Liostenogaster maculiceps Selis, 2018

Selis, Marco, 2018, Notes on the subfamily Stenogastrinae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in the Philippine Islands, with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 4514 (3), pp. 383-410 : 389-391

Liostenogaster maculiceps Selis , sp. nov.

( Figs. 15–22 )

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: mandibles tridentate and middle tooth apically truncate, mesoscutum shiny and without yellow lines, F10 of female elongate and 1.8× as long as wide, vertex extensively marked with yellow, and propodeal yellow markings present on sides of basal half and covering whole apical half.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE, ♀ labeled: “ Philippines , Mindanao, Mt. Apo / III.2014 / leg. local collector” ( MSNVE) . PARATYPES: PHILIPPINES: MINDANAO: Davao, Governor Generoso , XI.2017, 4 ♀ (2♀ MSVI, 2♀ MSNVE) ; Davao, Governor Generoso, I.2018, 1 ♀ ( MSVI); Sibagat , XI.2015, 4 ♂ 2♀ (2♂ 1♀ MSVI, 2♂ 1♀ MSNVE) ; Pantukan , IX.2015, 1 ♀ ( MSVI) .

Description. Female. Body length 11.5–13.5 mm (holotype 13.5 mm); fore wing length 10.0– 11.3 mm (holotype 11.0 mm).

Head as long as wide in frontal view ( Fig. 17 ). Clypeus elongate ventrally, 1.5× as long as wide, apically with a long pointed tooth, weakly concave apically in lateral view. Weakly-developed and broadly interrupted carina from interantennal area to anterior ocellus. Distance between ocelli almost equal to ocellar diameter. Mandible tridentate, median tooth apically truncate. Antennal scape 3× as long as its apical width, F1 3.5× as long as its apical width, F2–F9 longer than wide, F10 bullet shaped, 1.8× as long as its basal width ( Fig. 18 ).

Mesoscutum as long as width between tegulae, notaulices present as very narrow furrows, parapsidal sulci clearly marked, strongly convex in lateral view. Scutellum strongly convex. Metanotum weakly convex, almost entirely vertical. Propodeum convex in lateral view, longitudinal median furrow absent on anterior half ( Fig. 19 ).

T1 5.3× as long as maximum width, in lateral view with linear dorsal outline, except for basal and apical convexities. T 2 in profile almost linear from base to apex, only weakly convex apically.

Claws of legs with short tooth on inner side, proportionally longer on fore legs.

Clypeus smooth with some sparse fine punctures. Frons almost dull, with extremely superficial small punctures. Mandibles with scattered deep punctures. Mesosoma entirely smooth and shiny, except for striae on ventral corners of pronotum. Metasoma smooth but less shiny than mesosoma.

Color. Head dark brown, mesosoma and metasoma brown with dark brown irregular patches; following parts yellow: clypeus except median longitudinal line, inner eye margin from clypeus to vertex, subquadrate spots above antennal sockets, small spots on each side of anterior ocellus, genae, pronotal collar, regular band on posterior margin of pronotum, scutellum except posterior triangular spot, metanotum, lateral faces and ventral half of dorsal face of propodeum, two spots on dorsal half of mesepisternum, lunate mark below transverse furrow, dorsal half of metaepisternum, lateral lines on T1, whole S1, basal and lateral spots on T2, basal bands on T3–5, elongate spots on S2, lateral spots on S3-6.

Male. Body length 11.4–12.5 mm; fore wing length 9.1–10.4 mm.

Like female, except: head 1.2× as wide as long in frontal view ( Fig. 21 ); clypeus shorter, weakly pointed apically, lateral margins parallel, 1.25× as long as wide; frons without carina; distance between ocelli shorter than ocellar diameter; mandibles apparently bidentate, inner tooth barely developed, median tooth truncate apically, apical tooth long and pointed, weakly curbed apically; scape 2.8× as long as apically wide, F1 3.5× as long as wide, F2–F6 longer than wide, F7–F10 about as long as wide, F11 1.6× as long as basally wide ( Fig. 22 ); eyes larger, ventral lobe more developed; notauli barely visible; S7 nearly triangular, with broadly rounded apex, almost flat on entire surface.

Color. Reddish-brown to dark brown; following parts yellow: clypeus except median longitudinal line, large lateral spots above clypeus continuing in ocular sinuses, spots above antennal toruli, spots in front of posterior ocelli, broad band on genae continuing in thin longitudinal line medially to eyes, lateral margin of mandible, pronotal collar, posterodorsal margin of pronotum, anterolateral triangular spots on scutellum, posteriorly incised anterior band on metanotum, propodeum except basal half of posterior face and anterior line on lateral face, two triangular spots on dorsal part of mesepisternum, one below base of wing and one near ventral corner of pronotum, broad lunate mark below transverse furrow, dorsal half of dorsal plate of metaepisternum, indefinite lateral lines on T1 becoming more definite on apical bulge, large lateral spots continuing above on basal petiole on T2, medially interrupted broad basal band on T3–T6, large elongate spots on apical expanded part of S1, medially fused dropshaped lateral markings on S2, large basolateral rounded markings on S3–S7, anterior face of fore coxa, ventral face of mid coxa, dorsal face of hind coxa, fore femur except line on posterior face, ventral face of mid and hind femora, outer face of fore tibia, basal and apical spots on mid and hind tibia, lateral line on fore basitarus; F1–F7 and F11 darkened above and orange below, F8–F10 entirely orange.

Distribution. Philippine Islands: Mindanao.

Etymology. The specific name is refers to the many yellow spots on the head of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 15–19. Liostenogaster maculiceps Selis, sp. nov., ♀. 15, Habitus in dorsal view. 16, Habitus in lateral view. 17, Head in frontal view. 18, Antenna in lateral view. 19, Propodeum in posterodorsal view.

FIGURES 20–22. Liostenogaster maculiceps Selis, sp. nov., ♂. 20, Habitus in lateral view. 21, Head in frontal view. 22, Antenna in lateral view.