Pison nigricans 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 : 289-291

Pison nigricans Pulawski , species nova

Figures 675 -680.

NAME DERIVATION.– Nigricans is a Latin present active participle of the verb nigricare, to bercome black, dark; with reference to this species body color.

RECOGNITION.– Only the male of this species is known. It is small (length 4.7-4.8 mm), all black, with the setae appressed on the upper frons, postocellar area, scutum, and tergum I, on the lower gena suberect, straight, about 0.5 × as long as the midocellar diameter. The second recurrent vein varies: it is either interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein or ends at about three quarters the length of the second submarginal cell. The clypeal lamella is acutely angulate, the dorsal length of flagellomere I is 1.8 × the apical width, the propodeum has a carina separating the side from the dorsum and the posterior surface, the propodeal dorsum is rugose, the sterna are uniformly, densely punctate throughout, and sternum VIII is shallowly, broadly emarginate apically. The apical portion of tergum VII is unspecialized: not emarginate apically, without median carina, and black (not yellow). Several species are similar, but P. nigricans differs as follows: ocellocular distance 0.8 × hindocellar diameter, scutal and mesopleural punctures well defined (most scutal punctures averaging one diameter apart or more, mesopleural punctures up to about one diameter apart at the center), occipital carina not expanded.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, punctures well defined, less than one diameter apart. Occipital carina joining hypostomal carina. Gena narrow in dorsal view ( Fig. 676 ). Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, slightly shorter than midocellar diameter. Propleuron largely impunctate. Scutum finely foveate along flange, with a few short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, most punctures averaging at least one diameter apart. Tegula not enlarged, punctate over most of its surface (impunctate posterolaterally). Mesopleural punctures well defined, about one diameter apart near center. Postspiracular carina present, slightly longer than midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus slightly costulate or not costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum with irregular longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum irregularly obliquely ridged (holotype) or rugose (paratype); side ridged, punctate between ridges; posterior surface ridged. Second recurrent vein interstitial with second intersubmarginal vein in paratype, but ending at about three quarters the length of second submarginal cell in holotype. Posteroventral forefemoral surface with minute punctures that average slightly more than one diameter apart. Punctures of tergum I anterior of apical depression averaging about one diameter apart. Sterna densely punctate throughout.

Setae silvery, appressed on upper frons, postocellar area, scutum, and tergum I; largely concealing integument on clypeus; setae of lower gena suberect, straight, about 0.5 × as long as midocellar diameter. Apical depressions of terga with ill-defined, silvery setal fasciae.

Body black, mandible dark ferruginous near midlength; apical tarsomeres brown; hindtibial spurs dark brown.

♀.– Unknown.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.76 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.8 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.1 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.98 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate ( Fig. 675 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.8 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.1 × apical width. Sternum VIII shallowly, broadly emarginate ( Fig. 677 ). Genitalia: Figs. 678, 679 . Length 4.7-4.8 mm; head width 1.8 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 680).– Known from one locality in southeastern South Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♂, AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 14 km WNW Renmark at 34°07ˈS 140º37ˈE, 13 Dec 1995 – 25 Jan 1996, K.R. Pullen ( ANIC).

PARATYPE: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: same data as holotype (1 ♂, CAS) .

Figures

FIGURES 675-679. Pison nigricans Pulawski, sp. nov., male. (675) Clypeus and mandible; (676) Head in dorsal view; (677) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (678) Genitalia in dorsal view; (679) Genitalia in lateral view. FIGURE 680. Collecting locality of Pison nigricans Pulawski, sp. nov.