Polybia surinama Richards, 1970

Amorim, Danielle C. De A., Dos Santos Junior, José N. A., Carvalho- Filho, Fernando Da S., Silveira, Orlando T. & Carpenter, James M., 2024, Taxonomic study of wasp species in the Polybia (Myrapetra) occidentalis group morphologically related to P. scrobalis and P. flavifrons, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae), Zootaxa 5477 (5), pp. 537-562 : 557-559

Polybia surinama Richards, 1970 , stat. nov.

( Figs 8 , 16 , 24 , 32 , 41 , 62, 63 )

Polybia scrobalis surinama Richards, 1970: 303 ; Holotype ♀, Coppename R., Voltz Mt, 11.vii.63 (D. C. Geijskes) (RMNH); photos of a paratype with same data as the holotype were examined. Richards 1978: 88; Valverde et al. 2019: 4, 10.

Diagnosis. FEMALE. Fore wing with ca. 7.0 mm; occipital-genal margin distinct laterally and dorsally, just less intense behind ocelli; pronotal carina weakly developed, but perceptible at sides; prominence in front of fovea moderately elevated; first metasomal segment moderately elongated and with wide apex; body mostly black. Proportional ratios: LSI / HMP—0.97; LSI / WT1_AP—1.82; WT1_AP / BA—2.85. MALE. occipital-genal margin obliterated in the dorsal region and distinct in the lateral region; clypeus with rounded apex, presence of whitish, closely spaced pubescence and not very dense bristles at apex; mandibles with few and short bristles; eyes practically bald; pronotal carina with weak marking; absence of erect bristles on body, in lateral view

Redescription. FEMALE. Fore wing with 7.0 mm occipital-genal margin distinct laterally and dorsally, just less intense behind ocelli, gena narrow, width less than eye-width at the level of ocular sinus; FHH/INTOW—1.02; malar space short, about half the diameter of an antennal alveolus; clypeus as wide as high, subquadrate (HCLP/ WCLP—0.97) with rounded apex, presence of erect, spaced, few numerous and pale bristles at apex of clypeus and on the mandibles; eyes practically bare; pronotal carina weakly developed, but perceptible at sides; pronotum at sides without any enlarged yellow band; prominence in front of fovea moderately elevated; body without outstanding erect bristles; LMS/WMS—0.92; scrobal furrow developed above, obliterated below; first metasomal segment moderately elongated with wide apex, sides diverging gradually, apex seen from the sides with a convex dorsal profile; body largely black; yellow band at margin of tergum 1, terga and sterna 2–6 absent or inconspicuous. Proportional ratios: LSI / HMP—0.97; LSI/ WT1_AP—1.82; WT1_AP/ BA—2.85.

MALE ( Fig. 41 ). Fore wing with ca. 7.0 mm; occipital-genal margin obliterated in the dorsal region and distinct in the lateral region; FHH/INTOW—0.93; short malar space, having a little more than half the diameter of an antennal alveolus; clypeus with rounded apex (HCLP/WCL—1.06); presence of whitish, closely spaced pubescence and not very dense bristles at apex; mandibles with few and short bristles; eyes practically bald; pronotal carina with weak marking; absence of erect bristles on body, in lateral view; LMS/WMS—1.03; scrobal furrow distinct above, and obliterated below; first metasomal segment moderately elongated, with a very wide apex. Proportional ratios: LSI / HMP—0.95; LSI / WT1_AP—1.74; WT1_AP / BA—3.25. Genitalia ( Figs 62, 63 ). Aedeagus with rounded apex; parameral spine distinctly surpassing the aedeagus apex; digit more or less at the level of the aedeagus apex.

