Pison flexum 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 : 198-200

Pison flexum Pulawski , species nova

Figures 434 -441.

NAME DERIVATION.– Flexus (neuter: flexum ) is the perfect passive participle of the Latin verb flecto, to bend; with reference to the apically bent sternum VII.

RECOGNITION.– Pison flexum is an all black species (mandible dark reddish mesally), with three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein contiguous with the second intersubmarginal vein, and setae appressed on tergum I. The female is unknown, and the male has unique sternum VII whose apical margin is turned out into a narrow vertical lamella ( Fig. 436 ); also diagnostic is VIII whose apical margin is minimally emarginate apically and the apicolateral corner markedly bent ventrally (Figs. 437, 438).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, minutely punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart. Gena narrow in dorsal view ( Fig. 435 ). Labrum emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as 1.5 × midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, with short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures fine, mostly less than one diameter apart, but many punctures near center about one diameter apart. Tegula enlarged. Mesopleural punctures well defined, more than one diameter apart at center. Postspiracular carina present, about as long as midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus 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 with well-defined, oblique ridges, with minute setigerous punctures between ridges; side punctate and finely, irregularly ridged; posterior surface with well-defined ridges, punctate between ridges. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin obtusely carinate. Horizontal part of tergum I at middle, anterior of apical depression, minutely punctate, punctures 2-3 diameters apart. Sternal punctures well defined, averaging 2-3 diameters apart, apical depressions impunctate mesally.

Setae silvery, appressed on upper frons (oriented ventrally), postocellar area, scutum, and tergum I; completely concealing integument on clypeus (except lamella); on lower gena suberect, curved, about as long as half midocellar diameter. Apical depressions of terga with silvery, setal fasciae.

Body all black, mandible dark reddish mesally.

♀.– Unknown.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.78 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.1 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.3 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.08 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate ( Fig. 434 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.5 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.5 × apical width. Apical part of sternum VII bent ventrally at about right angle to more anterior part ( Fig. 436 ). Sternum VIII deeply concave, setose only laterally (except for a few subbasal setae), its apical margin shallowly, broadly emarginate (Fig. 437), its apicolateral corners markedly bent ventrally (Fig. 438). Genitalia: Figs. 439, 440. Length 6.5 mm; head width 2.0 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 441).– New South Wales, Western Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♂, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Karijini National Park at 22°26.3ʹS 118°22.9ʹE, 23 Apr – 4 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker ( ANIC).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 3 km N Lansdowne near Taree (1 ♂, ANIC) . Western Australia: same data as holotype (1 ♂, CAS) .

Figures

FIGURES 434-436. Pison flexum Pulawski, sp. nov., male. (434) Clypeus and mandibles; (435) Head in dorsal view; (436) Gastral apex in lateral view (arrow shows bent down posterior part of sternum VII); (437) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); apicolateral corners are markedly bent ventrally and visible only partly; (438) Sternum VIII in lateral oblique view; (439) Genitalia in dorsal view.