Celonites tudesculptus Kostylev, 1935

Fateryga, Alexander V., Mauss, Volker, Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu. & Maharramov, Mahir M., 2025, Taxonomic review of the pollen wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) from the Caucasus, with the description of two new species, new nest and flower-visiting records, and a key to the species, Zootaxa 5716 (4), pp. 514-540 : 523-526

Celonites tudesculptus Kostylev, 1935

( Fig. 5 , 9J , 10C, J )

Celonites tudesculptus Kostylev, 1935: 109 , [ ♀] (type locality: “АрмениЯ” [ Armenia]), lectotype ( Fateryga 2025b: 219 ), ♀, ZISP (examined).

Description of male (hitherto unknown). Body length (from head to posterior margin of tergum II) 4–5 mm (total body length 5–6 mm); forewing length 4–5 mm. Head in frontal view about 1.35× as wide as long (from top of median ocellus to ventral margin of clypeus). Proboscis much longer than body. Clypeus about 1.3× as wide as long; its ventral emargination very shallow and narrowly lamellate, taking about 0.5 of clypeal width, ventro-lateral teeth rounded. Distance between lateral ocellus and occiput about 1.1× as long as distance between lateral ocelli and about 1.9× as long as distance between lateral ocellus and compound eye. Antenna with articles A8–A12 forming ventrally flattened club about 1.7× as long as wide in dorsal view; ventral side of antennal club with three oval-shaped tyloids on A9, A10, and A11; tyloid of A10 taking whole length of article; tyloid of A11 smaller than that of A10 and larger than that of A9. Width of gena in front of ocular sinus about equal to diameter of lateral ocellus. Preoccipital carina distinct along whole outer margin of compound eye. Pronotum with anterior side nearly vertical, roundly angled to dorsal surface. Pronotal humerus angulately rounded; in lateral view, pronotal carina distinctly separating antero-ventral area of pronotum from its dorsal area at antero-lateral sides. Scutellum separated from mesoscutum by transverse suture, moderately convex, bluntly angled posteriorly. Axilla of scutellum with distinct lateral projection lying on tegula. Tegula with very weak depression in front of lateral projection of axilla; outer side of tegula rather rounded. Epipleural and episternal sulci obsolete. Ventral mesepisternum unevenly rounded ventrally. Epicnemial carina distinct and sharp. Mesepimeron produced posteriorly as small tubercle. Dorsal carinae of propodeum weakly recognizable, forming just indistinct tubercles on medial end, adjacent to metanotum. Outline of emargination between lateral lamella and postero-lateral process of propodeum small, comma-like, its medially directed apex just slightly enlarged. Terga I–VI medially with straight, not crenulate margins, laterally with tooth. Tergum VII trilobed; median lobe roundly truncate, lateral lobes tooth-like. Sternum VIII posteriorly broadly emarginate, with short acute median process. Genitalia as in Fig. 5D ; harpide bifurcate apically; volsella directed medio-posteriorly; aedoeagus moderately narrowing towards apex.

Clypeus shining, with shallow sparse irregular punctures, interstices mostly exceeding puncture diameter. Punctation on frons and vertex coarse, interstices less than puncture diameter, moderately shining. Punctation on gena finer and sparser than that on frons and vertex. Pronotum, mesoscutum, and scutellum densely punctate with punctures slightly larger than those on frons and vertex, interstices narrower than puncture diameter, moderately shining. Tegula with moderately dense punctures and dull reticulately microsculptured interstices mostly not reaching puncture diameter.Dorsal and ventral mesepisterna and mesepimeron sculptured similarly to pronotum, mesoscutum, and scutellum. Posterior surface of metanotum dull, reticulately microsculptured, mostly without macropunctures. Metapleuron and lateral surface of propodeum dull, shagreened, without distinct punctures. Posterior surface of propodeum sculptured similarly to pronotum, mesoscutum, and scutellum but interstices between punctures becoming larger (about 0.5 of puncture diameter) at lateral side of lateral lamella. Punctation on metasomal terga about as coarse as that on pronotum, mesoscutum, and scutellum; punctures becoming sparser and sometimes smaller on depression where some interstices reaching puncture diameter. Sternum I with reticulate microsculpture only. Sterna II–VI with irregularly scattered punctures of various sizes, interstices exceeding diameter of largest punctures, rather dull, with distinct reticulate microsculpture. Sternum VII on distal half with band of scattered coarse punctures as well as small punctures.

