Polistes (Polistella) philippinensis de Saussure, 1854

Selis, Marco, 2018, Revision of the genus Polistes Latreille (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) in the Philippine Islands, Zootaxa 4531 (4), pp. 507-531 : 519

Polistes (Polistella) philippinensis de Saussure, 1854

( Figs. 32–40 )

Polistes philippinensis de Saussure 1854: 58 , ♀ —“Les Philippines ” (holotype BMNH). Polistes sagittarius var. (or subsp.) funebris Bequaert 1940: 269, ♀, ♂ —“Los Banos, Luzon, Philippines Islands” (holotype MCZ). Syn. nov.

Diagnosis. This species can be recognized by the combination of the following characters: medium to large sized wasp, mesosoma densely and coarsely punctate and interspaces raised to form reticulation, female metasomal sterna with longitudinal ridges ( Fig. 37 ), coloration of metasoma ranging from entirely black to black with extensive orange markings on T1–T5, and clypeus of male entirely black or almost black with very reduced yellow lateral lines ( Fig. 38 ).

Material examined. PHILIPPINES: LUZON : Cagayan, St. Ana , X.2014, 1 ♂ (MSVI); Ifugao, VII.2013, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Isabela, Dinapigue , VIII.2014, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Isabela, Dindin , VIII.2014, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Nueva Vizcaya, Belance , I.2014, leg. M.G. Felipe, 2♀ ( MSVI) ; Subic , X.2015, 2 ♂ ( MSVI) ; MINDANAO: Agusan, San Francisco , X.2017, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Compostela, Masara , III.2014, 1 ♀ ( UDRI) ; Compostela, Masara , II.2016, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Cotabato, Kidapawan , XI.2014, 2 ♂ ( MSVI) ; Davao, Governor Generoso , X.2017, 1 ♂ 2♀ ( MSVI) ; Davao, Governor Generoso , XI.2017, 4 ♂ 1♀ ( MSVI) ; Davao, Kapatagan , VII.2015, 1 ♂ ( MSVI) ; Davao, Kapatagan , XII.2016, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Gutalac , V.2015, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Masara , I.2015, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Mt. Apo , XI.2013, 1 ♂ 1♀ ( MSVI) ; Mt. Apo , II.2014, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Mt. Apo , VI.2014, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Subic , X.2015, 1 ♂ ( MSVI) ; Zamboanga, Gutalac , I.2015, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Zamboanga, Gutalac , IV. 2015, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Zamboanga, Gutalac , VI.2015, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; MINDORO: Abra de Ilog, VI.2014, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Baco , VIII.2015, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Baco , IX.2015, 1 ♂ 1♀ ( MSVI) ; Puerto Galera , VIII.2014, 2 ♂ 1♀ ( MSVI) ; Puerto Galera , XI.2014, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) ; SAMAR: Lope de Vega , VI.2016, 1 ♂ ( MSVI) ; Lope de Vega , VIII.2016, leg. Ismael Lumawig, 1♂ ( LDMLC) ; Lope de Vega , XI.2017, 2 ♀ ( MSVI) ; Maydolong , X.2015, 1 ♂ ( MSVI) .

Distribution. Philippine Islands: Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro*, Samar * ( Bequaert 1940; Carpenter 1996b; Selis 2015).

Remarks. This species is endemic to the Philippine Islands and was formerly divided into two subspecies, P. p. philippinensis de Saussure, 1854 and P. p. funebris Bequaert, 1940. As previously stated in Selis (2015), the cohabitation of these two subspecies on Mindanao was in contrast with the concept of subspecies as a form that does not occur together with the typical form, implying that the subspecies of P. (P.) philippinensis needed to be revised. Having examined many specimens of both forms, both males and females, and from all main islands of the Philippine Islands, it is now possible to conclude that the two forms should be synonymized. Polistes (P.) philippinensis funebris generally shows smaller size and darker coloration ( Figs. 32–33 ), while P. (P.) philippinensis philippinensis is larger and more extensively marked with orange ( Figs. 34–35 ). In females, however, intermediate specimens that cannot be certainly placed in one subspecies are common. In males, differences in size and coloration are more constant, but transitional forms can be found, moreover differences in external characters and genitalia cannot be found. Therefore, the synonymy of P. (P.) philippinensis funebris under the typical form is proposed.

Figures

FIGURES 32–37. Polistes (Polistella) philippinensis de Saussure, 1854. 32, 34, 36–37, ♀. 33, 35, ♂. 32, 33, Habitus of form funebris Bequaert, 1940. 34, 35, Habitus of form philippinensis de Saussure, 1854. 36, S2 in lateral view. 37, S3–S5 in ventral view.

FIGURES 38–42. 38–40, Polistes (Polistella) philippinensis de Saussure, 1854, ♂. 41–42, Polistes (Polistella) sagittarius de Saussure, 1854, ♀. 38, Head in frontal view. 39, Antenna in lateral view. 40, S7 in ventral view. 41, Habitus. 42, Pronotum in dorso-lateral view.