Pison reichingeri Kohl

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2018, A Revision of the Wasp Genus Pison Jurine, 1808 of Australia and New Zealand, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-584 : 554-558

Pison reichingeri Kohl

Figures 1350-1361.

Pison reichingeri Kohl, 1908:309 , ♀, ♂ (as Reichingeri , incorrect original capitalization). Lectotype: ♀, Samoa: Upolu ( NHMW), present designation, examined. – R. Turner, 1916b:627 (diagnostic characters), 1919a:338 ( Fiji), 1919b:239 ( New Caledonia); Perkins and Cheesman, 1928:26 (as new synonym of Pison tahitense ); Dollfuss, 1989:11 (type material in NHMW); Kami and Miller, 1998:57 (in checklist of Samoan insects).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION.– The species was described from five females and two males according to the original description, but three females and three males are found in the NHMW, each labeled “ Pison Reichingeri Type, det. Kohl”, in Kohl’s handwriting. I have selected one female as the lectotype, and the remaining specimens as the paralectotypes.

RECOGNITION. – Pison reichingeri can be recognized by the following character combination: setae of the head and thorax silvery, appressed on scutum and tergum I, slightly sinuous on lower gena and about as long as 1.0-1.5 × midocellar diameter, not concealing the integument on the female clypeus; second recurrent vein interstitial with second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so; tibial spurs black; mesopleural punctures well defined; punctures of the propodeal dorsum (Fig. Fig. 1356) less than one diameter apart (in some specimensor punctures several diameters apart adjacent to the midline); most punctures of the propodeal side about one diameter apart; posterior propodeal surface punctate dorsally, with several transverse ridges ventrally; punctures of sternum II microscopic, mesally many diameters apart or absent (Fig. 1357), and at least terga I-II (I-III in female) with silvery, setal fasciae apically. Pison trukense is similar, but differs in having the punctures of the propodeal dorsum (Fig. 1375) more than one diameter apart except laterally, posterior propodeal surface with well-defined transverse ridges, and only tergum I with silvery apical fascia. Also similar is P. novocaledonicum in which, however, the punctures of the propodeal dorsum are more than one diameter apart, the apical margin of male sternum VIII is truncate, and the wings are markedly infumate. In P. reichingeri , either all punctures of the propodeal dorsum are less than one diameter apart or only those adjacent to the midline are more than one diameters apart, the apical margin of male sternum VIII is shallowly, broadly emarginate, and in most specimens the wings are slightly infumate.

STATUS OF THE SPECIES.– Without seeing the types of either species, Perkins and Cheesman (1928) synonymized Pison reichingeri with tahitense (i.e., marginatum ), an opinion accepted by Williams (1947), Krombein (1949b), and Yasumatsu (1953). This synonymy, however, is incorrect, as the two species clearly differ by the sculpture of sternum II: in reichingeri , the punctures are microscopically small mesally and many diameters apart, whereas in marginatum they are well defined, 2-3 diameters apart on the disk and 1-2 diameters apart on the apical depression. Also different is the male clypeus: in reichingeri , the lamella is angulate laterally, and not angulate in marginatum (compare Figs. 1351, 1352 and 631).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons microscopically areolate but somewhat shiny, with well-defined punctures that average 1-3 diameters apart in females (Fig. 1353) and some males, but about 1 diameter apart in other males. Gena narrow in dorsal view, particularly in female (Fig. 1354). Labrum entire to narrowly, shallowly emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as 2.5 × midocellar diameter. Propleuron varying from punctate to largely impunctate. Scutum not foveate along flange, without short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, averaging about one diameter apart, but many punctures on disk up to 2-3 diameters apart; interspaces with evanescent microsculpture. Tegula minimally enlarged. Mesopleural punctures well defined (Fig. 1355), in female averaging 1-2 diameters apart (slightly Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin carinate only preapically. Punctures of tergum I averaging about 2-3 diameters apart on disk of horizontal part. Punctures of sternum II fine to microscopic, many diameters apart mesally, somewhat larger and markedly denser near lateral margin (Fig. 1357)

Setae silvery, suberect to erect and variously oriented on frons (no appressed setae there), as long as one midocellar diameter or slightly longer in female, slightly shorter in male, appressed on scutum and tergum I; not concealing integument on clypeus in female, nearly completely concealing in male; on lower gena suberect, slightly sinuous, about as long as 1.0-1.5 × midocellar diameter (at least near occipital carina). Apical depressions of terga I-III with silvery, setal fasciae in female (tergum IV with inconspicuous fascia in females from Fiji), at least terga I-II in male.

