Ropalidia impetuosa (Smith, 1860)

Handru, Alan, Nugroho, Hari, Saito-Morooka, Fuki, Ubaidillah, Rosichon & Kojima, Jun-Ichi, 2020, Eusocial wasp fauna of Sulawesi Island, the central island of Wallacea (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Polistinae, Vespinae), Zootaxa 4885 (4), pp. 541-559 : 552

Ropalidia impetuosa (Smith, 1860)

( Figs. 23 , 28 )

Icaria impetuosa Smith, 1860 (1861) : 131.

Specimens examined. Sulawesi I.: South East Sulawesi: North Kolaka: 3 ♀, 3♂ ( MZB), 03˚38’S 121˚04’E, Wawo, Tinukari, RU et al. [1 ♂, alt. ca. 283 m, 24.vi.2010; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, alt. ca. 186 m, 29.vi.2010; 2 ♀, 1 ♂, alt. ca. 100 m, 30.vi.2010]; South Konawe : 1 ♀ ( MZB), 04˚13’S 122˚44’E, alt. ca. 75 m, Sumbersari, 13.vii.2010, RU et al.; 2 ♀, 1 ♂ ( MZB), 04˚27’S 122˚04’E, alt. ca. 23 m, Watumohai NP, Rawa Aopa, Tatangge, Tinanggea, 27.xi.2011, RU.

Remarks. As given under “ Distribution records ”, this species is distributed in the areas east of the HuxleyWallace line. In the areas west of this biogeographical line, R. fasciata ( Fabricius, 1804) , the species apparently most closely related to R. impetuosa , is distributed, and as far as is known the two species do not co-occur. The two species may be distinguished with certainty only in males.

Distribution records: Indonesian Archipelago: Sulawesi I., Moluccas (Seram I., Bacan I., Ambon I.), New Guinea I.; Philippine Islands excluding Palawan I.; Australia; New Ireland; Solomon I.; Fiji I. (van der Vecht, 1941; 1962; Kojima, 2001).

Figures

FIGURES 17–25. ♀ of Ropalidiini species. 17–18. Parapolybia varia. 19. Ropalidia mathematica. 20–21. R. marginata. 22. R. pilosa. 23. R. impetuosa. 24. R. plebeja. 25. R. celebensis. 17, 19–20, 22–24. Habitus, lateral view. 18. Head, frontal view. 21. Posterior part of mesosoma and T1, dorsal view, an arrow indicates paired basal carina of propodeum. 25. Head, mesosoma and T1, lateral view.

FIGURES 26–29. Maps showing distribution records of Sulawesian eusocial wasps. 26. Vespa (four species). 27. Polistes (four species). 28. Ropalidiine species non-endemic to Sulawesi I. (five species). 29. Ropalidia species endemic to Sulawesi I. (three species).