Pseudepipona (Pseudepipona) falsa ( Kostylev, 1927 )

Fateryga, Alexander V. & Selis, Marco, 2024, Unexpected diversity in the Pseudepipona lativentris species-group (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), Zootaxa 5529 (2), pp. 318-340 : 327-329

Pseudepipona (Pseudepipona) falsa ( Kostylev, 1927) , stat. resurr.

( Figs 5A–J , 10J–M )

Odynerus falsus Kostylev, 1927: 80 , fig. 5, ♂ (type locality: “Ak-Tash-Gebirge (in Umgebung von Tashkent)” [ Uzbekistan]); lectotype (designated here), ♂, ZMMU.

Diagnosis. Body with yellow pattern, legs predominantly yellow ( Fig. 5A, F ); apical margin of female clypeus approximately as wide as distance between antennal sockets, hardly emarginate ( Fig. 5B ); male F11 very robust, apically truncate, with a submedian tyloid on ventral side ( Fig. 5J ); antero-lateral angles of pronotum in dorsal view from strongly rectangular to rather blunt ( Fig. 5C, D ); scutellum and metanotum with yellow bands ( Fig. 5A, F ); punctation on T2 very coarse and relatively sparse, interspaces exceeding diameter of a puncture ( Fig. 5E ); paramere moderately broad ( Fig. 10J ); ventral lobe of aedeagus moderately triangular ( Fig. 10M ). The species shows variability not only in the shape of the antero-lateral angles of the pronotum but also in the presence of the median expansion of the aedeagus ( Fig. 10K, L ).