Body black, mandible dark brown mesally.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.48-0.56 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.2-0.3 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.5-0.7 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.02-1.04 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella prominently arcuate (Fig. 1350). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.6-2.9 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.6 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision at about midlength. Tergum VI with median carina preapically. Length 8.1-11.3 mm; head width 2.2-3.1 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.56-0.64 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.3-0.6 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.6-0.8 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.00-1.10 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella varying: truncate with minimal median projection in most specimens from Samoa (Fig. 1352), obtusely angulate and concave on each side of midpoint in those from Fiji (Fig. 1351). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.3-2.5 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.5-1.6 × apical width. Sternum VIII shallowly, broadly emarginate apically (Fig. 1358). Genitalia: Figs. 1359, 1360. Length 6.5-9.3 mm; head width 1.9-2.4 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 1361).–

Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati,

Marshall Islands, Niue Island, Samoa, Tonga

Islands.

RECORDS.– COOK ISLANDS: Aitukaki Lagoon:

Aitukaki (6 ♀, 1 ♂, BISH)

FIJI: no specific locality (1 ♂, BMNH). Cicia

Island: Mabula (1 ♀, BISH). Kioa Island : no specific locality (1 ♀, BISH). Lakeba Island: Tobou

(1 ♂, BISH). Moala Island : Naroi (1 ♀, 1 ♂,

BISH). Ovalau Island : Levuka (1 ♂, BISH). Tave-

uni Island: Waiyevo (1 ♂, BISH) , no specific locality (1 ♀, BMNH) . Vanua Levu : Savusavu (1 ♂,

BISH). Viti Levu: Colo-i-Suva Forest Park includ- FIGURE 1361. Collecting localities of Pison reichingeri ing Tholo-i-Suva (9 ♀, BISH; 3 ♀, BMNH), Kohl

Kalekana to Mount Korobaba (1 ♀, BISH), Lami (6 ♀, 1 ♂, BISH), Nadarivatu (1 ♀, BISH), Nadi (1 ♀, USNM, determined as Pison tahitense by Krombein), Nausori Highlands (1 ♀, BISH), Rewa (2 ♀, 1 ♂, BISH; 1 ♀, BMNH), 10 km E Sigatoka (4 ♀, 6 ♂, CAS), Suva (1 ♀, BISH; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, BMNH; 6 ♀, 1 ♂, RMNH), Wainibuka (1 ♀, ANIC), Wainganitu (1 ♂, USNM, determined as Pison tahitense by Krombein) .

FRENCH POLYNESIA: Austral Islands: Raivavae (2 ♀, BISH) , Rurutu (4 ♀, 2 ♂, BISH; 1 ♂, BMNH), Tubuai (1 ♀, BISH) . Marquesas Islands: Hiva Oa: Hanaiapa Valley (3 ♀, BISH) .

KIRIBATI: Butaritari Island : no specific locality (1 ♀, 1 ♂, BISH) . Gilbert Islands: Bairiki Island (1 ♀, 4 ♂, BISH) .

MARSHALL ISLANDS: Ailinglaplap Atoll: Bigatyelang Island (1 ♀, USNM, determined as Pison tahitense by Krombein) . Arno Atoll: Ine Island (1 ♀, BISH) , Kirage Island (1 ♀, BISH) .

NIUE ISLAND: no specific locality (1 ♂, BISH) .

SAMOA: no specific locality (1 ♀, AMNH; 1 ♂, BMNH; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS, paralectotypes of Pison reichingeri ; 2 ♀, 2 ♂, NHMW, lectotype and paralectotypes of Pison reichingeri ) . Aunu’u Island : no specific locality (4 ♀, BISH) . Savaii Island : no specific locality (7 ♀, 1 ♂, RMNH) . Tutuila Island : Auila – Afono (1 ♂, BISH) , Fagasa Trail (1 ♀, BISH) , Taputimu (2 ♀, BISH) , Vaitogi (3 ♂, BISH) , no specific locality (1 ♀, BISH) . Upolu Island : Apia (3 ♀, BISH; 2 ♂, BMNH), Mulivai (1 ♀, BISH) , Tapatapao (1 ♂, USNM, determined as Pison tahitense by Krombein) ,

TONGA ISLANDS: Eua Island: Pangai (1 ♀, 1 ♂, BISH) . Niuafo’ou Island: road to Jerusalem (1 ♀, UCD) . Tongatapu Island: Ha’amonga (2 ♂, BISH) , Nuku’alofa (2 ♀, 1 ♂, BISH) , no specific locality (1 ♂, RMNH) . Vavau Island: Neiafu (4 ♀, 6 ♂, BISH) .