Mandible and labrum covered with thin pale setae, reaching in length diameter of median ocellus. Clypeus, frons, vertex, and pronotum mostly with setae as long as 2/3 of diameter of median ocellus. Compound eye with very unnoticeable short dust-like setae. Mesoscutum, scutellum, and terga with short unnoticeable erect setae. Sterna mostly with short appressed setae, especially at posterior margins. Legs from coxae to femora with setae mostly shorter than those on clypeus, frons, vertex, and pronotum. Tibia and tarsus of foreleg with stiff setae about as long as diameter of median ocellus, those setae on mid and hind legs much shorter. Pollen-collecting brush of stiff setae on inner surface of basitarsus of foreleg not modified. Spur of foretibia curved, dorsally with large transparent lamella, apically blunt.

Base color black. Clypeus mostly whitish except two vertical black lines along lateral margins; often whitish coloration reduced to broad median vertical band (ten specimens of 18) or rarely to medio-ventral spot ( two specimens) or medio-dorsal and medio-ventral spots ( two specimens). Labrum often with whitish spot ( nine specimens). Following parts whitish, often outlined by ferruginous: median spot on pronotum fused with narrow band along its posterior margin, spot on antero-lateral side of pronotum, lateral projection of axilla of scutellum, large spot on dorsal mesepisternum, lateral side of lateral lamella of propodeum, posterior bands on terga I–VI. Distal half of mandible, tyloids of antenna, tegula, metanotum, tergum VII, and legs from distal ends of femora ferruginous. Wings strongly fuscous; veins and pterostigma dark brown.

Material examined. LECTOTYPE (designated by Fateryga (2025b: 219)): ♀, labeled “[golden disc] // Caucasus. / Araxesthal. / Leder.Reitter. // Celonites ♀ / rudesculptus Typ / G. Kostylev det. 1932 // Lectotype ♀ / Celonites tudesculptus / Kostylev, 1935 / des. Fateryga, 2024 [red label] // Zoological Institute / St. Petersburg / INS_HYM_ 0000329 [pale yellow label]” [ ZISP]. PARALECTOTYPES: ARMENIA: Caucasus, Araxesthal, 1 ♀, leg. H. Leder, E. Reitter [ ZISP]; Caucasus, Armenisches Gebiet, 1 ♀, leg. H. Leder, E. Reitter [ ZISP]. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: AZERBAIJAN. Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic: Shakhbuz, Kolani, 39°26'51"N, 45°39'13"E, 1330 m, on Nepeta trautvetteri , 21.VI.2024, 6 ♀ (dbM 6336, 6337), leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ 2 ♀, CAFK; 2 ♀, CVMM; 2 ♀, FSCV]; ibid., on Nepeta trautvetteri , 28.V.2025, 3 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ FSCV]; Ordubad, Bilav, 39°02'43"N, 45°49'07"E, 1050 m, on Nepeta trautvetteri , 22.V.2025, 5 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ 4 ♀, CAFK; 1 ♀, FSCV]; ibid., on Nepeta trautvetteri , 27.V.2025, 19 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ 1 ♀, CAFK; 5 ♀, CVMM; 8 ♀, FSCV; 5 ♀, ZISP]; ibid., on Nepeta trautvetteri , 29.V.2025, 18 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ FSCV]; Julfa, Daridagh-2, 39°03'58"N, 45°37'35"E, 1100 m, 24.V.2025, 7 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ 1 ♂, CAFK; 7 ♀, FSCV]; ibid., 27.V.2025, 5 ♀, 5 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ 4 ♂, CAFK; 5 ♀, FSCV; 1 ♂, CVMM]; ibid., 29.V.2025, 7 ♀, 7 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ 2 ♂, CVMM; 7 ♀, 5 ♂, FSCV]; ibid., 30.V.2025, 2 ♀, 5 ♂, leg. M. Proshchalykin, M. Maharramov [ 2 ♀, FSCV; 5 ♂, ZISP].

