Antepipona gibbosissima Selis, 2018

Selis, Marco, 2018, Additions to the knowledge of solitary wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), with description of eight new species, Zootaxa 4403 (3), pp. 441-468 : 444-446

Antepipona gibbosissima Selis , sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–5 )

Diagnosis. This species is unique in the whole genus in the extreme modifications on the head (gibbosities on vertex, Fig. 3 ) and mesosoma (gibbosities and carinae on pronotum and mesoscutum, large lamellar teeth on scutellum and metanotum, Fig. 4 ).

Material examined. HOLOTYPE, ♂, pinned, “Warmbad / S.W.A.” [handwritten on white label], “gibbosissimus / n.sp.” [handwritten on red label] ( MSNVE).

Description. Male. Body length 6 mm; fore wing length 5 mm.

Head 1.1× as wide as long in frontal view. Clypeus very weakly convex basally in lateral view, apical margin deeply incised, incision 1.5× as wide as deep, apical teeth pointed and shortly carinate, clypeus 0.85× as long as wide ( Fig. 2 ). Distance from posterior ocellus to inner eye margin 0.7× as the distance from posterior ocellus to occipital margin; ocelli disposed as a obtuse triangle, distance between posterior ocelli 2× as long as distance between anterior ocellus and posterior ocellus. Temples 0.6× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus; occipital carina strong and distinct for entire length. Vertex sloping down posteriorly to posterior ocelli; with gibbosities behind ocellar triangle and behind dorsal lobe of eye ( Fig. 3 ). Scape 3× as long as apically wide; F1 1.8× as long as apically wide; following flagellomeres as wide or wider than long; F11 short and straight, not reaching base of F9. Mesosoma in dorsal view ( Fig. 3 ) shortened, 0.9× as long as wide. Pronotal carina strong on lateral face of pronotum, completely missing above, anterior and dorsal faces not separated; two conical paramedian gibbosities on dorsal face of pronotum, followed laterally by a depression and then by a elevated ridge which continues in the pretegular carina, pretegular carina elevated to a horizontal lamella; surface below pretegular carina strongly depressed; transition from dorsal to lateral faces angled. Mesoscutum 0.84× as long as wide between tegulae; a median strongly elevated carina runs from base to apex and is depressed in middle length; another strong gibbosity present between median elevation and lateral margin of mesoscutum ( Fig. 4 ). Scutellum in lateral view strongly convex, with two distinct faces, transition between faces rounded; lateral longitudinal carina developed into long and broad lamellar teeth; median longitudinal furrow strong, anterior margin strongly crenate. Metanotum not bifaced, sloping down from scutellum to posterior face of propodeum; metanotal teeth developed into two transverse triangular lamellae, partially fused in the middle. Tegulae very broad, outer margin with a strong rounded angle, basal corner gibbous. Parategulae very large and gibbous, pointed apically. Mesepisternum strongly convex, epicnemial carina strong and distinct for entire length; mesepisternal furrows deep and crenate. Propodeum in lateral view strongly convex from base to apex, posterior face broadly and deeply depressed with flattened bottom, lateral face flat ventrally, transitions between faces of propodeum strongly rounded; submarginal carina forming a short rounded lamella above valvula. T1 very short, 2.2× as wide as long in dorsal view; in lateral view developed vertically just behind reception of suspensory ligament, then gently curved into dorsal face. T2 strongly convex in lateral view, broadly and deeply depressed subapically; a median and two gibbosities on each side just before depression; in dorsal view 1.4× as broad as long. S2 broadly and deeply depressed from base to middle length ( Fig. 5 ).

Frons, vertex and dorsal face of mesosoma covered by erected long golden bristles. Mesepisternum and dorsal face of propodeum with apically bent silvery bristles. Some short sparse silvery setae on T1, S1 and base of S2. Clypeus and genae with appressed dense silvery pubescence. Metasoma with extremely fine and short silvery pubescence, which densely covers entire surface.

Clypeus deeply punctured, interspaces smooth and at most 2.5× puncture diameters. Frons densely and deeply punctured, interspaces smooth and shorter than puncture diameters. Vertex very shiny and with sparse punctures. Pronotum smooth in the middle, with very large shallow punctures in lateral depressions of dorsal face, lateral face strongly transversely striate. Mesoscutum with few small punctures in furrow between median and lateral gibbosities and on posterior margin. Mesepisternum with deep medium sized punctures, interspaces equal to or shorter than puncture diameters. Posterior face of propodeum with some very irregular shallow punctures, interspaces greatly larger than puncture diameters and shiny. Metaepisternum, scutellum, metanotum and lateral face of propodeum entirely smooth and shiny. Anterior vertical face of T1 entirely smooth, posterior horizontal face with dense small punctures. T2 with small oblique punctures, interspaces about equal to puncture diameters in the middle, becoming shorter laterally; apical reflection smooth. T3–T4 with deep coarse punctures, interspaces clearly shorter than puncture diameters. S2–S4 punctured like respective terga, but punctures deeper and sparser.

Color. Black; following parts red: suffused marking on apical half of clypeus, line in ocular sinus, apex of mandibles, ventral face of scape, short line on dorsal half of temples, dorsal face of pronotum, tegulae, parategulae, lateral teeth of scutellum and metanotum, T1 except black basal petiole and yellow apical line, darkened apical lines on T3–T6 and S3–S5, legs except base of femora and darkened dorsal lines on mid and hind tibiae; pale yellow apical band on T1–T2 and S2. Wings weakly fuscous, with purplish reflections on marginal cell.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Namibia: Warmbad.

Etymology. The specific name was found on a red label pinned below the specimen, it is maintained and surely refers to the many gibbosities of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Antepipona gibbosissima sp. nov., ♂, holotype. 1, Habitus. 2, Head in frontal view. 3, Head and mesosoma in dorsal view. 4, Head and mesosoma in anterolateral view. 5, Metasoma in dorsolateral view.