Zethus (Zethus) sinuostylus Lopes

Lopes, Rogério B. & Noll, Fernando B., 2014, Notes on the Neotropical Zethus Fabricius, 1804 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) with the description of two new species from Brazil, Zootaxa 3784 (2), pp. 179-186 : 182-183

Zethus (Zethus) sinuostylus Lopes , sp.nov.

( Figs 3 , 4 )

This species belongs to the Zethus spinosus group according to the following combination of characters: stem of T- II shorter than that of T-I; broad subhumeral area; apical propodeal lamella abbreviated; tegula narrowed posteriorly; and S-VII of male notched, and female clypeus closely punctured, not striate.

Diagnosis. The sinuous parameral spine pointing ventrally is unique in Zethus spinosus group. Wide and shallow notch on S-VII differ the male of new species from other ones in the group. The female runs to Z. anisitsii (Brèthes) in Bohart and Stange’s (1965) key, but differs from it by having denser punctuation of clypeus and by having acute tubercle on metanotum.

Description. Male. Clypeus wider than long, with three very obtuse and blunt apical teeth; pronotal carina projected backwards on humeri, forming an oblique humeral carina; posterior and lateral surfaces of pronotum somewhat beveled, with critical breadth narrow, less than two midocelli diameters; parategula elongated; propodeum with a slit like dorsal aperture, shallow and wide concavity and apical lamella undeveloped; T-I in dorsal view more than three times as long as wide; T-II with stem shorter than stem of T-I, a roof -like dorsum medially on expanded part of tergum (an obtuse angle, marked by a line, better seen in oblique view) and apical medial projection; S-VII flat with a wide and shallow notch apically with a thin translucent membrane; parameral spine sinuous. The paramere presents a rather curious arch-like structure dorso-apically. Fore wing length 7.6 mm.

Very coarse and dense macropunctuation/reticulation throughout the head and mesosoma; clypeus with moderate macropunctuation and dense micropunctuation tyloids from F-I to IX; mesoscutum with no signs of welts and notauli, and with smooth area adjacent to tegula, laterally margined by dense punctuation; metanotum cristate, interrupted medially, with an acute tubercle; propodeum with lateral and submedian carina developed running all the way to the submarginal carina and concavity striate, angles reticulate; T-I moderately macropunctate with smooth interspaces; T-II densely micropunctate, with coarse and dense macropunctures subapically; S-II sparsely punctate.

Black, with following markings yellow: clypeus, except for a thin dorsal part; antennal hook; small spots on top of antennal socket and eye emargination; genal spot; a band along the base of the pronotal carina; parategula; hind margin of tegula; a pair of lateral spots on scutellum; a pair of transversal lines on metanotum; stripes on external surface of fore and midtibiae and femora; two longitudinal lines on the posterior surface of the propodeum; apical band on T-I, projecting anteriorly on the lateral margin; subapical bands on T-II to VI and S-II to VI; two spots on T-VII and S-VII. Forewing hyaline with light brown costa. Apical lamella of T-II hyaline. Inconspicuous sparse short setae on head, pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum and mesepisternum; longer and erect on metanotum and propodeum; tomentum of dense, very short setae on T-II.

Female. Similar with male, except for: clypeus apically truncate; T-VI with an obtuse medial depression; S-VI convex, not widely and shallowly notched and without membrane. Fore wing length: 8.6 mm. Antennae without tyloids; mesoscutum with discoid puncture isolated by smooth area; propodeum with lateral carina incomplete and submedian carina indistinct. Clypeus, midfemora and S-VI entirely black; Yellow markings on legs reduced, yellow spot on discoid puncture. Clypeus with dense tomentum, denser at sides; hypostomal region with long setae.

Etymology. The specific name refers the sinuous parameral spine.

Material. Holotype, ♂ [ RPSP], BRAZIL: Brasil, SP, Corumbataí/ Cerrado de Corumbataí/ 23.IV.2001 /Mechi, M. R. col. PARATYPES: 2♂, 1♀, with the same data.

Distribution. Brazil: São Paulo.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Zethus (Zethus) sinuostylus Lopes, sp. nov. a) male head, frontal view; b) male habitus; c) female head, frontal view; d) male S-VII, ventral view; e) parameral spine, lateral view; f) female T-VI, dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Male genitalia of Zethus sinuostylus. a) paramere, inner view – arch-like structure pointed by arrow; b) aedeagus, ventral view; c) aedeagus, lateral view.