Pison xanthognathos Pulawski, 2018

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2018, A Revision of the Wasp Genus Pison Jurine, 1808 of Australia and New Zealand, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-584 : 500-503

Pison xanthognathos Pulawski , species nova

Figures 1204-1214.

NAME DERIVATION.– Xanthognathos derives from two Greek words: ξανθός, yellow, and γνάθΟς, a jaw, mandible, a noun in apposition to the generic name; with reference to the pale yellow mandible in the male of this species.

RECOGNITION. – Pison xanthognathos has three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so, tegula partly impunctate and asetose, and setae appressed on tergum I. The body is all black, but the setal fasciae on the apical depressions of terga are golden (Fig. 1209). Other characters include: middle clypeal lobe well defined, gena punctate and setose on each side of oral fossa, with setae sinuous, at least as long as midocellar diameter, mesopleural punctures contiguous, and propodeal dorsum closely punctate, with interspaces merging into fine, inconspicuous ridges. One important recognition feature is the longitudinal propodeal carina separating the dorsum and posterior surface from the side that in many specimens is evanescent or fully replaced by a series of short, transverse ridges (ridges evanescent in some specimens).

The female can be recognized by the following combination: punctures less than one diameter apart on upper frons and scutum, ocellocular distance equal to 1.3-1.7 × hindocellar diameter, clypeal surface not concave above lamella (which is longer mesally than laterally), hypostomal carina not expanded, and sterna II-IV punctate throughout.

In the male, flagellomeres II-VII are slightly convex ventrally (Fig. 1207), flagellomeres III-X have narrow, shiny tyloids ventrally (Fig. 1208), and in the vast majority of specimens the mandible is pale yellow (largely so in most specimens, but only narrowly so at the basal third in some individuals, and exceptionally all black). Also, in most specimens the hypostomal carina is broadened next to the mandibular end (Fig. 1206).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, minutely punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart. Labrum slightly emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, slightly longer than half midocellar diameter. Propleuron varying: either all densely punctate or sparsely punctate anteriorly. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures minute, less than one diameter apart. Tegula somewhat enlarged. Mesopleural punctures contiguous. Postspiracular carina evanescent. Metapleural sulcus costulate or not costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum in most specimens with longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle, but in many cases carina evanescent or fully replaced by row of short transversal ridges (ridges evanescent in some specimens); dorsum with short transverse carinae emerging from middle carina, remaining dorsum and side finely, closely punctate (interspaces merging into minute, inconspicuous ridges); side closely punctate, interspaces merging into fine ridges; posteri- or surface ridged, punctate between ridges, or only closely punctate in dorsal half. Punctures of tergum I fine, more than one diameter apart on anterior slope, but less than one diameter apart posteriorly.

Setae silvery on head and side and venter of thorax, brownish on scutum and propodeal dorsum, silvery on tergum I basally, golden on remaining gaster (Fig. 1209); forming setal fasciae on tergal apical depressions; erect on upper frons and scutum (in addition to appressed setae), appressed on femoral venters and tergum I; appressed setae oriented dorsolaterad between dorsal end of midfrontal carina and midocellus; on lower gena sinuous, about as long as midocellar diameter in specimens from New South Wales and South Australia, longer than that in specimens from Western Australia; partly concealing integument on clypeus in female, completely so (except lamella) in male. Sterna punctate throughout.

Body all black, apical tarsomeres brown; female mandible ferruginous mesally, male mandible pale yellow (largely so in most specimens, but only narrowly at basal third in some specimens, and all black in specimen from 79 km NNW Renmark, South Australia).

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.86-0.88 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.3-1.7 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.1-1.3 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.90-0.92 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella obtusely angulate (Fig. 1204). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.1-2.2 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.1-1.4 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly beyond midlength. Length 10.4-12.3 mm; head width 2.8-3.2 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.84-0.92 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.4-1.8 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.2-1.4 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.94-1.12 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate (Fig. 1205). Flagellomeres III-X with shiny tyloids that do not extend to flagellomere apex (Fig. 1208), flagellomeres II-VII slightly convex ventrally (Fig. 1207). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.7-1.9 × apical width, of flagellomere X 0.9-1.1 × apical width. Hypostomal carina somewhat expanded next to anterior end in vast majority of specimens (Fig. 1206). Tergum VII in many specimens with thin, median carina of varying length. Sternum VIII shallowly, broadly emarginate apically, apicolateral arm not well defined (Fig. 1210); lateral view: Fig. 1211. Genitalia: Figs. 1212, 1213. Length 7.3-11.9 mm; head width 2.1-3.1 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 1214).–

