Paraleptomenes darugiriensis, Kumar, Carpenter & Sharma, 2014

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 : 133-135

2. Paraleptomenes darugiriensis Kumar, Carpenter & Sharma sp. nov.

( Figs 1–6 )

Diagnosis. This species can be differentiated from all other Indian subcontinent species by having the following combination of characters: clypeus of female without large punctures; occipital carina distinctly sinuate at middle of vertex; scutellum convex; metanotum oblique; maximum width of T1 1.42x its median length; transverse groove on T1 preapically not very broad and deep; punctation of T2 not very coarse, punctures are considerably smaller than those of pronotum or mesoscutum; T2 normal without hump; last antennal article of male ( Fig. 5 ) expanded towards the apex, not finger-like and not straight.

Description. Female (holotype) ( Fig. 1 ). Head. 1.05x as wide as long in frontal view ( Fig. 2 ); clypeus slightly convex, pyriform, transverse anteriorly, with two longitudinal carinae, the space between them with fine sparse punctures and few indistinct longitudinal striations, maximum width 1.05x length medially; mandibles on inner side with four sharp teeth; maxillary palp 6-segmented; labial palp 4-segmented; interantennal space almost smooth; frons closely, strongly and rugosely punctured, interspaces weakly carinate; ocular sinus with weak punctures; area between the antennal toruli and inner eye margin almost smooth; POL as long as OOL; diameter of anterior ocellus as long as the distance between anterior ocellus and posterior ocelli; vertex and upper half of temple strongly punctured; cephalic fovea absent; tempora 0.50x as wide as eye in profile (measured through its ocular sinus); interocular distance 1.41x greater on vertex than at clypeus; occipital carina strong, complete and narrowed ventrally, distinctly sinuate at middle of vertex. Antenna 3.29x farther from each other than from eyes; antennal scape 3.68x as long as F1; F1 1.05x as long as F2; flagellomeres widening towards apex except last antennal article; apical antennal article 0.93x as long as wide.

Mesosoma. Dorsal surface of mesosoma convex in profile view; anterior face of pronotum with two almost coalesced weak foveae, punctate laterally, interspaces weakly carinate, lower side of anterior face of pronotum smooth without punctures; pronotal carina weak towards middle, at middle carina absent, strong towards lateral sides and reaching the lateral margin of pronotum; posterior face and lateral sides of pronotum (except lateral corner with few transverse striations), mesoscutum and scutellum strongly, closely and rugosely punctate, interspaces carinate; median length of mesoscutum as long as its maximum width; scutellum convex except first raw of scutellar sculpture deeply impressed, interspaces strongly carinate; metanotum very oblique, with weak rugose punctures, except at posterior margin smooth; propleuron almost smooth; mesopleuron rugosely punctured except large area of epicnemium and posterior margin smooth; epicnemial carina distinct; upper metapleuron transversely striated, lower metapleuron almost impunctate with weak transverse striations on vertical groove. Propodeum vertical; concave-truncate posteriorly; punctures on dorsolateral area rugoso-reticulate with interspaces carinate; posterior concave area of propodeum smooth except at anterior margin with rugoso-reticulate punctures; median carina present at smooth concave area; lateral sides of propodeum with strong rugoso-reticulate punctures towards posterior margins and weaker punctures towards metapleuron; submarginal carina projecting as a rounded lobe above propodeal valvula; propodeal valvula broadly rounded. Tegula not evenly rounded posteriorly, emarginate adjoining parategula; parategula exceeding tegula at apex; axillary fossa broadly rounded. Fore wing length 3.70x its maximum width, prestigma 0.20x pterostigma, second submarginal cell not petiolate, both recurrent veins received in submarginal cell II.

Metasoma ( Fig. 3 ). T1 with maximum width 1.42x as long as median length, 0.76x as wide as T 2 in dorsal view; T1, T2 & S2 with narrow crenulate apical lamellae; the narrow basal part of S1 smooth, posterior transverse area of S1 with rather irregular striations; transverse groove on T1 pre apically not very broad and deep; punctures of T1, T2 & S2 considerably smaller than those of pronotum or mesoscutum; dorsal face of T1 closely punctate, diameter of punctures on average greater than the distance between punctures, ventral face with sparse punctures; T2 without hump, diameter of punctures on average equal to the distance between punctures; S2 with diameter of punctures on average less than the distance between punctures; visible part of T3–T5 closely punctate and visible part of S3–S5 less closely punctate.

Colour. Body black (metasoma brownish black) with yellow and reddish brown markings. Yellow markings are as follows: a mark at base of mandibles; spots on each side of clypeus at base; a vertical spot above clypeus in interantennal space extends up to lower frons; at emargination of eyes; a line behind eyes at tempora; ventral side of scape; a band on dorsal side of pronotum; tegula (except brownish yellow at middle); parategula; a band on metanotum; apex of fore and mid femora; outer face of fore and mid tibia; transverse bands on apical margins of T1, T2 & S2, narrower on T1 and broader on T2 & S2. Reddish brown markings are as follows: at mandible; at ventral side of apical flagellomeres. Tarsi brownish yellow. Wings slightly infuscate, prestigma and stigma dark brown. Pilosity not prominent.

Size. 6 mm.

Male. Head ( Fig. 4 ) 1.18x as wide as long in front view; interocular distance 1.60x greater on vertex than at clypeus; apex of clypeus ( Fig. 4 ) deeply emarginate, maximum width 1.30x length medially; POL 1.39x OOL; antenna ( Fig. 5 ) with the last article hook-like, reaching to the basal margin of eleventh antennal article in curved position, last antennal article expanded towards the apex, not finger-like and not straight; genitalia as in figure 6, apical tip of aedeagus rounded, parallel spines elongate without hairs. Other characters are almost same as in female. Colour as that of female except clypeus entirely yellow. Size: 5.5–6 mm.

Variations. One paratype from Sikkim has reddish brown markings instead of yellow.

Material examined. Holotype ♀, INDIA. Meghalaya, East Garo Hills distr., Darugiri, 14–20.v.1979, Coll. S.B. Roy & Party, NZC No. 14718/H3. Paratypes: 1♂, same data of holotype, NZC No. 14719/H3; 1♀, Arunachal Pradesh, Papumpare distr., Itanagar, 5.ii.2001, Coll. P.T. Bhutia & Party, NZC No. 14720/H3; 1♀, Assam, North Cachar distr., Dehangi, 23–24.v.1979, Coll. S.B. Roy & Party, NZC No. 14721/H3; 1♀ & 1♂, Sikkim, exact collection locality not known, September 1897, Coll. Dudgeon, NZC Nos. 14722/H3 & 14723/H3; 1♂, West Bengal: Darjeeling distr., Kalimpong, 9.ix.2012, Coll. B. Mitra & Party, NZC No. 14724/H3.

Etymology. The species is named after the locality (Darugiri) where the holotype was collected.

Distribution. India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Sikkim, West Bengal).

Discussion. This new species comes close to Paraleptomenes communis Giordani Soika but distinctly differs in having the last antennal article of the male expanded towards the apex, not finger-like and not straight (in P. communis last antennal article of male small, slender, finger-like and almost straight). In the new species the mesepisternum lacks a yellow mark (in P. c om m u ni s mesepisternum with yellow mark).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Paraleptomenes darugiriensis sp. nov. 1 – 3. Holotype, ♀. 1. Body profile; 2. Head, frontal view; 3. Metasoma, dorsal view. 4 – 6 Paratype, ♂. 4. Head, frontal view; 5. Antenna; 6. Genitalia.