Pseudagris nigrithorax, 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 : 215-217

Pseudagris nigrithorax sp. nov.

( Figs. 7a–d , 13e )

Diagnosis. The male of this species can be recognized by the following combination of characters: clypeus narrowly truncated at apex ( Fig. 7b ), F4–F8 strongly convex dorsally, F11 obliquely truncated at apex and flattened ( Fig. 7c ), gena 0.6× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus and with diverging sides in lower third ( Fig. 7d ), interspaces on posterior half of mesoscutum flattened and with micropunctation, posterior face of propodeum smooth and shiny, T1–T4 with lateral yellowish spots, wings weakly fuscous with bronzy reflections.

Material examined. HOLOTYPE: ♂, labeled “ Lisala , Congo / 21°30’ E; 2°10’ N / oct. 1924 // Odyn. / # 61 // Pseudagris nigrithorax / HOLOTYPUS ♂ / Det. Marco Selis [red label]” ( MSNVE).

Description. Male holotype. Body length 9.6 mm; fore wing length 9.1 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 0.17× 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. Distance from posterior ocellus to occipital carina 1.65× as long as the distance from posterior ocellus to inner eye margin. Gena 0.6× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus; occipital carina entire, shortly lamellate on gena, weak on vertex. F1 2.2× as long as wide; F2–F10 longer than wide; F11 flattened dorsoventrally, hook-shaped in lateral view, parallel sided with truncated apex in dorsal view, reaching apex of F8; F4–F9 dorsally convex. Mesosoma 1.3× as long as wide. Pronotal carina complete, shortly lamellate dorsally. Mesoscutum 1.1× as wide as long, weakly convex in lateral view. Scutellum nearly flattened, on same level of mesoscutum, with an indistinct median furrow. Metanotum nearly vertical, evenly convex from base to apex. Epicnemial carina sharp but low, almost reaching pronotal margin. Propodeum in lateral view strongly convex; dorsal faces convex and not sharply separated from posterior face; lateral faces mostly flattened, convex posteriorly. T 1 in dorsal view 2× as wide as long; T 2 in dorsal view wider than long; S2 with shallow depression on basal half reaching basal corners, in lateral view evenly convex from base to apex.

Clypeus densely micropunctate, dull. 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. Pronotum, mesoscutum and scutellum with deep dense punctures, interspaces narrow with some micropunctures; lateral faces of pronotum smooth. Metanotum coarsely punctured, interspaces thin and elevated. Mesepisternum with large flat-bottomed punctures, denser on dorsal part, disappearing posteroventrally; epicnemium microreticulate and dull. Metaepisternum smooth. Tegula with dense fine punctures. Dorsal faces of propodeum coarsely punctured, punctures large and flat-bottomed, interspaces reduced to thin carinae; posterior face smooth and shiny with some fine striae ventrally; lateral faces dull with some sparse shallow punctures. T1–T3 with moderately deep and dense oblique punctures, denser on sides and apex of T2; T4–T5 with fine sparse punctures; T6–T7 impunctate and dull; sternites with deeper and sparser punctures than respective tergites, S6–S7 with fine shallow punctures.

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 brownish pubescence, some short and fine setae on S1 and apex of S2–S6.

Genitalia in Fig. 13e .

Black; the following parts yellowish-white: clypeus except lateral margins, small lateral spots on T1, large elongate lateral spots on T2, rounded lateral spots on T3–T4; legs dark brown, with inner face of tibiae brownishorange; underside of antenna reddish-orange. Wings fusco-hyaline, with weak bronzy reflections.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Democratic Republic of Congo ( Fig. 14 ).

Etymology. The specific name of this species is in reference to the entirely black mesosoma, in contrast to the partly yellowish-white head and metasoma.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Pseudagris nigrithorax 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.