Pararrhynchium taiwanum Kim and Yamane

Kyu, Jeong & Yamane, Seiki, 2007, Description of a New Species of Pararrhynchium Saussure (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Eumeninae) from Taiwan with a Catalogue of the Pararrhynchium Species, Zootaxa 1556, pp. 61-68 : 62-63

Pararrhynchium taiwanum Kim and Yamane , new species

( Figs. 1–8 )

Type material. Holotype. Ψ, Kwantaushan, Lenai Prov., Nantou Hsien, Taiwan, 21-VII-1995, C.C. Luo. Paratype. ♂, Kwantaushan, Lenai Prov., Nantou Hsien, Taiwan, 26-V-1997, C.C. Luo. (types will be deposited in Sk. Yamane Coll. at Kagoshima University, Japan).

Diagnosis. This species can be separated from other congeners by a unique combination of characters. Epicnemial carina present; clypeus with dense punctures and somewhat evenly swollen; submedian carina on propodeum with a V-like incision in its upper median part; metasomal tergum I comparatively long and slen- der; its postcarinal area approximately 1.3 times as broad as long, and extensively maculated except for anteromedian longitudinal linear part black in the female and black apical half in the male; subapical part of the tergum with three blackish brown spots in the female.

Description. Female (holotype only). Body length 11.5 mm ( Fig. 1 ).

Head. Subcircular in frontal view, slightly broader than long. Vertex around pits extensively and strongly swollen, with sparse macro-punctures and dense micro-punctures; cephalic fovea very small just surrounding pits, interstitial space less than diameter of posterior ocellus ( Fig. 2 ). Clypeus convex, and approximately 1.25 times as broad as long; its apical emargination shallow (but forming somewhat acute apical teeth), and distance between apical teeth approximately as long as interantennal distance. Occipital carina well developed on gena, but weakened on vertex (almost lost dorsally). Pronotal carina well developed. Propodeal shelf, seen dorsally, short, measuring approximately half length of metanotum ( Fig. 5 ); submedian carina on propodeum not forming distinct processes in median upper part of propodeum; propodeal concavity slightly broader than long, 1.3 times as broad as long, and hardly concave ( Fig. 3 ). Metasomal tergum I with blunt basal transverse carina, and its postcarinal area 1.3 times as broad as long in dorsal view. Tergum II in dorsal view slightly longer than broad. Apical lamella of terga II–III wide, and slightly bent upward.

Sculpture. Frons reticulate. Clypeus reticulate, with distinct ridge reaching each apical tooth ( Fig. 4 ). Pronotum reticulate; its anterior vertical face smooth. Mesoscutum reticulate except in posterolateral portions. Scutellum densely punctate. Metanotum reticulate. Dorsal mesepisternum reticulate; ventral mesepisternum densely punctate. Metapleuron shagreened with obsolete sparse punctures. Propodeal dorsum bluntly reticulate; lateral face more bluntly reticulate than dorsum; propodeal concavity densely striate and sparsely carinate, with obsolete large punctures. Postcarinal area of metasomal tergum I with dense punctures almost touching one another; anterior vertical face with dense punctures deeper but smaller than those on dorsum. Punctures on tergum II like those on anterior vertical face of tergum I; tergum III with dense punctures which are slightly smaller than those on tergum II.

Coloration. Body black and maculation extensive ( Fig. 1 ). Following parts/markings deep yellow or orange yellow: clypeal base narrowly, mandibular base, tiny spot on temple, pronotum except for subhumeral area, tegula anteriorly and posteriorly, dorsal mesepisternum, scutellum except for margins, metanotum, entire dorsum and upper margins of lateral faces of propodeum, postcarinal area of metasomal tergum I except for anteromedian longitudinal black bar (its subapical part with three blackish brown spots), and apical band on tergum II with an inner median blackish brown spot.

Male (single paratype). Structurally as in female except for following details. Body length 10 mm. Clypeus closely punctate but not reticulate, and 1.2 times as broad as long; apical emargination moderate (shallower than semicircular), and distance between apical teeth approximately twice as long as interantennal distance ( Fig. 7 ). Terminal segment of antenna almost reaching apex of segment X ( Fig. 6 ). In addition to markings seen in female, entire clypeus and labrum, and outer face of fore tibia also deep yellow. Maculation on propodeum and tergum I reduced: propodeal dorsum with pair of small spots, and apical half of postcarinal area of tergum I maculated.

Male genitalia. As in Fig. 8 ; apical part of aedeagus (above constriction) large, long oval in shape, and constriction relatively weak (cf. Figs. 173, 174 in Yamane, 1990). Lower marginal part of cusupis with dense thickened small processes.

Distribution. Taiwan: Nantou County.

Etymology. Specific name refers to the type locality of this species.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Pararrhynchium taiwanum, sp. nov. 1, general habitus, holotype, Ψ (Scale bar: 1 mm). 2, median area of vertex. 3, posterior face of propodeum. 4, clypeus, Ψ. 5, propodeal shelf. 6, antennal segments, ♂. 7, clypeus, ♂. 8, male genitalia.