Pison fenestratum F. Smith

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2018, A Revision of the Wasp Genus Pison Jurine, 1808 of Australia and New Zealand, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-584 : 189-195

Pison fenestratum F. Smith

Figures 414 -421.

Pison nitidum F. Smith, 1868:248 , ♀ (as nitidus , incorrect original termination), junior primary homonym of Pison nitidum F. Smith, 1859 . Lectotype: ♀, Australia: Western Australia: Champion Bay, now Geraldton (BMNH), present designation, examined. − Maindron , 1879:180 (nesting habits, redescription of species).

Pison fenestratum F. Smith, 1869:291 (as fenestratus, incorrect original termination). Substitute name for Pison nitidum F. Smith, 1868 . – Kohl, 1885:187 (in checklist of world Pison ); Froggatt, 1892:217 (in catalog of Australian Hymenoptera ); Dalla Torre, 1897:711 (in catalog of world Hymenoptera , as fenestratus); Turner, 1916b:596 (in key to Australian Pison ), 603 (comparison with Pison festivum , as fenestratus); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:335 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:259 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

Pison scabrum Turner, 1908:509 , ♀. Lectotype: ♀, Australia: Queensland: Mackay (BMNH), present designation, examined. New synonym. – Turner, 1916b:598 (in key to Australian Pison ), 608 (comparison with Pison congener and P. nitidum ); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:336 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:262 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION. – Smith (1868) did not mention the number of the specimens examined in the original description of Pison nitidum , but two females that he studied are present in the Natural History Museum, London. I have labeled as the lectotype the one bearing Smith’s original label “ Pison nitidus ” and the other one as a paralectotype of this species.

Similarly, Turner (1908) did not indicate the number of specimens examined in his original description of Pison scabrum . I have selected as the lectotype of this species the only specimen in The Natural History Museum, London, collected at Mackay (the type locality) and bearing a label “ Pison scabrum Turner Type” in his handwriting.

JUSTIFICATION OF NEW SYNONYMY.– In his key to Australian Pison, Turner (1916b) correctly placed Pison fenestratum among the species with the “second ventral segment shining, almost or entirely impunctate”. He was wrong in assigning Pison scabrum to the species with the “second ventral segment closely and more or less distinctly punctate”, thus treating it as a species well different from fenestratum . In fact, the lectotype of scabrum has the sternal sculpture exactly like fenestratum , and is otherwise identical to that species. I treat the two names as synonyms.

RECOGNITION.– Pison fenestratum is an all black species of large size (length 12.9-13.2 mm in female, 8.2-11.5 mm in male), with the setae black on the scutum and erect on tergum I, the mesopleural punctures less than one diameter apart, and sterna III and IV mesally impunctate or with a few, sparse punctures. Also, the mandible is simple (posterior margin not step-like, inner margin not tridentate in female and not bidentate in male), and the female gena is punctate and setose on each side of the oral fossa. It resembles P. festivum and P. pauper , but differs in having the setae silvery on the apical depression of terga (rather than golden on terga III-V). In most specimens, some punctures near the center of the scutum are 2-3 to many diameters apart near the center (rather than up to 1-2 diameters apart).

Pison fenestratum shares with P. congener and P. festivum the following characteristics of tergum I (in addition to erect setae): the apical depression deep, markedly below the adjacent more anterior part of the tergum, and a median tumescence present on the base of the horizontal portion ( Fig. 416 ), tumescence ill-defined or absent in some specimens. Unlike P. congener , the scutum of P. fenestratum is unsculptured and shiny between the punctures (rather than microsculptured and dull), sterna II-IV have only a few, sparse punctures over most of their surface (rather than being densely punctate), and male flagellomere III, and in many specimens also flagellomere II, are concave basoventrally and convex apicoventrally ( Fig. 417 ) rather than cylindrical. Unlike P. festivum , the scutum of P. fenestratum is unsculptured and shiny between punctures (rather than finely aciculate and somewhat dull), the setal length is about 1.0 × basal mandibular width on the lower frons mesally and about 0.5-0.7 × basal mandibular width on the scutum (rather than 1.5 × and 1.0 ×, respectively), and the apical depressions of terga II-IV have silvery, setal fasciae (rather than bright golden ones).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, punctate, most punctures less than one diameter apart, but many about one diameter apart (several diameters apart on limited area lateroventrally of midocellus in lectotype of scabrum ). Occipital carina joining hypostomal carina. Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit slightly transversely elongate, about as long as midocellar diameter. Punctures diameter; eye height equal to 0.90-0.94 × distance between eye notches. Clypeal lamella varying: obtusely pointed in specimens from Mount Kaputar National Park, arcuate, obtusely pointed mesally in specimens from Warrumbungle National Park ( Fig. 414 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 3.3-3.5 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.7-1.9 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly beyond midlength, acetabular groove with two rows of punctures and associated setae. Tergum VI narrowly rounded apically. Length 12.9-14.5 mm; head width 4.0- 4.2 mm. ♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.74 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.4 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.0-1.1 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.98 × distance between eye notches. Clypeal lamella sharply point- ed ( Fig. 415 ). Flagellomere III (in many specimens also flagellomere II) concave basoventrally, convex apicoventrally ( Fig. 417 ); dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.3 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.2 × apical width. Sternum VIII broadly emarginate (Fig. 418). Genitalia: Figs. 419, 420. Length 8.2-11.5 mm; head width 2.5-3.0 mm.