Material examined. LECTOTYPE (DESIGNATED HERE): ♂, labeled “[golden disc] // ТаШКент [Tashkent] / 27.VI. / Ак-Таш [Ak-Tash] / 1922. / Н. КУЗнецов [N. Kuznetsov] // Odynerus / falsus G Kost. / Det G Kostylev // ТИп [Type] Pseudepipona / falsa Kost = / = lativentris Sss ♂ / 1941, 24.VI [Kostylev’s signature] // Lectotypus ♂ / Odynerus falsus / Kostylev, 1927 / des. Fateryga, 2024 [red label]” [ZMMU] ( Fig. 5G ). The lectotype is designated in accordance with Art. 74.7.3 of ICZN (1999), for the purpose of nomenclature stability and correct application of the name P. falsa , previously confused with P. beckeri (cf. van der Vecht & Fischer 1972). PARALECTOTYPES: Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Ak-Tash , 9.VII.1923, 1 ♂, leg. A. Zhelokhovtsev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 29.V.1925, 1 ♂, leg. E. Smirnov [ ZMMU]; ibid., 18.VI.1925, 1 ♂, leg. E. Smirnov [ ZMMU]. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: IRAN: Razawi-Khorasan, Binaluth Mount, 20 km SW Shandiz, 36.2626°N, 59.1206°E, 2534 m, 16.VII.2022, 1 ♂, leg. C. Schmid-Egger [ CSE]. TURKMENISTAN: Badkhyz Reserve, Kyzyldzhar , 30.IX.1978, 1 ♀, leg. A. Lelej [ FSCV]; Kerki Province, Charshang , 11.X.1931, 1 ♀, leg. A. Ushinskiy [ ZMMU]; Kiltitschinar , 1 ♂, leg. E. König [ ZISP]; Kopetdag Range, Chuli Canyon , 35 km W Asghabad, 7.X.1978, 1 ♂, leg. A. Lelej [ FSCV]; ibid., 8.X.1978, 1 ♀, leg. A. Lelej [ FSCV]; Kopetdag, Aydere Canyon , 15.VI.1976, 1 ♀, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]; Kopetdag, Kara-Kala , 27.IV.1970, 2 ♂, leg. L. Zimina [ ZMMU]. TAJIKISTAN: 35 km N Stalinabad, Kvak , 2000 m, 8.VI.1937, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; ibid., 20.VI.1937, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; ibid., 22.IX.1937, 1 ♀, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; Gafilabad, upper reaches of Lyuchob River , 13.VIII.1940, 1 ♀, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; Hisar , 28.V.1939, 1 ♂, leg. A. Romanov [ ZMMU]; Kondara Canyon, Varzoba River valley , 6.IX.1946, 1 ♂, leg. V. Popov [ ZISP]; ibid., 13.IX.1946, 1 ♂, leg. V. Popov [ ZISP]; Kondara, 1100 m, Varzoba , 13.IX.1937, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; Ost-Buchara, Tschitschantan , 1898, 1 ♂, leg. Hauser [ MSNVE]; Peter I Range , 7 km SW Tajikabad, Merazyon , 1800 m, 14.VIII.2003, 1 ♂, leg. O. Pak [ TUZ]; Stalinabad [ Dushambe ], 27.V.1934, 1 ♀, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; ibid., 29.V.1934, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; ibid., 30.V.1934, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; ibid., 31.V.1934, 2 ♀, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; ibid., 1.VI.1934, 1 ♀, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; Tavildara District, Dehi-Colon near Tavildara , 38°39′N, 70°31′E, 24–27.V.2016, 1 ♀, leg. Yu. Danilov, A. Barkalov, V. Zinchenko [ ISEN]. UZBEKISTAN: Aman-Kutan, N from Kitab , 11.VII.1939, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; Angren District, 2 km NE Yangiobod, 41°08′00″N, 70°06′58″E, 23.IX.2022, 1 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin [ CAFK]; Charki , 3 ♂, leg. Glazunow [ ZISP]; Golodnaya Step Station , 5.V.1903, 1 ♂, leg. G. Jakobson [ ZISP]; Kammashi , 24.V.1930, 1 ♂, leg. A. Rodd [ ZISP]; Kurama Range, 60 km NE Angren, 24.VII.1971, 1 ♂, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]; Qashqadaryo Region, Yakkabog’ District , Suvlisay , 38.849°N, 67.0929°E, 24.IX.2017, 1 ♀, leg. M. Mokrousov [ MSVI]; Sirdaryo Region, Ilich , 7.V.1973, 1 ♀, leg. Saparbekov [ IZTU]; Surxondaryo Region, Boysun District , 5 km N Derbent, 1 km N Charvak, 38.259933°N, 67.0262°E, 10.V.2015, 1 ♀, leg. M. Mokrousov, M. Proshchalykin, K. Samartsev [ CAFK]; ibid., 10.V.2015, 1 ♂, leg. M. Mokrousov, M. Proshchalykin, K. Samartsev [ MSVI]; Surxondaryo Region, Boysun District , Charvak , 38.2483883°N, 67.030350°E, 10.V.2015, 2 ♀, 2 ♂, leg. M. Mokrousov, M. Proshchalykin, K. Samartsev [ CAFK]; Surxondaryo Region, Dehqonobod District , 10 km NW Atkamar, 38.33445°N, 66.3124°E, 11.V.2015, 1 ♂, leg. M. Mokrousov, M. Proshchalykin, K. Samartsev [ CAFK]; Tashkent, 7.V.1930, 2 ♂, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; ibid., 11.V.1930, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; ibid., 28.V.1930, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gussakovskij [ ZISP]; Tashkent, Ak-Tash , 25.VI.1925, 1 ♀ [ ZMMU]; ibid., 1925, 3 ♀, leg. E. Smirnov [ ZMMU]; Vicinity of Dekhkanabad , 18.IX.1972, 1 ♂, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]; Vrevskaya Station , 16.V.1932, 1 ♂, leg. Veltishchev [ ZISP]; Yakkabog, W Gyssar , Kaltakol , 2.VII.1997, 1 ♀, leg. V. Gromenko [ MSVI]. KYRGYZSTAN: 8 km NW Dzahal-Abad, Kapa-Kiyanyr , 4.V.1997, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gromenko [ MSVI]; Chon-Aryk (Mount Boz-Peldek) near Bishkek , 42°47′06″N, 74°34′37″E, 1080 m, 29.VII.2000, 1 ♀, leg. G. Anufriyev, D. Potanin [ CAFK]; Nothern Alai, upper reaches of Gulcha River , 3 km below mouth of Katta-Karakol River, 2500 m, 13.VII.2000, 1 ♂, leg. V. Dubatolov [ ISEN]; ibid., 16.VII.2000, 1 ♀, leg. V. Dubatolov [ ISEN]; Talas Alatau, Karabus Place , 26.VII.1973, 1 ♂, leg. Yu. Tarbinskiy [ FSCV]; Tien Shan, Boom Canyon , 14.VI.1974, 1 ♀, leg. Pek [ FSCV]. KAZAKHSTAN. Almaty and Jetisu provinces: 25 km W Alma-Ata, 12.VI.1979, 1 ♀, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]; 3 km NW Kokpek, 43.4657°N, 78.6448°E, 19.V.2024, 1 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK]; 6 km NNW Kokpek, 43.5017°N, 78.6225°E, 19.V.2024, 2 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK]; Altyn-Emel National Park, Shylbyr , 43.9582°N, 78.1869°E, 5.V.2024, 1 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK]; Charyn National Park, 18 km SWW Chundzha, 43.5028°N, 79.2134°E, 12.V.2024, 1 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK]; N foothills of Zhetykol Range , 29.VII.1971, 2 ♀, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]; Trans-Ili Alatau , Bolshoy Dalan Canyon , 2.VI.1971, 1 ♀, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]; ibid., 19.VI.1971, 1 ♀, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]; Trans-Ili Alatau, Bolshoye Almatynskoye Canyon , 21.VI.1974, 1 ♀, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]; Trans-Ili Alatau , upper reaches of Malaya Almatinka River , 18.VII.1938, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 25.VII.1938, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; Trans-Ili Alatau , vicinity of Alma-Ata , 6.VII.1974, 1 ♀, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]; ibid., 6.VI.1979, 1 ♀, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]. East Kazakhstan Province: Vicinity of Teskesen , 7.VI.1979, 1 ♀, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]. Jambyl Province: 50 km W Jambyl, 12.V.1977, 1 ♀, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]; Karatau Range, 10 km W Biylikul, 13.V.1977, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]; Karatau Range, Kuyuk Pass , 26.VII.1971, 1 ♂, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]; Karatau, near Biylikul Lake , 27.VII.1971, 2 ♀, leg. N. Kurzenko [ FSCV]; Southern vicinity of Muyunkum, Tatty , 19.VIII.1972, 1 ♂, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]. Kyzylorda Province: SW slope of Karatau, Dzhan-Kurgan Canyon , Uch-Ayra , 29.VII.1910, 1 ♂, leg. A. Trizna [ ZISP]. Turkestan Province: 30 km NNW Belyye Vody, 26.V.1981, 2 ♀, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]; Boroldaytau Range, 30 km NW Vannovka, 24.V.1975, 1 ♀, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV]; Vicinity of Turkestan , 5.VI.1911, 1 ♂, leg. A. Trizna [ ZISP].

