Paranysson brevispinosus Arnold

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2022, A Revision of the Genus Paranysson Guérin-Méneville, 1844 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 67 (16), pp. 361-393 : 373-375

Paranysson brevispinosus Arnold

Figures 17-21 .

Paranysson brevispinosus Arnold, 1929:391, ♀. Holotype: ♀, Zimbabwe: Sawmills ( SAM), examined. –

Arnold, 1930:7 (in checklist of Afrotropical Sphecidae ); Leclercq, 1968:84 (in revision of African

Paranysson ; description of ♂; Democratic Republic of the Congo); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:308 (in

checklist of world Sphecidae ).

RECOGNITION. The female of Paranysson brevispinosus is unique in having the hindcoxal spine that originates at the apical hindcoxal margin ( Fig. 19 ). The clypeal teeth that protrude beyond the free margin between them constitute a subsidiary recognition feature ( Fig. 17 ). The male is characterized by its tergum II impunctate basomedially or with a few, sparse punctures ( Fig. 20 ), also a unique character; in large specimens, the hindcoxal venter is extended as an apical tooth on the inner side.

SEX ASSOCIATION. I agree with the sex association made by Leclercq (1968) because both sexes were collected together at several localities, where no other Paranysson were present.

DESCRIPTION. Clypeal lamella with two teeth at each side. Propodeal dorsum reticulate, basomedian cells elongate. Longitudinal carina between propodeal side and posterior surface either forming tooth at about two thirds of length or only broadened there. Both males from Gashaka Gumti National Park, Nigeria, have the legs entirely black.

♀ – Ocellocular distance equal to 0.9-1.2 × distance between hindocelli. Lateral clypeal teeth protruding beyond free clypeal margin between them ( Fig. 17 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.6-1.7 × apical width, of apical flagellomere 1.6-1.7 × its basal width. Hindcoxal venter with spine that originates at apical hindcoxal margin; spine markedly shorter than hindcoxal venter ( Fig. 19 ). Pygidial plate with punctures fine, sparse, to conspicuous, dense, in most specimens with fine, longitudinal ridges next to apex. Length 12.2-13.4 mm.

♂ – Ocellocular distance equal to 0.7-0.9 × distance between hindocelli; dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.1-1.4 × apical width, of apical flagellomere 1.5-1.7 × its basal width. In large specimens, hindcoxal venter extended as apical tooth on inner side. Tergum II impunctate basomedially or with a few, sparse punctures ( Fig. 20 ). Tergum V sparsely punctate mesally, terga VI and VII closely so. Length 8.8-11.7 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION ( Fig. 21 ). Burkina Faso to South Africa.

RECORDS. BURKINA FASO: Nahouri Province: 8 mi. N Pô (1 ♀, CAS) .

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: 70 km NNE Bangui at 4°57ʹN 18°46′E (1 ♀, 2 ♂, OÖLM) , 85 km NW Bangui at 4°46ʹN 18°04′E (1 ♂, OÖLM) , 60 km SE Bouar at 5°42ʹN 16°00′E (1 ♀, OÖLM) .

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO ( Leclercq, 1968): Lualaba Province: Kapanga . Mongala Province: Binga. Sankuru Province: Madibi at 4°18′00ʺS 18°24′00ʺE . Province unknown: Kalani River ,

MALAWI: Southern Region: Mulange at 16°01′33ʺS 35°30′29ʺE (1 ♀, UCD, as Mlange) .

MOZAMBIQUE: Manica Province: 35 km SW Chimoio at 19°08′S 33°09′E (1 ♀, 4 ♂, OÖLM) .

NAMIBIA: Kavango-East Region: Rundu (1 ♀, CAS; 1 ♂, OÖLM) . Otjozondjupa Region: 18 km NE Kalkfeld at 20°45′S 16°16′E (1 ♀, CAS) , 44 km SW Otjiwarongo at 20°37′S 16°22′E (1 ♂, CAS) .

NIGERIA: Oyo State: Olokemeji [Forest Reserve] near Ibadan at 7.42°N 3.55°E (1 ♀, USNM) . Taraba State: Gashaka Gumti National Park at 7°20ʹN 11°13′E (1 ♀, 2 ♂, OÖLM) .

SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng: Wapadrand 8 km E Pretoria at 25°48′S 28°22′E (1 ♀, CAS) . Kwazulu-Natal: Saint Lucia Estuary (1 ♀, AMNH) , Tembe Elephant Park at 27°02′S 32°23′E (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Limpopo: Modimolle at 24°40′S 28°30′E (3 ♀, 2 ♂, OÖLM, as Nylstroom), Thabazimbi (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Mpumalanga: 20 km NE Barbeton (1 ♂, OÖLM) .

TANZANIA: Morogoro Region: 128 road km NW Morogoro at 6°08.2′S 36°54.3′E (1 ♀, CAS) . Singida Region: 20 mi. SW Itigi (3 ♀, CAS) .

ZAMBIA: Central Province: near Mkushi (1 ♀, CAS) , 40 km SW Serenje (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Copperbelt Province: 25 km W Chingola (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Eastern Province: 42 km SW Petauke at 14°30′S 31°02′E (1 ♀, CAS) . Lusaka Province: 120 km S Lusaka (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Muchinga Province: 70 km S Mpika at 12°18′S 31°07′E (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Northwestern Province: NW Kasempa at 13°06′S 25°14′E (1 ♀, OÖLM) , 150 km S Mwinilunga at 13°11′S 24°14′E (1 ♂, OÖLM) , 100 km W Solwezi at 12°13′S 25°39′E (1 ♂, OÖLM) , 150 km SW Solwezi at 13°02′S 25°45′E (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Southern Province: 30 km W Livingstone (1 ♀, OÖLM) .

ZIMBABWE: Bulawayo Province: Bulawayo airport at 20°00′S 28°38′E (4 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) . Manicaland Province: 12 mi. S Chipinge (1 ♀, CAS) . Mashonaland Central Province: Mavuradonha Wilderness Area 15 km SE Muzarabani (1 ♀, 3 ♂, OÖLM) , 25 km NE Shamva at Nyagui River (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Mashonaland East Province: Beatrice near Ngezi (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Mashonaland West Province: 30 km W Harare (3 ♂, OÖLM) , Masanga 70 km W Karoi (1 ♀, OÖLM) , circa 80 km NE Kwekwe (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Matabeleland North Province: 60 km NNW Bulawayo (1 ♂, OÖLM) , 90 km NW Bulawayo (1 ♂, OÖLM) , Sawmills ( Arnold , 1929) . Matabeleland South Province: Matopo (1 ♀, OÖLM) .

Figures

FIGURES 17-20. Paranysson brevispinosus Arnold. (17) Female clypeus and mandible (arrow shows lateral clypeal tooth); (18) Male clypeus and mandible; (19) Female hindcoxa with spine; (20) Basal terga of male.

FIGURE 21. Collecting localities of Paranysson brevispinosus Arnold.