Pseudepipona popovi Fateryga, 2022

Fateryga, Alexander V. & Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu., 2022, Contribution to the taxonomy of the Pseudepipona subgenus Deuterepipona Bluethgen, 1951 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) from Central Asia, with the description of four new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 93, pp. 101-123 : 101

Pseudepipona popovi Fateryga sp. nov.

Figs 3C, H , 6A-H

Holotype.

Turkmenistan: “Туркмения, Бадхызский запов. Кызыл-жар” [Badhyz Nature Reserve, Kyzyl-Zhar], 16.V.1976, 1 ♀, leg. N.V. Kurzenko [FSCV] (Fig. 6A-D ).

Paratypes.

Turkmenistan: “Туркмения, Бадхызский запов. Кызыл-жар” [Badhyz Nature Reserve, Kyzyl-Zhar], 16.V.1976, 1 ♂, leg. N.V. Kurzenko [FSCV] (Fig. 6E-H ); ibid., 17.V.1976, 2 ♀, leg. N.V. Kurzenko [FSCV, ZISP].

Diagnosis.

The new species can be easily recognized among other representatives of the subgenus Pseudepipona Deuterepipona by the pronotal carina rounded laterally, a nearly indistinct cephalic fovea in the female, a robust F11 in the male, and a triangle-shaped ventral lobe of the male aedeagus (see Key).

Description.

Female. Body length (from head to apical margin of tergum 2) 6.0-7.0 mm; fore wing length 5.5-6.0 mm.

Head about 1.1 × as wide as long in frontal view. Clypeus as wide as long; its apical emargination shallow, about 0.2 × as deep as wide, taking 1/4 of clypeal width, apical teeth blunt. Cephalic fovea nearly indistinct; distance between lateral ocellus and occiput 1.2 × as distance between lateral ocelli. Pronotal carina weakly developed, pronotum rounded at anterolateral corner. Epicnemial carina developed. Scutellum convex, slightly impressed at center; metanotum convex. Propodeum with distinct carina between shelf and concavity, carina forming rectangularly rounded projection in lateral view. Propodeal valvula mono-lamellate, evenly rounded. T1 2.0 × as wide as long in dorsal view, bluntly roundly angled in lateral view. T2 evenly convex in lateral view. S2 in lateral view rather flattened, roundly elevated at base, in ventral view with weakly developed longitudinal furrow at base.

Clypeus with sparse fine punctures, interstices exceeding puncture diameter, shining. Frons and vertex with punctures much denser and coarser than those on clypeus, interstices reaching puncture diameter; punctures on gena slightly smaller and sparser. Pronotum dorsally with punctures similar to those on gena; lateral part of pronotum rather longitudinally wrinkled, with interstices dull due to microsculpture. Sculpture on scutum coarser than that on frons and vertex, interstices reaching puncture diameter; punctures sometimes form longitudinal rows, especially posteriorly. Tegula nearly smooth, with few minute punctures. Punctures on mesepisternum similar in size and density to those on scutum. Punctures on scutellum similar in size to those on dorsal surface of pronotum but interstices larger, reach several puncture diameters, shining; metanotum with similar punctures in proximal half and nearly smooth distally. Mesepimeron with coarse punctures similar in size to those on mesepisternum but interstices narrower, sharp. Metapleuron longitudinally rugose, with microsculpture but slightly shining. Dorsal and dorsolateral surfaces of propodeum with shallow irregular, indistinct but coarse punctures. Lateral surface of propodeum longitudinally rugose, dull. Propodeal concavity transversally rugose. T1 and T2 with deep sparse punctures, larger on black parts and smaller on pale yellow parts, interstices reaching several puncture diameter, with distinct microsculpture. T3-T5 with somewhat sparser and smaller punctures. T6 mostly with microsculpture only. Sculpture of S1 similar to that of lateral part of T1. Basal part of S2 before transverse furrow dull, with microsculpture only. Sculpture of distal part of S2 after transverse furrow similar to that of T2 but interstices larger and more shining. Sculpture of S3-S6 as that of corresponding terga but interstices larger and microsculpture more distinct.

Frons and vertex with sparse pale setae equal in length to diameter of scapus at apex. Mesosoma dorsally with setae equal in length to approximately 2/3 of those on frons. Posterior margin of gena, tarsi, S1 and S2 with setae approximately two times shorter than those on dorsal mesosoma. Most other parts of body bare or with very short appressed setae.

Basal color black. The following parts pale yellow: distal part of clypeus (but clypeus entirely black in one specimen), spot on frons between antennal sockets, anterior and lower faces of scapus, small band along inner margins of eye from clypeus to ocular sinus, small spot on gena, most part of dorsal surface of pronotum, spot on dorsal mesepisternum, tegula and sometimes parategula (black in two specimens), bands on scutellum and metanotum, spot on dorsolateral surface of propodeum, front leg from middle of femur onwards, middle leg from apex of femur onwards, hind leg from tibia onwards, apical band on T1 enlarged laterally, apical bands on T2-T4, spot on T6, apical bands on S1-S4, apical spot on S5. Ventral side of pedicel and flagellum ferruginous. Wings slightly but evidently fuscous, particularly in marginal cell.

Male. Body length (from head to apical margin of T2) 6.0 mm; fore wing length 5.5 mm.

Structure as in female but clypeus 1.2 × as wide as long, with apical emargination 0.3 × as deep as wide, taking distinctly more than 1/4 of clypeal width. F11 robust, slightly curved, and rather long, slightly narrowing towards apex, fully reaching apical margin of F8. Cuspis without the dorsal process typical of some species in the nominotypical subgenus (see Fateryga 2022). Aedeagus as in Fig. 6C, H , median expansion broad, ventral lobe in lateral view triangle-shaped, gradually narrowing towards apex.

Sculpture similar to that in female but punctures on clypeus finer and sparser. T6 and S6 punctate similarly to previous segments. T7 and S7+8 mostly with microsculpture only.

Setae as in female.

Coloration mostly as in female but mandible, labrum, clypeus, entire scapus and ventral side of pedicel pale yellow, spot on frons and band along inner margin of eye larger, all legs pale yellow from femur; spots on dorsal mesepisternum and propodeum reduced. Entire F10 and F11 ferruginous. T7 with pale yellow spot, S7+8 black.

Etymology.

The new species is named after the Soviet entomologist Vladimir B. Popov (1902-1960), a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, in recognition of his great contribution to the knowledge of Central Asian Hymenoptera .

Distribution.

Turkmenistan.

Figures

Figure 3. Aedeagi of Pseudepipona spp. A, F P. herzi (Morawitz, 1895) B, G P. kostylevi Fateryga, sp. nov. C, H P. popovi Fateryga, sp. nov. D, I P. superba (Morawitz, 1867) E, J P. vladimiri Fateryga, sp. nov. A-E dorsal view (me = median expansion) F-J lateral view (vl = ventral lobe). Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Figure 6. Pseudepipona popovi Fateryga, sp. nov. A-D ♀, holotype E-H ♂, paratype A, F habitus in dorsal view B, G habitus in lateral view C, E head in frontal view D labels H apex of antenna. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.