Distribution. Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan (Fig. 11).

Remarks. Blüthgen (1938: 279) listed this species as a synonym of Euodynerus (Pseudepipona) lativentris , while later he supposed that it might be conspecific with P. beckeri , without mentioning their conspecifity with P. lativentris ( Blüthgen 1951: 185) . Following Blüthgen, van der Vecht & Fischer (1972: 83) listed O. falsus as a synonym of P. beckeri but with a question. Fateryga et al. (2023: 441) preliminary treated O. falsus within P. lativentris but not P. beckeri . Pseudepipona falsa is considered here a separate species, not a synonym of either P. beckeri or P. lativentris , due to a very distinct morphology of male F11 (a different shape and presence of a tyloid) and a strongly different punctation of the metasoma, especially in the female sex. The report of this species from Crimea by Kostylev (1928: 405) was based on a misidentification of P. beckeri (cf. Fateryga 2018).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Pseudepipona falsa (Kostylev). A–C, E, ♀, Uzbekistan; D, ♀, Tajikistan; F–H, J, ♂, lectotype; I, ♂, Tajikistan. A, F, habitus in dorsal view; B, H, I, head in front view; C, D, pronotum and anterior part of scutum in dorsal view; E, T1 and T2 in dorsal view; G, labels; J, apex of flagellum (t, tyloid). Scale bars 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 10. Male genitalia of Pseudepipona spp. A–C, Pseudepipona beckeri (Morawitz), Crimea; D–F, P.cretensis Blüthgen, Crete; G–I, P. cypria Blüthgen, Cyprus; J, L, M, P. falsa (Kostylev), Uzbekistan; K, P. falsa, lectotype; N–P, P. gineri (von Schulthess), Ibiza; Q–S, P. lativentris (de Saussure), Spain; T, P. rubricans Kurzenko, Kazakhstan; U–W, P. rubricans, China; X–Z, P. vicina Gusenleitner, Kyrgyzstan. A, D, G, J, N, Q, T, U, X, left paramere and volsella in medial view (d, digitus); B, E, H, K, L, O, R, V, Y, aedeagus in dorsal view (me, median expansion); C, F, I, M, P, S, W, Z, aedeagus in lateral view (vl, ventral lobe). Scale bar 0.5 mm (not exactly applied to D–F and N–P).