15. Antepipona ovalis (de Saussure, 1853)

(Figs 49–58)

Vespa quadripunctata Fabricius 1787: 291 [Ƌ], “in India orientali Dom. Lundi” (UZMC) [junior primary homonym of Ves pa quadripunctata Forskål, 1775]; Gmelin 1790: 2755; Olivier 1792: 690; Fabricius 1793: 273; 1804: 268; de Saussure 1853: 264 (unidentified species); Dalla Torre 1894: 153 (cat); 1904: 67 (cat.; unidentified species).

Odynerus ovalis de Saussure 1853: 215, pl. XIX fig 4, Ƌ (in subgenus Leionotus), “Les Indes Orientales. Pondichery” (MSNG); de Saussure 1855: 245 (in subgenus Antepipona); Smith 1857: 59 (cat., India, China); Desmarest 1859: 143, fig 124 (Odynère ovale); de Saussure 1863: 227; Smith 1871: 376 (cat.); Bingham 1896: 449 (Ceylon); von Schulthess 1934: 94 (in subgenus Lionotus); Giordani Soika 1935: 250 (in subgenus Rhynchium; Ceylon); Liu 1936: 112 (cat.); Iwata 1939: 68 –69 (in subgenus Lionotus; ethology); 1942: 71, 72, 120 (ethology); Wain 1956: 32, fig. 15 (ethology).

Odynerus hindostanus Cameron 1900: 504, Ƌ, ♀ “Barrackpore, Bengal” (OUM); Rothney 1903: 107 (Barrackpore, rare); Dalla Torre 1904: 46 (cat.); Giordani Soika 1982: 219 (syn. of A. ovalis).

Odontodynerus ovalis: Blüthgen 1961: 279 (Afghanistan: Sarobi).

Lionotus ovalis: Baltazar 1966: 302 (cat.).

Antepipona ovalis: van der Vecht 1970: 16, figs 1–2 (syn. Ve spa quadripunctata Fabricius nec Forskål; description of type Ƌ of quadripunctata (Fabricius) and Ƌ of ovalis (de Saussure), India, Sri Lanka); van der Vecht & Fischer 1972: 74 (cat.); Giordani Soika 1982: 205, 210 (key), 219, figs 11–15 (India: Central Province, Coimbatore, Nedungada, Karikal, Puri, Donhavur; Sri Lanka); Lambert 2004: 557 (key); Gusenleitner 2006a: 690 (India: Maharashtra, Karnataka).

Diagnosis: ♀ (Figs 49–53). Clypeus wider than long, weakly emarginated, with few small punctures (Fig. 51); mesopleuron moderately punctate; metanotum with small teeth, close to lateral metanotal margin; posterior side of propodeum without carinae; S2 not bulging at base.

Colour. Black, with apex of mandible ferruginous. Yellow markings: base of mandible; clypeus; scape except black line on upper surface toward apex; quadrangular mark on lower half of front, base distinctly wider than apex; large stain on ocular sinus, which bulges out to lower front, reaching up to clypeus; large stain on temple; medially interrupted broad band on dorsal surface of pronotum; broad mark on mesepisternum; scutellum except posterior margin; metanotum; two large spots on propodeum; tegula; parategula; front face of all coxae (sometimes absent in fore coxa); fore and mid femora; hind femur posteriorly; all tibiae; T1 with large apical band, wider at middle, together with two large lateral spots; T2 with two large lateral spots at base, and it connected to apical band, which greatly enlarged at middle and on sides; T3–T5 with comparatively narrow band, but strongly dilated at sides; round spot on T6; two broad spots at base of S2; large apical band, strongly enlarged at middle and sides on S2–S4; postero-lateral mark on S5. Tarsal segments usually yellow to yellowish brown. Wings slightly browned.

Ƌ (Figs 54–58). Clypeus much wider than long, with large emargination at apex (Fig 55); apical antennal article (Fig 56) of medium size, slightly arched, rapidly narrowed from base to apex, which reaching base of tenth article.

Size (H+M+T1+T2). ♀, 6.5–7.5 mm; Ƌ, 6–7 mm.

