Knemodynerus gusenleitneri GIRISH KUMAR & CARPENTER, 2019

Girish, Puthuvayi, M, James & Schwarz, Martin, 2019, Additions to the knowledge of Knemodynerus BLÜTHGEN (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) from India with the description of a new species, Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 949-957 : 950-951

Knemodynerus gusenleitneri GIRISH KUMAR & CARPENTER nov.sp. ( Figs 1-6 )

P r i m a r y t y p e: Holotype ♀: INDIA, Kerala, Kozhikode district, ZSI Campus , 28.xi.2018, P. Girish Kumar, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.12288.

D i a g n o s i s: This new species differs from all other species by the following combination of characters: second tergum with well developed translucent apical lamella which is almost vertically tilted upwards ( Fig. 1 ); lateral carina of propodeum present ( Fig. 4 ); tegula almost smooth; first tergum almost smooth medially with weak punctures on lateral sides, punctures widely spaced; head, mesosoma and metasoma black with ivory white maculations.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Holotype ♀. Head: Clypeus ( Fig. 2 ) as wide as long, weakly emarginated at apex, width between apical teeth 0.29× maximum width of clypeus; clypeus slightly convex at base, with a sub flat median area and depressed near apex; punctures of clypeus fine, dense, superficial and somewhat irregular; frons, vertex and temple with small and deep punctures, most of the interspaces larger than diameter of punctures; interantennal space and ocular sinus smooth with fine superficial micro punctures; dorsal side of head behind occipital carina with another transverse carina and the area in between thickly punctured.

Mesosoma: Pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum and mesopleuron with desnely spaced punctures of medium thickness ( Figs 3 & 4 ); median area of metanotum thickly punctured; metapleuron smooth with weak irregular transverse striations except at top with few punctures; tegula almost smooth; propodeum placed well below the level of metanotum, dorsal carina of propodeum present only at median area as lamelliform, dorsal side of propodeum ending with a sharp tooth at posterolateral tip, lateral carina of propodeum present, not lamellate. Dorsal surface of propodeum with large, shallow and flatbottomed irregularly arranged punctures, interspaces at apex subtly cariniform, at base with smooth and flat areas sometimes greater than the punctures. Lateral surface of propodeum with large, shallow and flat-bottomed irregularly arranged punctures on outer sides and smooth with weak transverse striations at inner area towards metapleuron. Posterior surface of propodeum smooth with few oblique carinae at lower half.

Metasoma ( Fig. 6 ): First tergum almost smooth medially with weak punctures on lateral sides, punctures widely spaced; punctures of second tergum larger and deeper than that of first tergum, interspaces, in average, larger than that of diameter of punctures; apical yellow banded area of second tergum depressed and with large and deep punctures; punctures of second sternite larger than that of second tergum; first three terga with translucent apical lamella, second one well developed and almost vertically tilted upwards.

Colour: Black with ivory white and ferruginous markings. Ivory white: small triangular mark at base of mandible; clypeus except apex; a band along inner orbits of lower lobe of eyes up to ocular sinus; a vague small mark just above clypeus on inter antennal space and another large round mark above on lower front; an elongated mark on temple; ventral side of scape; a narrow, medially interrupted, band on pronotum; anterior and posteri- or margins of tegula; dorsolateral spine of propodeum; marks on inner sides of mid and hind coxae; elongated mark on outer sides posteriorly on mid and hind tibiae; apical band on first three terga and second and third sternites, of which band on terga extending to lateral margins; second sternite also with large mark on either sides posterolaterally. Ferruginous: mandible except base; narrow marks on ventral sides of apical flagellar segments; fore leg; mid and hind legs except ivory white markings of coxae and tibiae and black markings on outer sides of femora, tibiae and tarsi. Wings hyaline with stigma dark and weak infumation on marginal cell. Setae silvery white.

Size (up to second tergum): 7.5 mm.

Male: Unknown.

E t y m o l o g y: The species is named after Dr. Josef Gusenleitner, Linz, Austria for his life time contribution to the taxonomy of family Vespidae .

D i s t r i b u t i o n: India: Kerala.

Figures

Figs 1-6: Knemodynerus gusenleitneri GIRISH KUMAR & CARPENTER nov.sp., holotype ♀; (1) habitus in lateral view; (2) head in frontal view; (3) head and mesosoma in dorsal view; (4) mesosoma in lateral view; (5) fore wing apically; (6) metasoma in dorsal view.