Metapolybia sulamerica Carpenter, 2024

Cortes, Gustavo B., Noll, Fernando B., Carpenter, James M. & Andena, Sergio R., 2024, Five new species of Metapolybia Ducke, 1905, with the description of the male genitalia of seven species of the genus (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 97, pp. 781-805 : 781-805

Metapolybia sulamerica Carpenter sp. nov.

Figs 13 , 14 , 15 , 16

Diagnosis.

This species is like M. servilis , however the lateral pronotal carina its less raised and somewhat sharp; propodeal concavity broader and deeper; clypeus wider. Plus, M. sulamerica has the integument of the mesosoma and metasoma brownish with yellow markings reduced and less distinct than the blackish M. servilis .

Description.

Female. Size: 5.5 mm. Length of fore wing 5.0 mm

Color: Brownish species, head blackish with yellow markings as follows: spots on mandibles near condyle andventral margin of clypeus; weak spots on inner orbits, anterior region of pronotal carina, axilae, metanotum.; bands on posterior region of tergum I – II and sternum I; weak bands on tergum III – IV. Tegula yellowish with brown spots. Antennal articles brownish, scape yellowish beneath. Legs brown. Wings hyaline, venation brown.

Head: (1) clypeus 1.2 times wider than longer; ventral margin with a reduced yellow band; punctures very shallow, scattered, separated by more than 2.0 diameters; erect hairs on first 2 / 3; (2) inter-antennal prominence little raised, truncate to subacute, with a weak medial furrow; (3) frons and vertex covered with a yellowish pubescence, punctures shallow, dense, separated by about 1 diameter, becoming sparser on vertex; (4) gena 0.85–0.90 wider than width of the eyes, strongly narrowing to mandibular condyle, punctures weak, scattered, pubescence yellowish; (5) tempora narrowing to vertex; (6) posterior region of the head rounded, moderately emarginated.

Mesosoma: (1) lateral pronotal carina little raised, subacute,; punctures shallow, small, though distinct, separated by more than 2.0 diameters; (2) humeri scarcely produced in front of tegula, gently rounded; (3) pretegular carina rounded, not acute, not interrupted; (4) scutum 1.2 times wider than long with scattered punctures; (5) mesopleura with punctures separated by about 1.0–1.4 diameters mostly concentrated on posterior region; (6) scutellum with distinct punctures, slightly concave posteriorly; medial line raised anteriorly, complete posteriorly; (7) metanotum strongly concave, punctures sparse; (8) metapleuron with scattered punctures, upper plate as long as wide or 1.3 times longer than wide, punctures denser than lower plate; (9) propodeum with scattered short hairs, propodeal concavity shallow, almost flat, weakly striate, not extending laterally; (10) prestigma as long as wide, tip truncate.

Metasoma: (1) First metasomal tergum filiform, widening little after strong spiracles, strongly convex posteriorly in lateral view, prominent; (2) second metasomal tergum 1.2 times wider than long, coriaceous; (3) terga III – VI finely punctured.

Variation: Some of the specimens labelled as “ nest on tree July 3 ” have the yellow markings on head and metanotum absent or evanescent. Some specimens from both nests have stronger striae on broader propodeal medial furrow than holotype.

Male. like female, except for denser and shinier tomentum; narrower clypeus and gena, and more distinct punctures overall, especially the coarser punctures on mesopleura.

Male genitalia: see male genitalia description section below.

Nest.

Unknown.

Distribution.

Colombia: Boyacá.

Type material.

Holotype. Colombia • 1 female; Boyacá, Muzo; alt. 900 m.; 2 Jul. 1936; J. Bequaert; “ nest in village July 2 ”; AMNH.

Paratype. Colombia • 10 females, 4 males; same data as for holotype; one with extracted genitalia pinned together; AMNH • 4 females; same locality as for holotype; “ nest on tree July 3 ”; AMNH .

Other material.

Colombia • 4 females; same data as for holotype; AMNH • 7 females; same locality as for holotype; “ nest on tree ”; AMNH • 3 females; same locality as for holotype; AMNH .

Etymology.

The specific name is a reference to the geographic distribution of the species.

Figures

Figure 13. Metapolybia sulamerica A lateral view B dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 14. Metapolybia sulamerica A head, frontal view B pronotum, lateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 15. Metapolybia sulamerica A propodeum, lateral view B propodeum, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 16. Metapolybia sulamerica. Tergo I, lateral view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.