Anterhynchium (Anterhynchium) grayi ( de Saussure, 1855 )

Selis, Marco & Carpenter, James M., 2023, Revision of the Afrotropical species of the genus Anterhynchium de Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), Zootaxa 5233 (1), pp. 1-102 : 46-49

Anterhynchium (Anterhynchium) grayi ( de Saussure, 1855)

( Figs. 5–6 )

Rhynchium grayi de Saussure 1855: 175 , ♀ —“L’Afrique Méridionale; Port-Natal” (holotype BMNH).

Rhynchium grayi neavei Meade-Waldo 1911: 456 , ♁—“ Karonga, Nyasaland ” (holotype BMNH). Syn. nov.

Rhynchium gray var. sumptuosum Gribodo 1895: 95 , ♀ —“Lourenso-Marquez” (holotype MSNG). Syn. nov.

Synagris inermis Mocsáry 1903: 504 , ♀, ♁—“Africa orientalis (Ukami)” (lectotype HNHM). Syn. nov.

Synagris inermis v ar. atrata Mocsáry 1903: 505, ♀ —“ Africa orientalis ( Kilimandsaro )” (holotype HNHM) . Syn. nov. Rhynchium thomsoni Cameron 1910a: 183 , 196 (catalogue), ♀ —“ Kilimandjaro: Kibonoto ” (holotype NHRS) . Syn. nov. Rhynchium usambaraense Cameron 1910a: 183 , ♀ —“ Usambara: Mombo ” (lectotype NHRS) . Syn. nov.

Diagnosis. This species can be recognized by: larger size, yellowish markings present as broad apical band on T2 and sometimes small spots on T1, occipital carina expanded dorsolaterally and lamellate, pronotal carina lamelliform and anteriorly produced on humeri, propodeal valvula produced in a rectangular lobe, F7–F10 of male just flattened below, F11 of male not expanded on ventral margin and without bristles apically, fore basitarsus of male normal, mid femur of male modified basally with flattened ventral face, apical margin of female clypeus straight, vertex of female with foveae placed in a depressed area broader than ocellar triangle

Typical material examined. Holotype of Rhynchium gray sumptuosum : “Coll.Gribodo / Lour. Marquez / D // Rygchium / Gray Saus / var / sumptuo = / = sum Grib. / ♀ Tipo / D. Gribodo ”, ♀ (MSNG); holotype of Rhynchium thomsoni : “ Kilimandjaro / Sĵstedt. 1905–6 // Kibonoto / kulturz. // Y maj // Rh. aestuans Ss / det. Schulthess 912 // Rhynchium / thomsoni / Cam. type. // Rhynchium / aestuans Sss // NHRS-HEVA / 000007983” (NHRS); lectotype of Rhynchium usambaraense : “Mombo / Sĵstedt // Usambara // juni // Rh. Grayi Sss / det. Schulthess 91 2 // Rhynchium / usambaraense / Cam. type. // Rhynchium / Grayi Sauss // NHRS-HEVA / 000007982” (NHRS); lectotype of Synagris inermis : “Deutsch- / O.-Afrika // Synagris / inermis Mocs. typ. / det. Mocsáry // Rhynchium // LECTO / HOLOTYPUS // Anterhynchium / grayi (Ss) / sumptuosum (G.) / Giordani Soika det. 198 // id nr.128285 / HNHM / Hym.coll” (HNHM); holotype of Synagris inermis atrata : “ Kilimandjaro / Bornemissza // S. inermis Mocs. / v. atrata Mocs typ. / det. Mocsáry // Rhynchium // Anterhynchium / Grayi ssp. / atratum (Mcs) / Giordani Soika det. 198 // id nr.128283 / HNHM / Hym.coll.” (HNHM).

Description. MALE. Fore wing length 13.0– 16.5 mm.

Head 1.15 × as wide as long in frontal view. Clypeus in lateral view weakly convex from base to apex; in frontal view 1.22 × as long as wide, apical margin shorter than interantennal space, truncate, apical corners bearing dull divergent carinae that run up to mid height of clypeus, delimiting a barely depresse median area. Interantennal space sharply carinate. Distance from posterior ocellus to occipital carina 3.5 × as long as the distance from posterior ocellus to inner eye margin. Gena as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus; occipital carina strong, forming a highly reflexed lamella on upper two thirds of gena and on vertex. Scape 3.7 × as long as apically wide; F1 2.5 × as long as wide; F2–F10 longer than wide; F11 digitiform, broad and strongly arched in the middle, apically weakly expanded and rounded, apex reaching middle of F8; in dorsal view parallel sided and narrowed only at apex; F6– F10 with tyloids. Mandibles quadridentate, apical tooth long and weakly curved apically, second tooth forming a convex cutting margin, third and fourth teeth short. Pronotal carina complete, strongly lamellate on humeral angles which are prominent, therefore the anterior margins appear strongly arched; viewed from the front the angles are obtusely angular; pretegular carina strong, preceded by a deep depression on ventral half. Mesoscutum as long as wide between tegulae, distinctly convex in lateral view. Scutellum convex, with a deep median longitudinal furrow. Metanotum angled in lateral view, with a short horizontal face and a longer vertical face, faces separated by a denticulate carina incised in the middle. Tegula narrow, outer margin weakly convex, posterio lobe triangular and short, not reaching apex of parategula. Parategula large and weakly arched, dorsally convex, with rounded apex; posteromedial margin situated below level of anteriolateral margin, therefore parategula appearing oblique. Mesepisternum distinctly convex, epicnemial carina running from transverse furrow to ventral corners where it becomes lamellate. Propodeum in lateral view nearly vertical; sides of posterior face flat and angularly meeting on median line, therefore posterior face large and weakly depressed; dorsal face weakly convex; lateral face flat, becoming convex toward posterior margin; dorsal carinae present but weak, confused with the sharp interspaces of punctation, and visible only in median half; lateral carina present from spiracle to apical valves, shallow and weakly dentellate, almost ondulate. T 1 in dorsal view 0.7 × as long as wide, sides sinuate, in lateral view with a flat vertical face which continues in a longer flat horizontal face, transition strongly convex; T 2 in dorsal view wider than long, in lateral view weakly convex except for a shallow preapical depression; S 2 in lateral view strongly convex basally, then weakly convex to apex, basal margin with a barely visible short median longitudinal furrow, surface depressed in the middle. Mid femur with a dilated flattened area on base of ventral side, forming dilated lobe on anteroventral and posteroventral margins.

