Asteloeca Raw, 1985

CARPENTER, JAMES M., NASCIMENTO, FÁBIO SANTOS DO, MATEUS, SIDNEI, NOLL, FERNANDO B. & KOJIMA, JUN-ICHI, 2004, A Revision of the Genus Asteloeca (Hymenoptera: Vespidae; Polistinae), American Museum Novitates 3427, pp. 1-12 : 3-8

Genus Asteloeca Raw

Asteloeca Raw, 1985: 185 , genus.

TYPE SPECIES: Polybia traili Cameron, 1906 , by original designation and monotypy.

Raw’s (1985) diagnosis of the genus Asteloeca does not require substantial emendation with the inclusion of the new species. Relative to other polistine genera, Asteloeca may be characterized by: forewing with prestigma shorter than pterostigma; hindwing with jugal lobe present; Cu1 shorter than cu­ a; antennal articles 12 in females and 13 in males; ridgelike tyloides absent on male antennae, replaced by flattened areas; ocelli not enlarged, posterior ocelli close together; clypeus with apex rounded and lateral lobes reduced and rounded, profile convex; tempora broader than eye; gena regularly curved; malar space short; mandible with basal flange on external edge; maxillary palpi six­segmented and labial palpi four­segmented, labial palpomere three without strong recurved bristle; occipital carina absent; eyes without bristles; pronotum with anterior margin lamellate, more broadly ventrally than dorsally, pretegular carina present, lateral fovea absent and no anterodorsal fovea, dorsal carina absent, anterior carina extended dorsally, lamellate; propleuron with lateral groove; forecoxa laterally produced; mesopleuron with dorsal groove absent, secondary spiracular entrance tuberculate, scrobal sulcus present, epicnemial carina absent; scutal lamella reduced; scutellum rounded, weakly convex; metanotum compressed, convex, metanotal lobe absent; propodeum without dorsal carinae, concavity narrow, orifice narrowly rounded dorsally; propodeal valvulae lobate; mid­ and hindtarsi symmet­ rical; first metasomal segment petiolate, in dorsal view narrow, abruptly expanded near spiracles then subparallel posteriorly, with maximum width before apex, posterior part flat in lateral view; thyridium on second metasomal tergum basal, expanding in posterior subtriangle; thyridium on second metasomal sternum linear, elongate; Van der Vecht’s gland externally absent; male genitalia with cuspis and lamina volsellaris fused.

The nest may be characterized by: comb sessile, initiated on a narrow branch, no pulp foundation; secondary combs absent; envelope a single sheet continuing from comb margin, shape a flattened dome, abruptly angled near comb face, reinforced by glossy secretion, lines of construction long, parallel, clearly apparent; cell bases visible on back of comb, which projects beyond support; cell wall contours visible; entrance central, with short peripheral collar; material coarse chips; ant­guards absent.

Asteloeca is phylogenetically close to three other genera of Epiponini : Synoeca , Clypearia , and Metapolybia , with which it shares the derived features of loss of the dorsal pronotal carina and construction of astelocyttarus nests. Neither of these characters is unique to this lineage, but Asteloeca further shares with Clypearia and Metapolybia a dorsally lamellate anterior carina on each side of the pronotum. Asteloeca is established as the sister­group of Metapolybia by the mandibles having the external margin drawn out into a flange basally, a unique synapomorphy. Autapomorphies for Asteloeca include the form of the lamellate anterior margin of the pronotum, which is broader ventrally than dorsally, not of more or less uniform height throughout; and the form of the first metasomal segment, which is flattened posteriorly in lateral view. Both of these characters were noted as unique to Asteloeca by Raw (1985). To these may be add­ ed the form of the nest, which is different from all other astelocyttarus nests in several respects, notably the cell margins and bottoms visible through the envelope.