Examined material. BRAZIL: Acre, Porto Acre Humaita , 4♀ 15.vi–02.vii.1992, Armadilha suspensa (Gorayeb, Pena, Henriques, Edmar) ( MPEG); Amapá, Oiapoque , 1♀ 26.v.1904, 2♀ 30.v.1904 (Ducke)( MPEG), Serra do Navio , 1♀ 31.v.1999 (J. Chaves, Z. Miranda), 1♀ 05.vi.2002 (José Chaves) ( IEPA); Amazonas, Alvarães , 18♀ 23.ix.1993 (I.S. Gorayeb, O.T. Silveira) (I.S. Gorayeb, O.T. Silveira) ( MPEG), 1♀ 2016 (J.A. Rafael and team), Ipixuna, Rio Liberdade, Estirão da Preta , 07°21'46.7”S, 71°52'07.1”W, 2♀ 11–15.v.2011, (J.A. Rafael, D. Takiya, A. Somavilla, A. Agudelo) ( INPA), Manaus Janauca , 4♀ 14.ii.1978 (W.L. Overal and team), Manaus ZF 2, 2°35'21”S, 60°06'55”W, 1♀ 1–15.xii.2016, 1♀ 15–31.xii.2017, 1♀ 18–31.i.2017 (J.A. Rafael, F.F. Xavier F.), R. Japurá, 2♀ 14.ix.1904, Teffé, 2♀ 08.ix.1904 (Ducke) ( MPEG); Pará , 3♀, Aveiro Cataueré Rio Mamuru, 03°24’30.4”S, 56°24’16.5”W, 13♀ 24.ix.2009, 159♀ 25.ix.2009, 15.ix.2009 (O. T. Silveira, S.S. Silva, J. Pena), Benevides PA –408 Km 06, 1♀ 17.ix.1980 (E.L. Oliveira), Juruti, 2º19’3”S, 56º1’23”W, 3♀ 11.vi.2009, 2º36’9”S, 56º10’54”W, 4♀ 13.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva, K. A. Souza, L.A. Quaresma),Acamp. Mutum, 2°36’45.2”S, 56°11’37.4”W, 3♀ 03.iii.2008, 2°34’15.6”S, 56°13’16”W, 5♀ 29.ii.2008 (O. T. Silveira), Barroso, 2°26’59.4”S, 56°01’31.7”W, 24♀ 26.x.2007, 2°27’54.54”S, 00’11.82”W, 23.x.2007 (Silva, S. S. and team), 2°29’1.92”S, 55°58’37.38”W, 31♀ 27.x.2007, 2°29’48”S, 55°57’26.40”W, 36♀ 01.xi.2007, 2°29’49”S, 55°56’22”W, 26♀ 02.xi.2007, Beneficiamento, 2°29'28.5”S, 56°11'53.5”W, 30♀ 08.xii.2008 (S.S. Silva and J.Dias), 2°29'47”S, 56°10'34”W, 9♀ 06.vi.2009, 2°29'31”S, 56°12'5”W, 9♀ 16.vi.2009 (S.S. Silva, K.A. Souza, L.A. Quaresma,), Bota Fora 6A, 27♀ 06.xii.2008 (S.S. Silva), Rod. Km 43, 3♀ 31.x.2007 (S.S. Silva and team), Capiranga, 1♀ 26.v.2008, 3♀ 13.vi.2009, 9♀ 14.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva, J. Dias), Est. Barroso, 2°26’29.8”S, 56°01’66.3”W, 19♀ 24.ii.2008, Estr. MUT– MAU, 2°32'45.1”S 56°11'18.5”W, 1♀ 30.xi.2008, Malaise (J. Dias, S.S. Silva), Jaratuba, Rio Mamuru , 03°11'32.6”S 56°34'51.4”W, 3♀ 27.ix.2009, 8♀ 27.ix.2009 Malaise (O.T. Silveira, S.S. Silva, J. Pena), Mauari, Galiléia, 1♀ 27.ii.2008, (O.T. Silveira and team), Mutum, 46♀ 13.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva and team), Ramal do Mutum , 15♀ 22.ii.2008, 6♀ 23.ii.2008, 12♀ 28.ii.2008, 81♀ 29.ii.2008, 1♀ 03.iii.2008 (O. T. Silveira and team), R. Mutum, 2°32’16”S, 56°10’01”W, 22♀ 28.v.2008, 92♀ 02.vi.2008, 2°28’10”S, 55°59’58”W, 5♀ 01.vi.2008 (Santos, Quaresma), R. Barroso, 2°28’10”S, 55°59’58”W, 12♀ 31.v.2008, 152♀ 01.vi.2008 (Santos and Quaresma), R. Capiranga, 3♀ 27.v.2008 (Quaresma, S.S. Silva, Santos), Rodovia / Bota Fora, 6♀ 12.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva and team), Ramal Pacoval, 16♀ 22.ii.2008, 11♀ 23.ii.2008 (O.T. Silveira and team), Trevo do Mutum , 2°36'18”S 56°18'58”W, 7♀ 28.xi.2008, 1♀ 15.vi.2009, (J. Dias, K.A. Souza, L.A. Quaresma, S.S. Silva), Vista Bela, Rio Mamuru , 03°07'00.0”S, 56°35'06.7”W, 20♀ 01.x.2009, 2♀ 02.x.2009 (O.T. Silveira, S.S. Silva, J. Pena), Pacaval , 1♀ 15.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva), Pacoval, 2°34’20”S, 56°9’21”W, 15♀ 29.xii.2008 (S.S. Silva and team), Pacoval-Est.Mau-Mut, 2°32’47”S, 56°11’26”W, 9♀ 30.xi.2008, Percurso 2, 23♀ 13.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva), Melgaço Caxiuanã-ECFPn, 1♀ 24.iii.1998, 4♀ 26.vi.1998 (J. Dias, J. Pena. O.T. Silveira) ( MPEG), Serra Norte, N 1. Est. Serraria , 1♀ 6.ix.1983 (Luz. U. V.); Rondônia, Ji-Paraná , 3♀ 14.viii.1984 (R. B. Neto), V. Rondônia (378 Km S de P. Velho), 1♀ 25.i–9.ii.1961 (Pereira and A. Machado) ( MPEG).

