Pison fossor 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 : 207-209

Pison fossor Pulawski , species nova

Figures 461 -466.

NAME DERIVATION.– Fossor, Latin for digger; with reference to its presumed nesting habits, deduced from the presence of the psammophore on the lower gena and the forefemoral venter; a noun in apposition to the generic name.

RECOGNITION.– The female of P. fossor (the male is unknown) is characterized by the presence of the psammophores on the lower gena, forecoxal venter, and forefemoral venter. This feature is shared with about 20 other species, but P. fossor can be recognized by the following unique combination: many scutal punctures about two diameters apart (some punctures behind center three diameters apart), the scutum with sparse, erect setae about as long as the midocellar diameter, and the propodeum without the longitudinal carina separating the side from the dorsum and posterior surface.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, minutely punctate, punctures averaging less than one diameter apart. Occipital carina joining hypostomal carina. Gena narrow in dorsal view ( Fig. 462 ). Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures fine but well defined, more than one diameter apart on disk ( Fig. 464 ), many punctures about two diameters apart, some punctures behind center three diameters apart in holotype, interspaces microscopically areolate. Tegula enlarged. Mesopleural punctures averaging less than one diameter apart, interspaces microsculptured, dull. Postspiracular carina present, about half as long as midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum without longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum punctate (most punctures less than one diameter apart, admedian punctures more than one diameter apart), interspaces in holotype merging into fine, oblique ridges, in paratype ridged only adjacent to median sulcus; side finely, irregularly ridged, punctate between ridges; posterior surface transversely ridged, punctate between ridges. Posteroventral forefemoral punctate, punctures averaging about one diameter apart (several punctures about two diameters apart). Punctures of tergum I about two diameters apart on horizontal part anterior to apical depression. Sternum II finely punctate, punctures many diameters apart (except densely punctate next to lateral margin).

Setae silvery, in holotype both short, subappressed and erect on frons (short setae oriented dorsally on upper frons, longer setae equal to about 1.2 × midocellar diameter), only subappressed in paratype, erect on postocellar area, sparse, erect on scutum (about as long as midocellar diameter), appressed on tergum I, not concealing integument on clypeus; some setae on mesopleuron anteriorly as long as greatest forefemoral width; genal setae: see below. Apical depressions of terga with silvery, setal fasciae.

Body all black.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.48 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.5-0.8 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.0-1.5 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.92 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella arcuate ( Fig. 461 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.4-3.0 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.2-1.3 × apical width. Lower gena ( Fig. 463 ), forecoxal outer margin, and forefemoral venter ( Fig. 465 ) with psammophores (longest setae of genal and forefemoral psammophores about

0.75-1.1 and 1.0-1.25 ×, respectively, of greatest forefemoral width); setae of mandibular posteri- or margin and those of foretrochanteral outer margin not forming psammophore, psammophore of lower gena less well defined than in similar species; lower gena impunctate and asetose between hypostomal carina and psammophore. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision at about midlength. Length 6.7-7.1 mm; head width 2.2-2.5 mm.

♂.– Unknown.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 466).– Southern parts of South Australia and of Western Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♀, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Mount Ragged at 33°27ʹS 123°29ʹE, 22 Oct 1982, C.A. Howard and T.F. Houston ( WAM).

PARATYPE: AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 31 km NW Renmark at 33°50ˈS 140°30ˈE, 5 Sept – 12 Oct 1995, K.R. Pullen (1 ♀, ANIC) .

Figures

FIGURES 461-465. Pison fossor Pulawski, sp. nov., female. (461) Clypeus and mandibles; (462) Head in dorsal view; (463) Lower gena and its psammophore; (464) Tegula and adjacent scutum; (465) Forefemur in posterior view and its psammophore. FIGURE 466. Collecting localities of Pison fossor Pulawski, sp. nov.