Quartinia vagepunctata von Schulthess

Gess, Friedrich W., 2011, The genus Quartinia Ed. Andre, 1884 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) in Southern Africa. Part IV. New and little known species with complete venation, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 21, pp. 1-39 : 27-31

Quartinia vagepunctata von Schulthess Figs 84-90

Quartinia vagepunctata von Schulthess 1929: 504 (key), 507, female. Holotype: South Africa: Little Karroo (sic), 38 m[iles] E of Ceres (BMNH). - von Schulthess 1935: 386 (key); Richards 1962: 132 (key), 169 (redescription of female); Gess and Gess 1992 (nesting); Gess 1996 (nesting, flower visiting); Carpenter 2001: 29 (listed); Gess and Gess 2003: 64 (flower visiting).

Diagnosis.

Medium to large (3.6-5 .0 mm). Fore wing with Cu1a and 2 m-cu complete and as thick as other veins. Both sexes with thorax and gaster shiny with fine punctures; scutellum markedly convex. Female with scutellum black with black lamella. Male with mandible black and tip ferruginous; labrum testaceous to black with white spot; clypeus black with white marking; antennal club ferruginous; frons medially on lower half with yellowish-white marking of variable size and shape; scutellum with pair of postero-medial white spots; sternumVII almost glabrous and apically with a few large, curved, golden setae.

This common and widely distributed species shows a considerable variation in colour pattern within a population at any particular locality as well as, in some instances, consistent variations between populations from different localities. This is particularly evident in the males but applies to a lesser extent also to the females. In the descriptions below specimens from the population at 15 km N of Nieuwoudtville on the road to Loeriesfontein [Skuinshoogte Pass] are chosen as representing the “norm” for the following reasons: the females most closely accord with the redescription of females by Richards (1962: 169); the sample size is large; females and males from the sample, submitted to Carpenter in1990 were determined by him as Quartinia vagepunctata ; and the locality is where the nesting was studied ( Gess and Gess 1992). Deviations from the characters as expressed in this population are noted, giving the localities at which the deviant specimens occurred.

Description.

Female (previously described) ( Figs 84, 86, 88 ). The specimens from Skuinshoogte are in accord with the redescription of females by Richards. One of the localities from which Richards had material, "Doorn R. Falls", is the same as the presently recorded "Doringrivier N of Nieuwoudtville" and "Nieuwoudtville Falls, 5 km N of Nieuwoudtville" and is a mere seven kilometres in a direct line from the Skuinshoogte site.

In contrast to typical females, females from N. of Annis River, in accord with the males from that locality, have the propodeal angles and the greater part of the gaster ferruginous. Females from 16 km S of Rosh Pinah in Namibia are of similar appearance. However, females from Springbok and Anenous are of intermediate coloration.

Male (hitherto undescribed) ( Figs 85, 87, 89, 90 ): Black. The following are yellowish-white: labrum (in part; in a few specimens from N. of Annis River only); marking of variable size and shape medially on clypeus (in specimens from Skuinshoogte covering all of disk except narrow testaceous distal margin and lateral parts below antennal insertions but in some reduced to an inverse triangle; in some specimens from N of Annis River further reduced or totally absent); marking of variable size and form medially on lower half of frons (in specimens from Skuinshoogte wedge-, hour-glass- or mushroom-shaped, mostly but not always rising from clypeo-frontal suture; in specimens from N of Annis River varying from an upwardly widened, tri-pointed, crown-like shape extending to upper level of ocular sinus to, at its greatest reduction, a number of disorientated small spots); small streak (in some specimens ferruginous or totally effaced) margining bottom of ocular sinus; scape, pedicel and underside of proximal flagellomeres; pair of medially separated triangular markings on anterior margin of pronotum joined to or separated from marking of variable size on humeral angle; postero-dorsal angle; spot at top of mesopleuron; tegula anteriorly and posteriorly; pair of small spots (in some specimens fused, in others much reduced to totally absent) postero-medially on scutellum); scutellar lamella (in all specimens from N of Annis River; pale colour well developed, reduced or absent in specimens from Skuinshoogte); posterior bands (becoming progressively shorter and narrower) on terga I - VI; apex of femur, dorsal surface of tibia, proximal tarsomeres of all legs. The following are various shades of ferruginous: apical half of mandible; labrum (generally but see exception above); antero-lateral regions of clypeus (in some specimens only); distal flagellomeres (particularly on underside); tegula medially; propodeal angles (in specimens from N of Annis River, betw. Annis and Dabie Rivers, Springbok, Anenous, Klipfontein,Wildeperdehoek and Nuwerus but not or at most barely indicated in a few specimens from Skuinshoogte); lateral regions of terga I - VI including lateral extremities of posterior bands (to varying extent in specimens from Skuinshoogte; more extensive in specimens from N of Annis River and from betw. Annis and Dabie Rivers in which most of gaster is this colour); tergum VII; parameres; sterna (following trend of terga); distal tarsomeres of all legs.

