Polistes (Gyrostoma) tenuispunctia Kim, 2001

(Figs 24–26)

Polistes tenuispunctia Kim 2001: 59 (holotype, ♀, Aengmobung, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, deposited in Korean Entomological Institute, Korean University, Seoul).

Material examined. 2♂, Yuanba, Liping, Nanzheng, Hangzhong, Shaanxi, 12.x.2011, JL Tan (NWUM); 1♂, 2♀, Guanghuojie, Ningshan, Shaanxi, 27.vi.2013, JL Tan (NWUM); 1♂, 8♀, Watershed Natural Reserve, Yueba Foping, Shaanxi, 27.vii.2013, 33˚32' 57.31˝N, 107˚49'12.91˝E, 1083 m, JL Tan, (ZJUH; including a nest with two females); 6♂, 2♀, Sangyuan Natural Reserve, Liuba, Shaanxi, 33.43˚N, 107.12˚ E, 1212 m, 17.viii.2013, BB Tu (ZJUH).

Diagnosis. The male of this species can be easily distinguished from all its congeners by the key (Fig. 13, 24). The female is very similar to the sympatric species Polistes rothneyi f. grahami van der Vecht, but differs from the latter by the characteristics listed in Table 1. Without a male this species is very hard to separate from the latter species except for their colour pattern. The different nesting site is of additional importance. The most important differentiating character mentioned by Kim (2001) (body very weakly and superficially punctate in both sexes) seems rather variable and does not work very well for Chinese specimens.

Biology. Several individuals are found frequently flying in and out the high eaves suggesting that the nest was concealed in a secret place such as inside the hollow wooden eaves or wall. The collected nest we took from a hollow doorframe; the key hole acted as their entrance; the single comb nest had about 50 cells, 10 mm in diameter, suspended inside with one central narrow pedicel; pedicel about 3.2 mm wide (minimum diameter) and 5 mm long, cell-marginal and with buttressed sheet; cells were hexagonal and regularly arranged with the average diameter (between opposite sides) 6.0–7.5 mm, variable in length and increased as the stage advanced. Cocoon capping is white and protruding about 8.5 mm beyond the cell mouth (Figures 26 A–B).

Distribution. Korea, China (Shaanxi).