Onychopterocheilus kiritshenkoi ( Kostylev, 1940 )

Fateryga, Alexander V. & Buyanjargal, Batchuluun, 2023, A new species of the genus Onychopterocheilus Blüthgen, 1955 from the Altai Mountains, with the re-description and new records of the closely related O. kiritshenkoi (Kostylev, 1940) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), Zootaxa 5323 (1), pp. 94-104 : 96-99

Onychopterocheilus kiritshenkoi ( Kostylev, 1940)

( Figs 1–13 , 23, 24 )

Pterochilus [sic!] kiritshenkoi Kostylev 1940: 147 , ♀ (type locality: “ Gobi (Mongolie)” [ Mongolia]; holotype, ♀, 13.VII.1926, leg. P. Kozlov [ ZISP]) .

Diagnosis. Female clypeus mostly yellow except apical black part, about 1.4× as wide as long in frontal view; male clypeus about 1.2× as wide as long in frontal view, with roundly emarginated apical margin; male F7–F11 light-yellowish; setae on frons, vertex, dorsal surface of mesosoma, and T1 distinctly shorter than F1; distance between lateral ocellus and occipital margin about 1.7× as long as distance between lateral ocelli in female; punctation on dorsal and ventral mesepisterna with rather shining interstices; scutellum black, convex, medially with longitudinal impunctate line; T1–T4 with broad orange-yellow or lemon-yellow bands; dense apical fringes of setae developed on male S3–S7+8; volsella in dorsal view with two short and thick processes directed medially and situated at base and center; digitus covered with setae not longer than both basal and central processes; aedeagus in lateral view with small median expansion; ventral lobe of aedeagus with narrow acute process directed forwards.

Description. Female. Body length (from head to apical margin of T2) 8–9 mm; forewing length 7.5–8.5 mm. Head about 1.2× as wide as long in frontal view. Mandible with five teeth. LP2 about 6.2× as long as wide; LP3 about 3.7× as long as wide. Clypeus about 1.4× as wide as long, its apical emargination shallow, about 0.2× as deep as wide, taking about 1/6 of clypeal width, apical teeth rounded. Distance between lateral ocellus and occipital margin about 1.7× as long as distance between lateral ocelli. Anterior pronotal carina obsolete, angles of pronotum rounded. Epicnemial carina obsolete. Notauli and parapsidal lines distinct on posterior half of scutum. Scutellum evenly convex. Metanotum with narrow horizontal surface sharply rounded to vertical posterior surface. Propodeal valvula rounded posteriorly. T1 with median longitudinal furrow posteriorly. T2 broader than T1. S 2 in lateral view roundly elevated at base, in ventral view without longitudinal furrow.

Most of clypeus surface rather dull, longitudinally rugose-punctate, interstices several times exceeding puncture diameter, with weak microsculpture; lateral parts of clypeus dull, with very dense and fine punctation, without visible interstices. Frons densely punctate, interstices very small, less than puncture diameter; both punctures and interstices becoming larger towards ocelli; punctures on vertex large, interstices reaching puncture diameter, with weak microsculpture; gena with punctures smaller than those on vertex, interstices exceeding puncture diameter, shining. Pronotum punctate as gena. Scutum longitudinally rugose-punctate, punctures similar in size to those on vertex, interstices reaching puncture diameter, rather shining. Scutellum sparsely punctate in basal half, punctures similar in size to those on scutum but interstices exceeding puncture diameter, shining; distal half of scutellum with denser punctation, both punctures and interstices becoming smaller apically; median line of scutellum impunctate. Tegula shining, with few small punctures. Punctation on dorsal and ventral mesepisterna coarse, punctures larger than those on vertex, scutum, and basal half of scutellum, interstices reaching puncture diameter, rather shining, with weak microsculpture; mesepimeron with smaller and denser punctures. Metanotum dull, densely and shallowly punctate, interstices indistinct. Metapleuron and propodeum shallowly and finely rugose, without distinct punctures. T1–T5 very minutely and shallowly punctate, interstices shining. T6 with somewhat larger punctures and duller interstices. S1 posterior to transverse carina dull, rugose, without distinct punctures. S2–S6 punctate similarly to corresponding terga but interstices with distinct microsculpture.

