Pison brachyceras 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 : 111-114

Pison brachyceras Pulawski , species nova

Figures 201-209.

NAME DERIVATION.– Brachyceras is derived from two Greek words: βραχΰς, short, and κέρας, a horn (here in the meaning of antenna), a noun in apposition to the generic name; with reference to the short flagellomere I of this species.

RECOGNITION.– Pison brachyceras is an all black species, small to medium size (length 5.3-7.8 mm in female, 5.4-5.9 mm in male), with three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so, the tegula partly impunctate and asetose, and the setae appressed on tergum I. It is characterized by the setae of the lower gena appressed or subappressed, slightly shorter than midocellar diameter, the absence of the carina between the dorsum and side of the propodeum, a short flagellomere I (dorsal length 1.5-1.7 × apical width in female, 1.4-1.5 × in male), slightly shorter than to as long as flagellomere II ( Fig. 204 ), and male sternum VIII rounded apicolaterally ( Fig. 205 ). The female has an obtusely angulate to roundly angulate clypeal lamella ( Fig. 201 ). Unlike P. contiguum , the scutal punctures of P. brachyceras are separate by small interspaces, the punctures of sterna II and III are minute, 1-2 diameters apart, and the legs are black (in P. contiguum , the scutal punctures are contiguous, the punctures of sterna II and III are conspicuous, up to several diameters apart mesally, and the mid- and hindtibiae and tarsi are dark ferruginous). Also similar is P. angustivertex , but in P. brachyceras the ocellocular distance is equal to 0.8-1.3 × hindocellar diameter in the female ( Fig. 203 ) and 1.4-1.7 × in the male rather than 0.3-0.5 × (occasionally 1.0 ×) and 0.9-1.0 ×, respectively, and the dorsal length of flagellomere I is 1.5-1.7 × apical width in the female and 1.4-1.5 × in the male rather than 1.8-2.0 and 1.6-2.0, respectively.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons slightly swollen above antennal socket, dull, finely, shallowly punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart. Labrum broadly, shallowly emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, slightly longer than midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures fine but well defined, less than one diameter apart; interspaces microsculptured. Tegula slightly enlarged. Mesopleural punctures less than one diameter apart. Postspiracular carina present, about as long as midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus slightly costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum without longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum obliquely ridged, punctate between ridges, with middle carina in shallow sulcus; side punctate and ridged; posterior surface conspicuously ridged, punctate between ridges. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin not carinate. Punctures of tergum I about one diameter apart. Sternum II punctate throughout.

Setae silvery, appressed or subappressed on lower gena and scutum, appressed on tergum I, shorter than midocellar diameter on gena; not concealing integument on clypeus in female, partly concealing in male. Apical depressions of terga with silvery, setal fasciae.

Body all black, but mandible brown to ferruginous (except basally and apically), flagellum brown ventrally in many specimens, and clypeal lamella brown or ferruginous in some females.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.78-0.84 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.8-1.3 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.0 × hindocellar diameter ( Fig. 203 ); eye height equal to 0.96-1.00 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella varying from obtusely angulate ( Fig. 201 ) to roundly arcuate. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.5-1.7 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.0-1.1 × apical width; flagellomere I slightly shorter than to as long as flagellomere II. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly beyond midlength. Length 5.3-8.6 mm; head width 1.6-2.3 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.92-1.02 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.4-1.7 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.1-1.3 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.92-0.96 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate ( Fig. 202 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.4-1.5 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.1 × apical width. Sternum VIII convex basoventrally ( Fig. 206 ), its apical margin minimally concave ( Fig. 205 ). Genitalia: Figs. 207, 208 ; outer side of gonocoxite asetose ( Fig. 206 ). Length 5.4-5.9 mm; head width 1.6-1.9 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION ( Fig. 209 ).–

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia,Western Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♂, AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: Keep River National Park at

15°57ʹ36ʺ'S 129°01ʹ38ʺE, 1-3 June 2001, M.E.

Irwin, F.D. Parker, and C. Lambkin (ANIC).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales :

Coolbaggie Forest Reserve 10 km E Eumungerie at

31°58.5ʹS 148°40.5ʹE, 28 Dec 2011, V. Ahrens and

W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS) ; Gilgandra Flora Reserve at 31°39.7ʹS 148°46.3ʹE, 30 Dec 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♂, CAS) ; Warrensburg National Park , 20 Dec 1987, M.E. Irwin (1 ♀, CAS) .

