Polybia belemensis Richards, 1970

Amorim, Danielle C. De A., Dos Santos Junior, José N. A., Carvalho- Filho, Fernando Da S., Silveira, Orlando T. & Carpenter, James M., 2024, Taxonomic study of wasp species in the Polybia (Myrapetra) occidentalis group morphologically related to P. scrobalis and P. flavifrons, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae), Zootaxa 5477 (5), pp. 537-562 : 539-543

Polybia belemensis Richards, 1970

( Figs 1 , 9 , 17 , 25 , 37 , 56, 57 )

Polybia belemensis Richards, 1970: 304 . Holotype ♀, Brazil: PA, Belém, 23.iv.1968, O.W Richards (MNRJ; lost), not examined (one paratype examined by OTS in the NHM). Silva & Silveira 2009: 320; Andena & Carpenter 2014: 178.

Polybia belemensis belemensis Richards, 1978: 40 , 95; Rasmussen & Asenjo 2009: 48.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Fore wing with ca. 6.5 mm; occipital-genal margin absent dorsally from side to side, very weak laterally; eyes with sparse bristles visible at high magnification; clypeus with rounded apex, much wider than high, transverse (HCLP/WCLP—0.79) ( Fig. 1 ); pronotal carina absent; prominence in front of fovea moderately elevated; first metasomal segment quite elongated and narrow at apex. Proportional ratios: LSI/HMP—1.10; LSI / WT1_AP—2.59; WT1_AP / BA—2.45. MALE. occipital-genal margin obsolete; clypeus vestiture with very dense appressed pale pubescence; first tergum and sternum with very short erect bristles, more numerous on sternum; remainder of metasoma with whitish hairs, few in number, in addition to some short erect bristles.

Description. MALE ( Fig.37 ). Forewing with ca. 6.5 mm; occipital-genal margin obsolete; FHH/INTOW—0.96; malar space very short; clypeus with rounded apex, clypeus vestiture with very dense appressed pale pubescence; mandible with erect and closely spaced pale bristles; clypeus entirely yellow, up to between the eyes; antennal scape beneath yellow (HCLP/WCLP—0.94); pronotal carina absent; prominence in front of fovea moderately elevated; body without erect bristles; LMS/WMS—0.92; scrobal groove narrow and shallow above, obliterated below; first metasomal segment well elongated and narrow at the apex; proportional ratios: LSI / HMP—1.04; LSI / WT1_AP— 2.39; WT1_AP / BA—2.8; some specimens with prominent spiracles; first tergum and sternum with very short erect bristles, more numerous on sternum; remainder of metasoma with whitish hairs, few in number, in addition to some short erect bristles. Genitalia. Aedeagus with subangular lateral expansion; parameral spine and digit exceeding aedeagus apex ( Figs 56, 57 ).

