Pison morosum F. Smith

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 : 283-284

Pison morosum F. Smith

Figures 658 -666.

Pison morosum F. Smith, 1856:317 , ♀ (as morosus , incorrect original termination, referring to White and Butler MS). Holotype or syntypes: ♀, New Zealand: no specific locality (BMNH). – F. Smith, 1869:291 (in checklist of Pison ); Hutton, 1881:103 (in catalog of New Zealand Hymenoptera ); W.F. Kirby, 1881:40 (in checklist of New Zealand Hymenoptera ), 1884:69 (in checklist of New Zealand Hymenoptera ); Kohl, 1885:187 (in checklist of world Pison ); Cameron, 1898:46 ( New Zealand: Greymouth); Dalla Torre, 1897:712 (in catalog of world Hymenoptera ); Hutton, 1898:158 (Chatham Island, as morosus ); Cameron, 1901:220 (known from New Zealand); Hutton, 1904:98 (in list of New Zealand fauna); Turner, 1916b:627 (diagnostic characters); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:336 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Callan, 1979:36 ( New Zealand; available information reviewed); Laing, 1988:37 (prey, hunting); MacFarlane and Palma, 1988:423 (nest parasite: Melittobia australica Girault , a eulophid); Valentine and Walker, 1991:40 (in catalog of New Zealand Hymenoptera ); Harris, 1994:31 (in Fauna of New Zealand, nesting habits).

Pison tuberculatum F. Smith, 1869:296 , ♂ (as tuberculatus, incorrect original termination). Holotype or syntypes: ♂, New Zealand: no specific locality (BMNH). Synonymized with Pison morosum by Harris, 1994:31. – W.F. Kirby, 1881a:40 (in checklist of New Zealand Hymenoptera ), 1884:69 (in checklist of New Zealand Hymenoptera ); Kohl, 1885:188 (in checklist of world Pison ); Dalla Torre, 1897:713 (in catalog of world Hymenoptera ); Hutton, 1904:98 (in list of New Zealand fauna); Alfken, 1904a:620 ( New Zealand: Chatham Island); R. Turner, 1916b:626 (diagnostic characters); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:336 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Callan, 1979:36 ( New Zealand); Valentine and Walker, 1991:40 (in catalog of New Zealand Hymenoptera ).

RECOGNITION.– Pison morosum , an endemic of New Zealand, closely resembles P. westwoodii . Like that species, it has three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein contiguous with the second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so, the setae appressed on tergum I, the propodeum with a longitudinal carina separating the dorsum and posterior surface from the side and extending from the gastral socket area toward the spiracle, and the propodeal dorsum is finely ridged (not ridged apically in many specimens). In the female, the ocellocular distance equals 0.3 × hindocellar diameter and the mesopleural punctures are several diameter apart at the center. In the male, sterna II-IV have each a preapical transverse swelling that is broadly interrupted mesally (swelling on sternum II is the smallest, that on sternum III the largest).

The two species differ as follows: in P. morosum , the setae of upper frons are brown and up to 0.7 × as long as the midocellar diameter just below the midocellus, the apical portion of sternum II is impunctate, and in the male sternum II has an ill-defined, preapical, medially divided tranverse swelling. In P. westwoodii , the setae of the upper frons are silvery, 0.3-0.4 × as long as the midocellar diameter just below the midocellus, the apical portion of sternum II is microscopically punctate, and male sternum II is simple.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, minutely punctate, punctures averaging 2-3 diameters apart; interspaces microareolate ( Fig. 660 ). Gena narrow in dorsal view ( Fig. 661 . Labrum shallowly emarginate mesally. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, with short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures minute, averaging 2-3 diameters apart on disk ( Fig. 662 ). Tegula not enlarged. Mesopleural punctures fine, averaging several diameters apart at center; interspaces aciculate. Postspiracular carina present, about as long as midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus 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 finely, obliquely ridged (ridges disappearing before dorsum’s apex in several specimens), punctate between ridges; side finely, irregularly ridged, punctate between ridges (ridges evanescent in several specimens); posterior surface transversely ridged (finely rugose dorsally in some specimens), irregularly sculptured and microscopically punctate between ridges. Posteroventral forefemoral surface minutely punctate, punctures averaging 2-3 diameters apart. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin obtusely carinate. Punctures of tergum I minute, averaging several diameters appart in middle of horizontal part. Sternum II with minute punctures that are several to many diameters apart mesally, impunctate apicomesally.

Setae silvery except brown on upper frons, erect or bent ventrally on upper frons and up to 0.7 × as long as midocellar diameter, erect on postocellar area but markedly shorter than midocellar diameter, appressed on scutum and tergum I, on lower gena erect, straight, up to about 0.7 × as long as midocellar diameter; not concealing integument on clypeus. Apical depressions of terga without setal fasciae in female, with evanescent silvery fasciae in male.

Body all black, mandibular apex brown.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.54 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.3 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.8 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.02 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella round- ed ( Fig. 658 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.5 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.5 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly beyond midlength. Length 7.5-11.5 mm; head width 2.4-2.5 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.70 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.5 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.0 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.04 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella obtusely pointed, very apex may be sharply pointed ( Fig. 659 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.3 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.0 × apical width. Sterna II-IV with preapical transverse swellings that are broadly interrupted mesally (swelling on sternum II smallest, that on sternum III largest);

Figures

FIGURES 658-662. Pison morosum F. Smith. (658) Female clypeus and mandibles; (659) Male clypeus and mandibles; (660) Female frons; (661) Female head in dorsal view; (662) Female tegula and adjacent scutum.