Pison elongatum 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 : 166-169

Pison elongatum Pulawski , species nova

Figures 349 -356.

NAME DERIVATION.– Elongatum, Latin neuter adjective for elongate; with reference to the body shape.

RECOGNITION. – Pison elongatum has a black gaster (apical depressions of terga III-V yellowish), three submarginal cells, second recurrent vein interstitial with second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so, and the setae appressed on tergum I. It is one of the four species in which the ferruginous tibiae are combined with the absence of the longitudinal carina separating the side from the dorsum and posterior surface of the propodeum. It can be distinguished as follows:

Unlike P. pilifrons , the punctures of the upper frons are well defined in P. elongatum , the mesopleural punctures are less than one diameters apart near the center, and the setae of the scutum are appressed. In P. pilifrons , the punctures of the upper frons are microscopically small and practically unrecognizable, the mesopleural punctures average 2-3 diameters apart near the center, and the setae of the scutum are erect.

Unlike P. emarginatum , the frons of P. elongatum is not swollen above the antennal socket, the clypeal lamella of the female is rounded, nonprominent ( Fig. 349 ), and male sternum VIII is not emarginate or slightly emarginate apically ( Fig. 353 ). In P. emarginatum , the frons is swollen above the antennal socket, the clypeal lamella of the female is prominently angulate, and male sternum VIII is deeply emarginate apically ( Fig. 361 ).

Unlike P. aurifex , the scutal punctures of P. elongatum are small but not minute, the interspaces in the female are smaller than the punctures but not linear, the wing membrane is hyaline and the veins brown, and male sternum VIII has the lateral margins subparallel, the apex truncate, shallowly emarginate, with an obtuse posterolateral corner ( Fig. 353 ). In P. aurifex , the scutal punctures are minute, the interspaces in the female linear, the wing membrane is yellowish and the veins are ferruginous, and male sternum VIII is triangular, rounded apically, without a posterolateral corner ( Fig. 146 ).

Subsidiary recognition features of Pison elongatum are: gaster elongate at least in female, tergum I longer that apically wide ( Fig. 351 ), tergum II with silvery setae markedly less conspicuous on the apical depression (except for lateral setae in some specimens) than on terga I and III, and female tergum VI in most specimens rounded apically ( Fig. 352 ).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, with well-defined punctures that are less than one diameter apart. Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as 1.5 × midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well-defined, less than one diameter apart. Tegula slightly enlarged. Mesopleural punctures well defined, larger than those on scutum, less than one diameter apart near center, but more than one diameter apart anteroventrally. Postspiracular carina present, shorter than midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus not costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum without longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posteri- or surface; middle carina absent in some specimens, present only basally in others, remaining dorsum and side closely punctate, with interspaces merging into ridges; posterior surface ridged or rugose, punctate between rides. Posteroventral forefemoral surface finely punctate, punctures up to several diameters apart. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin carinate only preapically. Gaster elongate at least in female, tergum I longer that apically wide ( Fig. 351 ). Punctures of tergum I minute, about one diameter apart on horizontal part, but relatively large and up to several diameters apart basally. Sterna punctate throughout, interspaces microareolate.

Setae silvery on head, thorax and propodeum, but golden on pronotal collar; only suberect and oriented ventrad between dorsal end of midfrontal carina and midocellus; appressed on scutum, and tergum I (except suberect and about as long as midocellar diameter on side of basal slope of tergum I in female and some males); not concealing integument on clypeus in female, completely concealing (except lamella) in male; setae of lower gena in female sinuous, about as long as 1.5 × midocellar diameter, in male straight, about as long as 0.6 × midocellar diameter. Apical depression of tergum I with ill-defined silvery or golden setal fascia, tergum II with dark brown setae on apical depression (except with silvery setae laterally in some specimens), remaining terga with golden setal fasciae on apical depressions.