NESTING HABITS. – Maindron (1979) observed a nest of a Pison on the Ternate Island in the Malukus that he called P. nitidum , although his identification is by no means certain. The nest, fixed to the wall, consisted of grains of dark earth and included two cells. It contained about 20 small spiders “voisines des Saltiques” (= close to Salticidae ).

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 421).–

All Australia.

RECORDS.– AUSTRALIA: Australian Capital

Territory: Black Mountain (1 ♂, ANIC), Picadilly

Circus in Brindabella Range at 35°22ʹS 148°48ʹE

(1 ♀, ANIC; 1 ♂, CAS). New South Wales:

Clarence (1 ♀, AMS), Gilgandra Flora Reserve at

31°39.7ʹS 148°46.3ʹE (1 ♀, CAS), 6 mi S Mendooran (1 ♀, AMS), Menindee (2 ♀, AMS), Mount

Kaputar National Park (1 ♀, CAS), Nadgee Nature

Reserve 10 km S Newton’s Beach (4 ♀, 3 ♂, ANIC) ,

Warrumbungle National Park at 31°16.9ʹS

148°59.1ʹE (8 ♀, 4 ♂, CAS), Warrumbungle National Park : Camp Pincham (1 ♀, ANIC), Whiskers

7 km WNW Hoskinstown at 35°24ʹS 149°23ʹE (1 ♀, FIGURE 421. Collecting localities of Pison fenestratum ANIC ), 87 km E Wilcannia at 31°42.8ʹS 144°08.6ʹE F. Smith.

(1 ♂, CAS), Wollemi National Park (northern edge) at 32°23.4ʹS 150°24.8ʹE (1 ♀, CAS) . Northern Territory: Trephina Gorge National Park at 23°32ʹS 134°21ʹE (1 ♀, NTM) . Queensland: 4 km NE Batavia Downs at 12°39ʹS 142°42ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC) , Bluff Range S Biggenden (2 ♀, ANIC) , Brisbane: Blunder Creek (12 ♀, QMB) , Dalby (1 ♀, ANIC; 1 ♀, QMB), Guyndah (1 ♀, AMS) , Lamington National Park (1 ♀, RMNH) , 5 km N Leyburn at 27°58ʹS 151°38ʹE (1 ♂, QMB) , Mackay (1 ♀, BMNH, lectotype of Pison scabrum ), 48 km E Mount Surprise at 18°09.0ʹS 144°43.6ʹE (1 ♀, CAS) , Mount Walsh National Park (2 ♀, ANIC) , 2 km N Rokeby at 13°39ʹS 142°40ʹE (1 ♀, CAS) , 3 km S Tamborine (2 ♀, QMB) , Tiaro (1 ♂, CAS) . South Australia: Adelaide (1 ♀, BMNH) , Dingly Dell Camp in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°21ʹS 138°42ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC) , Hacks Bridge at 35°03ʹS 138°45ʹE (1 ♀, SAM) , Wilpena in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°31.7ʹS 138°36.2ʹE (6 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) , Wilpena: Pound Gap in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°33ʹS 138°36ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC) , 32 km S Wilpena (1 ♀, UCD) , Wirrabara (1 ♀, SAM) . Tasmania: 9 km SE Miena (1 ♀, 1 ♂, UCD) . Victoria: Gunbower (1 ♀, BMNH) . Western Australia: Bodallin (1 ♂, UCD) , Champion Bay, now Geraldton (3 ♀, BMNH, lectotype and paralectotypes of Pison nitidum Smith, 1868 ), 10 km W Cobra Station at 24°10.2ʹS 116°23.0ʹE (2 ♂, ANIC; 1 ♂, CAS; 1 ♀, USU), 23 km ESE Cocklebidy at 32°08ʹS 126°18ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC) , Dongarra (1 ♀, BMNH) , Irwin River at Strawberry Station 19 km W Mingenew (1 ♂, CAS) , 7 miles SE Jarrahdale (1 ♀, 1 ♂, RMNH) , Kennedy Range National Park at 24°38.7ʹS 115°10.7ʹE (4 ♀, ANIC; 1 ♀, CAS), 28 mi. E Leonora (3 ♀, CAS) , Meekatharra-Billiluna Pool (3 ♀, 1 ♂, SAM) , Mount Augustus National Park at 24°22.8ʹS 116°54.2ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC; 1 ♀, CAS; 4 ♀, 1 ♂, USU), Pigeon Rocks at 29°55ʹS 119°16ʹE (14 ♀, 1 ♂, WAM) , 13 km S Wannoo at 26°49ʹS 114°37ʹE (1 ♀, WAM) , 2 km WNW Woolbernup Hill at 34°01ʹS 119°41ʹE (1 ♀, WAM) , Yallingup (Turner, 1916b), Yundamindra Homestead at 29°15ʹS 122°06ʹE (1 ♀, WAM) .

