Quartinia arenaria, Gess, 2011

Gess, Friedrich W., 2011, The genus Quartinia Ed. Andre, 1884 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Masarinae) in Southern Africa. Part IV. New and little known species with complete venation, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 21, pp. 1-39 : 1-4

Quartinia arenaria sp. n. Figs 1-7

Type specimens examined.

Holotype

♂,SOUTH AFRICA: WESTERN CAPE: S of Yzerfontein (33.22S, 18.11E), 15.x.2006 (D. W., G. T. and G. M. Gess) [AMG].

Paratypes:

SOUTH AFRICA: WESTERN CAPE: Lutzville - Vredendal (31.36S, 18.23E), 29.ix.2005 (F, W. and S. K. Gess), 6 ♀♀, 1 ♂ (visiting yellow flowers of Conicosia sp., Aizoaceae : Mesembryanthema ); Donkinsbaai, 10 km S of Doornbaai (31.54S, 18.17E), 29.ix.2005) F. W. and S. K. Gess), 3 ♀♀ (visiting pink flowers with white centres of Drosanthemum sp., Aizoaceae : Mesembryanthema ); Lamberts Bay (32.05S, 18.19E), 28.ix.2005 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 11 ♀♀ (visiting yellow flowers of Conicosia sp., Aizoaceae : Mesembryanthema ); S of Yzerfontein (33.22S, 18.11E), 15.x.2006 (D. W., G. T. and G. M. Gess), 5♀♀, 7 ♂♂; Melkbosstrand (33.42S, 18.26E), 10.x.2005 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂ (on sand beneath flowering Trachyandra sp., Asphodelaceae ) - [all AMG].

Diagnosis.

Medium to large (4.2-5.2 mm), gracile (ratio of width to length = 0.27: 1). Fore wing with Cu1a and 2 m-cu complete and as thick as other veins. Tegula with posterior inner corner inwardly produced. Both sexes black marked with yellowish-white. Head and mesosoma microsculptured (shagreened). Punctures on clypeus and lower half of frons barely discernable; those on upper half of frons and vertex fine, close, increasingly discernable. Punctures on mesosoma larger and more obvious than on head, subconfluent throughout; those on pronotum coarser than those on mesoscutum and scutellum. Male with labrum, clypeus, transverse mark at bottom of frons, and most of scape yellowish-white. Legs unmodified; sterna atuberculate.

Description.

Female ( Figs 1, 3, 5 ): Black. The following are yellowish-white: band (in some specimens reduced and medially interrupted; in others totally effaced) on anterior margin of pronotum and spot (in some specimens totally effaced) on postero-dorsal angle of same; mark (varying from small to totally effaced in majority of speci mens) on humeral angle; tegula (except ferruginous median area); scutellar lamella (except postero-medially); posterior bands (not reaching sides and progressively shorter and narrower) on terga I - III, IV or V (most commonly I - IV). Light reddish-yellow are: underside of all flagellomeres (except in some specimens distal flagellomeres of club); apex of femur of all legs, most of tibia (except diffuse ferruginous postero-ventral markings) of fore and middle legs; base of hind tibia; proximal four tarsomeres of fore leg. Various shades of ferruginous are: mandible distally; upper surface of pedicel and proximal flagellomeres; markings on tibia of all legs; ultimate tarsomere of fore leg and all tarsomeres of middle and hind legs. Wings lightly browned; veins brown.

Length: 4.6-5.2 mm (average of 4: 4.9 mm); length of fore wing: 2.7-3.0 mm (average of 4: 2.9 mm); hamuli 4-6.

Head in front view 1.17 × as wide as long; POL: OOL = 1: 0.77. Clypeus 1.55 × as wide as long; anterior margin shallowly emarginate; lateral angles rounded.

Clypeus, frons and vertex finely microsculptured (shagreened); punctures on clypeus and lower half of frons barely discernable; those on upper half of frons and vertex fine, close, increasingly discernable. Mesosoma finely microsculptured (shagreened); punctures larger than those on head, those on pronotum coarser than those on mesoscutum and scutellum, subconfluent throughout. Gaster very finely punctured, shiny.

Male ( Figs 2, 4, 6, 7 ): Black. The following are yellowish-white: small spot near base of mandible (in one specimen from Melkbosstrand only); labrum (except in some specimens testaceous distal margin); clypeus; transverse mark (in some specimens dorsally bilobed) at bottom of frons and contiguous with white clypeus; most of scape (except black streak dorsally); underside of pedicel; band on anterior margin (in some specimens medially interrupted) of pronotum and spot on postero-dorsal angle of same; mark (varying from large to almost totally effaced) on humeral angle; small spot at top of mesopleuron (in some specimens only); tegula (except ferruginous median area); scutellar lamella (except postero-medially); posterior bands (not reaching sides and progressively shorter and narrower) on terga I - VI. Light reddish-yellow are: underside of all flagellomeres; apex of femur of all legs; most of tibia (except diffuse ferruginous postero-ventral markings) of all legs (or of fore and middle legs and base only of hind leg); proximal four tarsomeres of fore leg. Various shades of ferruginous are: mandible distally; upper surface of pedicel and flagellomeres; markings on tibia of all legs; ultimate tarsomere of fore leg and all tarsomeres of middle and hind legs; parameres (generally light ferruginous but with margins narrowly dark ferruginous).

Length: 4.2-4.8 mm (average of 4: 4.5 mm); length of fore wing: 2.6-2.9 mm (average of 4: 2.7 mm); hamuli 5.

Head in front view 1.3 × as wide as long; POL: OOL = 1: 0.67. Clypeus 1.6 × as wide as long; anterior margin shallowly emarginate; lateral angles rounded.

Puncturation of head, mesosoma and gaster as in female. TergumVII more coarsely sculptured than other terga, apico-medially with a short, narrowly V-shaped slit; lobes flanking slit apically acutely pointed. Sterna atuberculate. Parameres almost rounded apically but slightly angular on inner side of curve; without a distinct tooth.

Etymology.

Named for the sandy terrain to which the species appears to be restricted.

Geographic distribution.

Known from the seaboard of the Western Cape of South Africa, the collecting sites being in the Strandveld of the West Coast of Acocks (1953).

Floral associations.

Aizoaceae : Mesembryanthema ( Conicosia , Drosanthemum ).

Nesting.

Unknown.

Discussion.

See under Quartinia atlantica .

Figures

Figures 1 - 7. Quartinia arenaria 1 ♀, lateral view (x 11) 2 ♂, lateral view (x 13) 3 ♀, dorsal view (x 12) 4 ♂, dorsal view (x 11) 5 ♀, head, front view (x 17) 6 ♂, head, front view (x 20) 7 ♂, tergum VII, dorsal view (x 18).