Paranysson helioryctoides (R. Turner)

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 : 376-378

Paranysson helioryctoides (R. Turner)

Figures 22-25 .

Nysson helioryctoides R. Turner, 1912:416, ♀. Lectotype: ♀, Zambia: Pakasa, locality of unknown location

(BMNH), present designation, examined. – As Paranysson helioryctoides : R. Turner, 1914:342 (new

combination, in revision of Paranysson ); Arnold, 1923:15 (in revision of African Paranysson ), 1930:7

(in checklist of Afrotropical Sphecidae ); Leclercq, 1968:86 (in revision of African Paranysson );

R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:296 (illustration of forewing), 308 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ). Paranysson bumbanus Leclercq, 1968:84 , ♀. Holotype: ♀, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mongala

Province: Bumba ( MRAC), examined. New synonym. – R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:308 (in checklist

of world Sphecidae ).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION. Turner (1912) did not mention the number of specimens upon which he based his description of Nysson helioryctoides . I have selected as the lectotype of this species a female in the BMNH labeled “N. Rhodesia, Pakasa, 23-I-[19]11, Silverlock coll., 1912- 20”, “ Nysson helioryctoides . Type” in Turner’s handwriting and “B.M. Type Hym. 21.1566.”

RECOGNITION. Paranysson helioryctoides is the smallest among its African congeners, measuring 6.8-8.3 mm in length in the female and 5.8-6.0 mm in the male. The female shares with some P. assimilis the presence of a sharp tubercle on the hindcoxal venter, but has no spine. If differs from P. assimilis by a number of character given under that species. Its clypeus ( Figs. 22, 23 ), with the bevel separated by a sharp carina from the basal clypeal portion, is a subsidiary recognition feature.

The male of P. helioryctoides has a unique clypeus, whose free margin of the lateral lobe is obtusely angulate ( Fig. 23 ). The free margin of the middle clypeal section is variable.

JUSTIFICATION OF NEW SYNONYMY. When describing P. bumbanus, Leclercq (1968) had no specimens of P. helioryctoides for comparison and relied only on R. Turner’s descriptions of 1912 and 1914. He quoted that author as saying that in P. helioryctoides “the posterior ocelli [are] nearly twice as far from each other as from the eyes”, whereas in P. bumbanus the posterior ocelli were minimally more from each other than they were from the eyes. Indeed, in the holotype of P. bumbanus the ocellocular distance is equal to 0.9 of that between the hindocelli, whereas it is 0.5-0.7 in the other specimens examined. I regard this difference, however, as individual or geographic variation, as the other characters (in particular the body size, clypeus, propodeal lateral spine, and hindcoxal tubercle) are identical. Therefore, I treat these two names as synonyms.

DESCRIPTION. Clypeal lamella either without lateral teeth, or with one or two ill-defined teeth at each side. Propodeal dorsum reticulate, basomedian cells elongate to equilateral. Longitudinal carina between propodeal side and posterior surface forming tooth at about two thirds of length.

♀ – Ocellocular distance equal to 0.6 × distance between hindocelli. Lateral teeth of clypeal free margin rudimentary. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.5-1.6 × apical width, of apical flagellomere 1.5-1.6 × its basal width. Hindcoxal venter with tubercle originating at about ⅔ length of hindcoxal venter to slightly before its apical margin ( Fig. 24 ). Pygidial plate unsculptured. Length 6.8-8.3 mm.

♂ – Ocellocular distance equal to 0.5 × distance between hindocelli; dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.4 × apical width, of apical flagellomere 1.4-1.5 × its basal width. Terga V-VII closely punctate. Length 5.8-6.0 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION ( Fig. 25 ). Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya to South Africa.

RECORDS. ANGOLA: Cuanza Sul Province: Porto Amboin (1 ♀, UCD) .

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Mongala Province: Bumba (1 ♀, MRAC, holotype of Paranysson bumbanus ) .

KENYA: Coast Province: Karacha forest 16 mi. N Kilifi (1 ♀, CAS) , Voi (1 ♀, OÖLM) , Voi: Tsavo (2 ♀, OÖLM) . Eastern Province: W Mwingi (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Rift Valley Province: Marich Pass Field Studies Centre at 1°32.2ʹN 35°27.4′E (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) .

MALAWI: Southern Region: Lake Chilwa (1 ♀, USNM) .

SOUTH AFRICA: Kwazulu-Natal: Saint Lucia Estuary (1 ♀, AMNH) . Limpopo: Bela-Bela (1 ♀, USNM, as Warmbad) .

TANZANIA: Coast (= Pwani) Region : 15 km W Kibiti at 7°47′S 38°49′E (3 ♂, OÖLM) , Pugu forest near Kisarawe at 6°53.6′S 39°05.9′E (2 ♂, CAS) , 15 km E Utete at 8°03′S 38°53′E (1 ♂, OÖLM) . Morogoro Region: 48 km W Morogoro at 6°56.9′S 37°20.2′E (2 ♂, CAS) , 62 road km SW Morogoro at 7°02.5′S 37°15.3′E (1 ♂, CAS) , Ruaha river bank 7 km S Mikumi at 7°27.4′S 37°00.5′E (1 ♀, CAS) . Tanga Region: 10 km WNW Mabokweni at 4°59.6′S 38°59.0′E (1 ♂, OÖLM) .

ZAMBIA: Central Province: 25 km SSW Kapiri Mposhi at 14°10′S 28°36′E (1 ♂, CAS) . Northwestern Province: 150 km S Mwinilunga at 13°11′S 24°14′E (1 ♂, OÖLM) . Location unknown: Pakasa (1 ♀, BMNH, lectotype of Paranysson helioryctoides ) .

ZIMBABWE: Mashonaland Central: 25 km NE Shamva at Nyagui River (1 ♀, 2 ♂, OÖLM) . Matabeleland North: 90 km NW Bulawayo (1 ♀, OÖLM) . Matabeleland South: Tshabezi (1 ♂, OÖLM, as West Nicholson ) .

Figures

FIGURES 22-24. Paranysson helioryctoides (R. Turner). (22) Female clypeus and mandible; (23) Male clypeus and mandible (arrow shows lateral clypeal lobe); (24) Female hindcoxa (arrow shows ventral tubercle).

FIGURE 25. Collecting localities of Paranysson helioryctoides (R. Turner).