Pseudepipona (Pseudepipona) beckeri ( Morawitz, 1867 )

Fateryga, Alexander V. & Selis, Marco, 2024, Unexpected diversity in the Pseudepipona lativentris species-group (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), Zootaxa 5529 (2), pp. 318-340 : 321-324

Pseudepipona (Pseudepipona) beckeri ( Morawitz, 1867)

( Figs 1A–H , 2A, B , 10A–C )

Odynerus beckeri Morawitz, 1867: 127 , ♀ ♂ (type locality: “Gouvernement von Saratow ” [ Russia]); lectotype (designated here), ♀, ZISP.

Diagnosis. Body with whitish pattern, legs predominantly orange ( Fig. 1A, F ); apical margin of female clypeus slightly wider than distance between antennal sockets, usually distinctly emarginate ( Fig. 1C ); male F11 slender, apically rounded, without a tyloid ( Fig. 1H ); antero-lateral angles of pronotum in dorsal view rather rectangular ( Fig. 1D ); scutellum and metanotum with whitish bands ( Fig. 1A, F ); punctation on T2 moderately coarse and dense, interspaces not exceeding diameter of a puncture ( Fig. 1E ); paramere moderately broad ( Fig. 10A ); ventral lobe of aedeagus rounded ( Fig. 10C ).

