Pison congener Turner

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 : 132-134

Pison congener Turner

Figures 259-264 .

Pison congener Turner, 1916b:607 , ♀, ♂. Lectotype: ♀, Western Australia: Yallingup (BMNH), present designation, examined. – Turner, 1916b:598 (in key to Australian Pison ); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:335 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:258 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION. – In his original description of Pison congener, Turner did not mention the number of specimens examined, but two females are present in The Natural History Museum, London. I have designated one as the lectotype of congener and the other one as the paralectotype.

RECOGNITION.– Pison congener , an all black species with erect setae on tergum I, can be recognized by the presence of a concave, glabrous, crescent-like area on the outer side of the antennal socket and the ridged outer side of the socket. In addition, the setal fasciae of terga are silvery. It shares with P. fenestratum and P. festivum a deep apical depression of tergum I, markedly below the adjacent, more anterior part of the tergum, and also a median tumescence at the base of the horizontal portion (tumescence ill-defined in some specimens). Unlike P. fenestratum (in addition to the crescent-like area adjacent to the antennal socket and ridged antennal socket), the scutum of P. congener is distinctly microsculptured and dull between punctures, sterna II-IV are punctate throughout, and the male flagellum is cylindrical, while in P. fenestratum , the scutum is unsculptured and shiny between punctures, the frons is flat, completely setose on the outer side of the antennal socket, sterna II-IV have only a few, sparse punctures on most of the surface, and male flagellomeres I and II are concave basoventrally and convex apicoventrally. Unlike P. festivum (in addition to the crescent-like area adjacent to the antennal socket and ridged antennal socket), the setal length is about 1.0 × basal mandibular width on the middle frons ventrally (rather than 1.5 ×), and the apical depressions of terga II-IV have appressed, silvery setae (rather than bright golden setae). Pison cicatricosum has an identical glabrous impression adjacent to the antennal socket, but differs in having the setae appressed on tergum I and the ocellocular distance equal to 0.8 × hindocellar diameter in the female and 1.1× in the male (rather than 1.2-1.3 × and 1.6-2.1 ×, respectively, in P. congener ).

DESCRIPTION.– Upper frons dull, microsculptured, with ill-defined punctures more than one diameter apart; concave, glabrous crescent-like area on lateral side of antennal socket; lateral side of socket ridged. Distance between midocellus and hindocellus equal to 1.3 × distance between hindocelli. Distance between antennal sockets equal to distance between socket and adjacent orbit. Labrum truncate anteriorly. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate or finely foveate along flange, with rudimentary, short, longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, averaging about one diameter apart anteriorly, about two diameters apart posteriorly; interspaces conspicuously microareolate, dull. Mesopleural punctures well defined, averaging about one diameter apart, interspaces conspicuously microareolate, dull. Postspiracular carina rudimentary. Metapleural sulcus not costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum with or without longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum conspicuously, obliquely ridged, punctate between ridges; side with well defined punctures; posterior surface ridged. Posteroventral forefemoral surface with large punctures that are several diameters apart. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin not carinate. Punctures of tergum I well defined, base of horizontal part with median tumescence; apical depression markedly below adjacent, more anterior part of tergum. Sternum II punctate throughout, punctures well defined, several diameters apart mesally; interspaces unsculptured, shiny.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.88 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.6-2.1 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.1 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.96 × distance between eye notches. Clypeal lamella acutely angulate, relatively wide basally ( Fig. 260 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 3.0 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.7 × apical width. Sternum VIII shallowly, broadly emarginate apically ( Fig. 261 ). Genitalia: Figs. 262, 263 . Length 10.7-12.1

mm; head width 3.4-3.5 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION ( Fig. 264 ).–

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Tasmania, Western Australia.

RECORDS.– AUSTRALIA: New South Wales:

Nadgee Nature Reserve 10 km S Newton Beach

(1 ♀, ANIC). Northern Territory: Elizabeth River

40 km SE Darwin (1 ♀, QMB). Tasmania: Pittwater (1 ♂, ANIC). Western Australia: Fitzgerald

River National Park ca 15 km W Hopetoun at

33°56.8ʹS 119°58.8ʹE (1 ♂, CAS), Kelmscott (1 ♂,

SAM), King George Sound (1 ♀, AMS) , Porongorup National Park : Mira Flores Hut (3 ♂, CAS),

Yallingup (2 ♀, BMNH, lectotype and paralectotype FIGURE 264 . Collecting localities of Pison congener of Pison congener ). Turner.

Figures

FIGURES 197–299. Pison bimbi Pulawski, sp. nov., female. (197) Clypeus and mandibles; (198) Head in dorsal view; (199) Pronotum in dorsal view. FIGURE 200. Collecting localities of Pison bimbi Pulawski, sp. nov.