New South Wales, Northern Territory, South

Australia, Western Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♂, AUSTRALIA: New

South Wales: Gilgandra, 28 Nov 1978, G.A. Holloway (AMS).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales :

13 mi. E Broken Hill, 4 Mar 1963, K. Dansie (1 ♂,

SAM); Fowlers Gap Research Station at 31°05ʹS

141°42ʹE, 29 Nov – 2 Dec 1981, J.C. Cardale (1 ♀,

3 ♂, ANIC ), I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale (2 ♂,

ANIC); Gilgandra, 28 Nov 1978, G.A. Holloway

(2 ♂, AMS); Gnalta Station 257.5 km N Broken

Hill, 8 Dec 1964, N. McFarland (1 ♂, SAM) ;

Menindee, 2 Dec 1992, N.W. Rodd (1 ♀, AMS); FIGURE 1214. Collecting localities of Pison xanthog- Myalla Tank at 31°50ʹS 141°57ʹE, 21 Jan 1999, nathos Pulawski, sp. nov.

J. Carpenter and A. Davidson (1 ♂, AMNH) . Northern Territory: 8 km N Alice Springs , 8 Nov 1979, G. Griffin (1 ♀, NTM) . South Australia: Calperum Station 16 km N Renmark at 34°02.9ʹS 140°42.2ʹE, 3 Dec 2010, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♂, CAS) ; Dingly Dell Camp on Oraparinna Creek at 31°21ʹS 138°42ʹE, I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale , 4 Nov 1987 (1 ♀, 1 ♂, ANIC) , 4-10 Nov 1987 (1 ♂, ANIC) , and 7 Nov 1987 (6 ♂, ANIC) ; Mount Serle in Northern Flinders Ranges , no date, Hale and Tindale (2 ♂, SAM) , Musgrave Ranges at 26°20ʹS 131°25ʹE, 9 May 1983, G.A. Holloway (2 ♀, AMS) ; Orroroo, collector unknown, 13 Nov 1943 (2 ♂, SAM) , 14 Nov 1943 (2 ♂, SAM) , and 5 Dec 1943 (1 ♂, SAM) ; 79 km NNW Renmark at 33°31ʹS 140°24ʹE, 8 Nov – 12 Dec 1995, K.R. Pullen (1 ♂, ANIC) ; Wilpena in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°31.7ʹS 138°36.2ʹE, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski , 20 Dec 2010 (2 ♀, 8 ♂, CAS) , 21 Dec 2010 (4 ♀, 9 ♂, CAS) , 22 Dec 2010 (7 ♀, 5 ♂, CAS) ; 3 km ENE Wilpena in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°31.0ʹE 138°36.6ʹE, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski , 23 Dec 2010 (1 ♀, 5 ♂, CAS) , 26 Jan 2011 (4 ♀, 6 ♂, CAS) , 27 Jan 2011 (8 ♀, 11 ♂, CAS) ; 34 km S Wilpena , 4 Jan 1980, R.M. Bohart (6 ♂, UCD) ; Wirreanda Creek 28 km SW Hawker at 32°05.9ʹS 138°17.7ʹE, 26 Jan 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) . Western Australia: Ethel Creek Station 300 mi N Meekatharra at 22°54ʹS 120°10ʹE, 28 Nov 1971, N.S. Expedition IV (4 ♀, 1 ♂, WAM) , Irrunytju Rockhole in Hinckley Range at 26°07ʹS 128°58ʹE, 19-21 Jan 1990, T.F. Houston and M.S. Harvey (2 ♂, WAM) ; 7 mi. NE Karratha , 17 Feb 1973, E.M. Exley (1 ♂, QMB) ; 28 mi. E Leonora , 18 Sept 1962, E.S. Ross and D.Q. Cavagnaro (1 ♀, 2 ♂, BMNH; 29 ♀, 32 ♂, CAS; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, NHMW) ; 36 km ESE Minnie Creek Homestead at 24°02ʹS 115°42ʹE, 2 Sept 1980 C.A. Howard and T.F. Houston (1 ♂, WAM) ; Perth: Upper Swan , Mar 1984, G.H. Lowe (1 ♀, WAM) .