KEY TO SPECIES

1. Occiput compressed, drawn out posterolaterally, in dorsal view almost forming flange behind eye (figs. 3, 5); first metasomal segment in dorsal view more elongate, apically flask shaped (figs. 4, 6); mesepisternum with complete black stripe along anterior margin. ................................. 2

— Occiput rounded behind eye in dorsal view (fig. 1); first metasomal segment in dorsal view shorter, apically relatively broader and more bulbous (fig. 2); most of mesepisternum yellow, without complete black stripe along anterior margin................................ lutea Carpenter , n. sp.

2. Ground color of metasoma black, occasionally tinged with brown or dark red; female with thyridium on second metasomal tergum narrower throughout (fig. 7); male genitalia with paramere strongly angulate ventrally (fig. 16).............. traili (Cameron)

— Ground color of metasoma reddish­orange; female with thyridium on second metasomal tergum broader (fig. 8); male genitalia with paramere rounded ventrally (fig. 15)........................... ujhelyii (Ducke)

Asteloeca lutea Carpenter , new species

Figures 1–2 , 9–11

DIAGNOSIS: Head in direct dorsal view with occiput rounded laterally, not compressed and slightly drawn out posterolaterally as in A. ujhelyii and A. traili (cf. fig. 1 with figs. 3, 5). First metasomal segment shorter than in A. traili and A. ujhelyii , with proximal ‘‘stem’’ shorter, not longer than wide, posterior ‘‘bulb’’ wider in dorsal view, not flask shaped (cf. fig. 2 with figs. 4, 6). Yellow on mesosoma more extensive than in A. ujhelyii (and A. traili ), without a complete black stripe running vertically along the anterior margin of the mesepisternum; ground color of metasoma yellow, discs of terga stained with dark reddish or brownish, staining occasionally extensive, and pale orange in one specimen, with contrasting blackish stripes and spots. Tibiae and basitarsi light brown, not dark brown to black. Wings yellowish anteriorly, basal cell mostly yellowish, not mostly hyaline as in A. traili and A. ujhelyii ; venation light not dark brown. On average slightly smaller than the other species (range in forewing length 10.8–11.6 mm vs. 11.0– 12.4 mm).

DESCRIPTION: Female: forewing length 10.8–11.6 mm. Clypeus slightly wider than long; interantennal area with longitudinal line faint; occiput in dorsal view forming a nearly smooth curve between eye and posterior margin of head; vertex in dorsal view emarginate posteriorly; propodeum with dense transverse striae, fading away before reaching metapleural margin; propodeal concavity linear, moderately narrow and deep; metasomal segment I in dorsal view with proximal petiole between suspensory ligament and flaring portion wider than long, apical expanded portion bulbous, wider than long, both sections as long as wide in one specimen; thyridium on metasomal tergum II basal, subtriangular, rather narrow. Cuticle smooth throughout, appearing somewhat velvety, few macropunctures visible, only propodeum striate. Vestiture little outstanding, with long bristles only ventrally on clypeus and on propodeum; shorter hairs anteriorly on pronotum, on venter and anteriorly on coxae. Coloration yellow; black (or brownish) are the antennae dorsally on scape, ped­ icel and basal half of flagellum; a line running from vertex and dividing at lateral ocelli, then running through antennal sockets and reuniting at frontoclypeal suture, then running ventrally two thirds length of clypeus, sometimes lines interrupted at ocelli or antennal sockets, or largely absent on clypeus; lateral clypeal lobes; funnel­shaped marks behind eyes running to occiput, sometimes interrupted; head posteriorly; transverse stripe anterior to dorsal carina on pronotum, connecting to stripes running along humeri to humeral carinae, then ventrally in front of carinae, stripes sometimes not connected, or humeral stripes reduced to spots; three longitudinal stripes on scutum, connected anteriorly and posteriorly, continuous with triangular mark on scutellum, which is narrow where connecting with black posterior margin of scutellum, continuous with narrow median line on metanotum, which is sometimes broadened where connecting with black posterior margin of metanotum, continuous with broad stripe along propodeal concavity; four lateral marks on propodeum, some of which may form irregular stripes; variable marks usually on propleura; three spots of varying development anteriorly on mesepisternum, occasionally forming stripes but not all connected; irregular stripe running from beneath forewing along meso­metapleural suture to midcoxa; short dorsal stripes on mid­ and hindcoxae, trochanters, and most of femora dorsally; tibiae and tarsi brownish; flaring longitudinal stripe along metasomal tergum I, continued as short basal stripe on tergum II and apical spots on terga II–V; posterior margins of terga and sterna II–V; brownish stains covering varying amounts of discs of terga, sometimes reddish to orange, often verging into black at edges, sometimes distinct black spots or stripes; sterna with brownish to blackish transverse spots or stripes; tergum VI usually largely brownish; wings yellowish anteriorly, costal and basal cells mostly yellow, veins light brown.

