Pison setiferum Pulawski, 2018

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 : 409-412

Pison setiferum Pulawski , species nova

Figures 989 -995.

NAME DERIVATION.– Setiferum is a Latin word consisting of seta and the neuter suffix –ferum, a bearer, meaning setiferous; with reference to the presence of genal, mandibular, and forefemoral psammophores in the female.

RECOGNITION.– Pison setiferum has the head, thorax, femora, tibiae, and gaster black, three submarginal cells, second recurrent vein interstitial with second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so, the mandibular apex simple (not bi- or tridentate), the propleuron densely punctate, the setae appressed on tergum I, and silvery on the frons and gaster.

The female has the lower gena impunctate and asetose on each side of the oral fossa, a psammophore adjacent to the impunctate area, and another psammophore on the forefemoral venter (although the psammophores are relatively short). It can be distinguished from similar species by the following combination: the corners of the clypeal lamella are closer to each other than to the adjacent orbit, the ocellocular distance is 0.4-0.7 × hindocellar diameter and is smaller than the distance between the hindocelli, and the setae do not conceal the integument on the propodeal dorsum. Pison pusillum is similar, but in P. setiferum the dorsal length of flagellomere I is 2.0-2.1 × apical width (rather than 1.8 ×), the setae of the ventral mandibular margin are about 1.0 × midocellar diameter (rather than about 1.8 ×), those of the upper frons are oriented dorsally (rather than ventrally), the mandible is dark reddish mesally (rather than yellowish), and the tegula does not fully cover the humeral plate. Also similar is Pison tridentatum , which differs in having two conspicuous preapical teeth on the inner mandibular margin (rather than simple), the setae of upper frons and the interocellar area erect or suberect and as long as 0.4-0.6 × midocellar diameter (in P. setiferum appressed, as long as 0.2-0.3 × midocellar diameter), the longest setae of the genal and forefemoral psammophores, respectively, 0.5-1.0 × and 0.6-0.8 × as long as the greatest forefemoral width (in P. setiferum 0.4-0.6 × and 0.3-0.5 ×, respectively), and sterna II and III impunctate apicomesally (minutely punctate in P. setiferum ).

In the male, the flagellum is cylindrical, without tyloids, the clypeal lamella is acutely angulate (not concave on each side of the midpoint), the scutal punctures are not compressed, the interspaces are not linear, the sterna have no unusual structures (no transverse swelling or tooth, no glabrous preapical areas, sternum VIII without median sulcus or swelling), the apical depressions of sterna II and III are punctate (punctures several diameters apart), tergum VII and sternum VII have no erect setae apicolaterally, and the apical margin of sternum VIII is evenly convex. Pison pusillum is similar, but P. setiferum differs in having the flagellomere I slightly longer (dorsal length 2.0-2.1 × apical width rather than 1.8 ×), the setae of the upper frons oriented dorsally (rather than ventrally), the mandible dark reddish mesally (yellowish mesally in many P. pusillum ), and the tegula smaller, not covering the humeral plate (in P. pusillum the tegula is larger, in many forewing positions fully covering the humeral plate). Also similar is Pison curiosum , but in P. setiferum the ocellocular distance equals 1.0 × hindocellar diameter (rather than 1.7 ×), the tegula does not extend to the anterior margin of the axilla and its outer margin is convex (rather than minimally concave, almost rectilinear), and the hindtibial spurs are light (rather than black). Another similar species is P. hirticeps , from which P. setiferum differs in having only appressed, short setae on the upper frons (also with sparse, erect setae up to about 0.8 × as long as midocellar diameter in P. hirticeps ), in having the setae of the lower gena up to about 1.0 × as long as midocellar diameter (rather than up to about 2.0 × as long as midocellar diameter), and in having all sterna punctate throughoput (rather than sterna II-IV impunctate apicomesally.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, finely punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart. Occipital carina joining hypostomal carina. Gena narrow in dorsal view. Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures fine but well defined, nearly all less than one diameter apart. Tegula practically not enlarged. Mesopleural punctures fine, separated by linear, shiny interspaces ( Fig. 991 ). Postspiracular carina ill defined. Metapleural sulcus costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum with fine longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum punctate (punctures less than one diameter apart), with interspaces merging into oblique ridges (ridges well defined basally, evanescent posteriorly); side finely ridged, punctate between ridges; posterior surface transversely ridged, punctate between ridges. Punctures of tergum I less than one diameter apart on horizontal portion. Sternum II sparsely punctate apicomesally.