Setae of psammophore on LP2 and LP3 about as long as F1, slightly curved. Frons, vertex, gena, mesosoma, coxae, T1, S1, and S2 with straight pale setae shorter than F1 but sometimes slightly longer than F2. Mandible, clypeus, T2–T6, and S3–S6 with very short appressed pale setae. Femora with setae of intermediate length. Tibiae and coxae with rows of short stiff rake setae.

Basal color black. The following parts orange-yellow: small spot on mandible basally, clypeus except anterior margin, narrow band along inner eye margin from clypeus to ocular sinus, lateral spot on vertex, large lateral spot on pronotum taking most of its surface, tegula, broad apical bands on T1–T4, and narrow apical band on S2. Distal part of mandible, labial palpus, foreleg from middle of femur onwards, and mid and hind legs from distal parts of femora onwards ferruginous. Wings fuscous, veins brown.

Male. Body length (from head to apical margin of T2) 7–8 mm; forewing length 6.5–7 mm. Structure resembles that in female except the following: mandible with four teeth, without notch; both LP2 and LP3 much smaller, not so flattened; clypeus about 1.2× as wide as long, its apical emargination deeper, about 0.4× as deep as wide, taking about 1/3 of clypeal width; F7–F11 forming coil; distance between lateral ocellus and occipital margin about 1.4× as long as distance between lateral ocelli; T7 and S7+8 truncate apically. Genitalia as in Figs 10–13 . Volsella in dorsal view with two short and thick processes directed medially and situated at base and center; digitus covered with setae not longer than both basal and central processes. Aedeagus curved downwards, in lateral view with small median expansion; ventral lobe of aedeagus with acute, nearly linear process directed forwards.

Sculpture similar to that in female but clypeus not rugose, punctate finely. T7 and S7+8 punctate similarly to T6 and S6.

Setae mostly as in female but LP2 and LP3 with much shorter setae, not longer than F2. S3–S7+8 with dense apical fringes of brown semi-appressed setae.

Basal color black. The following parts lemon-yellow: mandible except teeth, labrum, clypeus, ventral side of scapus, narrow band along inner eye margin from clypeus to ocular sinus, lateral spot on vertex, large lateral spot on pronotum taking most of its surface, tegula, ventral surface of coxae, broad apical bands on T1–T4, narrow apical band on T5 (sometimes reduced), narrow apical band on S2, and narrow apical bands on S3 and S4 (sometimes reduced). F7–F11 light-yellowish. Foreleg from middle of femur onwards and mid and hind legs from distal parts of femora onwards orange-yellow. Wings fuscous, veins brown.

Material examined. Holotype. MONGOLIA. Övörkhangai Province: “Холт, сев. Гоби” [Tögrög Sum, Khoolt], 13.VII.[1]926, 1 ♀, leg. [P.] Kozlov [ ZISP] ( Figs 1–4 ) . Additional material. RUSSIA. Altai Republic: 5 km NE Kokorya , 49°57′00″N, 89°04′19″E , 24. VI .2022 , 1 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin [ CAFK]; ibid., on Caragana bungei , 26. VI .2022 , 3 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK]; ibid., on Vicia costata , 26. VI .2022 , 1 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK]. Tyva Republic: Erzin District , 3–5 km E Erzin, 1000–1100 m , 23. V .1990 , 1 ♀, leg. D. Logunov, O. Lyakhov [ FSCV]. MONGOLIA. Bayankhongor Province: Ölziit Sum , SE Khangai, Lamiin Gegeen , 18.VII.1926, 1 ♀, leg. A. Kiritshenko [ ZISP] . Khövsgöl Province: Renchinlkhümbe Sum, Arsai River , mountain side , 27. VI .2012 , 1 ♀, leg. Ch. Gantigmaa [ IBU]. Bulgan Province: Rashaant Sum, Khugnu Khan Mountains , Uvgun Khiid , 30. V .2014 , 1 ♀, 2 ♁, leg. B. Buyanjargal [ IBU]. Govi-Altai Province: Khaliun Sum, Khantaishir Mountains , 46.14947°N, 96.54959°E, 2421 m , 4. VI.2022, 2 ♁, leg. B. Buyanjargal [ IBU].

