Polistes biglumis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Neumeyer, Rainer, Baur, Hannes, Guex, Gaston-Denis & Praz, Christophe, 2014, A new species of the paper wasp genus Polistes (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae) in Europe revealed by morphometrics and molecular analyses, ZooKeys 400, pp. 67-118 : 79-81

Polistes biglumis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Vespa biglumis Linnaeus, 1758: 573 - Holotype female (LSL), designation by Day (1979), type locality Europe (not examined)

Vespa rupestris Linnaeus, 1758: 573 - Holotype male (LSL), designation by Day (1979), type locality Sweden (not examined)

Vespa bimaculata Geoffroy in Fourcroy 1785: 433 - Holotype female (type lost; see Blüthgen 1961: 54), type locality near Paris, France

Polistes geoffroyi Lepeletier & Serville, 1825: 173 - Syntypes males, females (depository unknown), type locality France

Polistes dubius Kohl, 1898: 90 - Lectotype male (NHMW), designated by Blüthgen (1943: 128), type locality Brühl, Austria (examined by RN)

Polistes kohli Dalla Torre, 1904: 70 - Replacement name for Polistes dubius Kohl, 1898, nec Saussure, 1867

Polistes bimaculatus pamirensis Zirngiebl, 1955: 381-383, 385 - Syntypes 4 females (ZSM), type locality “Umss-Tugai”, probably in the area of eastern Uzbekistan to southwestern Tadjikistan (examined by RN)

Polistes bimaculatus nigrinotum Zirngiebl, 1955: 381-383, 385 - Holotype female (ZSM), type locality Althegnenberg, Germany (examined by RN)

Diagnosis.

Relatively large, dark species with pedicel and flagellum dorsally black in both sexes.

Females: Epicnemial carina pronounced (Fig. 12a). Hypopygium black. Metacoxa black. Mesoscutum black. Propodeum black laterally, occasionally with small yellow spot. Clypeus breadth: malar space 3.06-3.58; head breadth: malar space 6.81-8.09; malar space: lateral ocelli distance 1.22-1.76; metatibia length: malar space 6.96-8.56; terminal flagellomere length: malar space 0.64-0.87.

Males: Gena in dorsal view convex (Fig. 12l). Epicnemium and mesosternum yellow. Head breadth: head height 1.18-1.28; lower face: clypeus breadth 1.29-1.45; terminal flagellomere length: lateral ocelli distance 0.85-1.38; terminal flagellomere length: malar space 0.72-1.07; terminal flagellomere length: terminal flagellomere breadth 1.64-2.68.

Comments.

The holotype of Vespa biglumis Linnaeus, 1758, presently held at the Linnean Society of London, is not available for loan. We have, however, examined pictures online (http://linnean-online.org/16745/). Although no clear epicnemial carina is recognizable from the picture due to the condition of the specimen, the pubescence on the mesoscutum appears too long for Polistes helveticus sp. n. Therefore, we have no reason to question the current concept of Polistes biglumis .

Similarly, we have examined pictures (http://linnean-online.org/16772/) of the holotype (LINN 2807) of Vespa rupestris Linnaeus, 1758, also held at the Linnean Society of London and unavailable for loan. The genae of this male specimen are clearly convex in dorsal view (Fig. 12l), excluding any confusion with Polistes helveticus sp. n. or Polistes bischoffi .

The holotype of Vespa bimaculata Geoffroy in Fourcroy, 1785 is missing ( Blüthgen 1961: 54), as are the syntypes of Polistes geoffroyi Lepeletier & Serville, 1825. According to the original descriptions both taxa seem to refer to dark individuals, but since no epicnemial carina is mentioned, a synonymy with Polistes helveticus sp. n. can neither be excluded nor proved.

The lectotype of Polistes dubius Kohl, 1898 was examined; we did not detect any characters allowing separation from Polistes biglumis . This view is also supported by our morphometric analyses (Fig. 3b, d [I]), which revealed that the lectotype of Polistes dubius does not plot far away from other males of Polistes biglumis . In any case it is a male with convex genae (Fig. 12l), making any confusion with the otherwise similarily colored male of Polistes helveticus sp. n. impossible.

We have seen three (ZSM-HYM-000006, ZSM-HYM-000007, ZSM-HYM-000009) of four syntypes of Polistes bimaculatus pamirensis Zirngiebl, 1955. Although they are dark females, occasionally with the entire mandible (ZSM-HYM-000007) or the apical part of the clypeus (ZSM-HYM-000006, ZSM-HYM-000007) black, the flagellum is not dark even on its dorsal side. The epicnemial carina is very pronounced in all three specimens, excluding confusion with Polistes helveticus sp. n. or Polistes bischoffi . However, morphology as well as morphometry (Fig. 3a, c [A]) cast doubt on whether this taxon is conspecific with Polistes biglumis . More material and further studies are needed to elucidate the status of this taxon.

The holotype (ZSM-HYM-000008) of Polistes bimaculatus nigrinotum Zirngiebl, 1955 is a very dark female; the apical part of the clypeus is entirely black and there is only a very small yellow spot on the mandible. The epicnemial carina is distinct, excluding confusion with Polistes helveticus sp. n. We see no trait distinguishing this specimen from Polistes biglumis , a view supported by our morphometric analysis (Fig. 3a, c [B]).

