Apoica Lepeletier, 1854

PICKETT, KURT M. & WENZEL, JOHN W., 2007, Revision and Cladistic Analysis of the Nocturnal Social Wasp Genus, Apoica Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Polistinae, Epiponini), American Museum Novitates 3562 (1), pp. 1-32 : 19-21

Genus Apoica Lepeletier

Apoica Lepeletier, 1836: 536 , genus (2 species).

Type species: Apoica lineolata Lepeletier, 1836 5 Vespa pallida Olivier, 1792 , by subsequent designation of Bequaert, 1943: 108.

Fig. 18. Strict consensus (L 5 592; CI 5 0.54; RI 5 0.52) of two equally parsimonious topologies (L 5 584; CI 5 0.54; RI 5 0.53) of Apoica spp. and outgroups based on morphology, behavior, and CO1. Numbers above and below each branch are jackknife and Bremer support values, respectively. Jackknife values below 50% and Bremer values of 1 are not reported.

as homologous come at the cost of the performance of other morphological characters. However, the analysis of morphology and behavior already established the homoplastic nature of these characters—such as meso- and metapleural bristles (character 6), presence of the dorsal groove (character 11), various genitalic characters (digitus shape [18], digitus tip [19], paramere spine setae [24], posterior lobe of the paramere [25]), and color characters (scutum with longitudinal strips [28], color of the scutellum [29]). With the exception of the digitus shape character (CI 5 1.0 in tree from morphology and behavior; CI 5 0.50 in total evidence tree), all of these characters had CI’s of less than 0.50 in the tree based on morphology and behavior alone. So in this case, the equally weighted characters in the total-evidence analysis had an effect similar to successive approximations weighting ( Farris, 1969; Carpenter, 1988) or implied weighting ( Goloboff, 1993): Characters that performed well initially were perfected by minimizing the influence of characters that were already performing poorly.

KEY TO SPECIES OF APOICA USING FEMALES

1. Flagellomeres clearly biconvex, almost beadlike ( fig. 21A ); hind wing with anal lobe present...... Subgenus DEUTERAPOICA Dalla Torre, arborea de Saussure

1a. Flagellomeres typically slightly convex dorsally, but ventrally almost flat ( fig. 21B ); hind wing with anal lobe absent or much reduced............. 2, Subgenus APOICA Lepeletier

2. Dorsal surface of metasoma striped in appearance; metasoma light brown dorsally, light brown ventrally; pale apical margin of metasomal terga faint on T2 and T3, thin on T4 and T5; T6 entirely pale; scutum dark brown to black, always with at least two longitudinal pale stripes ( fig. 15B )..... strigata Richards

2a. Dorsal surface of metasoma not striped in appearance........................ 3

3. Dorsal surface of metasoma entirely pale white to yellow, with no dark markings........ 4

3a. Dorsal surface of metasoma with obvious dark coloration........................ 6

4. Metanotal bristles reaching anterior margin of metanotum ( fig. 6A ); dorsal surface of propodeum and metasoma pale yellow in color; ventral surface also pale yellow, sometimes fading to light brown, but with no distinct separation from yellow of the dorsal surface; scutum light brown with 2 to 4 pale yellow longitudinal stripes................................... flavissima van der Vecht

4a. Metanotal bristles not reaching anterior margin of metanotum ( fig. 6B )............... 5

5. Dorsal surface of metasoma pale white (work- er) or cream (queen); ventral surface light brown with a distinct, sharp separation from the pale color of the dorsal surface; antennae mostly dark brown, pale at tips; scutum light brown with 2 to 4 darker brown longitudinal stripes............. gelida van der Vecht

5a. Dorsal surface of metasoma yellow, terga slightly darker apically; ventral surface light brown with a more or less distinct separation from the pale color of the ventral surface; antennae mostly dark brown, pale at tips; scutum usually dark brown, occasionally light brown, with 2 to 4 pale yellow longitudinal stripes............... pallens (Fabricius)

6. Posterior portion of first segment of metasoma and most of second metasomal tergum pale whitish-yellow; metanotum sharply angled posteriorly ( fig. 5B ) with prominent median carina ( fig. 3C )........... albimacula (Fabricius)

6a. First and second terga of metasoma entirely dark brown to black, with no pale cuticular coloration as in 6; metanotum gently angled posteriorly ( fig. 5A )................. 7

7. Body almost entirely brown, with abdomen slightly lighter in color; final metasomal tergum either entirely pale or with pale color in Vshape apically; hairs prominent and present over surface of entire eye ( fig. 2B )....... 8

7a. Body entirely dark brown to black; final metasomal tergum never with strong pale color, occasionally with faint pale color on posterior tip of the tergum, but not in V-shape..... 9

8. Mesonotum dark with central, strongly pale spot; meso- and metanotal bristles bent at nearly 90 °, curving toward median ( fig. 7B ); metanotum without central carina ( fig. 3A )................... pallida (Olivier)

8a. Mesonotum entirely dark; meso- and metanotal bristles erect ( fig. 7A ), occasionally curving slightly, but not as extremely and uniformly as in other members of subgenus Apoica ; metanotum with anterior, median carina ( fig. 3B )............................. ambracarina Pickett

9. Fine pubescence generates a silvery-grey sheen over the meso- and metasoma, especially the metasoma............... ellenae Pickett

9a. Lacking silvery-grey sheen; eye hairs absent or short and sparse at genal margin, rarely sparse across the entire surface ( fig. 2A )........................... thoracica du Buysson

Figures

Fig. 21. Flagellomeres: A, Apoica arborea. Flagellomeres are ‘‘knotted’’, or convex both dorsally (1 and 2) and ventrally (3); B, Apoica pallida. Dorsal flagellomeres are either slightly convex (19) or nearly flat (29), as is typical of other vespids. Ventral flagellomeres are nearly flat (39).

Fig. 15. Mesonotum with longitudinal stripes: A, Apoica arborea female, absent; B, Apoica strigata, 4 pales stripes, two on either side of the parapsidal furrows. The lateral two stripes are sometimes lacking. C, Apoica ambracarina, two dark stripes, medial to the parapsidal furrows, fusing posteriorly. Scale bars 51.0 mm.

Fig. 6. Mesonotal bristles: A, Apoica flavissima, reaching anterior margin; B, Apoica gelida, not reaching anterior margin. Scale bars 5 1.0 mm.

Fig. 5. Metanotal shape: A, Apoica flavissima, rounded; B, Apoica gelida, angled posteriorly; C, Metapolybia cingulata, flat. Scale bars 5 1.0 mm.

Fig. 3. Metanotum with central carina: A, Apoica thoracica, absent; B, Apoica ambracarina, anterior carina; C, Apoica albimacula, extending posteriorly and sharply carinate. Scale bars 5 1.0 mm.

Fig. 2. Eye hairs: A, Apoica thoracica, absent; B, Apoica pallida, present. Scale bars 5 0.5 mm.

Fig. 7. Metanotal bristles in posterior view. A. Apoica arborea, erect. B, Apoica thoracica, apically bent towards midline. Scale bars 5 1.0 mm.