Psenulus continentis van Lith, 1962

Taylor, Christopher K., Barthelemy, Christophe, Chi, Roy Cheung Shun & Guenard, Benoit, 2020, Review of Psenulus species (Hymenoptera, Psenidae) in the Hong Kong SAR, with description of three new species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 79, pp. 169-211 : 169

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.79.55832
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9AF2643B-484E-4367-845E-20772317FCFF
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scientific name	Psenulus continentis van Lith, 1962
status

Treatment

Figs 4B-4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 , 8 View Figure 8 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10 View Figure 10 , 11 View Figure 11 , 12 View Figure 12 , 13 View Figure 13 , 14 View Figure 14 , 15 View Figure 15 , 16 View Figure 16 , 17B View Figure 17 , 18C, D View Figure 18 , 19C, D View Figure 19 , 20B View Figure 20 , 21B View Figure 21

Psenulus continentis van Lith 1962: 97-98. Holotype: ♀; Malaysia, Penang, Batu Feringgi; NHMUK.

Material examined.

China, Hong Kong • 1♂; Sha Tau Kok , Hoi Pui Leng; 22°31'47"N, 114°12'28"E; 10-24 May 2018; C. Taylor and Cheung Shun Chi leg.; HKU GoogleMaps • 1♀; Nam Chung ; 22°31'32"N, 114°12'29"E; 27 Jun.-11 Jul. 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 1♀; Sam A Tsuen; 22°30'54"N, 114°16'15"E; 17-30 May 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 3♂; Tung Chung ; 22°16'55"N, 113°55'43"E; 29 May-12 Jun. 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 2♂ 1♀; Tai Tam ; 22°14'45"N, 114°13'23"E; 28 Jun.-12 Jul. 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 7♂; To Kwa Peng ; 22°25'43"N, 114°20'01"E; 8-25 May 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 6♂; To Kwa Peng ; 22°25'45"N, 114°20'00"E; 8-25 May 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 3♂; To Kwa Peng ; 22°25'41"N, 114°20'05"E; 25 May-10 Jun. 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 5♂ 8♀; Ho Chung ; 22°21'12"N, 114°15'09"E; 26 Jun.-10 Jul. 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 2♂; Sai Keng ; 22°25'06"N, 114°16'11"E; 26 Jun.-10 Jul. 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 3♂; Yim Tin Tsai ; 22°22'32"N, 114°18'04"E; 1-15 Jun. 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 3♂; New Territories ; May-July 2018; ibid GoogleMaps • 4♂ 1♀; To Kwa Peng ; 22°25'43"N, 114°19'59"E; 21 Nov.-5 Dec. 2017; C. Taylor and U. Chang; HKU GoogleMaps • 1♀; Ping Shan Chai ; 22°29'14"N, 114°11'06"E; 140 m a.s.l.; 30 Jul.-03 Sep. 2016; C. Barthélémy leg.; Malaise trap, ref.: M258CHy7; CBC GoogleMaps • 1♀; Pak Sha O; 22°26'59"N, 114°19'04"E; 70 m a.s.l.; 22 Mar.-05 Apr. 2014; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: PSOM152CHy1; CBC • 1♀; ibid GoogleMaps ..; 05-19 Apr. 2014; ibid GoogleMaps ; ref.: PSOM153CHy3; CBC • 1♀; ibid GoogleMaps ; 31 May-14 Jun. 2014; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: M162CHy2; CBC • 1♀; ibid GoogleMaps ..; 19 Sep.-03 Oct. 2015; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: M220CHy1; CBC • 1♀; ibid GoogleMaps .; 11-25 Jun. 2016; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: M250CHy2; CBC • 1♂; ibid GoogleMaps .; 18 May-01 Jun. 2013; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: M131CHy1; CBC • 1♂; ibid GoogleMaps .; 13-27 Jul. 2013; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: M135CHy3; CBC • 1♀; ibid GoogleMaps .; 01-15 Jun. 2019; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: M418CHy4; CBC • 1♂; Mang Kung Wo ; 22°22'06"N, 114°15'12"E; 60 m a.s.l.; 28 Apr.-12 May 2018; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: M345CHy3; CBC • 1♂; ibid GoogleMaps .; 01-15 Jun. 2019; ibid GoogleMaps .; ref.: M419CHy5, CBC • 2♂; ibid GoogleMaps .; 13-27 Jul. 2019; ibid GoogleMaps ; refs: M425CHy2A and 2B; CBC •

Standard ratios.

Males (n = 10): L = 5.5-6.40 mm (mean = 5.8 mm); CR = 1.29-1.37 (mean = 1.33); OOR = 0.62-0.79 (mean = 0.71); FLR = 0.8-1.23 (mean = 1.06); FRR = 0.55-0.71 (mean = 0.68); MR = 1.36-1.51 (mean = 1.43); OMR = 0.91-1.00 (mean = 0.95); PR = 0.59-1.91 (mean = 1.20); PFR = 0.887-1.08 (mean = 1.01). Females (n = 10): L = 5.7-6.9 mm (mean = 6.26 mm); CR = 1.23-1.47 (mean = 1. 32); OOR = 0.63-0.73 (mean = 0.68); FLR = 1.26-1.43 (mean = 1.36); FRR = 0.63-0.69 (mean = 0.65); MR = 1.18-1.57 (mean = 1.38); OMR = 0.85-1.00 (mean = 0.92); PR = 0.59-1.62 (mean = 1.20); PFR = 0.87-1.11 (mean = 1.02).