Material examined.

1 ♂ (Lectotype of Polistes dubius ): Austria, Lower Austria, Brühl, 22 Aug 1883, Franz Friedrich Kohl det., NHMW coll.; 2 ♂ (RN0123, RN0124): CROATIA, ISTRIA, Vela Učka, 45°18'25.7"N, 14°11'40.4"E, 824 m, 27 Jul 2012, karst mountain range, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0224): GERMANY, BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG, Pullendorf, 13 Jul 2009, railroad area, Mike Herrmann leg., MH coll.; 1 ♀ (Holotype of bimaculatus nigrinotum: ZSM-HYM-000008): Bavaria, Althegnenberg, 19-20 Jul 1946, Heinz Freude leg., ZSM coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0231): SWITZERLAND, CANTON BASLE-City, Basel, Badischer Bahnhof, 47°34'50.12"N, 07°36'07.63"E, 255 m, 18 Aug 1995, railroad area, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0247): CANTON GRISONS, Buseno, Monti di San Carlo, 1200 m, 09 Jul 1942, Adolf Nadig leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0249): Davos, Züge, 1500 m, 27 Aug 1931, Johann Peter Wolf leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0239): Feldis/Veulden, 21 Sep 1935, Adolf Nadig leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0248): 25 Aug 1944, Adolf Nadig leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0246): Ftan, 1610 m, 21 Jul 1994, Bernhard Merz leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0229): Klosters-Serneus, Boschga, 46°52'52.20"N, 09°52'14.34"E, 1060 m, 01 May 1993, montane meadow, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 2 ♂ (RN0250, RN0258): Ramosch, 07 Sep 1963, Willi Sauter leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0238): Sumvitg, Rabius, 24 Jun 1934, Adolf Nadig leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0255): Val Müstair, Lü, 13 Aug 1935, Adolf Nadig leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0028): Val Müstair, Müstair: Munt Masaun, 46°37'02.21"N, 10°25'56.36"E, 1420 m, 13 Aug 2011, rock steppe, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0027): Val Müstair, Sta. Maria: Costas, 46°36'25.78"N, 10°25'29.37"E, 1350 m, 13 Aug 2011, berm, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0029): Val Müstair, Tschierv: God da Munt, 46°37'48.79"N, 10°20'42.11"E, 1790 m, 14 Aug 2011, clear larch wood, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ + 1 ♂ (RN0021, RN0087): Hansueli Tinner leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0243): Zuoz, 1800 m, 09 Sep 1966, Paul Bovey leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0233): CANTON ST. Gallen, Pfäfers, Bläser Berg, 46°57'24.76"N, 09°29'51.11"E, 1500 m, 23 Aug 1994, blowdown, Peter Duelli leg., RN coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0256): Pfäfers, 20 Sep 1955, Hedwig Huber leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0254): Walenstadt, Steinbruch Engen, 04 Sep 1997, quarry, Andreas Müller leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0232): CANTON SCHAFF-HAUSEN, Merishausen, Chörblihalde, 47°45'24.82"N, 08°37'16.59"E, 565 m, 25 Aug 2004, hay meadow, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0228): Merishausen, Laadel, 47°46'17.63"N, 08°36'25.42"E, 620 m, 16 Aug 2004, fallow meadow, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0225): CANTON Thurgovia, Herdern, 47°36'39.59"N, 08°54'20.39"E, 635 m, Aug 2005, Mike Herrmann leg., MH coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0240): CANTON Ticino, Airolo, 04 Aug 1933, Adolf Nadig leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0227): Lavertezzo, Piano, 46°15'54.34"N, 08°49'15.23"E, 589 m, 01 Jun 2012, Yannick Chittaro leg., YC coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0236): Prato Sornico, Lovalt, 46°23'20.36"N, 08°39'51.38"E, 610 m, 24 Jul 1994, riparian zones, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0178): Prugiasco, San Carlo di Negrentino, 46°27'46.14"N, 08°55'24.50"E, 860 m, 20 Aug 1993, montane meadow, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0257): CANTON VALAIS, Ausserberg, Millachra, 46°19'08.04"N, 07°50'14.02"E, 1210 m, 09 Jul 1998, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0234): 06 Sep 1998, Rainer Neumeyer leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0244): Erschmatt, Rüemetschbodu, 46°19'35.42"N, 07°41'44.68"E, 1490 m, 18 Jul 2003, Alexandra Breitenstein leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0252): Fiesch, 28 Jul 1942, Adolf Nadig leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0253): Grimentz, 18 Aug 1941, Adolf Nadig leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♂ (RN0235): Guttet-Feschel, 1300 m, 1993, Gerhard Bächli leg., RN coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0241): Ried-Brig, Berisal, 30 Jun 1919, anon. leg., ETHZ coll.; 1 ♀ (RN0226): Ried-Brig, Gantertal, 46°17'56.61"N, 08°03'35.70"E, 1420 m, 26 Jun 2012, Yannick Chittaro leg., YC coll.; 3 ♀ (Syntypes of bimaculatus pamirensis: ZSM-HYM-000006, ZSM-HYM-000007, ZSM-HYM-000009): Uzbekistan or Tadjikistan, “Umss-Tugai”, 25 Jul 1928, Willi Rickmers leg., ZSM coll.