Material examined. LECTOTYPE (DESIGNATED HERE): ♀, labeled “Sarepta. // Beckeri / Mor. ♀. // к. Ф Моравица [collection of F. Morawitz] // Typ / F. Morawitz det. // Lectotypus ♀ / Odynerus becke- / ri Mor. / des. Kurzenko 1976 [red label] // Lectotypus ♀ / Odynerus beckeri / Morawitz, 1867 / des. Fateryga, 2024 [red label]” [ZISP] ( Fig. 1B ). The lectotype is designated in accordance with Art. 74.7.3 of ICZN (1999), for the purpose of nomenclature stability and correct application of the name P. beckeri , previously confused with P. falsa ( Kostylev, 1927) , stat. resurr. (cf. van der Vecht & Fischer 1972). PARALECTOTYPES: RUSSIA. Volgograd Province: Sarepta , 2 ♀, 1 ♂ [ ZISP]. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: RUSSIA: Saratov Province: Samara Governement, Nikolaevsk Uezd , 7.VII, 1 ♀, leg. V. Bostanzhoglo [ ZISP]. Volgograd Province: Elton Lake , 4.VI.1996, 2 ♂, leg. V. Dubatolov, I. Lyubechanskiy [ ISEN]; Sarepta, 1 ♂ [ MSNVE]; ibid., 1 ♀, leg. M. Koch [ MSNVE]; ibid., 1 ♂, leg. M. Koch [ ZISP]. Astrakhan Province: Akhtubinsk District, Bogdo-Baskunchak Nature Reserve , 28.VI.2014, 1 ♀, leg. K. Grebennikov [ CAFK]. Crimea: 2 km E Solenoye Ozero, 14.VI.2002, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. A. Amolin [ AAD]; Arabat Spit, VI.2002, 1 ♂, leg. D. Puzanov [ DPS]; Barakol Lake , 26.VIII.2014, 1 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; ibid., 27.VII.2014, 1 ♂, leg. Yu. Budashkin [ CFUS]; ibid., on Limonium scoparium , 11.VIII.2016, 1 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CFUS]; Belbek , 13.VII.1904, 1 ♀, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; Cape Steregushchiy , 7.VII.1974, 1 ♀, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; Druzhnoye , 24.VIII.1993, 2 ♀, leg. S. Ivanov [ CAFK, CFUS]; Feodosiya, Lisya Bay , 11.VI.2007, 1 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [ CFUS]; ibid., 13.VI.2007, 2 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [ CFUS]; Geroi Sivasha [ Ishun ], 14.VI.1971, 1 ♀, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; Inkerman , 17.VI.1912, 1 ♂, leg. A. Shestakov [ ZISP]; Karadag, on Euphorbia , 11.VI.1924, 1 ♀ [ ZMMU]; ibid., 6.VII.1928, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 7.VII.1928, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 19.VII.1928, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 30.VII.1928, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 7.VIII.1928, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 16.VIII.1928, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 27.VII.1936, 1 ♂, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 28.VII.1936, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 7.VIII.1936, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 8.VIII.1936, 1 ♂, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 8.IX.1984, 1 ♀, leg. L. Zimina [ ZMMU]; ibid., 27.VII.2002, 1 ♀, leg. K. Shorenko [ AAD]; Kerch Peninsula, 10 km N Uvarovo, 30.VII.1985, 1 ♂, leg. I. Maltzev [ OSZ]; Kerch Peninsula, Cape Chauda , on Butomus umbellatus , 9.VI.2005, 1 ♀, 6 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; ibid., on Butomus umbellatus , 9.VI.2005, 2 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ DPS]; ibid., on Ferula caspica , 9.VI.2005, 2 ♀, leg. S. Ivanov [ CAFK, CFUS]; ibid., on Butomus umbellatus , 25.VI.2017, 1 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CFUS]; Kerch Peninsula, Koyashskoye Lake , on Ferula caspica , 4.VI.2018, 1 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [ LCTS]; Kerch Peninsula, Kurortnoye , 26.VII.1972, 1 ♂, leg. Shcheglenko [ OSZ]; Kerch Peninsula, Mysovoye , 11.VII.1972, 1 ♂, leg. Shcheglenko [ CFUS]; Kerch Peninsula, Uvarovo , 1.VIII.1985, 1 ♂, leg. I. Maltzev [ OSZ]; Kerch Peninsula, Zavetnoye , 4.VIII.1972, 1 ♀, leg. Shcheglenko [ CFUS]; Kropotkino , VII–VIII.1971, 3 ♀, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; ibid., 12.IX.1971, 6 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; Lenino District, Lvovo , 28.V.2013, 1 ♂, leg. Yu. Budashkin [ ISEN]; Nizhnigorskiy District, Sivash Gulf coast , 3 km S Salgir River, 10.VII.2017, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK]; ibid., on Eryngium campestre , 10.VII.2017, 1 ♀, 5 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CFUS]; ibid., on Verbascum phlomoides , 10.VII.2017, 1 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CFUS]; Otuzy [ Shchebetovka ], 6.VII.1928, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; ibid., 11.VIII.1928, 1 ♀, leg. G. Kostylev [ ZMMU]; Pervomayskoye District, Pravda , on Medicago , 7.IX.1984, 1 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; Prisivashskiy Preserve, 45°37′27″N, 35°02′08″E, on Ferula caspica , 5.VI.2021, 2 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK, LCTS]; Razdolnoye District, Portovoye , 8.IX.2012, 1 ♂, leg. V. Zhidkov [ CFUS]; ibid., 27.IX.2012, 2 ♀, leg. V. Zhidkov [ CFUS]; ibid., 27.IX.2012, 2 ♀, leg. V. Zhidkov [ ISEN]; ibid., 27–28.IX.2012, 1 ♀, leg. D. Puzanov [ MSVI]; ibid., 27–28.IX.2012, 2 ♀, leg. D. Puzanov [ CFUS]; ibid., 28.IX.2012, 2 ♀, leg. D. Puzanov [ DPS, CFUS]; Saki , 1 ♀, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ FSCV]; ibid., 4.VIII.1912, 1 ♀, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; ibid., 24.VII.1913, 1 ♂, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; ibid., 26.VII.1913, 1 ♀, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; ibid., 17.VII.1914, 1 ♀, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; Sevastopol , 2 ♀, leg. E. Pavlovskiy [ ZISP]; Sevastopol, Delagard’s Khutor , 15.VI.1912, 1 ♂, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; Sevastopol , Khersones , 27.VI.1912, 1 ♂, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; ibid., 30.VI.1912, 2 ♀, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; ibid., 22.VI.1914, 1 ♀, leg. V. Pliginskiy [ ZISP]; Simferopol, 1904, 1 ♀ [ ZISP]; Simferopol , Marino , 24.VIII.2003, 1 ♀, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; Solenoye Ozero , 5.VIII.2000, 1 ♂, leg. S. Mosyakin [ SMS]; ibid., 18.VIII.2003, 1 ♀, leg. V. Gromenko [ CFUS]; Tarkhankut Peninsula, Bolshoy Kastel , 22.VI.2013, 2 ♀, leg. A. Fateryga [ CFUS]; Tavricheskoye, on Medicago , 6.VI.1971, 1 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; ibid., on Matricaria , 6.VI.1971, 1 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; Tavricheskoye, 8.VI.1971, 1 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ CFUS]; ibid., 8–17.VII.1972, 2 ♂, leg. S. Ivanov [ CAFK, CFUS]; Traktovoye , 21.VII.1972, 1 ♀, leg. Muravyev [ CFUS]; Yenyshary Bay , 27.VII.1917, 1 ♀, leg. V. Wuczeticz [ ZMMU]; Yevpatoriya , western bank of a gulf , 1.VI.1949, 1 ♂, leg. I. Maltzev [ OSZ]. Kherson Province: Genichesk District, Chongar , 20.VIII.1939, 1 ♀ [ OSZ]. RUSSIA – KAZAKHSTAN: Ryn-Peski, 2 ♀ [ ZISP]. KAZAKHSTAN. Akmola Province: Kokshetau, near Tersakan River , 2.VII.1957, 1 ♀, leg. Rudolf [ ZISP]; Vicinity of Derzhavinsk , 4.VII.1977, 1 ♂, leg. V. Kazenas [ FSCV].