Examined material. BRAZIL: Amapá, Flona do Amapá, ICMBio–Trilha base, 01°23'S, 48°23'W 9♀ 09.ix.2016 (Felizardo, S., Santos, I. and team) (MPEG), Mun. Laranjal do Jari Cajari, 1♀ 14.ix.2000, 2♀ 20.v.2001 (Carmo, Chaves, Silveira) (IEPA); Amazonas: AM–010, Km 31 Embrapa, 1♀ 21.xi.1990, 2♀ 07.viii.1991 (J. Binda, L.P. Albuquerque), Barcelos, Rio Araca, Comun. Bacuquara, 00°09'17.5”S, 63°10'35.2”W, 1♀ 12–14.vi.2010, Malaise (D. Takiya, J.A. Rafael, P. Dias, R. Cavichioli, R. Machado), Carreiro Castanho, 1♂ 10–24.iv.2017, Armadilha suspensa (J. A. Rafael, F. F. Xavier), 1♀ 15–30.ix.2016, 1♀ 5–17.x.2016, 1♀ 14–27.iii.2017, Malaise (F.F. Xavier, J.A. Rafael) (INPA), Manaus, Janauca, 3♀, 4♂ 10.ii.1978 (W. L. Overal) (MPEG), Novo Airão, AM–352, Km–68, 2°48'58”S, 60°55'18”W, 2♀ 14–28.xi.2016, Malaise (F. F. Xavier, J. A. Rafael) (MPEG), Querari, São Gabriel da Cachoeira 01°05'N, 69°51'W, 1♀ 05.iv–27.v.1993, Malaise (Ferreira, R.L.M., Vidal, J.) (INPA), R. Japurá, 2♀ 16–21.ix.1904 (Ducke), Rio Carabinani, 02°02'47.7”S, 61°33'04”W, 1♀ 27.ii–09.iii.2005, (M.L. Oliveira), S.G. da Cachoeira, Rio Uaupe, 01°04'51”S, 69°50'32.1”W, 2♀ 15–30.vi.2017, Malaise (D. Bandeira), Tefé, Terra Firme, 3°25'19”S, 64°37'05”W, 1♀ 25.i–08.ii.2017, Malaise (D.M.M. Mendes et al., J.A. Rafael) (MPEG); Pará: 8♀ 14.xii.1977 (M. F. Torres), Abaetetuba, 10♀ 08.viii.1977 (P. Waldir), Acará, 21♀ 7.xii.1977 (W. França), 23♀ 25.i.1978 (P. Tadeu), Belém, GptFNBe, 1°23'40”S, 48°27'14”W, 3♀ 02.vi.2016 (Rosário, F.S), Ilha de Outeiro, 16♀ 16.viii.1978 (R. Ferreira), Livramento, 55♀ 08.iv.1979 (F.F. Ramos), Marituba, 7♀ 08.viii.1978 (R.B. Neto), 8♀ 13.iv.1979 (W. França), Mosqueiro, 9♀ 16.viii.1978, Paricamiri, 28♀ 09.iv.1979 (F.F. Ramos), 36♀ 10.iv.1979 (W. França), Paricatuba, 8♀ 07.iv.1979 (F.F. Ramos), 1♀ 09.xii.1978 (W. França), São Miguel do Guamá, 11.iv.1979 9♀ (F. F. Ramos) 10♀ (R.B. Neto), Utinga, 20♀ 24.iv.1968 (O.W. Richards), 7♀ 19.i.1978 (P. Tadeu), 8♀ 21.viii.1978 (R. B.Neto), 1♀ 06.ii.1980 (M. F. Torres), Belém– Brasília, Km 90 F S Antonio, 1♀ 14.ii.1976 (T. Pimentel), Benevides, 1♀ 15–25.iii.1993, Armadilha Suspensa, IPEAN, 2♀ 25.x.1968 (W. Hamilton), Bragança, 5♀ 02.ii.1978 (W. França), Benevides, Morelândia, 1♀ 27–29.iii.1988, Malaise (F. F. Ramos), 2♀ 27–29.vi.1988, Malaise (F.F. Ramos), 1♀ 29.vi.1988, Armadilha suspensa (F. F. Ramos), 1♀ 30.vi–02.vii.1988, Malaise (F. F. Ramos), Bujaru, 1♂ 30.vi.1977 (P. Waldir, L. Braack), 3♂ 01.vii.1977 (P. Waldir, L. Braack)), 100♀ 09.vi.1977 (P. Waldir), 34♀ 30.vi.1977, 21♀ 01.vii.1977 (P. Waldir, L. Braack), 4♀ 06.vii.1977, 19♀ 14.viii.1977, 22♀ 09.x.1977, 5♀ 10.x.1977, 27♀ 11.x.1977 (P. Waldir), 6♀ 12.i.1978 (W. França), 16♀ 12.v.1978 (R. B. Neto), 15♀ 04.viii.1978 (P. Nolasco), Itaituba, Parque Nacional Amazônia, 19♀ 14.xi.1978 (R.B. Neto), Cravo, 5♀ 06.vii.1977 (P. Waldir), Juruti, 10♀ 02.x.2009, Malaise (J. Dias, S.S. Silva), Km 30–31, 1♀ 11.xi.2009 (S.S. Silva and team), Adutora, 2°28'20”S, 56°10'84”W, 42♀ 30.x.–03.xi.2007, Malaise (S.S. Silva and team), Adutora de água bruta, 2°27'9.04”S, 56°10 '55.20”W, 9♀ 13–18.xii.2007, Malaise (E. Monteiro—Santos, R.L. Trindade; Domingos Guimarães; L.A. Quaresma), Área de processamento de Bauxita, 2°29'32.10”S, 56° 09'20.04”W, 4♀ 09–13.xii.2007, Malaise (E. Monteiro—Santos, R.L. Trindade; Domingos Guimarães; L.A. Quaresma), Barroso, 2°26’29.8”S, 56°01’66.3”W, 536♀ 24.ii.2008 (O. T. Silveira and team), 10♀ 24.x.