NEST: A single nest was collected by Mateus and Noll, quite close to the bank of Rio Acre (at 9 ° 30 ̍ S 67 ° 31 ̍ W), in Porto Acre municipality, Acre State, northwestern Brazil. It was found in a small orchard, on a Citrus sp. tree, 2.3 m above the ground. The nest was built on a narrow twig (3 mm in diameter), and was of sessile initiation, with a single comb. The carton was brittle and constructed of short chips. Cells and the envelope are mostly brownish bearing some yellowish circular stripes in the envelope and around the entrance hole (fig. 9). The different colors gave good camouflage protection to the nest. This pattern is similar to Asteloeca ujhelyii nests (figs. 12–13), but differs in color from Asteloeca traili nests we have seen, which tend to be predominantly grayish (fig. 14).

Nest construction in Asteloeca differs from other genera that build astelocyttarus nests in that the cell bases can be seen from the back and the cell contours laterally ( Wenzel, 1998). In this specimen too, the cell bases are visible on back of the comb (fig. 10) and are strongly attached to the substrate. Oral secretion had been intensively applied outside the comb and envelope, which gives a glossy appearance to the nest. Similarly, the substrate was richly covered by glossy salivary secretion near the comb, extending for a few centimeters along the twig.

The envelope is a single sheet (fig. 9), with border walls of the external cells supporting envelope construction. Small translucent windows are formed in the envelope due to the extensive use of oral secretion. These ‘‘windows’’ are an apomorphic feature, shared with Clypearia and Metapolybia . The entrance hole has a single oval­shaped collar (6 mm × 4 mm), originally centrally located. The nest had an expansion under construction (see fig. 9); there are 83 cells under the envelope (fig. 11; 52 cells with an operculum and 41 with larvae in different stages), and 107 cells in different stages (size) of construction outside the envelope. Cell walls are straight and parallel­sided with a hexagonal shape; cells with an operculum are 15 mm high on average. Eggs and small larvae were found. Forty­three adult females were collected with the nest, as well as 4 returning individuals, for a total of 47 adults.

The nest architecture is thus similar to that described by Wenzel (1998), and this specimen confirms his prediction that the expansion in the genus is sudden and part of the envelope is removed to allow contiguous expansion.

MALE, LARVA: male unknown; larvae not preserved.

TYPE MATERIAL: holotype female from Bolivia: Dpto. Santa Cruz, Buena Vista, 9 January 1991 (James M. Carpenter and John W. Wenzel), in the American Museum of Natural History ( AMNH). One paratype female labeled ‘‘Covendo/Boliv.’’ and ‘‘September/ O E White Coll’’ and ‘‘Mulford/Bio Expl/ 1921–22,’’ with a determination label in Bequaert’s handwriting as Polybia ujhelyii Ducke and a determination label in Richards’ handwriting as Polybia traili Cam. 1906 morph ujhelyi Ducke 1909 , in the U.S. National Museum of Natural History ( USNM). Nine paratype females from Brazil: Acre, Rio Acre, 9 ° 30 ̍ S 67 ° 31 ̍ W, 56 m, 17 October 1998 (Sidnei Mateus and Fernando Noll), five in the AMNH, two in the Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto ( RP), and two in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo. A further 35 females collected from the same colony as these paratypes were dissected and are preserved in RP, but are not paratypes. One paratype female from Ecuador: Napo, Muyuna, 5 km W of Tena, 500 m, 10 April 1981 (Martin Cooper), in the personal collection of M. Cooper (coll. Cooper).

