Polistes rothneyi Cameron, 1900

Nguyen, Lien Thi Phuong & Carpenter, James M., 2019, Taxonomic notes on the paper wasps of the subgenus Polistes (Gyrostoma) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae) occurring in Vietnam, with description of a new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 74, pp. 51-64 : 51

(3) Polistes rothneyi Cameron

Figs 7-9 , 23 , 24

Polistes rothneyi Cameron, 1900, (7) 6: 410.

Notes.

In Vietnam, van der Vecht (1968) recorded this species from a single locality in the southern part of the country. The species has been recorded from some provinces in the northern part such as Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, and Lang Son ( Nguyen et al. 2015, Nguyen 2016). This study adds records from other localities in the northern part of the country, and one southern record has been also added.

In previous study in Vietnam, this species has only one color form and it agrees with the color form that van der Vecht (1968: 106) referred to as subspecies Polistes rothneyi quatei ( Fig. 23 ). In this study, the specimens from the southern part of the country have ground color darker than the specimens from the northern part ( Fig. 24 ).

Material examined.

Vietnam. Cao Bang [2 ♀, Nguyen Binh , Phia Oac NR, alt. 1590 m, 23°02'49"N, 104°59'35.6"E, 5 Nov. 2016, NN Tran, MP Nguyen, TV Luong leg.; 1 ♀, Nguyen Binh, Thanh Cong, Phia Oac, 11 Aug. 2012, leg. ISD-c leg.; 3 ♀, Nguyen Binh, Thanh Cong, 22°32'37"N, 105°52'10.4"E, 7 Aug. 2012, J Kojima, H Nugroho & IED-c leg.; 1♀, Bang Giang river, 21 Aug. 2001, XL Truong leg.] ; Lang Son [1 ♀, Bac Son, 1 Jul. 2003, XL Truong leg.; 1 ♀, Huu Lung, Cai Kinh , alt. 85m, 16 Jul. 2016, 20°31'37.6"N, 105°00'24.2"E, LPT Nguyen, DD Nguyen, NT Tran leg.] ; Bac Giang [1 ♀, Son Dong, Khe Ro, 18 May 2013, DD Nguyen leg.; 1 ♀, Son Dong, Thanh Son , alt. 300m, 1 Jul. 2010, HP Pham leg.]; 3 ♀ , Ha Noi, Ba Vi , 16 Jun. 2016, TV Tran leg. ; 4 ♀, Phu Tho, Xuan Son NP, alt. 400 m, 12-13 Jun. 2004, LTP Nguyen leg. ; Vinh Phuc [3 ♀, Tam Dao NP, alt. 800 m, 01 Jul. 2003, LTP Nguyen leg.; 6 ♂, 7 ♀, Tam Dao NP, alt. 900 m, 21 Aug. 2005, LTP Nguyen & J Kojima leg.; 26 ♂, Tam Dao NP, alt. 800 m, Nest # VN-P-2006-19, 1 Sep. 2006, F Saito & J Kojima leg.; Hoa Binh, Mai Chau, Pa Co [1 ♀, alt. 1100 m, 28 Apr. 2002; ISD-c leg.; 1 ♀, alt. 900 m, 1 Aug. 2004, XL Truong leg.]; 1 ♀, Hoa Binh, Yen Thuy , 1 May 2002, VT Hoang leg.; 1 ♀, Ninh Binh, Cuc Phuong NP, 8 May 2002, VT Hoang leg.; 1 ♀, Nghe An, Quy Hop , Chau Thanh , 16 Jul. 2004, XH Le leg.; 4 ♀, Gia Lai, Kon Chu Rang NR, Son Lang, Kbang, 14°28'27"N, 108°32'24.3"E, alt. 830 m, 13 Apr. 2015, LTP Nguyen leg.

Distribution.

Pakistan; Nepal; India: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh; Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, Assam, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Manipur, Meghalaya; Laos; Malaysia; Myanmar; Vietnam; Indonesia: Sumatra, Java; China; Japan; Korea.

Figures

Figures 1 - 12. Gyrostoma species. 1 - 3 Polistes gigas 1 female head, frontal view 2 male head, frontal view 3 antennal flagellomeres 1 - 4. 4 - 6 Polistes olivaceus 4 female head, frontal view 5 male head, frontal view 6 antennal flagellomeres 1 - 4. 7 - 9 Polistes rothneyi 7 female head, frontal view 8 male head, frontal view 9 antennal flagellomeres 1 - 4. 10 - 12 Polistes tenebricosus 10 female head, frontal view 11 male head, frontal view 12 Antennal flagellomeres 1 - 4.

Figures 23 - 26. Color variation in Gyrostoma species. 23, 24 P. rothneyi 23 typical form 24 darker form in the southern part 25, 26 P. tenebricosus 25 typical form 26 brighter form in the southern part.