Length 3.6-4.2 mm (average of 3: 4.0 mm; length of front wing 2.4-2.6 mm (average of 3: 2.5 mm); hamuli 5.

Material examined.

NAMIBIA: 16 km S of Rosh Pinah (28.04S, 16.51E), 13.x.2000 (F.W. and S. K. Gess), 5 ♀♀ (4 ♀♀ visiting yellow fls with white bracts of Helichrysum herniarioides DC, Asteraceae ; 1 ♀ visiting yellow fls of Tripteris microcarpa Harv., Asteraceae ); same locality, 14.x.2000 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♀ (visiting yellow fls of Tripteris microcarpa ); same locality, 15.x.2000 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 4 ♀♀ (visiting yellow fls with white bracts of Helichrysum herniarioides ) - [all AMG]. SOUTH AFRICA: NORTHERN CAPE: 24 km N of Annis River crossing by road to Sendelingsdrif (28.14S, 16.55E), 21.ix.1997 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 65 ♀♀, 9 ♂♂ (visiting yellow fls with white bracts of Helichrysum herniarioides ); on r[oa]d to Richtersveld N[ational] P[ark] bet. Annis and Dabie R[ivers] (28.20S, 16.55E), 19.ix.1997 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♂ (visiting yellow fls of Leysera tenella DC, Asteraceae ); 12 Mi[les]W [of] Steinkopf [29.14S, 17.35E], 3.xi.1968 (J. G. Rozen and E. Martinex) 2 ♀♀ (det. J. M. Carpenter, 1986) [AMNH]; Namaqualand, Anenous (29.14S, 17.35E), 11-13.x.1988 (D. W. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality, 12.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 36 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂ (29 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂ visiting fls of Leysera gnaphalodes (L.) L., Asteraceae ; 3 ♀♀ visiting minute yellow flowers of ? Helichrysum sp., Asteraceae ; 2 ♀♀ visiting fls of Cotula sp., Asteraceae ; 1 ♀ visiting pink fls of Galenia sp., Aizoaceae : non Mesembryanthema ]; [Springbok], Hester Malan N[ature] R[eserve] [now Goegap Nature Reserve] (29.37S, 18.00E), 26.x.1985 (M. Struck), 3 ♀♀; Springbok, Hester Malan Nature Res[erve] [now Goegap Nature Reserve], 10-12.x.1988 (D. W. Gess), 1 ♂; Namaqualand, Springbok, Hester Malan Nature Res[erve] [now Goegap Nature Reserve], 10-11.x.1989 (F. W. Gess and S. K. Gess), 8 ♀♀, 1 ♂ (5 ♀♀ visiting fls of Leysera gnaphalodes ); same locality and dates (D. W. Gess), 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; Namaqualand, [Springbok], Goegap Nat[ure] Res[erve], Kraaiwater (29.38S, 18.00E), 29.ix.1997 (F. W. and S. K.Gess), 3 ♀♀ (visiting fls of Leysera gnaphalodes ); same locality, 30.ix.1997 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1♀ (visiting fls of Leysera gnaphalodes ); Namaqualand: Voëlklip (29.45S, 17.22E), 2 and 7.x.1994 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 2 ♀♀ (1 ♀ on yellow fls Leysera tenella ); Namaqualand: Klipfontein (29.51S, 17.47E), 14.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♂ (visiting fls of Lebeckia sericea Thunb., Fabaceae ); Namaqualand: Narap (Narab), (29.53S, 17.46E), 14.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 5 ♀♀ (visiting fls of Leysera gnaphalodes ); Namaqualand: W[estern] end of Wildeperdehoek Pass (29.56S, 17.38E), 14.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess) 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂ (visiting fls of Oncosiphon suffruticosum (L.) Källersjö, Asteraceae ); 6-13 Mi[les] S [of] Mesklip [circa 29.57S, 17.54E], 21.x.1968 (J. G. Rozen and E. Martinez), l ♀ [AMNH]; 25 km N [of] Kamieskroon (30.01S, 17.53E), 17.x.2000 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 6 ♀♀ (visiting yellow fls of Leysera sp.); Namaqualand: Kamiesberg to Sors Sors (30.11S, 18.01E), 9.x.1997 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♀ (visiting yellow fls of Leysera gnaphalodes ); 15 km N of Nieuwoudtville on road to Loeriesfontein (bottom of Skuinshoogte Pass) (31.16S, 19.08E), 3-8.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 60 ♀♀, 40 ♂♂ (53 ♀♀, 27 ♂♂ visiting fls of Rhynchopsidium pumilum (L. f.) DC, Asteraceae ; 5 ♀♀, 5 ♂♂ visiting fls of Senecio sp. probably nivea Less., Asteraceae ; 1 ♀, 6 ♂♂ visiting fls of Cotula leptalea DC, Asteraceae ; 1 ♂ visiting fls of Tripteris oppositifolia (Ait.) B. Nord., Asteraceae ); same locality and date (D. W. Gess and S. K. Gess), 2 ♀♀; same locality and date (D. W. Gess), 2 ♀♀, 1♂; same locality, 27.ix.1990 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 66 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂ (18 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂ on yellow fls of Rhynchopsidium pumilum ; 38 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂ on yellow fls of Oncosiphon suffuticosum ; 7 ♀♀, 1 ♂ on yellow fls of Cotula sp.; 2 ♀♀ in nesting area; 1 ♀ general); Doringrivier N of Nieuwoudtville (31.18S, 19.07E), 28.ix.1990 (C. Eardley), 22 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂ [SANC]; Nieuwoudtville Falls, 5 km N of Nieuwoudtville (31.19S, 19.07E), 28.ix.1990 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 3 ♀♀ (on yellow fls of Leysera gnaphalodes ); Calvinia (31.27S, 19.45E, 1050 m), 7.xii.1996 (J. Carpenter and A. Davidson), 1 ♀ (det. J. M. Carpenter) [AMNH]; Nieuwoudtville/Calvinia, 25km E of Nieuwoudtville (31.29S, 19.19E), 18.x.2000 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 6 ♀♀ (5 ♀♀ visiting yellow fls of Leysera gnaphalodes ; 1 ♀ visiting yellow fls of " Osteospermum ", Asteraceae ). WESTERN CAPE: Nuwerus (31.08S, 18.22E), 17.x.2000 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♀, 1 ♂ (visiting yellow fls Pentzia sphaerocephala DC, Asteraceae ); Knersvlakte, Farm Kaap se Drif (31.26S, 18.48E), 22.ix.1999 (M. Kuhlmann), 1 ♀, 1 ♂ [Kuhlmann Collection, London]. - [all AMG, unless otherwise indicated.]

