Polistes (Gyrostoma) tenebricosus Lepeletier, 1836

Selis, Marco, 2018, Revision of the genus Polistes Latreille (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) in the Philippine Islands, Zootaxa 4531 (4), pp. 507-531 : 510-512

Polistes (Gyrostoma) tenebricosus Lepeletier, 1836

( Figs. 7–11 )

Polistes tenebricosa Lepeletier 1836: 529 —“Ile de Java, Asie méridionale” (type depository unknown [MRSN?]).

Diagnosis. Differentiated by combination of the following characters: clypeus depressed in the middle and apically pointed, gena much broader than eye in lateral view, apical flagellomere straight and tapering from base to apex, pronotal carina lamellate, posterior face of propodeum narrowly and deeply depressed, and wings fuscous.

Material examined. PHILIPPINES : NEGROS: Don Salvador Benedicto , VI.2015, 1 ♀ (MSVI); Dumaguete , VI.2014, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Mt. Canlaon , 900m, II.2014, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) .

Distribution. India; Nepal; China; Taiwan; Vietnam; Myanmar; Indonesia; Philippine Islands: Negros, Sibuyan ( Bequaert 1940; Carpenter 1996b; Nugroho et al. 2013).

Remarks. Three subspecies were recorded from the Philippine Islands: P. t. leopoldi Bequaert, 1934 ( Fig. 7 ) from Negros, P. t. nigrosericans Bequaert, 1940 from Luzon, and P. t. sibuyanensis Bequaert, 1940 from Sibuyan. The subspecies P. t. nigrosericans is elevated to species rank above, while the taxonomic status of the other subspecies remains unclear due to the absence of male specimens to be examined. Three females of subspecies P. t. leopoldi were examined and they show characters similar to P. (G.) nigrosericans , but without examining males, the status of this subspecies cannot be clarified. Specimens of subspecies P. t. sibuyanensis were not available.

Figures

FIGURES 7–11. Polistes (Gyrostoma) tenebricosus Lepeletier, 1836. 7, 11, ♀. 8–10, ♂. 7, subspecies leopoldi Bequaert, 1940. 8–11, typical form. 7, Habitus. 8, Head in frontal view. 9, Head in lateral view. 10, Apex of antenna in lateral view. 11, Propodeum in postero-dorsal view.