Setae silvery, appressed on upper frons, scutum, and tergum I, oriented dorsally on upper frons (between dorsal end of middle carina and midocellus); see below for setae of lower gena; largely concealing integument on clypeus. Apical depressions of terga with silvery, setal fasciae.

Body black except mandible ferruginous mesally in most specimens, tarsal apex brown, and tibial spurs whitish; male flagellum brown ventrally to various degrees.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.64-0.72 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.4-0.7 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.8-1.3 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.88-0.92 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella obtusely angulate ( Fig. 989 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.0-2.1 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.2 × apical width. Lower gena, propleural and forecoxal outer margins, and forefemoral venter with psammophores (longest setae of genal and forefemoral psammophores about 0.4-0.6 × and 0.3-0.5 ×, respectively, of greatest forefemoral width), setae of posterior mandibular margin not forming psammophore, about as long as 1.0 × midocellar diameter; lower gena impunctate and asetose between hypostomal carina and psammophore. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly beyond midlength. Length 5.6-6.5 mm; head width 1.7-2.0 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.80-0.82 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.0-1.2 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.3-1.8 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.94-1.00 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate ( Fig. 990 ). Setae of lower gena suberect, slightly curved, length up to about one midocellar diameter. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.6-1.8 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.0 × apical width. Apical margin of sternum VIII evenly rounded (Fig. 992). Genitalia: Figs. 993, 994. Length 5.2-5.4 mm; head width 1.4-1.7 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 995).– FIGURE 995. Collecting localities of Pison setiferum Northern Territory, Western Australia. Pulawski, sp. nov.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♀, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: 30 km ESE Three Rivers Station at 25°13.6ʹS 118°56.9ʹE, 24 Apr 7 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker ( ANIC).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: West MacDonnell National Park : ca 3 km W road to Simpson Gap at 23°41.8ʹS 133°41.7ʹE, C.M. Palmer , 27 Sept – 27 Oct 2006 (6 ♀, 4 ♂, CAS) , 27 Nov – 27 Dec 2006 (1 ♀, NTM) , 27 Mar – 27 Apr 2007 (2 ♂, NTM) , 27 Apr – 27 May 2007 (1 ♀, 1 ♂, NTM) , 27 Sept – 27 Oct 2007 (1 ♂, CAS; 2 ♀, 2 ♂, NTM) , 27 Oct – 27 Nov 2007 (1 ♀, NTM) , 27 Nov – 27 Dec 2007 (2 ♂, CAS) , 27 Jan – 27 Feb 2008 (2 ♂, NTM) . Western Australia: same data as holotype (1 ♀, CAS) ; Drysdale River at 15°02ʹS 126°55ʹE , 3-8 Aug 1975, I.F.B. Common and M.S. Upton (1 ♂, ANIC) ; Juna Downs Station at 22°52ʹ31ʺS 118°31ʹ49ʺE , 28 Oct – 2 Nov 2005, CVA [= Conservation Volunteers Australia] (1 ♂, AMS) ; Nanutarra-Wittenoom road at 22°26ʹ8ʺS 117°49ʹ56ʺE , 18-23 Nov 2004 (1 ♀, 1 ♂, AMS) and 16-20 Feb 2005 (1 ♂, AMS) ; 80 km S Pardoo Roadhouse at 20°28.3ʹS 120°10.0ʹE , 5 Jan – 14 May 2003, F.D. Parker and M.E. Irwin (1 ♀, ANIC) .

Figures

FIGURES 989-991. Pison setiferum Pulawski, sp. nov. (989) Female clypeus and mandibles; (990) Male clypeus and mandibles; (991) Female mesopleuron; male: (992). Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (993) Genitalia in dorsal view; (994) Genitalia in lateral view.