Geographic distribution.

The species is common over an extensive area in the winter rainfall regions of southern Namibia and of the Northern Cape and the north ern Western Cape provinces of South Africa. The collecting site in Namibia is located in the Desert and Succulent Steppe of Giess (1971); those in South Africa in the Namaqualand Broken Veld, the Succulent Karoo, the Mountain Renosterbosveld and the Western Mountain Karoo of Acocks (1953).

Floral associations.

Very markedly associated with Asteraceae ( Cotula , Helichrysum , Leysera , Oncosiphon , Pentzia , Rhynchopsidium , Senecio and Tripteris ). [Note: Rhynchopsidium pumilum (L. f.) DC was previously listed as Relhania sp. (Gess, S. K., 1996) or as Relhania pumila Thunb. (Gess and Gess, 2003).]

Nesting.

Nest a subvertical silk-lined burrow in friable soil, surmounted by a sand and silk turret and having an excavated cell in which is a constructed sand and silk cell. (See: Gess and Gess, 1992; Gess, S. K., 1996: 108-111, 115).

Figures

Figures 84 - 90. Quartinia vagepunctata 84 ♀, lateral view (x 11) 85 ♂, lateral view (x 12) 86 ♀, dorsal view (x 13) 87 ♂, dorsal view (x 12) 88 ♀, head, front view (x 17) 89 ♂, head, front view (x 16) 90 ♂, tergum VII, dorsal view (x 21).