Protopolybia nitida ( Ducke, 1904 )

Dos Santos Junior, José N. A., Silveira, Orlando T. & Carpenter, James M., 2020, Taxonomic revision of the Protopolybia picteti - emortualis species-group (Richards 1978), with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Polistinae), Zootaxa 4729 (2), pp. 228-248 : 238-240

Protopolybia nitida ( Ducke, 1904)

( Figs 27, 28, 29 , 49, 50, 51, 52 )

Chartergus nitidus Ducke, 1904: 327 , 338 (lectotype: ♀, Brazil, Óbidos (BMNH)); examined; paralectotype: 4♀, same data as lectotype; examined). Chartergus nitidus: Nascimento & Overal 1979: 9 ; Carpenter 1999: 17. Protopolybia picteti var. bella: Bequaert 1944: 118 . Protopolybia nitida: Ducke 1905a: 18 ; 1905b: 674; 1907: 165; 1910: 469, 473; 1918: 324; Richards 1978: 139, 145; Overal 1978: 11; Rasmussen & Asenjo 2009: 50.

Diagnosis. Length of fore wing 5.21– 4.56 mm; clypeus wide, with ventral margin acute; humerus distinctly projecting, carina lamellate and recurved forwards at extremity, not extending downwards ( Fig. 27 ); metanotal process with apex slightly rounded ( Fig. 28 ); propodeum with wide and deep excavated cavity, heart-like shape ( Fig. 28 ); ground color black or reddish, scutellum totally yellow, metanotum almost, T2 with a large and anterior yellow spot ( Fig. 29 ); ventral process of aedeagus curved, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and weakly serrated; preapical region of aedeagus angular.

Redescription. FEMALE.Length of fore wing 5.21 mm; clypeus wide (HClp=0.72; MxWClp= 0.94;TeW=0.59; MiWClp= 0.87 mm), with ventral margin acute; tentorial pit closer to antennal socket than to eye margin; interantennal area relatively wide, approximately 2 × diameter of antennal socket; mandibles relatively short with length 0.86 × distance between eyes at vertex; occipital carina distinct, strong and salient throughout; humerus distinctly projecting, carina lamellate and recurved forwards at extremity, not extending downwards ( Fig. 27 ); pronotal fovea dis- tinct; length of mesoscutum 0.93 × its width; mesepisternal groove absent; scutellum with a short but well-marked median line; metanotum triangular, length of median axis 0.69 × width of the central disk, metanotal process with apex slightly rounded ( Fig. 28 ); propodeum with wide and deep excavated cavity, heart-like shape ( Fig. 28 ); propodeal valvula narrow; T 1 in dorsal view with petiole short and distal margin wider and nearly straight, cup-like.

Frons, mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum with sparser micropunctation and deeper and stronger mesopunctation, mesopleuron and T2 to T5 with distinct punctures; clypeus with short golden bristles, except on ventral margin, with elongated bristles; vertex, mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum with more sparse and quite long setae.

Species black or reddish richly marked by yellow spots ( Fig. 27–29 ); antennae ventrally testaceous or brown, dorsally black; mandibles black, clypeus almost entirely yellow, inner and outer orbit with wide bands that extend to ocular sinus, frons with a bilobate mark, two marks on vertex, small marks on pronotal carina and fovea, mesoscutum without stripes, tegulae almost entirely black, large spot on mesepisternum, scutellum yellow, metanotum partially ( Fig. 28 ), propodeum without paired dorsal marks ( Fig. 28 ), T1 sometimes with distal spot, extensive basal spots and narrow distal mark on T2, T3 to T5 black. Coxae, femora, tibiae brown to black; tarsi brown; wings hyaline, venation brown.

MALE. Length of fore wing 5.06 mm; eyes wide, strongly produced inwards; clypeus with ventral margin acute; tentorial pit closer to eye margin than to the antennal socket; mandible and clypeus yellow; eyes internally bordered by a band that continues to ocular sinus; anterior margin of T2 with extensive spot, yellow. Parameral spine without elongate bristles; basal angle of paramere widened, apical angle narrower ( Fig. 49 ); digitus narrow, with apical margin rounded; basal process of digitus approximately acuminate; cuspis moderately filled with elongated bristles ( Fig. 52 ); ventral process of aedeagus curved, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and weakly serrated, laterally; preapical region of aedeagus angular ( Fig. 51 ).

Material examined. FRENCH GUIANA: Cayenne, Barrage de Petit Saut, 1♀, 5°02`N 53°02`W, 19.xi.1996 (Dejean & Corbara), 8♀, xii.1997 – i.1998 (A. Dejean) , Plateaux des Mines , 9♀, E St. Jean , 5°21`N 54°03`W, 30m, 28.ix.1996 (Wenzel & Carpenter) ( AMNH)

; BRAZIL: Pará, Óbidos, 1♀, 1♂, 30.v.1911 (Ducke), 1♀, 31.xii.1906,

Amazonas, 1♀, Manaus , ZF-2, 07–21.xi.1994 (J.A. Rafael & J. Vidal) ( INPA), 2♀, 22.xii.1912 (Ducke) ( MPEG) , 2♀, EMBRAPA, 02°43`S 09°59`W, 07.xii.2012 (K. Schoeninger) ( INPA) , Acre, 1♀, Rio Branco , 25.x–08.xi.1991 (F. Ramos, A. Henriques, I. Gorayeb, N. Bitencourt) ( MPEG)

Distribution. Ecuador: Napo; Peru: Huánuco; * French Guiana; Brazil: Amapá, Pará, *Amazonas, * Acre.

Remarks. Protopolybia nitida presents black color with yellow marks on the scutellum and metanotum ( Ducke, 1904; Bequaert, 1944; Richards, 1978). Three individuals from Pará, Brazil were analyzed that are structurally similar to P. nitida , but with distinct coloration; their body is brown with more yellow marks on T2. We consider this population as a variation of Ducke’s species, but additional studies are necessary to determine its real status.

Figures

FIGURES 27–32. 27, 28, 29. Protopolybia nitida; 30, 31, 32. Protopolybia perfulvula.

FIGURES 45–55. 45, 46, 47, 48. Protopolybia iheringi; 49, 50, 51, 52. Protopolybia nitida; 53, 54, 55. Protopolybia picteti. 45, 49, 53. Parameres of the male genitalia. 46, 47, 50, 51, 54. Aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view. 48, 52, 55. Volsella of male genitalia in lateral view. Scale 0.2 mm. ps, parameral spine; par, preapical region