Zethus (Madecazethus) Giordani Soika, 1979

Lopes, Rogerio Botion, Carpenter, James M. & Noll, Fernando Barabosa, 2021, Cladistic analysis of Zethus Fabricius, 1804 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae): a new subgeneric classification, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 82, pp. 253-283 : 253

Zethus (Madecazethus) Giordani Soika, 1979

Fig. 7

Zethus (Madecazethus) Giordani Soika, 1979: 20 (key to subgenus), 53 (subgenus, key to species).

Labus madecassus Type species: Labus madecassus Schulthess, 1907

Description.

Male antennae as a hook. Interantennal carinas present. Clypeus of female short without microstriae, apical teeth present or absent. Male mandible 4-toothed. Labium with short to medium galea, palpi 4-segmented with first segment curved. Occipital carina ventrally complete. Vertex flat. Genal margin evenly convex. Pronotal carina short, straight laterally. Pre-tegular carina, when present, incomplete. Welts and notaulices absent. Tegula evenly convex or posteriorly angled, with outer margin raised completely or restricted to posterior half. Dorsal portion of epicnemial carina present, sometimes absent. Mesepimeron without carina. Two midtibial spurs. Metanotum usually not anteriorly margined. Lateral carina of metanotum usually absent. Posterior tibiae of females with spines restricted to basal portion or as a row along entire tibia. Apical angle of marginal cell obtuse. Dorsal propodeal aperture present. Propodeum with lateral carina always present, submedian rarely and sublateral variable, but incomplete when present. Dorsal margin of propodeal orifice acute, rarely rounded. Apical propodeal lamella triangular. T1 with short stem, lateral margins of sclerite touching ventrally (Fig. 7B ) and narrow expansion. Anterior margin of S1 variable in shape. Stem of T2 developed. Apical lamella of T2 present, reduced in Malagasy species. Lamellae of T3 and S3 developed and simple, without lateral indent. S5 and 6 of male withour carinas. Aedeagus with apically flattened apodemes.

Observations.

Although Z. madecassus and Z. seyrigi were the only representatives of Z. (Madecazethus) they are not sister groups and thus, should not be placed in a species group of their own. A wider analysis of the African Zethus is needed to verify the validity of the already proposed pubescens group (represented by Z. empeyi , Z. rhodani and Z. rotschildianus ), since it may also be paraphyletic.

Distribution.

Palearctic and Afrotropical

Included species-groups.

delagoensis, favillaceus, pubescens.

Included species.

17

Figures

Figure 7. Synapomorphic characters of Zethus (Madecazethus) A habitus of Z. madecassus B petiole of Z. rhodesianus; arrow indicates point where the two sides of the first terfum meet. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.