Leptochilus (Lionotulus) puzanovi Fateryga, 2024

Fateryga, Alexander V., 2024, On some new and little-known Palaearctic species of the genus Leptochilus de Saussure, 1853 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), Zootaxa 5432 (1), pp. 38-53 : 50-52

Leptochilus (Lionotulus) puzanovi Fateryga , sp. nov.

( Fig. 6A–C, F )

Diagnosis. The species belongs to a group of the subgenus Lionotulus with pronotal carina not lamellate, metanotum sharply edged posteriorly, hind trochanter rounded posteriorly, and apical lamella of T2 not sclerotized, with small and rounded basal punctures. Leptochilus puzanovi is apparently related to L. tarsatus (de Saussure, 1855) and differs from it, in the female sex, by a broader head (1.15× as wide as long vs. 1.05× as wide as long in L. tarsatus , Fig. 6G ; the distance between lateral ocellus and occipital margin is equal to that between lateral ocellus and eye in L. puzanovi vs. exceeding the distance between lateral ocellus and eye in L. tarsatus ), deeper emarginate apical margin of the clypeus (0.5× as deep as wide vs. 0.4× as deep as wide in L. tarsatus , Fig. 6G ), a broader mesosoma (0.9× as broad as long vs. 0.75× as broad as long in L. tarsatus , Fig. 6E ), and a dark brown apical lamella of the tergum 2 (vs. light-colored in L. tarsatus , Fig. 6D ).

Description. Female. Body length (from head to apical margin of T2) 6.5 mm; forewing length 5.5 mm. Head about 1.15× as wide as long in frontal view. Mandible with four teeth. Labial palpus not modified. Clypeus about 1.3× as wide as long, its apical emargination about 0.5× as deep as wide, taking about 1/5 of clypeal width, apical teeth acute, not carinate. Distance between lateral ocellus and occipital margin equal to distance between lateral ocellus and eye. Occipital carina not forming angle at lower part of gena. Anterior pronotal carina strongly developed, not lamellate, shoulders rounded. Tegula with outer margin rounded posteriorly, shorter than scutellum. Scutellum rather convex. Metanotum slightly raised above scutellum, sharply edged posteriorly. Hind trochanter rounded posteriorly. Propodeum with indistinct dorsal surface only; propodeal concavity with rounded lateral margins; median carina developed at lower half of propodeal concavity. Projection of submarginal carina of propodeum longer than wide, bluntly rounded apically; valvula rounded. Apical lamella of T2 nontransparent, with basal row of small rounded punctures, interstices not sclerotized. S 2 in lateral view roundly elevated at base, in ventral view with distinct longitudinal furrow.

Clypeus finely punctate, interstices shining, reaching several puncture diameters at center; punctation becomes denser laterally and basally. Punctures on frons and vertex strongly larger and denser than those on clypeus, interstices shorter than one puncture diameter, with additional micropunctures; gena with somewhat finer punctures than those on frons and vertex. Dorsal surface of pronotum punctate similarly to vertex but sparser, interstices reaching one puncture diameter. Punctures become slightly larger on scutum and scutellum, interstices shorter than one puncture diameter, with micropunctures. Tegula shining, with microsculpture only. Dorsal mesepisternum and mesepimeron punctate much denser than pronotum, interstices dull, shorter than one puncture diameter. Ventral mesepisternum punctate similarly to pronotum. Epicnemium shagreened, without punctures. Metanotum with coarse punctures on upper part of posterior side and shining impunctate lower part. Metapleuron longitudinally rugose. Dorsolateral surface of propodeum dull, with irregular dense shallow punctures and microsculpture. Lateral surface of propodeum longitudinally rugose but with hardly visible sparse punctures; sculpture of propodeal concavity similar to that on lateral surface. T1 with shallow punctures, interstices reaching one puncture diameter on dorsal surface, dull, with very dense microsculpture. S1 reticulately punctured. T2 with smoothened punctures, finer than those on T1, and with similar microsculpture. S2 punctate similarly to T2 but punctures more distinct. Following terga and sterna without distinct punctures, with dull microsculpture only.

Posterior side of mandible and labial palpus with straight pale setae about as long as diameter of F1 at distal end. Frons with straight pale setae about as long as diameter of F1 at base. Clypeus, scapus, gena, vertex, and dorsal side of mesosoma with setae shorter than diameter of F1 at base. Ventral surface of mesosoma and whole metasoma with short appressed setae only.

Basal color black. Small lateral spots on pronotum, outer margin of tegula, and apical bands of T1 and T2 ivory. Central spot on tegula brownish. Distal ends of femora and entire tibiae reddish-brown, tarsi dark brown. Wings strongly fuscous, particularly on marginal cell; veins dark brown.

Male. Unknown.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: ♀, labeled “ Dagestan / vicinity of Gubden / 42°34′23″N 47°33′01″E / 2.VI.2022 leg. D. Puzanov // Holotypus ♀ / Leptochilus puzanovi / Fateryga [red label]” [ ZISP] . PARATYPE: same locality as holotype, 3.VI.2022, 1 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK] .

Etymology. It is a pleasure to name this species honoring my friend Dmitry V. Puzanov, the collector of the holotype.

Distribution. Russia: Dagestan Republic (known from the type locality only).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Leptochilus spp. A–C, F, L. puzanovi Fateryga, sp. nov., ♀, holotype; D, E, G, L. tarsatus (de Saussure, 1855), ♀, Italy (photographs by Marco Selis). A, D, habitus in lateral view; B, E, mesosoma in dorsal view; C, labels; F, G, head in frontal view. Scale bars 1 mm.