Description.

Male: Antenna without tyloids. Clypeus (Fig. 21B View Figure 21 ) with two blunt ventral teeth separated by a shallow rounded emargination, remainder of clypeal margin largely straight. Subantennal carina well developed (Fig. 7B View Figure 7 ); interantennal carina narrow, not broadened dorsally. Mesosoma mostly polished, mesoscutum moderately punctate with intermixed larger and smaller punctures mostly separated by at least their own diameter (Fig. 11B View Figure 11 ); prescutal sutures short, not extending beyond anterior level of tegula; episternal sulcus broadly foveolate (Fig. 13B View Figure 13 ); propodeal enclosure with several pairs of longitudinal carinae; propodeum laterally and posteriorly coarsely reticulate (Fig. 15B View Figure 15 ). Petiole subcylindrical, T1 relatively low (Fig. 5B View Figure 5 ). Fore wing (Fig. 19D View Figure 19 ) with first recurrent vein interstitial or reaching second submarginal cell near base, second recurrent vein reaching third submarginal cell near the base.

Head black with appressed silvery pubescence (Figs 7B View Figure 7 , 9B View Figure 9 ); antenna with scape, venter of pedicel and base of venter of flagellum yellow, dorsum of pedicel and remainder of flagellum blackish; mandible yellow with black tip. Mesosoma black with following areas yellow (Figs 5B View Figure 5 , 11B View Figure 11 , 13B View Figure 13 ): pronotal collar, pronotal lobe, mesoscutum with two broad yellow submedial longitudinal stripes reaching almost to posterior margin (Fig. 11B View Figure 11 ), as well as broad marginal stripe laterally; scutellum except scutellar groove and small triangular median spot posteriorly; metanotum; mesopleuron anterior to anterior oblique suture, as well as small spot at top of hypoepimeral area and larger patch behind junction of anterior oblique suture and epicnemial crest; large paired patches laterally and posteriorly on propodeum. Legs mostly yellow, hind trochanter and base of hind coxa dark brown, hind femur, tibia and tarsus reddish. Petiole basally yellow, distally black; remainder of metasoma mostly reddish, S7 dark brown (Fig. 5B View Figure 5 ).

Female: Clypeus (Fig. 21B View Figure 21 ) with two blunt ventral teeth separated by a shallow rounded emargination, remainder of clypeal margin largely straight. Subantennal carina absent (Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ); interantennal carina narrow, not broadened dorsally. Mesosoma mostly polished, mesoscutum moderately punctate with intermixed larger and smaller punctures mostly separated by at least their own diameter (Fig. 11B View Figure 11 ); prescutal sutures short, not extending beyond anterior level of tegula; episternal sulcus narrowly foveolate (Fig. 12B View Figure 12 ); propodeal enclosure with several pairs of longitudinal carinae; propodeum laterally and posteriorly coarsely reticulate (Fig. 15B View Figure 15 ). Hind tibia with cluster of small dark denticles dorsobasally (Fig. 18C View Figure 18 ) and transverse row of three short spines dorsoapically. T1 swollen, nearly twice as high above dorsum of petiole as maximum height of petiole (Fig. 4B View Figure 4 ). Fore wing (Fig. 19D View Figure 19 ) with first recurrent vein interstitial or reaching second submarginal cell near base, second recurrent vein reaching third submarginal cell near the base.

Head black with appressed silvery pubescence (Figs 7B View Figure 7 , 9B View Figure 9 ). Antenna paler than male, pedicel and flagellum mostly brown except dorsum of flagellum blackish. Mesosoma yellow with following black (Figs 4B View Figure 4 , 10B View Figure 10 , 12B View Figure 12 ): lower part of pronotum, three longitudinal spots anteriorly on mesoscutum, extending about two-thirds of length, low triangular patch on posterior margin of mesoscutum; scutellar groove and lateral pocket of scutellum; epicnemial area, episternal sulcus and around posterior end of mesopleural scrobe; mesoscutum with spot roundly extending onto base of mesopleuron; metapleuron dorsal enclosed area and median posterior groove of propodeum. Legs yellow except hind femur to tarsus reddish. Petiole basally yellow, distally black; remainder of metasoma mostly reddish, S7 dark brown (Fig. 5B View Figure 5 ).

Distribution.

*China (Hong Kong); Malaysia (Penang); Singapore (van Lith 1962, 1976).

Notes.

Psenulus continentis was described by van Lith (1962) from a single female specimen and the male had not previously been described. Males here assigned to P. continentis are identified on the basis of their association with females of the species as well as their close similarity to males of the related species P. interstitialis . van Lith (1962) did not specify his reasons for regarding P. continentis as a distinct species from P. interstitialis but comparison of the descriptions of the two species indicates that P. continentis has the mesopleural suture foveolate (vs. simple in P. interstitialis ) and numerous longitudinal carinae in the propodeal enclosure (vs 'only a few’).

The discovery of P. continentis in Hong Kong represents a new taxon for the territory and China and a significant extension of the known range of this species previously recorded only from the Malaysian Peninsula (van Lith 1962, 1976).

It is a common taxon, found at 12 of the 20 sites surveyed and it is abundant throughout these sites. It has one of the longest activity period of all Hong Kong Psenulus , spanning from February (W7) to end of November (W47).