Pison variipes 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 : 477-479

Pison variipes Pulawski , species nova

Figures 1159-1166.

NAME DERIVATION.– The name variipes is derived from two Latin words: the adjective varius, meaning various or varied, and the noun pes, the leg, a noun in apposition to the generic name; with reference to the varied leg color of this species.

RECOGNITION.– Pison variipes has a black head, thorax, propodeum, and gaster, three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so, setae appressed on tergum I, and not sinuous, shorter than one midocellar diameter on the lower gena. Its most outstanding characteristic is the unique coloration of the legs: the fore- and midlegs are black (midlegs in many specimens with small ferruginous sections), whereas the hindfemur, hindtibia and hindtarsus are contrastingly ferruginous (Fig. 1162). Subsidiary recognition features are: scutal punctures at least one diameter apart (many punctures up to two diameters apart in most specimens), ocellocular distance 1.4-1.6 × hindocellar diameter in the female and 1.9-2.0 × in the male, sternum II punctate throughout (punctures up to about 2-3 diameters apart mesally), trimmal carina of female mandible with a small preapical tooth (tooth large in P. protrudens ), free margin of clypeal lamella roundly arcuate (roundly triangular in P. protrudens ), male sternum VIII with inconspicuous punctures (conspicuous in P. areniferum ), emarginate apically (Fig. 1163).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, finely punctate, punctures averaging about one diameter apart. Occipital carina joining hypostomal carina. Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as 1.5 × midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, averaging about one diameter apart, several punctures up to two diameters apart in female and most males; interspaces microsculptured (Fig. 1161). Tegula enlarged. Mesopleural punctures less than one diameter apart; interspaces dull. Postspiracular carina present, almost 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 irregular oblique ridges that efface toward side, punctate between ridges, with short transverse carinae emerging from middle carina; side ridged, punctate between ridges; posterior surface with well-defined ridges. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin not carinate. Punctures of tergum I well defined, averaging less than one diameter apart. Sternum II punctate throughout.

Setae silvery, appressed and oriented ventrally on frons, dorsal half of frons also with sparse erect setae about as long as 0.5 × midocellar diameter; appressed on scutum and tergum I; on lower gena subappressed to suberect, straight (curved apically in female), about as long as 0.7 × midocellar diameter in female, about 0.5 × in male; not entirely concealing integument on clypeus. Apical depressions of terga with silvery, setal fasciae.

Head (including antenna), thorax, propodeum, and gaster black; mandible yellowish brown mesally. Fore- and midlegs black except in most specimens midfemur ferruginous anteroapically and in one male midfemur ferruginous dorsally; hindfemur, hindtibia, and hindtarsus ferruginous.

♀ (Fig. 1162).– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.92-0.98 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.4-1.6 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.3-1.4 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.92-0.96 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella obtusely rounded (Fig. 1159). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.9 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.1 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly beyond midlength, with small tooth basally of incision (Fig. 1159). Length 7.2-7.7 mm; head width 2.3-2.4 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.98 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.9-2.0 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.2-1.5 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.94-0.96 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate (Fig. 1160). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.7-1.9 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.1 × apical width. Sternum VIII with sharply delimited impunctate basal part and densely punctate apical part, with clearly emarginate apical margin; apicolateral corner obtuse (Fig. 1163). Genitalia: Figs. 1164, 1165. Length 6.6-6.9 mm; head width 2.0 - 2.4 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 1166).– Queensland and South Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♀, AUSTRALIA: South Australia: Brookfield Conservation Park at 34°21ʹS 130°29ʹE, 24-26 Nov 1992, I.D Naumann and J.C. Cardale ( ANIC).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 7 km S Batavia Downs at 12°43ʹS 142°42ʹE, 19 June – 22 July 1992, P. Zborowski and E.S. Nielsen (1 ♂, ANIC) ; Heathlands at 11°45ʹS 142°35ʹE, 27 Jul – 18 Aug 1992, P. Zborowski and J.C. Cardale (1 ♂, ANIC) . South Australia: Dingly Dell Camp on Oraparinna Creek at 31°21ʹS 138°42ʹE, 4-10 Nov 1987, I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale (2 ♀, 3 ♂, ANIC) ; Gawler National Park at 32°35.1ʹS 135°26.3ʹE, 7 Jan 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS) ; Wilpena in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°31.7ʹS 138°36.2ʹE, 27 Jan 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (2 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) ; 3 km ENE Wilpena at 31°31.0ʹE 138°36.6ʹE, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski , 26 Jan 2011 (2 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) and 27 Jan 2011 (2 ♀, 2 ♂, CAS) ; Wilpena Pound Gap at 31°33ʹS 138°36ʹE, 5-6 Nov 1987, I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale (1 ♂, ANIC) ; 34 km S Wilpena , 4 Jan 1980, R.M. Bohart (1 ♀, UCD) .