Mischocyttarus socialis de Saussure

Silveira, Orlando Tobias, 2006, Revision of the subgenus Kappa de Saussure of Mischocyttarus de Saussure (Hym.; Vespidae, Polistinae, Mischocyttarini), Zootaxa 1321 (1), pp. 1-108 : 41

Group of Mischocyttarus socialis de Saussure

This group may be easily identified by the robust mesosoma and shortened first metasomal segment (Figs. 43–45) allied to a color pattern unique in the genus, almost absolutely black, nearly without yellow marks, with the apex of the fore wing often being pale and contrasting to the darkened basal membrane. Richards (1978) recognized six species in the M. socialis group, but considered his treatment as provisional noting that the number of species was probably excessive. Nomenclature in the group has a complicate history, caused in part by the inexactitude of original descriptions, but also as result of editorial errors in de Saussure’s work on vespids (1852–1858). The confusion perpetrated by authors through the years should have been partially resolved with the paper by Bequaert (1943). This author pointed that the valid name for the species concept prevailing at the time was socialis de Saussure. However , both Richards (1945) and Zikán (1949) maintained the inappropriate use of the name ater Olivier. Bequaert demonstrated that Vespa atra Olivier , possibly a Mischocyttarus species of this group, was unavailable as homonym of Vespa (Crabro) atra Gmelin , this curiously a sphecid that had already been described with two other names, Crabro tricinctus Fabricus and Sphecius speciosus (Drury) . Bequaert also showed that the use of the name socialis for a species of Polybia (as this genus is presently conceived) was an unfortunate consequence of errors in the legends of figures on de Saussure’s work.

In the present study, only three species are recognized as valid in this group: M. socialis (de Saussure) (= M. atramentarius Zikán ), M. deceptus (Fox) (= M. atrocyaneus Zikán ), and M. imitator (Ducke) (= M. goyanus Zikán , M. communalis Richards ).