.4ʹE (1 ♀, CAS), Brisbane: Indooroopilly (1 ♀, 1 ♂, BMNH), Brisbane: Karawatha Forest at 27°38.6ʹS 143°04.2ʹE (2 ♀, CAS), Brisbane: Long Pocket (1 ♀, ANIC), Brisbane: Mount Coot-tha (3 ♀, CAS), Bundaberg (5 ♀, 1 ♂, ANIC; 2 ♂, BMNH), Bundaberg: Baldwin Swamp (1 ♀, AMS), Cairns (1 ♀, CAS), Cairns District (2 ♂, SAM), Carnarvon National Park (1 ♀, QMB), Coen at 13°57ʹS 143°12ʹE (2 ♀, ANIC), Cooloola National Park 4 km W Rainbow Beach (2 ♀, CAS), Crediton State Forest at 21°11.7ʹS 148°29.9ʹE (3 ♀, 2 ♂, CAS), Curtain Fig 2 km SSW Yungaburra at 17°17ʹS 145°34ʹE (1 ♂, ANIC), 9 km S Dingo Beach at 20°05.5ʹS 148°30.2ʹE (1 ♀, CAS), Elliott Heads 10 mi. E Bundaberg (1 ♀, ANIC), Etty Bay 6 km SE Innisfall (1 ♂, AMS), Eungella National Park at 21°10.5ʹS 148°30.3ʹE (2 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS), Fletcher Creek 43 km NW Charters Towers at 19°48.9ʹS 146°03.3ʹE (1 ♀, CAS), Haliday Bay 50 km N Mackay (1 ♀, AMS), Heathlands at 11°45ʹS 142°35ʹE (4 ♀, 2 ♂, ANIC), 12 km SSE Heathlands at 11°51ʹS 142°38ʹE (2 ♀, ANIC), Homevale National Park at 21°26.9ʹS 148°32.4ʹE (5 ♀, CAS), 14 km NW Hope Vale Mission at 15°16ʹS 144°59ʹE (2 ♀, ANIC), Kuranda (2 ♀, BMNH, including one paralectotype of Pison pulchrinum ), Kuranda : Russet Park (4 ♀, CAS), Lake Broadwater 25 km SW Dalby at 27°21.4ʹS 151°05.9ʹE (1 ♀, CAS), Lamington National Park at 28.142°S 153.133°E (5 ♀, 4 ♂, QMB), 28.148°S 153.137°E (2 ♀, QMB), and 28.151°S 153.137°E (1 ♀, QMB), Laura River 14 km S Laura (1 ♀, ANIC), 5 km N Leyburn at 27°58ʹS 151°38ʹE (1 ♀, QMB), Mackay (1 ♀, BMNH; 5 ♀, 1 ♂, BMNH, lectotype and paralectotypes of Pison pulchrinum ), Mareeba and around (1 ♀, CAS), 65 k N Marlborough (1 ♀,

AMS), Mission Beach (2 ♀, AMS), Mount Lammond in Iron Range (1 ♀, AMS), Mount Lewis near Mossman (2 ♀, AMS), Mount Walsh National Park near Biggenden (3 ♀, ANIC), Mount Webb National Park at 15°04ʹS 145°07ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), 3 km NE Mount Webb at 15°03ʹS 145°09ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), Mungkan Kanju National Park at 13°27ʹS 142°45ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), Noosa (1 ♀, QMB), North Stradbroke Island : 10 km N Dunwich at 26°55ʹS 153°09ʹE (1 ♀, QMB), 4 km SSE Peak Hill at 10°45ʹS 142°27ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), Pinnacle Creek 27 km N Archer Crossing (1 ♀, ANIC), 3 km upstream from Quintell Beach (1 ♀, AMS), Ravenshoe (1 ♂, AMS), 2 km N Rokeby at 13°39ʹS 142°40ʹE (4 ♀, ANIC), Split Rock 14 km SE Laura at 15°39ʹS 144°31ʹE (6 ♀, 1 ♂, ANIC), Toogoom (1 ♀, QMB), 50 km NW Townsville (1 ♂, RMNH), Walkerston near Mackay (1 ♀, AMS), Watalgan Range (1 ♀, ANIC), Woodgate 35 km E Childers (1 ♀, AMS). South Australia: Kings Mill Creek near Arkaroola (1 ♀, SAM), Trezona Camp at Brachina Creek at 31°20ʹS 138°37ʹE (1 ♂, ANIC), Wilpena in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°31.7ʹS 138°36.2ʹE (8 ♀, CAS), 3 km ENE Wilpena at 31°31.0ʹS 138°36.6ʹE (8 ♀, CAS). Victoria: Melbourne (1 ♀, BMNH). Western Australia: Avon Valley in Walyunga National Park (1 ♀, WAM), Jarrahdale at 32°20ʹ20ʺS 116°03ʹ43ʺE (1 ♀, WAM), 7 mi SE Jaarrahdale (1 ♀, RMNH), Marun at 15°00ʹS 126°21ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), Wellington Mills (1 ♀, WAM), Yarloop (1 ♀, AMS). No specific locality: 1 ♀, BMNH, lectotype of Pison vestitum .

Figures

FIGURES 1-3. Pison abductor Pulawski, sp. nov., female. (1) Clypeus and mandibles; (2) Head in dorsal view; (3) Mandible in lateral view (arrow shows abductor ridge). FIGURE 4. Collecting locality of Pison abductor Pulawski, sp. nov.