Zethus giseleae Hermes & Lopes, 2018

Hermes, Marcel G. & Lopes, Rogério B., 2018, A new species of Zethus Fabricius (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Zethinae) from Northeast Brazil, with notes on morphology and distributional records of Z. alessandroi Lopes, Zootaxa 4462 (2), pp. 245-250 : 246-247

Zethus giseleae Hermes & Lopes new species

( Figs. 1–4 and 7–9 )

Diagnosis. Zethus giseleae runs into couplet 6 of the key proposed by Lopes et al. (2015). It differs from Z. kaapora Lopes by the lack of thick, erect, golden pilosity along the entire body ( Fig. 1 ). Zethus giseleae differs particularly from Z. smithii by the truncate apex of the clypeus ( Fig. 2 , concave in Z. smithii ), by the shape of the apical male flagellomere ( Fig. 3 , wider apically in Z. giseleae ), and by the higher profile of T1 ( Fig. 4 ). Also, several male genitalic features allow ready distinction between the two species: volsellar crest wider ( Fig. 7 , narrower in Z. smithii ), setae on digitus dense and long ( Fig. 7 , shorter and sparser in Z. smithii ), ventral margin of the ventral lobe of the aedeagus rounded, with a prominent basal projection ( Fig. 8 , somewhat rectangular in Z. smithii ), basal plaque of aedeagus elliptical ( Fig. 9 ), and apex of aedeagus strongly bifid ( Fig. 9 ). All images may be compared to those provided by Lopes et al. (2015) for Z. smithii .

Description. Holotype male. Body length from head to apex of T1 12 mm. Forewing length from middle of tegula 13 mm. Body ground color predominantly black, with yellow markings as follows: broad stripe along inner margin of mandibles; apical band on clypeus; small bands on inner orbit of compound eyes near clypeus; spots on inner upper margins of antennal sockets; small stripes on gena at the height of eye emargination; thin lateral stripes on pronotum adjacent to pronotal carina; small spots on apical projections of tegulae and parategulae; stripe on most of metanotum; longitudinal stripes on posterior surface of propodeum; interrupted apical stripes on outer surface of fore femora; stripes on frontal surface of fore tibiae; irregular markings on frontal surface of mid and hind coxae (the latter having markings on posterior surface as well); large stripes on inner surfaces of mid femora and tibiae; stripes on inner surfaces of hind tibiae; apical lateral stripes on each side of T1; basal spots on stem of T2; thin apical stripes on T2 and S2; apical wide stripes on T3–7 and S3–7. Hind femora and tibiae and mid femora with chestnut markings. Wings dark-hyaline, venation black-brownish, especially dark along costal region.

Clypeal apex somewhat truncate, teeth slightly developed; distance between antennal sockets wide, around 2.5x a socket diameter; last flagellomere apically enlarged; gena wide, wider than the upper lobe of the compound eye; occipital carina strong and sharp, angular near mandibles, almost touching compound eyes inferiorly near mandibles; pronotal carina lamellar and somewhat translucent dorsally; mesepisternum swollen; propodeal dorsal aperture with two orifices; posterior surface of propodeum with median carina along its entire length; propodeal submarginal carina trapezoidal when seen from behind; propodeal valvula enlarged and rectangular; mid tibiae with two apical spurs; biggest high of T1 before middle of tergum when seen in profile; stem of T2 longer than that of T1; T2 and S2 with translucent narrow lamella.

Clypeus with somewhat sparse and shallow punctures; frons above clypeus with strong and striate punctures, becoming regular and sparser on vertex and gena; strong and dense punctures on dorsal surface of pronotum, mesoscutum, mesepisternum and scutellum; lateral surface of pronotum with shallow and irregular punctuation, with weak striae near pronotal fovea; metanotum with small and shallow punctures basally, impunctate posteriorly; posterior surface of propodeum striate, striae becoming weak on lateral surfaces; T1 sparsely punctate basally, punctures becoming denser towards apex; punctures somewhat obsolete on remaining terga, but well developed on S2-7, especially on S2.

Clypeus with pubescence concentrated on center, and with long, sparse, decumbent whitish setae on its entire surface; long, erect whitish setae on frons, becoming shorter and decumbent on vertex and gena; sparse and short erect whitish setae on pronotum, mesoscutum and scutellum, longer on metanotum, mesepisterum and propodeum; short and erect setae on base of T1, becoming shorter and sparser towards apex; short and erect setae on S2, becoming longer and thicker on T3–7 and S3–7.

Male genitalia: volsellar crest wide; setae on digitus dense and long; ventral margin of the ventral lobe of the aedeagus rounded, with a prominent basal projection; basal plaque of aedeagus elyptical; apex of aedeagus strongly bifid.

Female unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is an homage to our colleague Gisele G. Azevedo, who promotes the study of Hymenoptera in one of the least explored northeast states in Brazil, Maranhão.

Type material. Holotype male (CEUFLA), ‘ Brasil, Maranhão, Penalva,\ Real Lodge (Faz. Canadá),\ 3°17’S 45°07’O 25.I.2014 \ Muniz & Azevedo leg’.

Additional examined material. Zethus smithii: One female ( RPSP), ‘ Parque Est. Morro do Diabo \ Teodoro Sampaio-SP, Brasil \ 22°32’33”S, 52°19’40”W \ 14–16/11/1999 — Tavares leg.’ . One male ( UFMT), ‘ BRASIL : Mato Grosso,\ Cotriguaçu , R 10–11 (12)\ -9.79’84.11”S, -58.29’\ 72.15”W, 245 Trap-nest,\ 20.XII.2016, GAraújo’. One male ( UFMT), ‘ BRASIL : Mato Grosso ,\ Cotriguaçu, N 9-2 1 (12)\ -9.79’84.11”S, -58.29’\ 72.15”W, 245 Trap-nest,\ 20.X.2016, GAraújo’. One male (MNHNPY), ‘ Paraguay : Canindeyu \ Res. Nat. Bos. Mbaracayú \ La Morena, 15–16.i.1997 \ B. Garcete Barrett \\ IBNPY-INVERT 7584’. One male ( MNHPY), Paraguay:\ Itapua: Alto Verá,\ Estancia Mendieta, 9\ – 11.ii.1999 B.\ Garcete\\ IBNPY-INVERT 7583’.

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Zethus giseleae, holotype male. 1. Habitus. 2. Head in frontal view. 3. Detail of the apical flagellomere. 4. Metasomal T1 in profile. Scale bar for Fig. 1 = 0.5 cm; Figs. 2 and 4 = 1 mm; Fig. 3 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 7–9. Zethus giseleae, male genitalia. 7. Gonocoxite and volsella. 8. Aedeagus in lateral view. 9. Aedeagus in ventral view. Scale bar for Fig. 7 = 0.25 mm; Figs. 8 and 9 = 0.5 mm.