The USNM paratype is presumably the source of the record of ujhelyii for Bolivia by Bequaert (1944; he did not mention number of specimens), as well as the specimen of morph ujhelyii mentioned by Richards (1978: 199):

A female from Bolivia: Corendo , ix.1921 –2 (O. E. White) ( USNM) might be put here. It is black but with the ground colour largely replaced by sulphuryellow on head, thorax and gaster. Gaster with reddish orange blotches on tergites 2–5. Wings yellowish brown .

‘‘Corendo’’ is a lapsus for Covendo, which is printed on the label, and which is in the Dpto. La Paz on the Upper Beni above Santa Ana, at ca. 15 ° 47 ̍ S 67 ° 07 ̍ W and 800–900 m (Cooper, in litt.). This paratype has the metasomal tergal blotches paler than other specimens of A. lutea: They are light orange, lighter than in A. ujhelyii , but the black markings and yellow edges clearly contrast with the discs of the terga, unlike ujhelyii but like other lutea . The markings are otherwise like other specimens of lutea , for example, the sulfur­yellow ground color and yellowish wings.

DISTRIBUTION: Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and also evidently French Guiana. This species is likely the specimen mentioned as a slight variant of P. ujhelyii by Ducke (1909: 626):

Un exemplaire plus petit (14 millim.), d’un testacé clair presque aune soufre, ayant la ligne moyenne noire du thorax continuée, encore sur le 1 r et 2 e segment dorsal et quelques taches et bandes foncées sur les segments antérieurs de l’abdomen, se trouve dans la collection de M. DE GAULLE à Paris ( Guyane française, Bas Maroni, Les Hattes, coll. LE MOULT).

The smaller size, sulfur­yellow color, and black stripe on the first metasomal tergum correspond to A. lutea .

ETYMOLOGY: The name refers to the more extensive yellow color in this species than in other species of Asteloeca .

REMARKS: The left wings of the holotype are damaged, with more than half the length of each sheared off, and the left hind leg is lost beyond the femur. The antennae have also been broken off, and are glued to the locality label. Carpenter and Wenzel discovered the specimen on a road just outside of the town of Buena Vista, and then searched a considerable time for the nest, but were unable to find it.

The paratype from Covendo has the occiput appearing slightly compressed and drawn out in direct dorsal view, less so than in figure 3 but more angular than in other specimens of A. lutea , which would only show any compression if examined in an oblique lateral view. The condition in the Covendo specimen is perhaps due to damage, as there is a dent in the cuticle behind the eye, and the left side does not show the compression to the same extent. The specimen is otherwise morphologically like other A. lutea in the relatively shorter first metasomal segment and smaller overall size (forewing length = 11.14 mm), and the thyridium elongate and narrow, not broad as in A. ujhelyii .

Figures

Figs. 1–6. Female in dorsal view. 1–2, Asteloeca lutea n. sp.; 1, head; 2, first metasomal segment. 3–4, Asteloeca ujhelyii (Ducke); 3, head; 4, first metasomal segment. 5–6, Asteloeca traili (Cameron); 5, head; 6, first metasomal segment. All scale bars are 1 mm.

Figs. 9–14. Nest. 9–11, Asteloeca lutea n. sp.; 9, from front; 10, from back; 11, envelope removed. 12–13, Asteloeca ujhelyii (Ducke) in field from below. 14, Asteloeca traili (Cameron), in field from below.