Distribution. Armenia, * Azerbaijan ( Nakhchivan AR) ( Fig. 11 ).

Trophic relationships. Females were collected in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan at Nepeta trautvetteri ( Lamiaceae ). Plants of this family are a common pollen source for the genus Celonites in the Palaearctic region (summarized by Gess 1996 and supplemented by Mauss 2006; Mauss et al. 2016; Fateryga et al. 2022, 2023; Fateryga 2025a). However, it was not documented whether C. tudesculptus collected pollen or nectar (or both) at N. trautvetteri , but the females have characteristically erected setae with ventro-medially curved distal ends on the clypeus that may facilitate pollen uptake from nototribic flowers, like Lamiaceae (cf. Müller 1996; Fateryga et al. 2022, 2023; Fateryga 2025a).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Celonites tudesculptus Kostylev, 1935, ♂, Azerbaijan. A, habitus in dorsal view; B, habitus in lateral view; C, metasomal terga II–VII; D, genitalia in dorsal view and metasomal sternum VII+VIII in ventral view; E, head in frontal view. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Characters of pollen wasps. A, D, Ceramius caucasicus André, 1884, ♂,Azerbaijan; B, Jugurtia eurycara Kostylev, 1935, ♀, Azerbaijan; C, J. irana Kostylev, 1935, ♀, Azerbaijan; E, J. eurycara, ♂,Azerbaijan; F, G, Celonites osseus Morawitz, 1888, ♀, Armenia; H, C. laetus Panfilov, 1968, ♀, holotype; I, C. tauricus Kostylev, 1935, ♀, Azerbaijan; J, C. tudesculptus Kostylev, 1935, ♀, Azerbaijan. A, clypeus; B, C, F, head in frontal view; D, E, antenna; G–J, head in lateral view. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Characters of pollen wasps. A, I, Celonites tauricus Kostylev, 1935, ♀, Azerbaijan; B, C. ivanovi Mauss & Fateryga, 2022, ♀, Dagestan; C, J, C. tudesculptus Kostylev, 1935, ♀, Azerbaijan; D, H, C. laetus Panfilov, 1968, ♀, holotype; E, C. osseus Morawitz, 1888, ♀, Armenia; F, C. tauricus, ♂, Dagestan; G, C. osseus, ♂, Iran; K, C. ivanovi, ♂, paratype; L, Jugurtia eurycara Kostylev, 1935, ♀, Azerbaijan; M, J. irana Kostylev, 1935, ♀, Azerbaijan. A–C, emargination between lateral lamella and postero-lateral process of propodeum; D, E, tegula; F, G, apex of metasoma in dorsal view; H, metasomal terga II–VI; I–K, metasoma in dorsal view; L, M, metasomal terga II–IV. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURE 11. Distribution of pollen wasps in the Caucasus. A, Celonites cagrii Mauss & Yildirim, 2022; B, C. carpenteri Fateryga & Mauss, sp. nov.; C, C. ivanovi Mauss & Fateryga, 2022; D, C. laetus Panfilov, 1968; E, C. osseus Morawitz, 1888; F, C. tauricus Kostylev, 1935; G, C. tudesculptus Kostylev, 1935; H, Ceramius caucasicus André, 1884; I, Jugurtia eurycara Kostylev, 1935; J, J. irana Kostylev, 1935; K, Quartinia aliyevi Fateryga, Mauss, Proshchalykin & Maharramov, sp. nov.; L, Q. araxana Giordani Soika, 1960.