Aulacophilinus weiri (Naumann)

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2017, A Revision of the Wasp Genus Aulacophilinus Lomholdt, 1980 with Descriptions of Three New Species (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 64 (1), pp. 1-29 : 25-27

Aulacophilinus weiri (Naumann)

Figures 52–62 .

Pison weiri Naumann, 1990b:239 ,

♀, ♂. Holotype: ♀, Australia: Northern Territory: Island of Rimbija ( ANIC), examined.

– As Aulacophilinus weiri : Menke , 2016:337 (new combination, in key to Aulacophilinus ).

RECOGNITION.— Aulacophilinus weiri shares with A. caliginosus and A. rennellensis the presence of only two submarginal cells. It is unique among its congeners in having the frons ( Fig. 54 ), scutum ( Fig. 58 ), and mesopleuron coarsely areolate (rather than punctate), the pronotal collar with a crenulate furrow posteriorly (no such furrow elsewhere or furrow ill defined), and in having an omalus (no omalus in the other Aulacophilinus ). It shares with A. pyrrhicum the gena with a crenulate sulcus along the posterior eye margin, the sulcus delimited posteriorly by a well-defined carina ( Fig. 56 ). Unlike A. rennellensis , its gastral segment I is sessile rather than conspicuously pedunculate. Unlike these two species, the tegula of A. weiri is minutely punctate throughout (rather than impunctate posteriorly).

DESCRIPTION.— Frons shiny, coarsely areolate ( Fig. 54 ). Free margin of clypeal lobe widely rounded ( Figs. 52, 53 ). Occipital carina expanded ( Fig. 57 ), as high ventrally as midocellar diameter (less than that in some specimens). Width of labrum equal to 0.9 × midocellar diameter. Gena with crenulate sulcus along posterior eye margin ( Fig. 56 ), sulcus delimited posteriorly by well-defined carina. Anteromedian pronotal pit rounded elongate, smaller than midocellar diameter. Scutum foveate along flange, with short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin, conspicuously areolate. Tegula microscopically punctate throughout. Mesopleuron conspicuously areolate, with omaulus. Metapleuron longitudinally ridged between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum without longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum rugose, with short, transverse carinae emerging from middle carina; side with well-defined punctures (interspaces in some specimens merging into fine longitudinal ridges); posterior surface areolate, with tendency to form transverse ridges in ventral half. Forewing with two submarginal cells; length of posterior margin of second cell equals 1.3–1.4 × its height. Posteroventral forefemoral surface minutely, closely punctate. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin sharply carinate. Outer surface of hindtibia with evanescent spines. Punctures of tergum I well defined, about one diameter apart on horizontal portion.

Setae silvery, appressed on frons, scutum, and tergum I; almost completely concealing integument on clypeus; genal setae suberect, straight, curved apically, longest setae about equal to midocellar diameter. Apical depressions of terga with ill-defined, silvery, setal fasciae.

Body all black except mandibular apex ferruginous.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.70–0.72 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.3 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.1–1.3 × hindocellar diameter ( Fig. 55 ); eye height equal to 0.90–0.92 × distance between eye notches. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.4–1.8 × apical width. Length 4.8–6.0 mm; head width 1.4– 1.6 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.80 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.4 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.2 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.92 × distance between eye notches. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.3 × apical width. Sternum VIII conspicuously emarginate apically ( Fig. 59 ). Genitalia: Figs. 60 and 61 . Length 4.2 mm; head width 1.3– 1.4 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION ( Fig. 62 ).— Northern part of Northern Territory, northern Queensland.

RECORDS.— AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory: Cattle Creek 54 km S Borroloola ( Naumann, 1990b), Gregory National Park at 15°58.3′S 130°29.3′E (1 ♀, 1 ♂, ANIC) , at 15°58′17″S 130°29′17″E (1 ♂, ANIC) , at 16°03.7′S 130°27.1′E (1 ♂, USU) , and 16°12′47″S 130°25′11″E (1 ♀, CAS; 1 ♂, USU), Gregory National Park near Timber Creek on Victoria River bank at 15°37.8′S 130°28.6′E (1 ♀, CAS) , Island of Rimbija (1 ♀, 2 ♂, ANIC, holotype and paratypes of weiri ), Keep River National Park at 15°45′30″S 129°06′28″E (1 ♂, CAS) . Queensland: 4 km NE Batavia at 12°39′S 142°42′E (2 ♀, ANIC; 1 ♀, CAS), 4 km SW Casuarina Hill ( Naumann, 1990b) , 13 km SE Weipa at 12°40′S 143°00′E (2 ♀, ANIC) .

Figures

FIGURES 52–58. Aulacophilinus weiri. (52) Female clypeus and mandibles; (53) Male clypeus and mandibles; (54) Upper frons of female; 55) Female head in dorsal view; (56) Female head in lateral view (arrow shows postorbital carina); (57) Female head in lateral oblique view (arrow shows occipital carina); (58) Female tegula and adjacent portion of scutum.

FIGURES 59–61. Aulacophilinus weiri. (59) Male ster- num VIII (ventral surface); (60) Male genitalia dorsally; (61) Male genitalia laterally.

FIGURE 62. Collecting localities of Aulacophilus weiri.