Protopolybia picteti (de Saussure, 1854)

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 : 240-244

Protopolybia picteti (de Saussure, 1854)

( Figs 53, 54, 55 )

Polybia picteti de Saussure, 1854: 168 . (holotype: ♀, Colombia, Tolima, Libano, (MNHN), examined. Polybia picteti: Smith 1857: 124 ; Dalla Torre 1894: 165; Rudow 1901: 341; Dalla Torre 1904: 78.

Protopolybia picteti: Ducke 1905a: 18 ; 1910: 468, 471; Bequaert 1944a: 117; 1949 (1948): 131.

Protopolybia picteti picteti (de Saussure) : Richards 1978: 139, 147; Sarmiento 1994: 359.

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Diagnosis. Length of fore wing 4.0– 4.68 mm; mesoscutum with sparse and notably elongated setae; humerus not mutch distinctly projecting, carina lamellate and recurved forwards at extremity, not extending downwards; metanotal process with apex truncated; propodeum with wide and deep cavity, like a central channel; propodeal valvula narrow; species blackish to brown, richly marked with yellow spots; frons with a butterfly-like mark; T2 with yellow pair of spots on each side anteriorly. Preapical region of aedeagus angular ( Fig. 54 ); parameral spine not laterally expanded at base ( Fig. 53 ).

MALE: Length of fore wing 4.0 mm; eyes wide, strongly produced inwards; clypeus narrow, longer than wide, with silvery bristles, ventral margin acute; tentorial pit approximately equidistant to eye margin and to the antennal socket; gena narrow; color like female, except by mandible, clypeus and front yellow. Parameral spine narrow, without elongate bristles; basal and apical angle of paramere widened ( Fig. 53 ); digitus narrow ( Fig. 55 ), with apical margin rounded; basal process of digitus narrow and acuminate; cuspis covered with dense and elongated bristles; ventral process of aedeagus approximately lobed, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and not laterally serrated ( Fig. 54 ); preapical region of aedeagus angular ( Fig. 54 ).

Material examined. COLOMBIA: Sevilla , 1♀, 1.v.1926 (C.G. Gowdey); Magdalena , 38♀, 20♂, 14.ii.1976 (F. Schremmer); 1♀, N. Sierra Nevada, Rio Don Diego , 22–24.xii.1976 (M. Cooper) ; 1♀, Rio Buritaca , 14.ii.1974 ; 1♀, Santa Marta , 14.ii.1976 (without collector) ( BMNH) ; COSTA RICA: Heredia, 1♀, La Selva Biol. Sta. , 3km S Pto. Viejo, 10°26N, 84°01W, 28.vii-02.viii.1992 (G. Wright) , 1♀, 19.vii.1992 (H.A. Hespenheide) ( AMNH) .

Distribution. Panama, * Costa Rica; Colombia: Magdalena, Tolima; Venezuela: D.F.

Remarks. Richards (1978) treated both P. picteti and P. fulvotincta as subspecies, considering the color pattern as the only difference between them. These species also share the presence of sparse and notably elongated setae on the mesoscutum. The male genitalia present clear differences (on the aedeagus apex and on the parameral spine), indicating that they are indeed distinct species.

Figures

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