Pison festivum F. Smith

Figures 422 -424.

Pison festivum F. Smith, 1869:296 , ♀ (as festivus, incorrect original termination). Lectotype: ♀, Australia: Western Australia: Champion Bay, now Geraldton (BMNH), present designation, examined. – Kohl, 1885:187 (in checklist of world Pison ); Froggatt, 1892:217 (in catalog of Australian Hymenoptera ); Dalla Torre, 1897:711 (in catalog of world Hymenoptera ); Turner, 1916b:596 (in key to Australian Pison ), 603 (diagnostic characters); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:335 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:259 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION AND TYPE LOCALITY.– Smith did not indicate the number of specimens examined in his original description. I have selected as the lectotype of Pison festivum the only female preserved at The Natural History, London. The original description indicates Champion Bay (now Geraldton) as the place of origin of this species, but the specimen is actually labeled “Swan R.”, apparently Swan River.

RECOGNITION.– Pison festivum is an all black species, with the setae black on the scutum and erect on tergum I, the mesopleural punctures less than one diameter apart, and only a few, scattered punctures on sterna III and IV mesally. Also, the mandible is simple (posterior margin not step-like, inner margin not tridentate in female and not bidentate in male), and the female gena is punctate and setose on each side of the oral fossa. Unlike P. fenestratum , in which the apical depression of terga are covered with silvery setae and the scutum is unsculptured and shiny between punctures, the apical depressions of at least terga III-V of P. festivum are covered with bright golden setae ( Fig. 423 ) and the scutum is slightly microsculptured and somewhat dull between punctures. Closely similar is P. pauper (whose male is unknown), from which P. festivum differs in having the scutum without longitudinal ridges adjacent to the posterior margin and the ocellocular distance of the female equal to 1.9-2.2 × hindocellar diameter. In P. pauper , the scutum has a few longitudinal ridges adjacent to the posterior margin, and the ocellocular distance of the female is equal to 1.4 × hindocellar diameter.

Also similar is Pison spilopteryx , but in festivum the pronotal collar dorsally and the apical depression of tergum I have silvery setae (rather than golden), the scutum is aciculate and somewhat dull between punctures (rather than unsculptured and shiny), the legs all black, and in the female the ocellocular distance is 1.9-2.2 × midocellar diameter (in spilopteryx , at least the hindtibial inner side and tarsi basally are ferruginous, and in the female the ocellocular distance is 1.4 × hindocellar diameter). Additionally, the forewing is uniformly nearly hyaline (in most spilopteryx , the forewing has a dark strip along the foremargin).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, markedly microareolate, densely punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart. Distance between antennal socket and orbit larger than socket width. Labrum emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit oval, about as long as midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, most of them less than one diameter apart (several punctures near center more than one diameter apart); interspaces slightly microsculptured and somewhat dull. Mesopleural punctures well defined, no more than one diameter apart; interspaces microsculptured, merging into ill-defined ridges. Postspiracular carina vestigial, about half as long as midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus not costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeal side separated ill-defined carina. Punctures of tergum I more than one diameter apart on anterior declivity and on anterior part of horizontal portion, less than one diameter apart on apical depression (here markedly smaller than on more anterior areas). Sternum II impunctate on disk, sterna III and IV mesally with a few, sparse, microscopic punctures.

Setae mainly silvery on clypeus, not concealing integument, dark brown on frons, black on scutum, somewhat darkened elsewhere; erect on frons, gena, thorax, forecoxal venter, femoral venters, and tergum I; setal length, compared with basal mandibular width, 1.5 × on lower frons mesally, up to 2.0 × on lower gena, 1.0 × on scutum, up to 1.0 × on hindfemoral venter; pronotal collar and tergum I without golden setae, apical depressions of terga II-V with bright golden, appressed setae ( Fig.423 ).

Head (including antenna and mandible), thorax, propodeum, legs, and gaster black.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.74-0.80 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.9-2.2 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli 1.2-1.3 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.84-0.90 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella rounded ( Fig. 422 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 3.2-3.7 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.6-1.8 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with inconspicuous incision at about two thirds of length. Length 11.8 mm; head width 3.5 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.86 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.6 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.94 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella approximately rectangular. Flagellomeres II and III concave basoventrally, convex apicoventrally; dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.6 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.3 × apical width. Sternum VIII emarginate apically. Length 10.2 mm; head width 3.0 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 424).– New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia. RECORDS.– AUSTRALIA : New South Wales: Clarence in Blue Mountains (1 ♂, AMS) . Queensland: Edungalba (1 ♀, ANIC) . Western Australia: Geraldton, as Champion Bay (1 ♀, BMNH, lectotype of Pison festivum , labeled “ Swan R. ”) .

Figures

FIGURES 414-417. Pison fenestratum F. Smith. (414) Female clypeus and mandibles; (415) Male clypeus and mandibles; (416) Female terga I and II from behind (arrow shows tumescence on tergum I); (417). Basal flagellomeres of male.

FIGURES 422-423. Pison festivum F. Smith, female. (422) Clypeus and mandible; (423) Gaster. FIGURE 424. Collecting localities of Pison festivum F. Smith.