Quartinia artemis Richards, 1962

Gess, Friedrich W., 2012, The genus Quartinia Ed. Andre, 1884 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) in Southern Africa. Part VI. New and little known species both with complete and incomplete venation, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 24, pp. 95-115 : 96-98

Quartinia artemis Richards Figs 1-6

Quartinia artemis Richards, 1962: 156, ♀ . Holotype: ♀, South Africa: Calvinia (BMNH); Gess, S. K. 1996: 245 (flower visiting); Carpenter, 2001: 23 (listed); Gess and Gess, 2003: 58 (flower visiting).

Diagnosis.

Medium sized (3.6 - 4.3mm) but large on the basis of Richards' measurement (♀ about 5.0 mm). Fore wing with Cu1a and 2 m-cu complete and as thick as other veins. Tegula with inner posterior corner inwardly produced, acute. Angle of propodeum very markedly posteriorly produced into thick, non-translucent lamella. Posterior face of propodeum with ventral third shiny, contrasting markedly with closely punctured upper two thirds; shiny part laterally covering inner surface of lamella and passing upwards into a well marked pit.

Description.

Female (previously adequately described) ( Figs 1, 3, 5 ). The present material agrees well with the description but some of the specimens, less melanistic than the type, differ in having the pale markings (yellow, usually suffuged with ferruginous at the edges) slightly more extensive. Thus the pronotum may have a pair of small transverse streaks antero-medially in addition to the minute spot at the postero-dorsal angle; the scutellum may have the lamella pale in addition to the marking (present in some specimens only) at the centre of the posterior margin; and the gaster has posterior bands on all the terga.

Male (hitherto undescribed) ( Figs 2, 4, 6 ): Easily associated with the female on account of the uniquely developed propodeal angles. Pale markings are more extensive than those of females from the same localities. Black. The following are yellowish-white: small spot submarginally on each side of clypeus (in one specimen only); underside of more proximal flagellomeres of club; narrow transverse band (entire or narrowly interrupted) medially on anterior margin of pronotum; streak on humeral angle and spot on postero-dorsal angle; tegula (except for ferruginous median area); transverse mark postero-medially on scutellum; scutellar lamella (usually medially suffused with ferruginous); posterior bands on terga I - VI (that of T I markedly wider than progres sively narrower bands of terga II - VI). Various shades of ferruginous are: mandibles distally; labrum; upper surface of antennae; upper and outer lateral surfaces of propodeal lamella (to variable degree); terga I - V laterally; in most specimens tergum VI medially and tergum VII entirely; posterior bands on sterna. Legs as described for female.

Tergum VII with disk noticeably convex; apical margin with a V-shaped slit; lobes flanking slit rounded. Fore legs unmodified; sterna atuberculate.

Mesosoma more closely and finely punctured than that of female.

Length 3.6 - 4.0 mm; length of fore wing 2.6 mm.

Material examined.

SOUTH AFRICA: NORTHERN CAPE: Carnarvon (30.59S, 22.07E), 24.ix.2009 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 4 ♀♀ (visiting yellow flowers of blue/violet rayed capitula of Felicia dubia Cass., Asteraceae ); 15 km N[orth] of Nieuwoudtville on road to Loeriesfontein [Skuinshoogte Pass] (31.16S, 19.08E), 3-8.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♀ (visiting flowers of Leysera tenella DC., Asteraceae ); Sutherland District, Bo-Visrivier road (32.25S, 20.39E), 6.x.2009 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 4 ♀♀ (visiting yellow flowers of Chrysocoma sp., Asteraceae ); Sutherland District, W[est] of Ouberg Pass (32.26S, 20.19E), 28.ix.2009 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♀, 4 ♂♂ (1 ♀, 1 ♂ visiting yellow flowers of blue/violet rayed capitula of Felicia dubia Cass., Asteraceae ; 3 ♂♂ visiting yellow flowers of "button" capitula, Asteraceae ); Sutherland District, Rooikloof Farm (32.26S, 20.39E), 10.x.2009 (D. W. Gess), 1 ♀ (visiting yellow flowers of Chrysocoma sp., Asteraceae ); between Sutherland and Matjiesfontein (33.04S, 20.35E), 2.x.2009 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♀ (visiting yellow flowers of Chrysocoma sp., Asteraceae ); WESTERN CAPE: 10 km E[ast] of Laingsburg, Geelbeksbrug Farm (33.09S, 20.59E), 13.x.2009 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 2 ♀♀ (1 ♀ visiting yellow flowers of Leysera tenella , Asteraceae ; 1 ♀ visiting yellow flowers of Chrysocoma sp., Asteraceae ) - [all AMG].

Geographic distribution.

Known from the seven localities in the Northern Cape and one in the Western Cape, all being in the western part of the Great Karoo. The southernmost locality for Quartinia artemis is separated by the Klein Swartberg from the localities in the Little Karoo recorded below for Quartinia carpenteri .

Floral associations.

Asteraceae ( Chrysocoma , Felicia , Leysera , "button" capitula).

Nesting.

Unknown.

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Quartinia artemis 1 ♀, lateral view (x 9) 2 ♂, lateral view (x 12) 3 ♀, dorsal view (x 10) 4 ♂, dorsal view (x 11) 5 ♀, head, front view (x 32) 6 ♂, head, front view (x 30).