Head, thorax, propodeum, and gaster black, scapal venter, pedicel, and basal flagellomeres ferruginous in some males; apical depressions of terga and tergum VI laterally brown or yellowish. Femora black, tibiae, and tarsi ferruginous.

length of flagellomere I 2.3-2.4 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.3-1.4 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with incision at about two thirds of length (incision varying from minute to well-defined); acetabular groove with two rows of punctures and associated setae. Tergum VI rounded apically ( Fig. 352 ) except narrow in single female from Emerald, Queensland. Length 8.3-14.0 mm; head width 2.2-3.2 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.80 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.5 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.4 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.94 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate ( Fig. 350 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.0-2.2 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.1 × apical width. Sternum VIII subtriangular, apically not concave or slightly concave, almost straight, with obtusely angulate apicolateral corner ( Fig. 353 ). Genitalia with gonocoxite modified into long, narrow filament ( Figs. 354, 355 ). Length 7.4-10.2 mm; head width 2.0- 2.6 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 356).– Eastern New South Wales, eastern Queensland.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♀, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Coolbaggie Forest Reserve 10 km E Eumungerie at 31°58.5ʹS 148°40.5ʹE, 29 Dec 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski ( AMS).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Burrendong Botanic Garden at 32°42.1ʹS 149°06.2ʹE, 13 Dec 2009 , V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS); Coolbaggie Forest Reserve 10 km E Eumungerie at 31°58.5ʹS 148°40.5ʹE, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski, 28 Dec 2011 (7 ♀, CAS) and 29 Dec 2011 (9 ♀, CAS) ; 1 km W Eumungerie at 31°56.7ʹS 148°36.9ʹE, 10 Dec 2011 , V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS); Gilgandra Flora Reserve at 31°39.7ʹS 148°46.3ʹE, 30 Dec 2011 , V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (8 ♀, CAS); 40.5 km SW Narrabri at 30°37.7ʹS 149°34.1ʹE, 5 Jan 2012 , V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS); Orange Botanic Garden at 33°15.3ʹS 149°05.7ʹE, 8 and 9 Dec 2009 , V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (2 ♀, CAS); Tallong , 19 Dec 1950 , no collector (1 ♀, 1 ♂, AMS); Warrenburg National Park , 20 Dec 1987 ,

M.E. Irwin (9 ♀, 5 ♂, UCD); Warrumbungle National Park at 31°16.9ʹS 148°59.1ʹE, V. Ahrens and W.J .

Pulawski, 16 Dec 2009 (3 ♀, CAS), 17 Dec 2009

(7 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS), 21 Dec 2009 (4 ♀, 3 ♂, CAS) , 22

Dec 2009 (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS), 24 Dec 2009 (1 ♀,

CAS); same locality, 19 Dec 1987, M.E. Irwin (2 ♀,

CAS); same locality at 31°16ʹS 148°57ʹE,

17 Dec 1995, M.E. Irwin (1 ♀, 1 ♂, MNKB) ;

Warrumbungle National Park: Camp Pincham,

10 Jan 1985, D.B. McCorquodale (1 ♂, ANIC); near

Warrumbungle National Park at 31°16.9ʹS

149°04.8ʹE, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski, 1 Jan

2012 (2 ♀, CAS) and 2 Jan 2012 (3 ♀, CAS); Wollemi National Park (northern edge) at 32°23.4ʹS

150°24.8ʹE, 7 Jan 2012, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulaw- FIGURE 356. Collecting localities of Pison elongatum ski (4 ♀, CAS). Queensland: Emerald, 31 Dec Pulawski, sp. nov.

1986, H. and A. Howden (3 ♀, ANIC) ; Gayndah , no date or collector (1 ♀, AMS) , 5 km N Leyburn at 27°58ʹS 151°38ʹE, 2 Mar 1986, G. and A. Daniels (1 ♀, QMB) ; 6 km N Taroom at 25°36ʹS 149°46ʹE, 2 Oct 1992, G. Daniels (1 ♀, QMB) .

Figures

FIGURES 349–352. Pison elongatum Pulawski, sp. nov. (349) Female clypeus and mandibles; (350) Male clypeus and mandibles; (351) Female gaster in dorsal view; (352) Female tergum VI in dorsal view.

FIGURES 353–355. Pison elongatum Pulawski, sp. nov., male. (353) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (354) Genitalia in dorsal view; (355) Male genitalia in lateral view.

FIGURES 361-363. Pison emarginatum Pulawski, sp. nov., male. (361) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (362) Genitalia in dorsal view; (363) Genitalia in lateral view. FIGURE 364. Collecting localities of Pison emarginatum Pulawski, sp. nov

FIGURES 142–147. Pison aurifex F. Smith. (142) Female clypeus and mandibles; (143) Male clypeus and mandibles; (144) Female tegula and adjacent scutum; (145) Female gaster in dorsal view; male: (146) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (147) Genitalia in dorsal view.