Distribution. Russia (European part), Kazakhstan (Fig. 11).

Remarks. Blüthgen (1938: 279) listed this species as a synonym of Euodynerus (Pseudepipona) lativentris but with a question, while van der Vecht & Fischer (1972: 83) treated P. beckeri as a separate species, with O. falsus as its questionable synonym.

Ethology. Imagines of this species were previously recorded at flowers of Eryngium campestre L., Ferula caspica M. Bieb. (both Apiaceae ), Tripolium pannonicum (Jacq.) Dobrocz. ( Asteraceae ), Butomus umbellatus L. ( Butomaceae ), and Limonium scoparium (Pall. ex Willd.) Stank. ( Plumbaginaceae ) ( Fateryga 2020).According to the label data, specimens of P. beckeri were also collected at Matricaria sp. ( Asteraceae ), Euphorbia sp. ( Euphorbiaceae ), and Medicago sp. ( Fabaceae ). Further field observations of this species in Crimea revealed feeding of imagines on Anthemis ruthenica M. Bieb. ( Asteraceae ) ( Fig. 2B ), Lepidium crassifolium Waldst. & Kit. ( Brassicaceae ), and Galium humifusum M. Bieb. ( Rubiaceae ). Pseudepipona beckeri was also recorded licking buds of Verbascum phlomoides L. ( Scrophulariaceae ), together with Brachyodynerus magnificus ( Morawitz, 1867) ( Fateryga et al. 2017; Fateryga 2020). Fateryga (2020) previously suggested that these wasps might consume liquid exuding from the minute pores in the plant epidermis. Present observations, however, revealed that buds of V. phlomoides visited by P. beckeri had numerous perforatrions made by a true bug species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) ( Fig. 2A ). Therefore, use of these perforations to uptake plant sap by the wasps can be speculated.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pseudepipona beckeri (Morawitz). A–E, ♀, lectotype; F–H, ♂, Crimea. A, F, habitus in dorsal view; B, labels; C, G, head in front view; D, pronotum and anterior part of scutum in dorsal view; E, T2 in dorsal view; H, apex of flagellum. Scale bars 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 2. Pseudepipona beckeri (Morawitz). A, female on buds of Verbascum phlomoides L.; B, male on inflorescence of Anthemis ruthenica M. Bieb.

FIGURE 10. Male genitalia of Pseudepipona spp. A–C, Pseudepipona beckeri (Morawitz), Crimea; D–F, P.cretensis Blüthgen, Crete; G–I, P. cypria Blüthgen, Cyprus; J, L, M, P. falsa (Kostylev), Uzbekistan; K, P. falsa, lectotype; N–P, P. gineri (von Schulthess), Ibiza; Q–S, P. lativentris (de Saussure), Spain; T, P. rubricans Kurzenko, Kazakhstan; U–W, P. rubricans, China; X–Z, P. vicina Gusenleitner, Kyrgyzstan. A, D, G, J, N, Q, T, U, X, left paramere and volsella in medial view (d, digitus); B, E, H, K, L, O, R, V, Y, aedeagus in dorsal view (me, median expansion); C, F, I, M, P, S, W, Z, aedeagus in lateral view (vl, ventral lobe). Scale bar 0.5 mm (not exactly applied to D–F and N–P).