Pseudagris nigrorufa, Selis, 2023

Selis, Marco, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the Afrotropical genus Pseudagris de Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), with description of four new species, Zootaxa 5315 (3), pp. 201-230 : 217-218

Pseudagris nigrorufa sp. nov.

( Figs. 8a–d , 13f )

Diagnosis. The male of this species can be recognized by the following combination of characters: clypeus narrowly truncated at apex and yellow ( Fig. 8b ), F4–F8 strongly convex dorsally, F11 obliquely truncated ad apex and flattened ( Fig. 8c ), gena 0.4× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus and linear in lower third ( Fig. 8d ), vertex strongly sloping in posterior half, interspaces on posterior half of mesoscutum flattened and with micropunctation, posterior face of propodeum smooth and shiny, reddish markings on head, mesosoma and legs, wings fuscous with purplish reflections.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: ♂, labeled “ COTE D’IVOIRE: Tai NP / IET Station / 5°50’ N 7°20’31” W / 18.II.1997 R. Longair // Pseudagris nigrorufa / HOLOTYPUS ♂ / Det. Marco Selis [red label]” ( MSNVE) . PARATYPES: same locality of holotype, 21–23.II.1997, 4♂ (2 CNC, 2 MSVI) .

Description. Male holotype. Body length 10.0 mm; fore wing length 9.0 mm.

Head 1.1× as wide as long in frontal view. Clypeus in frontal view 1.2× as long as wide, apical margin narrowly truncated and 0.15 × as wide as width of clypeus; two dull carinae running from apical angles up to basal third, becoming evanescent dorsally, area between carinae flattened; clypeus in lateral view convex basally, then flattened to apex. Interantennal space sharply carinate. Distance from posterior ocellus to occipital carina 1.85× as long as the distance from posterior ocellus to inner eye margin. Gena 0.4× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus, linear and parallel-sided in lower third; gena strongly narrowed in dorsal view, its posterior margin forming an angle of about 35° with posterior margin of eye; occipital carina entire, shortly lamellate on whole length. F1 2.25× as long as wide; F2–10 longer than wide; F11 flattened dorsoventrally, hook-shaped in lateral view, parallel sided with truncated apex in dorsal view, reaching apex of F8; F4–8 dorsally convex. Mesosoma 1.2× as long as wide. Pronotal carina complete, shortly lamellate dorsally. Mesoscutum 1.15× as wide as long, evenly convex in lateral view. Scutellum flattened, forming an even curve with mesoscutum and metanotum. Metanotum nearly vertical, evenly convex from base to apex. Epicnemial carina strong and sharp, almost reaching pronotal margin. Propodeum in lateral view with prominent posterolateral corners; dorsal faces convex and not sharply separated from posterior face; lateral faces convex posteriorly and flattened anteriorly, clearly separated from other faces; dorsal, lateral and inferior carinae absent. T 1 in dorsal view 1.85× as wide as long; T 2 in dorsal view wider than long; S2 shallowly depressed in basal half, depression reaching basal corners, in lateral view evenly convex from base to apex.

Clypeus matt, densely micropunctate, more sparsely in area between carinae. Interantennal area and lower part of ocular sinus smooth. Frons with dense and shallow flat-bottomed punctures, interspaces low and barely visible; vertex with deeper punctures and some sparse micropunctures; gena with row of large punctures along eye margin and some scattered punctures posteriorly, impunctate in lower narrow part. Pronotum, mesoscutum and scutellum with deep dense punctures, interspaces narrow with some micropunctures; lateral faces of pronotum smooth; scutellum impunctate in anterior half of median line. Metanotum coarsely punctured, interspaces thin and raised. Mesepisternum with large flat-bottomed punctures, touching along anterior margin and becoming sparser posteriorly with interspaces exceeding diameter of punctures, posterior depressed part completely smooth; epicnemium microreticulate and weakly shiny. Metaepisternum smooth, with few punctures along upper margin of dorsal plate. Tegula with fine dull punctures. Dorsal faces of propodeum coarsely punctured, punctures large and flat-bottomed, interspaces reduced to sharp ridges medially and becoming flatter laterally; posterior face smooth and shiny, finely shagreened with some fine striae ventrally; lateral faces finely shagreened and with silky shine, with few scattered fine punctures. T1–T3 with moderately deep and dense oblique puncture, denser on apical margin of T2; T4–T5 with punctures similar to previous tergites but finer and shallower; T6–T7 shagreened and matt; S2 shiny with sparse deep and large punctures; S3–S7 similar to respective tergite, but sculpture finer.

Head and mesosoma with short and dense erected setae, white on lower half of frons, pronotum, propodeum and sides of mesosoma, pale brown on remaining parts; metasoma with dense dust-like gray pubescence, some short and fine setae on S1 and apex of S2–S6.

Genitalia in Fig. 13f .

Black; following parts ferruginous-red: most of mandible, spot above interantennal space, elongate spot on gena at level of ocular sinus, lower face of scape, broad band covering anterior half of pronotum, narrow margin along posterior margin of pronotum, outer margin of tegula, spot on mesepisternum below tegula, lateral faces of propodeum, most of fore leg, anterior face of mid femur, tarsi; flagellum orange beneath. Wings infuscate with purplish reflections.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Ivory Coast ( Fig. 14 ).

Etymology. The specific name of this species is in reference to the coloration of the species, black with reddish markings.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Pseudagris nigrorufa sp. nov., male holotype. a, habitus. b, head. c, antenna. d, gena.

FIGURE 13. Male genitalia: aedeagus in ventral view, aedeagus in lateral view, volsella. a, Pseudagris albicauda (von Schulthess, 1923). b, P. apicalis sp. nov. c, P. brunnea Gusenleitner, 2007. d, P. carinata (de Saussure, 1863). e, P. nigrithorax sp. nov. f, P. nigrorufa sp. nov. g, P. pygmaea Gusenleitner, 1998.

FIGURE 14. Distributional map of Pseudagris species.