Epsilon rufipes Selis, 2017

Selis, Marco, 2017, Notes on the genus Epsilon de Saussure, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4358 (1), pp. 197-200 : 197-198

Epsilon rufipes Selis , sp. nov. ( Figs 1–3 )

Material examined. Holotype, ♀, pinned, INDONESIA: Moluccas , Aru, S coast Wokam, 10-15km NEE Wakua, 21– 30.I.2015, leg. St. Jakl ( MSNVE) .

Diagnosis. Following the key in Giordani Soika (1994) this species runs to couplet 7, where it matches neither choice. It differs from E. dyscherum (de Saussure) from the Philippine Islands by larger ocelli, interocellar area less densely punctured, thinner parategulae, apical lamella of T2 less developed and coloration; and from E. laboriosum (Smith) from Papuasia and E. tinctipenne (Walker) from the Indian subcontinent by presence of an apical lamella on T2 and coloration of the legs. This species also shows dense moderately deep punctation on T2, which becomes even denser on the lateral margins; this has not been observed in other species.

Description. Female. Body length 9 mm; fore wing length 8 mm.

Head 1.3× as wide as long in frontal view ( Fig. 2 ). Clypeus weakly convex basally in lateral view, apical margin with two obtuse teeth forming a shallow emargination, emargination 5× as wide as deep, distance between teeth slightly greater than distance between antennal toruli, clypeus 1.25× as wide as long. Distance from posterior ocellus to inner eye margin 0.45× as the distance from posterior ocellus to occipital margin; ocelli disposed as a obtuse triangle, distance between posterior ocelli 2× as long as distance between anterior ocellus and posterior ocellus. Temples 0.7× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus; occipital carina weak on dorsal half, thickened ventrally. Antennae short, F2–F9 wider than long; scape 3.3× as long as apically wide; F1 1.3× as long as apically wide; F10 bullet shape, 0.75× as long as basally wide. Mesosoma in dorsal view subquadrate, 1.1× as long as wide. Pronotal carina short but well-defined for entire length, rounded on humeri. Mesoscutum as long as wide between tegulae, weakly convex in lateral view. Scutellum flat in lateral view, anterior and posterior margins crenate, medially with a longitudinal depression on posterior half. Metanotum angled in lateral view, with a dorsal horizontal face and a posterior vertical face, separation between faces weakly marked; posterior face convex dorsally. Tegulae broad, posterior lobe short and equaling parategula. Parategulae short and strongly bent. Mesepisternum convex, epicnemial carina present and well-defined. Propodeum almost vertical in lateral view, posterior face broadly and shallowly depressed, lateral faces flat, transitions between faces of propodeum broadly rounded; submarginal carina developed in a rounded lobe. T1 2.3× as wide as long in dorsal view, anteriorly rounded, posterior margin with a very short translucent lamella. T2 almost flat in lateral view, apical margin with a short translucent lamella ( Fig. 3 ).

Head, dorsal face of mesosoma and all terga with not very dense ferruginous pubescence and some ferruginous setae; lateral faces of mesosoma and all sterna with similar vestiture, but silvery. Posterior face of propodeum with longer ferruginous setae, apically bent toward propodeal orifice.

Clypeus opaque with dense moderately deep punctures, interspaces with many micro-punctures. Frons with large flat bottomed punctures, interspaces smaller than puncture diameters. Vertex and dorsal half of gena with punctation similar to frons, but sparser. Ventral half of gena with shallower punctures. Pronotum, mesoscutum and scutellum with dense deep punctures, denser on lateral faces of pronotum and on anterior half of mesoscutum. Dorsal face of metanotum with very large deep punctures, interspaces reduced to carinae; posterior face of metanotum smooth with some transverse striae laterally. Mesepisternum with very large flat bottomed punctures, interspaces greater than puncture diameter on dorsal half, reduced to flattened carinae on ventral half. Metapleuron with some weak striae. Dorsal faces of propodeum with very large deep punctures, punctures very dense and interspaces not clearly marked; lateral faces of propodeum with some weak striae anteriorly, with some dense punctures on posterior margin; posterior face of propodeum smooth and shiny with some sparse shallow punctures on dorsal margin and dense transverse striae on ventral half. T1 densely micropunctate with some sparse shallow macropunctures; T2 very densely micropunctate, with dense not very deep punctures, interspaces at most 2× puncture diameter, punctures denser on lateral margins; T3 with dense small flat bottomed punctures; T4–T6 with dense fine punctures. S1 irregularly rugose; S2 with punctures similar to respective tergum but deeper; T3–T6 punctured like respective terga.

Color. Black; following markings pale yellow: small elliptical spot on ventral half of ocular sinus, small spot above interantennal space, thin short line behind dorsal lobe of eye, thin apical line on T 1–T2; following parts ferrugineousred: apex of femora, whole tibiae and tarsi of all legs; wings nearly hyaline, infuscate along costal margin.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Indonesia: Moluccas: Aru (Wokam).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the ferruginous-red legs of this species.

Figures

FIGURES1–3.Epsilon rufipes sp. nov., ♀, holotype.1, Habitus.2, Headin frontal view.3, Metasomain dorsal view.