Polistes hellenicus Arens, 2011

Neumeyer, Rainer, Baur, Hannes, Guex, Gaston-Denis & Praz, Christophe, 2014, A new species of the paper wasp genus Polistes (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae) in Europe revealed by morphometrics and molecular analyses, ZooKeys 400, pp. 67-118 : 92-93

Polistes hellenicus Arens, 2011

Polistes hellenicus Arens, 2011: 464 - Holotype male (WA), type locality Ano Kotili, Greece (examined by RN)

Diagnosis.

Relatively small, bright species with flagellum bright yellow on upper side in both sexes; pedicel and extreme base of flagellomere 1 always black on upper side.

Females: Epicnemial carina distinct. Hypopygium often orange and yellow at the tip. Metacoxa spotted yellow on upper side. Mesoscutum sometimes with pair of yel low spots. Propodeum laterally often with yellow spot on each side. Clypeus breadth: malar space 3.46-4.46; head breadth: malar space 7.75-10.65; malar space: lateral ocelli distance 0.85-1.24; metatibia length: malar space 9.00-11.13; terminal flagellomere length: malar space 0.74-1.11.

Males: Gena in dorsal view immediately narrowing behind eye. Epicnemium and mesosternum black (Fig. 8). Head breadth: head height 1.15-1.21; lower face: clypeus breadth 1.48-1.62; terminal flagellomere length: lateral ocelli distance 1.21-1.4; terminal flagellomere length: malar space 1.44-2.16; terminal flagellomere length: terminal flagellomere breadth 2.12-2.76.

Comments.

The male holotype of Polistes hellenicus can be easily distinguished from Polistes bischoffi and Polistes helveticus sp. n. based on its black epicnemium and mesosternum (Fig. 8). From a morphometric point of view the holotype ( Polistes hellenicus ) lies at the border with Polistes bischoffi , but clearly outside the range of Polistes helveticus sp. n. (Fig. 3b, c [L]).

Material examined.

Holotype ♂ (RN0242): Greece, Arcadia, Ano Kotili, peak of Lykaion, 1100-1400 m, 07 Jul 2010, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.

Paratypes: 1 ♀ (RN0174): Greece, Arcadia, Andritsena, 1997, Werner Arens leg., ZSM coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0125): Ano Kotili, peak of Lykaion, 1100-1400 m, 07 Jul 2010, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0179): Argolis, Drepano, 06 Jul 2008, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.

Further material: 4 ♂ (RN0220, RN0221, RN0222, RN0223): Croatia, Istria, Ližnjan, 44°49'N, 13°59'E, 27 Aug 2005, Christian Schmid-Egger leg., CSE coll.; 2 ♀ (RN0008, RN0088): Rovinj, 45°06'07.1"N, 13°39'08.4"E, 22 m, 22 Jul 2011, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0097): Rovinj, Cesta za Mondelaco, 45°05'57.6"N, 13°38'36.8"E, 15 m, 24 Jul 2012, Rainer Neumeyer leg., CSE coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0098): 28 Jul 2012, Rainer Neumeyer leg., CSE coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0193): Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 2 ♀ (RN0010, RN0011): Rovinj, Cesta za Valaltu-Lim, 45°06'16.8"N, 13°38'28.4"E, 26 m, 26 Jul 2011, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0191): 21 Jul 2012, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0193): Rovinj, near Valalta, 45°07'02.1"N, 13°37'54.0"E, 14 m, 21 Jul 2012, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 2 ♂ (RN0101, RN0102): Vela Učka, 45°18'25.7"N, 14°11'40.4"E, 824 m, 27 Jul 2012, karst mountain range, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0183): Greece, Arcadia, Andritsena, 31 May 2011, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0132): Mantinea, 08 Jun 2011, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0181): Elis, Olympia, 29 May 2011, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0131): 08 Jun 2011, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0182): Zacharo, Lake Kaiapha, 30 May 2011, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0096): Zacharo, Neochori, 30 May 2011, Werner Arens leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0175): Ionian Islands, Cephalonia, 03 Sep 1992, Peter Hartmann leg., ZSM coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0127): Messenia, Avia near Kalamata, 01 Jun 2011, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 3 ♀ (RN0133, RN0185, RN0186): 02 Jun 2011, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0176): Kalamata, 1997, Werner Arens leg., ZSM coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0184): Mavromati, Ithome mountain, 01 Jun 2011, Werner Arens leg., WA coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0177): 1997, Werner Arens leg., ZSM coll.