Vespa (Provespa) dorylloides de Saussure 1854 [ Provespa anomala de Saussure 1854]

Under “ Vespa (Prove pa) [sic!] dorylloides ”, Sonan (1929: 138) recorded a single female with the collection data “Kagi (Taikozan), 27, VI, 1923 (Coll. T. Kato)”.

In TARI, there are 4 Ƥ and 2 3 of Provespa; 1 3 Provespa nocturna van der Vecht and 1 Ƥ P. anomala (de Saussure) are labeled with “Kotosho / v” and “ Vespa / doryloides Sauss / det. T. Shiraki”. Remaining specimens (1 3 and 3 Ƥ) have the same identification label “ Vespa / dorylloides / Sauss. / Det. J. Sonan”; a P. nocturna Ƥ and a P. anomala 3 have the same collection data label “NAM HENG / JOHOR – 1917 / S. KIYOTAKE”, one of the remaining two P. anomala Ƥ has no locality label and the other has a label “Mt. Taiko / Kagi / 27 VI 1923 / M. Kato”. It seemed that the P. nocturna female and the P. anomala 3 labeled as being collected in Johor (in the Peninsular Malaysia) had been correctly labeled. However, considering the facts that Taiwan is far from the distribution area of the two Provespa species and no other records of Provespa from Taiwan is present, it is hardly acceptable that the specimens labeled as being from “Kagi” and “Kotosho” (if it is Lanyu [= Orchid Island]) had been correctly labeled.