Zethus (Zethoides) hermesi Lopes, 2024

Lopes, Rogério B. & Noll, Fernando B., 2024, Taxonomic notes on the Zethus olmecus de Saussure, 1875 species group (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae), with the description of five new species, Zootaxa 5437 (3), pp. 363-383 : 372-373

Zethus (Zethoides) hermesi Lopes , sp. n.

( Figs 86, 87 )

Type material. Holotype, ♀, “ Forte Príncipe da Beira , Rondônia [ Brazil]/ 19.xi–3.xii.1967 / G.R. Kloss col.” [ BME].

Diagnosis. The specimen is unique due to the wide presence of microstriae on most of mesosomal sclerites (pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum and mesepisternum).

Description. Female. Coloration. Black, with the flowing orange markings: mandibles and clypeus entirely; inner-ventral surface of antenna; wide band along gena reaching the vertex; large spots above antennal sockets and in ocular sinus; stripe on anterior face of pronotum along carina; wide band from submedian portion of pronotum extending to, but not reaching, pronotal lobe; parategula; tegula; pair of spots on scutellum; scrobal spot; spot on posterior portion of mesepisternum below mesepimeron; spiracular spot of T2. Yellow: pair of spots on metanotum; midleg; apical band of T1. Pale yellow: proepisternum; forecoxae; stripe on external surface of midcoxae; stripe on external surface of hindtibiae; apical bands in T2–3 and S2 (S3 hidden, color cannot be seen). Dark yellow: band on T4–5 and S4–5. Apical lamella amber. Wings hyaline with costa and venation amber. Structure. Mandible 5-toothed. Clypeus wide with apex slightly concave. Gena in dorsal view evenly convex. Pronotum long, humeral-tegular distance longer than inter-humeral distance. Pronotal carina with constant height. Pronotal angles not projected. Parategula digitiform. Tegula with outer margin evenly convex, posteriorly narrow. Scutellum flat. Metanotum slightly convex. Mid-tibia with two spurs. Dorsum of propodeum leveled with metanotum and scutellum. Apical propodeal lamella triangular with wide rounded tip. T 1 in dorsal view with rounded expansion. T2 evenly convex. S7 with a very slightly marginated at apex. Sculpture. Miscrostriae widely present on clypeus, frons, pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum and mesopleura. Clypeus with weak moderate to sparse striato-punctation. Frons strongly punctate. Vertex densely micropunctate. Posterior half of gena smooth. Pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum and mesopleura with moderate small weak macropunctures. Metanotum with small dense macropunctation. Propodeum with large crater-like punctures, smaller and coalescent laterally without stria medially. Lateral propodeal carina complete. Submedian carina with weak angulation at base and nearly reaching submarginal carina. Submarginal carina with dorso-lateral angles obtuse. T1 with transverse carina at base of expansion followed by dense shallow coalescent punctation which become more individualized posteriorly. T2–3 with sparse small macropunctures obscured by dense micropunctation. S2 moderately macropunctate at middle and densely at sides. T4–6 with light transverse shagreening and few sparse punctures. (S3–5 hidden). S6 with moderate micropunctures. Pilosity. Mostly bare. Tomentum covering Only dorsolateral margin of clypeus, lateral surface of pronotum, mesepisternum anterior to epicnemial carinas and sides and median posterior face of pronotum. T2 tomentose. Sparse erect long hairs on apical rows of T3–5. Long setae on S2 and apical rows on S3–5. Erect sparse setae on posterior half of S6, short medially, longer apically. S6 covered in thick short erect setae. Measurement. Forewing length 8.8 mm.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Brazil (Rondônia).

Etymology. The species is named after Marcel Gustavo Hermes for his contributions in Eumeninae systematics and taxonomy.

Figures

FIGURES 86, 87. Zethus hermesi sp. n., female holotype. 86. Habitus. 87. Head, frontal view. Scales: 1.0 mm.