Vespa tricolor Pallas, 1771

Lelej, A. S. & Mokrousov, M. V., 2017, The types of Scoliidae (Hymenoptera), described by Eduard Eversmann, with some taxonomic notes and checklist of Russian Scoliidae, Far Eastern Entomologist 340 (340), pp. 1-17 : 11-12

Vespa tricolor Pallas, 1771

Vespa tricolor Pallas, 1771: 413 , 474.

CURRENT STATUS. Scolia fallax Eversmann, 1849 , nom. protectum (=

Vespa tricolor Pallas, 1771 , nom. oblitum).

DISCUSSION. Type specimen of Vespa tricolor Pallas, 1771 was collected on

Aug. 20, 1769 (Aug. 31, 1769, in new style) at Inder Lake (Western Kazakhstan,

Atyray Prov. ). Bischoff & Bradley (1929: 302) designated as holotype (lectotype)

of V. tricolor Pallas, 1771 the specimen from "Tauria" (Crimea) [Museum für

Naturkunde der Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Germany], and synonymized it with V. galbula Pallas, 1771 . This designation of the holotype (lectotype) is invalid ,

because the specimen from Crimea was collected by P.S. Pallas, who lived and investigated the Crimean Peninsula in 1793–1810 (Makaruev, 1877), much later than syntypes of V. tricolor Pallas, 1771 were collected and described (Art. 74.2 of

Code) (ICZN, 1999). See also the discussion of Argaman (1996). According to

Bradley (1972) the holotype (lectotype) of V. tricolor Pallas, 1771 sensu Bischoff &

Bradley (1929) conspecific with Scolia fallax Eversmann, 1849 not S. galbula f.

media ["mediae" (workers?)] Pallas, 1771.

Vespa tricolor Pallas, 1771 , according to original description and collecting date, is a senior synonym for Scolia fallax Eversmann, 1849 . After description V.

tricolor Pallas, 1771 was not used as a valid name and according to Art. 23.9.1.1,

23.9.2 of Code (ICZN, 1999) is nomen oblitum. On other side the junior synonym

S. fallax Eversmann, 1849 has been used for a particular taxon, as its presumed valid name, in at least 25 works, published by at least 10 authors in the immediately preceding 50 years and encompassing a span of not less than 10 years (see above)

and according to Art. 23.9.1.2, 23.9.2 of Code (ICZN, 1999) is nomen protectum and has precedence over the older name V. tricolor Pallas, 1771 .