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), 1♀ 25–28–x.2007, Malaise (S. S. Silva and team), 10♀ 29.x–01.xi.2007, Malaise (S. S. Silva and team), 26♀ 29.x–02.xi.2007 (S. S. Silva), Percurso 3, 2°.29032S, 55°58.623W, 9♀ 27.x.2007 (S. S. Silva), Percurso 4, 2°28.792S, 55°59.456W, 48♀ 27.x.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), Percurso 5, 2°29.516S, 55°58.213W, 16♀ 28.x.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), Percurso 7, 2°26.2895S, 56°01.663W, 15♀ 26.x.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), Percurso 8, 2°29.516S, 55° 58.213W, 3♀ 28.x.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), Percurso 10, 2°29.516S, 55°58.213W, 13♀ 01.xi.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), Percurso 11, 2°29’48”S, 55°27’26.4”W, 4♀ 01.xi.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), Percurso 12, 2°29’49”S, 55°56’22”W, 49♀ 02.xi.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), 8♂ 02.xi.2007 (S.S. Silva e equipe), Beneficiamento-Platô, 2°29'28.6”S, 56°11'53.5”W, 26♀ 08.xii.2008, Bota Fora, 2°29' 28”S, 56°9'3”W, 53♀ 06.xii.2008 (J. Dias, S.S. Silva), Capiranga, 8♀ 30.x–03.xi.2007 (S. S. Silva and team), 1♀ 25.v.2008, 19♀ 26.v.2008, 21♀ 27.v.2008, 11♀ 30.v.2008 (Santos, Quaresma), 3♀ 04.xii.2008 (S. S. Silva, J. Dias), 147♀ 14.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva and team), Estr. MUT–MAU, 2°32'45.1”S, 56°11'18.5”W, 42♀ 30.xi.2008, Malaise, Ferrovia, 2°29'11”S, 56°06'20 ”W, 1♀ 25.v.2008 (Quaresma and Santos), Jaratuba, Rio Mamuru, 03°11'32.6”S, 56°34'51.4”W, 28♀ 28.ix.2009, Rede Entomológica (J. Pena, O.T Silveira, S.S. Silva), Linhão, 02°29'28.5”S, 56°11'8.6”, 5♀ 09.xii.2008 (J. Dias, S.S. Silva), Mauari/Galiléia, 1♀ 22–27.ii.2008, Malaise, 23♀ 25.ii.2008, 1♂ 25.ii.2008, Rede entomológica (O. T. Silveira e equipe), 1♀ 26.ii.2008, 1♀ 27.ii.2008, 18♀ 28.ii–04.iii.2008, Rede Entomológica (O.T. Silveira, and team), 11♀ 01.xii.2008 23♀ 07.xii.2008, (S. S. Silva, J. Dias), Mutum, 2♀ 22–27.ii.2008, 11♀ 23–28.ii.2008, 6♀ 29.ii–04.iii.2008, 2♀ 29.ii.2008, 7♀ 28.v.2008, 16♀ 28.xi.2008, 13♀ 01.xii.2008, 7♀ 07.xii.2008, Pacoval, 24♀ 07.xii.2008, 57♀ 29.xi.2008, 2♀ 30.xi.2008, Malaise (J. Dias, S.S. Silva), Vista Bela, Rio Mamuru, 03°07'00.0”S, 56°35'06.7”, 38♀ 01.x.2009, 18♀ 02.x.2009 W, Malaise (MPEG), Marabá, Itupiranga—Tampa, Faz. Stª Maria, 67♀ 11.v.2010 (Souza, K.A), Vila Santa Fé (3 Km) Bar Copo Sujo, 154♀ 20.vi.2010 (K. Souza and team), Melgaço, Caxiuanã ECFPn, 38♀ 21 xi.1998 (J. Pena, O.T. Silveira), Caxiuanã Grade PPBio, 4♀ 01.xi.2006, 29♀ 07.xi.2006, 1♀ 08.xi.2006, Malaise (S. S. Silva, J. Dias), Moju, 13♀ 10.viii.1977 (P. Waldir), Paragominas, Faz.Cachoeira Rio Vermelho, 1♀ 15–18.i.1991, Malaise (P. Tadeu), Serra Norte, Est. Caldeirão, 2♀ 25.iv.1983 (M.F. Torres), N1. Canga, 1♀ 24–27.vi.1981, 1♀ 2–5.ix.1983 (F. F. Ramos), 1♀ 28–31.x.1985 (W. França), 2♀ 3–5.xi.1985 (J. Dias), 1♀ 23–26.i.1986, Armadilha suspensa (F.F. Ramos, J. Dias, W. França), Pojuca, 1♀ 18.iv.1983 (Mascarenhas and team), 1♀ 16.x.1984, 1♀ 22.i.1985 (M. F. Torres), Serraria, 2♀ 24–27.vii.1985, Malaise, Três Alfa, 1♀ 12.v.1984 (M.F. Torres), Santarém, Fazenda Taperinha, 2°54'S, 54° 20'W, 1♀ 27.vii.1977, (R.L. Jeanne), São Félix do Xingu, ICMBIO, 5°46'18.9”S, 52°37'52.7 ”W, 39♀ 28.iv.2012, (S.S. Silva); Roraima: Amajari, Serra do Tepequim, 2♀ 01–15.iv.2016, Malaise (F.F. Xavier, J.A. Rafael) (MPEG); PERU: 1♀ (MZSP).

