Pison aridum 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 : 78-79

Pison aridum Pulawski , species nova

Figures 108 -118.

NAME DERIVATION.– Aridus (neuter: aridum ), Latin adjective meaning dry, parched, arid; with reference to this species dry habitat.

RECOGNITION.– Pison aridum has three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein, and the setae appressed on tergum I. Additionally, it has a longitudinal carina separating the propodeal side from the dorsum and posterior surface, the setae of the lower gena straight (curved apically) and short (about as long as 0.5 × midocellar diameter), the head, thorax, propodeum, and gaster black, while most of the femora and the entire tibiae and tarsi are ferruginous. The female resembles P. protrudens , but differs in having a tridentate clypeal lamella ( Figs. 108, 109 ). The male resembles P. translucens in having the apical portion of tergum VII yellowish (except mesally). It differs from that species in having the genal setae straight, short- er than midocellar diameter (rather than sinuous, as long as 1.0-1.2 × midocellar diameter), and in having the posterior margin of the black, sclerotized portion of tergum VII (adjacent to the yellowish portion) acutely angulate ( Fig. 114 ), rather than broadly, obtusely tridentate (Fig. 1128). Also, the apical emargination of sternum VIII is unusually narrow (the distance between its apicolateral corners is about 0.25 × the sternum maximum width, the apical margin convex between the corners) and, in most specimens, the surface of tergum VII is concave on each side of the black, median part.

SEX ASSOCIATION. – The male described below is associated with the females of P. aridum (rather than with those of P. adnyamathanha ), because both sexes lack the erect setae on the postocellar area and the scutum, whereas such setae are present in P. adnyamathanha .

DESCRIPTION.– Frons slightly swollen above antennal sockets, finely punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart, interspaces slightly shiny. Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit round, about as wide as 0.5 × midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures fine, less than one diameter apart. Tegula enlarged, with outer margin minimally concave, in some specimens reaching level of axilla. Mesopleural punctures fine, less than one diameter apart. Postspiracular carina present, up to about twice as long as midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum with irregular longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart (sculpture partly concealed by vestiture); side finely punctate and minutely ridged; posterior surface transversely ridged, punctate between ridges. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin obtusely carinate. Punctures of horizontal part of tergum I minute, less than one diameter apart. Sterna closely punctate throughout.

Setae silvery, appressed on upper frons, postocellar area, scutum, and tergum I, oriented ventrally on upper frons; on lower gena suberect, straight except curved apically, about as long as 0.5 × midocellar diameter; completely concealing integument on clypeus (except lamella). Apical depressions of terga with setal fasciae; fasciae silvery on terga I and III, with golden tinge on terga III-V.

Head, thorax, propodeum, and gaster black; mandible dark ferruginous, black basally and apically; apical depressions of terga brown. Forefemur black, ferruginous apically, midfemur ferruginous except black basally, hindfemur all ferruginous; tibiae, and tarsi ferruginous.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 1.00 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.4-1.5 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.6 × hindocellar diameter ( Fig. 110 ); eye height equal to 0.96 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella tridentate ( Figs. 108, 109 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.8-2.1 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.2 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with incision at about two thirds of length, with small tooth at proximal margin of incision ( Figs. 108, 109 ). Tergum VI pointed, broad ( Fig. 113 ). Length 9.2-10.3 mm; head width 2.5-2.7 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.90-1.04 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.2-2.0 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.2-1.7 × hindocellar diameter ( Fig. 112 ); eye height equal to 0.88-1.00 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate ( Fig. 111 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.9-2.0 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.1-1.2 × apical width. Tergum VII, in most specimens, with shallow, broad concavity on each side; concavities separated by black, narrow central part ( Fig 114 ). Posterior margin of sternum VII broadly emarginate; sternum VIII with apical emargination unusually narrow, distance between its apicolateral corners measuring about 0.25 × of maximum width of sternum ( Fig. 115 ); apical margin convex between corners. Genitalia: Figs. 116, 117 . Length 7.3-8.7 mm; head width 2.4-2.8 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 118).– New South Wales, South Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♀, AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: Kinchega National Park at 32°30ʹS 142°20ʹE, Jan 1987, K. Henle ( ANIC).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales: 13 mi. N Broken Hill , 3 April 1963, K. Dansie (1 ♂, SAM) ; Fowlers Gap Research Station at 31°05ʹS 141°42ʹE, 29 Nov – 2 Dec 1981, J.C. Cardale (3 ♂, ANIC; 1 ♂, CAS), I.D. Naumann (1 ♂, ANIC) , I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale (1 ♀, ANIC) , 18-20 Jan 1999, J. Carpenter and A. Davidson (1 ♂, AMNH) ; Paroo Darling National Park at 30°51.9ʹS 143°05.5ʹE, 14 Dec 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS) ; 5 km E White Cliffs at 30°51.2ʹS 143°08.7ʹE, 1 Jan 2010, V. Ahrens

Figures

FIGURES 108–113. Pison aridum Pulawski, sp. nov. (108) Female clypeus and mandibles; (109) Middle clypeal section of female; (110) Female head in dorsal view; (111) Male clypeus and mandibles; (112) Male head in dorsal view; (113) Female tergum VI.

FIGURES 114–117. Pison aridum Pulawski, sp. nov., male. (114) Male tergum VII; (115) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (116) Genitalia in dorsal view; (117) Genitalia in lateral view. FIGURE 118. Collecting localities of Pison aridum Pulawski, sp. nov.