Paraleptomenes humbertianus

Kumar, Girish P., Carpenter, James M. & Sharma, Gaurav, 2014, A review of the genus Paraleptomenes Giordani Soika, 1970 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae: Odynerini) from the Indian subcontinent, with the description of a new species from the eastern Himalayas, Zootaxa 3802 (1), pp. 131-143 : 135-137

3. Paraleptomenes humbertianus (de Saussure, 1867)

( Figs 7–12 )

Odynerus humbertianus de Saussure 1867: 13, ♀, ♂ (in subgenus Leionotus division Epsilon ), “ Insula Ceylone” (MHN); Dalla Torre 1894: 73 (cat.); Bingham 1896: 449 ( Ceylon); 1897: 362 (key), 371 ( Ceylon; Sikkim; Burma: Tenasserim); Dalla Torre 1904: 47 (in subgenus Lionotus ; cat.); von Schulthess 1914: 266 ( Ceylon).

Paraleptomenes humbertianus: Krombein 1991: 8 (nest, prey and associates); Giordani Soika 1994: 124 (key), 132 ( India: Coimbatore, Walayar forest; Sri Lanka: Trincomalee, Kibissa, Hunuwilagama, Maradankadawela); Gusenleitner 2006a: 688 ( India: Auroville in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu).

Diagnosis. Female ( Fig. 7 ). Punctation very coarse and thick, especially on T1, T2 & S2; T2 with three broad humps, one at middle and two at sides pre apically; maximum width of T1 1.25x its median length; scutellum convex; metanotum oblique; clypeus long and pyriform, margined off by a carina on each side and longitudinally rugose striate between the carinae. Male. Similar to female except clypeus without carinae and bidentate at apex. Last antennal article small, slender, finger-like and almost straight, almost reaches the basal margin of the 11th article.

Colour. Female. Body black (sometimes blackish brown) with the following yellow markings: base of mandibles, transverse spots on each side of clypeus at base, a vertical spot above clypeus in interantennal space, at emargination of eyes, a line behind them, ventral side of scape, two spots on dorsal side of pronotum, a spot anteriorly and another posteriorly on tegula, parategula, two spots on either sides of metanotum, transverse band on apical margin of T1, T2 & S2; legs reddish brown or black variegated with yellow. Pointed lamella of submarginal carina of propodeum and propodeal valvula transparent. Wings hyaline, stigma fuscous. Male. Similar to female except clypeus entirely yellow.

Size (H+M+T1+T2). Female 6–7 mm; male 6 mm.

Material examined. INDIA. Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam distr., Gopalapatnam, 1♀ & 1♂, 8.ii.2004, Coll. D.R. Maulik & Party, NZC Nos. 14707/H3 & 14708/H3. Odisha, Mayurbhanj distr., Baripada, 1♀, 7.viii.1983, Coll. P. Parui & Party, NZC No. 14709/H3.

Distribution. India (*Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, *Odisha, Tamil Nadu), Sri Lanka.

Remarks. This species was previously known only from Sri Lanka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and we now report it from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha also. Bingham (1897) reported this species from Sikkim and Burma (Tenasserim), but Giordani Soika (1994) opined that these reports were likely to be a misidentification.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 12. Paraleptomenes humbertianus (de Saussure). 7 – 11. Female. 7. Body profile; 8. Head, frontal view; 9. Propodeum; 10. T 1, dorsal view; 11. Metasoma, dorsal view. 12. Male. Head, frontal view.