Head with dense flat-bottomed punctures, interspaces narrow and forming reticulation; vertex with two oval area less densely punctate, interspaces shiny with some micropunctures. Clypeus with large shallow punctures on basal half, apical half with shallow and sparse longitudinal striae. Dorsal face of pronotum and mesoscutum with dense deep punctures, interspaces reduced to narrow reticulation; lateral face of pronotum microreticulate with some indistinct large punctures. Scutellum and horizontal face of metanotum with interspaces even narrower, reduced to irregular carinae and spines; vertical face of metanotum dull with some irregular striae. Dorsal face of propodeum with large flat-bottomed punctures, interspaces narrow and forming irregular carinae; posterior face with transverse striae, denser and more regular ventrally; lateral faces smooth except for some indistinct striae on dorsal margin. Mesepisternum with large flat-bottomed punctures, interspaces forming reticulation, punctures becoming sparser and shallower posteroventrally. Metaepisternum smooth except for irregular punctures near dorsal margin. T1 with deep punctures on horizontal face, denser on mid line and on margins. T2 with deep oblique punctures, denser on basal and lateral margins, becoming shallower toward apical margin. T3–T6 with oblique punctures, becoming sparser and shallower towards apical terga. T7 with scattered indistinct punctures. All terga with interspaces densely micropunctate and appearing dull. S1 with narrow basal part with some coarse transverse striae, large apical part with very dense fine striae not reaching lateral margins. S2–S7 with deep sparse punctures, becoming shallower on apical sterna, interspaces strongly shining. Head and dorsal side of mesosoma with dense erect pubescence, black in typical form, becoming lighter in former subspecies atratum and golden in former subspecies superbum. Sides of mesosoma with long whitish setae. Head and mesosoma with short erect black bristles. Metasoma dorsally with dust-like silvery pubescence, ventrally with dark bristles on S1–S4.

Very variable, with following parts constant: most of T2 and S2 and whole following segments black, clypeus largely pale yellow, anterior face of scape yellow, large apical white band on T2, red legs, antennae dark red ventrally and black dorsally with F11 almost entirely black. Head, mesosoma and T1 from entirely black to entirely red, with intermediary forms with various extent of red; following parts can be pale yellow: interantennal spot, rounded spots on dorsal face of pronotum, dorsolateral spots on T1. Wings fuscous with purplish reflections.

FEMALE. Fore wing length 17.5–21.0 mm.

Like male, except: head 1.2 × as wide as long in frontal view; clypeus in lateral view more convex, in frontal view pyriform, 1.15 × as long as wide, apical margin broader and weakly sinuate, apical corners with barely visible carinae; vertex with broad and shiny bilobed depression, foveae located close to each other near posterior margin of depression, each bearing a tuft of setae; scape 3.75 × as long as apically wide, F1 2.1 × as long as wide, F2–F9 barely longer than wide to subquadrate, F10 bullet-shaped; median furrow of scutellum less prominent; epicnemial carina less elevated on ventral corner; T 1 in dorsal view 0.8 × as long as wide; mid femur normal; clypeus with coarse and dense oblique punctures; punctures on metasoma slightly sparser; head and pronotum without yellow markings.

Distribution. Kenya *, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe * ( Cameron 1910a; Carpenter et al. 2009; de Saussure 1855; Giordani Soika 1987; Gribodo 1892, 1895; Meade-Waldo 1911, 1913; Mocsáry 1903; von Schulthess 1914b) ( Fig. 3 )

Remarks. This species counted three additional subspecies, namely atratum ( Mocsáry, 1903), denticulatum ( Mocsáry, 1903) and sumptuosum ( Gribodo, 1895). The subspecies denticulatum is raised to specific rank, while the subspecies atratum and sumptuosum are here synonymized. These two subspecies were recognized solely by coloration, with typical subspecies almost entirely black with very reduced red markings on mesosoma and T1, subspecies atratum with more extensive red markings on some parts of mesosoma and T1, and subspecies sumptuosum with mesosoma and T1 almost entirely red. Examination of a long series of specimens of all forms, including some types, allowed finding of transitional specimens among the three color forms, but not morphological characters to differentiate them. The presence of these forms in the same localities, the presence of transitional forms and the absence of morphological differences do not support the distinction of these three forms, therefore the subspecies atratum and sumptuosum are synonymized under the typical form.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Distributional map of grayi species-group.

FIGURE 5. Anterhynchium grayi (de Saussure, 1855). A–C, habitus of female. D, head of male in frontal view. E, head of female in frontal view.

FIGURE 6. Anterhynchium grayi (de Saussure, 1855). A, head of female in dorsal view. B, flagellum of male in lateral view.