Distribution. Brazil: Amapá *, Amazonas, Bahia, Pará, Roraima; Suriname; French Guiana; Peru.

Remarks. Polybia belemensis is the species with the narrowest first metasomal segment within the P.occidentalis group. It was described by Richards (1970) based on females from the Brazilian Amazon (Belém, Pará) (holotype and 48 paratypes) and Suriname (14 paratypes). Later, Richards (1978) described the subspecies P. b. brevitarsus based on females from Panama and Costa Rica, which we consider a distinct species (see below). Polybia belemensis as here conceived (i.e., P. b. belemensis ) has been previously recorded from Brazil, Peru, Suriname and French Guiana. Here we present the species diagnosis for females and the first description of the male. Unfortunately, all type material in Brazil (MNRJ) has been lost in a 2018 fire, but one paratype in the NHM was examined (by O. T. Silveira). Furthermore, considering that original description by Richards (1970) is clear enough and that we examined many specimens from the type locality, the species identity can be considered unproblematic.

The analyzed specimens from Peru, borrowed from MZUSP, were initially identified as P. diguetana probably by O.W. Richards. Occurrence of P. belemensis in Peru had already been mentioned in Rasmussen & Asenjo (2009), based on specimen(s) from the department of San Martin (probably housed at Museo de Historia Natural de Lima) identified by J. M. Carpenter. The department of San Martin ranges from very high areas in the Andes to forested lowlands along its eastern border shared with the department of Loreto. The label of the MZSP specimen just says “ Peru ”, and we tend to believe that it also has been collected in some place in the Peruvian Amazon.

Andena & Carpenter (2014) recorded P. belemensis from the Brazilian Northeastern region, Bahia state (three localities), and these seem indeed rather unexpected places to find the species. However, we have no reason to doubt correctness of identification, and this seems to be one more case of an “Amazonian” wasp species rediscovered in areas of eastern Atlantic Forest.

In the MPEG collection there are six nests with characteristics similar to those mentioned by Richards (1978), which include a “chocolate-brown” color with a striped and striated envelope, having on average the same proportions; most of them have a non-functional comb, on the top, and two other functional combs; cell diameter ca. 3.5mm; comb diameter ca. 4.5 cm

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Head, frontal view (females). 1. P. belemensis. 2. P. dimorpha. 3. P. hecuba. 4. P. parvulina. 5. P. platycephala. 6. P. rosalinae sp. nov. 7. P. scrobalis. 8. P. surinama.

FIGURES 9–16. Habitus, lateral view (females). 9. P. belemensis. 10. P. dimorpha. 11. P. hecuba. 12. P. parvulina. 13. P. platycephala. 14. P. rosalinae sp. nov.15. P. scrobalis. 16. P. surinama.

FIGURES 17–24. Habitus, dorsal view (females). 17. P. belemensis. 18. P. dimorpha. 19. P. hecuba. 20. P. parvulina. 21. P. platycephala. 22. P. rosalinae sp. nov. 23. P. scrobalis. 24. P. surinama.

FIGURES 25–32. Head and pronotum, diagonal view (females). 25. P. belemensis. 26. P. dimorpha. 27. P. hecuba. 28. P. parvulina. 29. P. platycephala. 30. P. rosalinae sp. nov. 31. P. scrobalis. 32. P. surinama.

FIGURES 37–42. 37–41. Head, frontal view (male). 37. P. belemensis. 38. P. parvulina. 39. P. platycephala. 40. P. scrobalis. 41. P. surinama. 42. Nest of P. rosalinae sp. nov.

FIGURES 56–63. Male genitalia. 56–57. P. belemensis. 58–59. P. parvulina. 60–61. P. platycephala. 62–63. P. surinama. 56, 58, 60, 62. Frontal view. 57, 59, 61, 63. Lateral view.