Material examined. INDIA: Andhra Pradesh, Guntur district, Pulladigunta, 1♀, 25.i.2004, Coll. D.R. Maulik & Party, NZC No. 16242/H3 ; East Godavari district, Rajanagaram, 2♀, 1Ƌ, 26.ii.2013, Coll. S. Sheela & Party, NZC Nos. 16243/H3–16245/H3 ; Krishna district, Kokkiligadda, 2♀, 26.v.2012, Coll. R. Venkiteshan & Party, NZC Nos. 16735/H3, 16736/H3 . Chhattisgarh, Bilaspur district, Achanakmar WLS, Sihawal Sagar, 1♀, 13.vi.2012, Coll. A. Raha & Party, NZC No. 15304/H3 ; Bastar district, Jagadalpur, Lamni village, 1Ƌ, 12.xii.2011, Coll. A. Raha & Party, NZC No. 15305/H3 ; Kabirdham district, Dhawaipani, 1Ƌ, 30.viii.2011, Coll. Sunil K. Gupta & Party, NZC No. 16269/H3 . Gujarat, Surat, 1♀, 7.v.1904, Coll. Unknown, NZC No. 16246/H3 . Jharkhand, Ramgarh, 1Ƌ, 16.iii.1983, Coll. M. Prasad & Party, NZC No. 16247/H3 ; Bokaro district, Bandhudih, 1♀, 5.viii.2009, Coll. A.K. Roy Mahato, NZC No. 16248/H3 . Karnataka, Bengaluru, 1Ƌ, date of collection and name of collector unknown, NZC No. 16249/H3; Bengaluru, 1♀, date of collection unknown, Coll. J. Cameron, NZC No. 16250/H3 . Odisha, Puri, 1Ƌ, 20–21.i.1908, Coll. Unknown, NZC No. 16251/H3; Chilka lakeside, 1♀, 1Ƌ, 4.iii.1910, Coll. N. Annandale, NZC Nos. 16252/H3–16253/H3 ; Puri district, Balighai, 1Ƌ, 16–20.viii.1911, Coll. F.H. Gravely, NZC No. 16254/H3; Cuttack, 1♀, 25.xii.1970, Coll. S. Khera & Party, NZC No. 16255/H3 ; Sambalpur district, Hirakud, 1Ƌ, 22.viii.1983, Coll. P. Parui & Party, NZC No. 16256/H3. Pondicherry, Kurumbagarum , Karikal Terr., 1♀, viii.1949, Coll. P.S. Nathan (AMNH) . Uttarakhand, Dehradun, Golatapper forest, 3♀, 6.v.1967, Coll. J.C. Tripathi, NZC Nos. 16257/H3–16259/H3 . Uttar Pradesh, Azamgarh district, Jamalpur, 1Ƌ, 2.v.1981, Coll. T.R. Mitra & Party, NZC No. 16260/H3 ; Meerut district, Pratappur, 1♀, 21.v.1989, Coll. M.S. Shishodia & Party, NZC No. 16261/H3 ; Ghaziabad district, Dhaulana, 2Ƌ, 11.vi.1989, Coll. M.S. Shishodia & Party, NZC Nos. 16262/H3,16263/H3 ; Pratapgarh district, Antu, 1Ƌ, 27.iv.1990, Coll. T.R. Mitra & Party, NZC No. 16264/H3 ; Bareilly district, Mohanpur, 1Ƌ, 16.ix.2006, Coll. S.I. Kazmi & Party, NZC No. 16265/ H3 ; Mahoba district, Mahoba, 1Ƌ, 25.x.2007, Coll. S. Sheela & Party, NZC No. 16266/H3 . West Bengal, Purulia, 1♀, 7.xi.1985, Coll. M. Datta & Party, NZC No. 16267/H3. BANGLADESH: Goalbathan, 1Ƌ, 10.vii.1909, Coll. R. Hodgart, NZC No. 16268/H3.

Distribution. India: * Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, * Gujarat, * Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, * Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal; Afghanistan; * Bangladesh; China; Sri Lanka.