Taxonomic revision of the Protopolybia picteti - emortualis species-group (Richards 1978), with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Polistinae) Author Dos Santos Junior, José N. A. Author Silveira, Orlando T. Author Carpenter, James M. text Zootaxa 2020 2020-01-29 4729 2 228 248 journal article 24217 10.11646/zootaxa.4729.2.5 0e932262-6e5a-477c-ad0f-32c1feb84725 1175-5326 3632610 D7BA9B46-A096-4382-AF1A-8132F2A07012 Protopolybia nitida ( Ducke, 1904 ) ( Figs 27, 28, 29 , 49, 50, 51, 52 ) Chartergus nitidus Ducke, 1904: 327 , 338 ( lectotype : , Brazil , Óbidos (BMNH)); examined; paralectotype : 4♀ , same data as lectotype ; examined). Chartergus nitidus : Nascimento & Overal 1979: 9 ; Carpenter 1999: 17 . Protopolybia picteti var. bella : Bequaert 1944: 118 . Protopolybia nitida : Ducke 1905a: 18 ; 1905b: 674 ; 1907: 165 ; 1910: 469 , 473; 1918: 324; Richards 1978: 139 , 145; Overal 1978: 11; Rasmussen & Asenjo 2009: 50 . Diagnosis . Length of fore wing 5.21– 4.56 mm ; clypeus wide, with ventral margin acute; humerus distinctly projecting, carina lamellate and recurved forwards at extremity, not extending downwards ( Fig. 27 ); metanotal process with apex slightly rounded ( Fig. 28 ); propodeum with wide and deep excavated cavity, heart-like shape ( Fig. 28 ); ground color black or reddish, scutellum totally yellow, metanotum almost, T2 with a large and anterior yellow spot ( Fig. 29 ); ventral process of aedeagus curved, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and weakly serrated; preapical region of aedeagus angular. Redescription . FEMALE.Length of fore wing 5.21 mm ; clypeus wide (HClp=0.72; MxWClp= 0.94;TeW=0.59; MiWClp= 0.87 mm ), with ventral margin acute; tentorial pit closer to antennal socket than to eye margin; interantennal area relatively wide, approximately 2 × diameter of antennal socket; mandibles relatively short with length 0.86 × distance between eyes at vertex; occipital carina distinct, strong and salient throughout; humerus distinctly projecting, carina lamellate and recurved forwards at extremity, not extending downwards ( Fig. 27 ); pronotal fovea dis- tinct; length of mesoscutum 0.93 × its width; mesepisternal groove absent; scutellum with a short but well-marked median line; metanotum triangular, length of median axis 0.69 × width of the central disk, metanotal process with apex slightly rounded ( Fig. 28 ); propodeum with wide and deep excavated cavity, heart-like shape ( Fig. 28 ); propodeal valvula narrow; T 1 in dorsal view with petiole short and distal margin wider and nearly straight, cup-like. Frons, mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum with sparser micropunctation and deeper and stronger mesopunctation, mesopleuron and T2 to T5 with distinct punctures; clypeus with short golden bristles, except on ventral margin, with elongated bristles; vertex, mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum with more sparse and quite long setae. Species black or reddish richly marked by yellow spots ( Fig. 27–29 ); antennae ventrally testaceous or brown, dorsally black; mandibles black, clypeus almost entirely yellow, inner and outer orbit with wide bands that extend to ocular sinus, frons with a bilobate mark, two marks on vertex, small marks on pronotal carina and fovea, mesoscutum without stripes, tegulae almost entirely black, large spot on mesepisternum, scutellum yellow, metanotum partially ( Fig. 28 ), propodeum without paired dorsal marks ( Fig. 28 ), T1 sometimes with distal spot, extensive basal spots and narrow distal mark on T2, T3 to T5 black. Coxae, femora, tibiae brown to black; tarsi brown; wings hyaline, venation brown. FIGURES 27–32 . 27, 28, 29. Protopolybia nitida ; 30, 31, 32. Protopolybia perfulvula . MALE. Length of fore wing 5.06 mm ; eyes wide, strongly produced inwards; clypeus with ventral margin acute; tentorial pit closer to eye margin than to the antennal socket; mandible and clypeus yellow; eyes internally bordered by a band that continues to ocular sinus; anterior margin of T2 with extensive spot, yellow. Parameral spine without elongate bristles; basal angle of paramere widened, apical angle narrower ( Fig. 49 ); digitus narrow, with apical margin rounded; basal process of digitus approximately acuminate; cuspis moderately filled with elongated bristles ( Fig. 52 ); ventral process of aedeagus curved, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and weakly serrated, laterally; preapical region of aedeagus angular ( Fig. 51 ). Material examined . FRENCH GUIANA : Cayenne , Barrage de Petit Saut , 1♀ , 5°02`N 53°02`W , 19.xi.1996 ( Dejean & Corbara ), 8♀ , xii.1997 i.1998 (A. Dejean ) , Plateaux des Mines , 9♀ , E St. Jean , 5°21`N 54°03`W , 30m , 28.ix.1996 ( Wenzel & Carpenter ) ( AMNH ) ; BRAZIL : Pará , Óbidos , 1♀ , 1♂ , 30.v.1911 ( Ducke ), 1♀ , 31.xii.1906 , Amazonas , 1♀ , Manaus , ZF-2, 07–21.xi.1994 ( J.A. Rafael & J. Vidal ) ( INPA ), 2♀ , 22.xii.1912 ( Ducke ) ( MPEG ) , 2♀ , EMBRAPA, 02°43`S 09°59`W , 07.xii.2012 (K. Schoeninger ) ( INPA ) , Acre , 1♀ , Rio Branco , 25.x–08.xi.1991 (F. Ramos , A. Henriques , I. Gorayeb , N. Bitencourt ) ( MPEG ) Distribution . Ecuador : Napo ; Peru : Huánuco ; * French Guiana ; Brazil : Amapá , Pará, *Amazonas, * Acre . Remarks . Protopolybia nitida presents black color with yellow marks on the scutellum and metanotum ( Ducke, 1904 ; Bequaert, 1944; Richards, 1978 ). Three individuals from Pará, Brazil were analyzed that are structurally similar to P. nitida , but with distinct coloration; their body is brown with more yellow marks on T2. We consider this population as a variation of Ducke’s species, but additional studies are necessary to determine its real status.