Distribution. Russia: Altai Republic (new record), Tyva Republic; Mongolia ( Fig. 18 ).

Remarks. The specimen collected in Mongolia by A.N. Kiritshenko was confirmed to be examined by G. Kostylev due to the presence of his identification label: “ Pt. kiritshenkoi , n. sp. ♀, G. Kostylev det. 1934”. Therefore, Kostylev named his new species honoring Kiritshenko. He, however, did not mention this specimen in the original description while reported only the specimen collected by P.K. Kozlov, as the type ( Kostylev 1940). Thus, the specimen collected by Kiritshenko is not a paratype, although it has a red label: “ Paratypus Pterocheilus kiritshenkoi Kostylev, 1940 ♀ ” written apparently by N.V. Kurzenko.

Habitat and trophic relationships. This species was observed in the Altai Mountains in a mountain semidesert with sparse herbaceous vegetation, scattered shrubs of Caragana bungei Ledeb. (Fabaceae) , and semi-shrubs of Artemisia stechmanniana Besser (Asteraceae) ( Fig. 19 ). Females were recorded visiting flowers of C. bungei ( Fig. 20 ) and another leguminous species, Vicia costata Ledeb. At both plant species, they acted as primary nectar robbers sensu Inouye (1980), i.e., they made holes in the perianth to access nectar. The wasp landed onto the calyx and gnawed it with the mandibles holding onto the flower with all of its legs ( Fig. 23 ). After that, it inserted the proboscis into the resulting hole ( Fig. 24 ). Secondary nectar robbing, i.e., the use of the pre-existing holes was also observed at flowers of C. bungei . Some of the pre-existing holes might be made by O. kiritshenkoi while others were made by a species of the closely related genus Pterocheilus . In the Khantaishir Mountains, O. kiritshenkoi was observed in a mountain steppe ( Fig. 21 ).

Figures

FIGURE 18. Distribution of Onychopterocheilus kiritshenkoi (Kostylev, 1940) (circles) and O. proshchalykini Fateryga, sp. nov. (star).

FIGURES 1–9. Onychopterocheilus kiritshenkoi (Kostylev, 1940). 1–4, ♀, holotype; 5, 6, ♀, Russia (Altai Republic); 7–9, ♁, Mongolia. 1, 8, habitus in dorsal view; 2, 9, habitus in lateral view; 3, 7, head in frontal view; 4, labels; 5, vertex in dorsal view; 6, labial palpus (LP2 and LP3) in dorsal view. Scale bars 1 mm.

FIGURES 10–17. Male genitalia of Onychopterocheilus spp. 10–13, O. kiritshenkoi (Kostylev, 1940); 14–17, O. proshchalykini Fateryga, sp. nov. 10, 14, left paramere and volsella in dorsal view (bp, basal process; cp, central process); 11, 15, left paramere and volsella in lateral view from inside; 12, 16, aedeagus in dorsal view; 13, 17, aedeagus in lateral view (me, median expansion; vl, ventral lobe). Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 23–24. A female of Onychopterocheilus kiritshenkoi (Kostylev, 1940) robbing nectar from a flower of Caragana bungei Ledeb.

FIGURES 19–22. Habitats of Onychopterocheilus spp. 19, a habitat of O. kiritshenkoi (Kostylev, 1940) in 5 km NE Kokorya (Altai Mountains, Russia); 20, a shrub of Caragana bungei Ledeb. where O. kiritshenkoi was observed in 5 km NE Kokorya; 21, a habitat of O. kiritshenkoi in the Khantaishir Mountains (Mongolia); 22, the habitat of O. proshchalykini Fateryga, sp. nov. in the type locality in 24 km NWW Aktash (Altai Mountains, Russia).