Pison contiguum Pulawski, 2018

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 : 134-136

Pison contiguum Pulawski , species nova

Figures 265-267.

NAME DERIVATION.– Contiguus (neuter: contiguum ) is a Latin adjective meaning contiguous, sharing a common border, touching; with reference to the contiguous scutal punctures of this species.

RECOGNITION.– Pison contiguum is a small species: the length of the female is 6.4 mm. It has the head, thorax, propodeum and gaster all black, three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein, and the setae appressed on tergum I. In addition, the scutal punctures are well defined and contiguous.

The female (the male is unknown) is characterized by the presence of psammophores on the lower gena and forefemoral venter, the lower gena unsculptured and shiny between the oral fossa and the psammophore, and the tegula largely punctate throughout except posterolaterally ( Fig. 266 ). This character combination is shared with three other species. Unlike P. dentatum (in which the mandible is black basally and has two conspicuous, preapical teeth on the inner margin), the mandible of P. contiguum is yellowich basally and has no preapical teeth on the inner margin. The females of P. notochthonum and P. stenometopon can be recognized by the character discussed under these species.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, finely punctate, punctures compressed against each other, middle supraantennal carina invisible under appressed pilosity. Occipital carina joining hypostomal carina. Gena narrow in dorsal view. Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about 1.5 × as long as midocellar diameter. Propleuron sparsely punctate. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, contiguous ( Fig. 266 ), interspaces linear. Tegula enlarged, punctate (except posterolaterally). Mesopleural punctures well defined, less than one diameter apart. Postspiracular carina present, about 1.5 × as long as midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum with irregular rudimentary carina carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum longitudinally or obliquely ridged in anterior half, closely punctate between ridges and on remaining surface; side and posterior surface markedly ridged, punctate between ridges. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin obtusely carinate. Horizontal part of tergum I, anterior of apical depression, with most punctures less than one diameter apart (some punctures about one diameter apart). Sternum II impunctate apicomesally in female, punctate throughout in male (punctures averaging 2-3 diameters apart mesally).

Setae silvery, subappressed on upper frons, appressed on postocellar area, scutum, and tergum I, radiating from midpoint on upper frons (for genal setae of female: see below); completely concealing integument on clypeus (including part of lamella). Apical depressions of terga with silvery, setal fasciae.

Head, thorax, propodeum, and gaster black; mandible yellowish basally. Femora and foretibia black, mid- and hindtibiae and tarsi all black or partly ferruginous in female, dark ferruginous in male.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.70 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.6 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.9 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.98 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella slightly arcuate, with obtuse lateral corner; distance between corners about equal to that between corner and eye margin ( Fig. 265 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.7 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.0 × apical width. Lower gena, mandibular posterior margin, and forefemoral venter with psammophores (longest setae of genal,

mandibular, and forefemoral psammophores about 0.5 ×, 0.8 ×, and 0.8 ×, respectively, of greatest forefemoral width); lower gena impunctate and asetose between hypostomal carina and psammophore. Mandible: trimmal carina with minute incision at about midlength.

Length 6.4 mm; head width 2.0 mm.

♂.– Unknown.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION ( Fig. 267 ).–

Northern part of Northern Territory, northern

FIGURE 267 . Collecting localities of Pison contiguum Queensland.

Pulawski, sp. nov.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♀, Queensland: Hann River at 15°11ʹS 143°52ʹE, 17 Aug – 15 Sept 2003, P. Zborowski and S. Shattuck ( ANIC).

PARATYPE: AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: Anbangbang Billabong in Kakadu National Park at 12°52ʹS 132°48ʹE, 10 June 1996, G.R. Brown (1 ♀, NTM) .

Figures

FIGURES 197–299. Pison bimbi Pulawski, sp. nov., female. (197) Clypeus and mandibles; (198) Head in dorsal view; (199) Pronotum in dorsal view. FIGURE 200. Collecting localities of Pison bimbi Pulawski, sp. nov.