Northern Territory: Alice Springs at 23°41ʹS FIGURE 209 . Collecting localities of Pison brachyceras 133°52ʹE, 6 Nov 1988, D. Rentz (3 ♀, ANIC); 39 Pulawski, sp. nov .

km E Alice Springs at 23°41ʹS 134°15ʹE, 5 Oct 1978, J.C. Cardale (1 ♀, ANIC) ; Caranbirini Waterhole 33 km SW Borroloola at 16°16ʹS 136°05ʹE, 22 Apr 1976, D.H. Colless (1 ♀, ANIC) ; Entire Creek 155 km NE Alice Springs at 22°58ʹS 135°09ʹE, 13 Oct 1978, J.C. Cardale (1 ♀, ANIC) ; Gregory National Park at 15°58ʹ17ʺS 130°29ʹ17ʺE, 24 May 2001, T. Weir, K. Pullen, and P. Bouchard (1 ♀, CAS) , at 16°03.7ʹS 130°27.1ʹE, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, and C. Lambkin , 6-12 June 2001 (1 ♂, ANIC; 1 ♀, CAS) and 12-16 June 2001 (1 ♀, ANIC; 1 ♀, CAS), at 16°03ʹ44ʺS 130°27ʹ04ʺE, 24 May – 4 June 2001, T. Weir, K. Pullen, and P. Bouchard (2 ♀, CAS) , at 16°06.7ʹS 130°25.4ʹE, 5-12 June 2001, T. Weir, K. Pullen, and P. Bouchard (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) , and at 16°10ʹ49ʺS 130°25ʹ51ʺE, 16-18 June 2001, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, and C. Lambkin (1 ♀, CAS) ; Keep River National Park at 15°47ʹ49ʺS 129°06ʹ31ʺE, 3-6 June 2001, C. Lambkin, F.D. Parker, and M.E. Irwin (1 ♀, CAS) , at 15°54ʹ55ʺS 129°04ʹ11ʺE, 31 May – 3 June 2001, T. Weir, K. Pullen, and P. Bouchard (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) and at 15°57ʹ33ʺS 129°01ʹ44ʺE, 3-8 June 2001, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, and C. Lambkin (3 ♀, ANIC; 2 ♂, CAS) . Queensland: Crediton State Forest at 21°11.8ʹS 148°29.9ʹE, 1 Nov 2006, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♂, CAS) ; 35 km N Cunnamulla , 27 Oct 1979, H.E. Evans, M.A. Evans, and A. Hook (1 ♀, QMB) ; Dalrymple National Park at 19°49.3ʹS 146°05.3ʹE, 17 Nov 2012, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS) ; 9 km S Dingo Beach at 20°05.5ʹS 148°30.2ʹE, 7 Nov 2006, W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS) and 12 and 26 Nov 2012, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (2 ♂, CAS) ; Eungella National Park , 16-19 Oct 1979, H.E. Evans, M.A. Evans, and A. Hook (1 ♀, QMB) ; Holts Creek 8 km N Musselbrook Camp at 18°33ˈS 138°11ʹE, 10-20 May 1995, I.D. Naumann (1 ♂, ANIC) ; Homevale National Park at 21°26.9ʹS 148°32.4ʹE, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski , 4 Nov 2012 (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) , 27 Nov 2012 (4 ♂, CAS) , and 28 Nov 2012 (2 ♀, CAS) ; Innot Hot Springs , 16 Jan 1999, M. Generani and P.L. Scaramozzino (1 ♀, CAS) ; Split Rock 14 km SE Laura at 15°39ʹS 144°31ʹE, 26 Jun – 16 July 1993, K. Halfpapp and S. De Faveri (1 ♀, ANIC) and 29 Jun – 24 Aug 1992, P. Zborowski and J.C. Cardale (1 ♀, ANIC) . South Australia: Gluepot Reserve at 33°46ʹ48ʺS 139°56ʹ32ʺE, 26 Nov – 6 Dec 2000, Gluepot Survey (1 ♀, SAM) ; 31 km NW Renmark at 33°59ˈS 140°30ˈE, 7 Nov – 13 Dec 1995, K.R. Pullen (1 ♀, ANIC) . Western Australia: Karijini National Park at 22°28.4ʹS 118°32.6ʹE, 5 Apr – 16 May 2003, F.D. Parker and M.E. Irwin (1 ♂, ANIC) ; 47 km S Pardoo Roadhouse at 20°22.7ʹS 120°01.3ʹE, 1-14 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (1 ♂, CAS) .

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.