Distribution. Costa Rica; Panama; Colombia; Suriname; French Guiana; Brazil: Acre *, Amapá, Amazonas, Pará*.

Remarks. After receiving photos of the “ holotype ” of Polybia scrobalis surinama deposited at the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden, Netherlands —RMNH, we found that it corresponded to a different species, P. dimorpha only described years later by Richards (1978). It soon became clear that this had been caused by labelling error, and that some other specimen had been labelled as holotype. Collecting data of the “dimorpha-like” specimen was Suriname, Paloemeu Pepejoe, 14.v.1954 (D. C. Geijskes), different from the data mentioned by Richards (1970: 304) to the group of “ four females including the holotype (D. C. Geijskes) (Leiden Museum)” of P. s. surinama : Suriname, Coppename R., Voltz Mt, 11.vii.63 (D. C. Geijskes). Photographs of one of these four specimens corresponded well to the characters described by Richards for subspecies surinama . However, it is important to note that the “dimorpha-like” specimen was indeed cited by Richards (1970) as a paratype of P. s. surinama , and that in the description of surinama, Richards (1970 ; pg. 303) considered as a mere variation the fact that “ seven female specimens had the pronotal prominence stronger”, this being precisely a diagnostic character of P. dimorpha described by him eight years later.

There is no information about the nest in Richards (1978), but in the MPEG there are three small nests with the following features: main color being dark brown with some light brown spots; with just one comb; brood cell width approximately 3.8 mm; overall size ca 5.5 cm long.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Head, frontal view (females). 1. P. belemensis. 2. P. dimorpha. 3. P. hecuba. 4. P. parvulina. 5. P. platycephala. 6. P. rosalinae sp. nov. 7. P. scrobalis. 8. P. surinama.

FIGURES 9–16. Habitus, lateral view (females). 9. P. belemensis. 10. P. dimorpha. 11. P. hecuba. 12. P. parvulina. 13. P. platycephala. 14. P. rosalinae sp. nov.15. P. scrobalis. 16. P. surinama.

FIGURES 17–24. Habitus, dorsal view (females). 17. P. belemensis. 18. P. dimorpha. 19. P. hecuba. 20. P. parvulina. 21. P. platycephala. 22. P. rosalinae sp. nov. 23. P. scrobalis. 24. P. surinama.

FIGURES 25–32. Head and pronotum, diagonal view (females). 25. P. belemensis. 26. P. dimorpha. 27. P. hecuba. 28. P. parvulina. 29. P. platycephala. 30. P. rosalinae sp. nov. 31. P. scrobalis. 32. P. surinama.

FIGURES 37–42. 37–41. Head, frontal view (male). 37. P. belemensis. 38. P. parvulina. 39. P. platycephala. 40. P. scrobalis. 41. P. surinama. 42. Nest of P. rosalinae sp. nov.

FIGURES 56–63. Male genitalia. 56–57. P. belemensis. 58–59. P. parvulina. 60–61. P. platycephala. 62–63. P. surinama. 56, 58, 60, 62. Frontal view. 57, 59, 61, 63. Lateral view.