Quartinia scutellaris, 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 : 18-21

Quartinia scutellaris sp. n. Figs 56-62

Quartinia sp. D. ( Gess 1996: 249, flower visiting; Gess and Gess 2003: 66, flower visiting.)

Holotype

♂, SOUTH AFRICA: NORTHERN CAPE: Nieuwoudtville Falls, 5 km N of Nieuwoudtville (31.19S, 19.07E), 28.ix.1990 (F. W. and S. K. Gess) (on yellow fls of Leysera gnaphalodes (L.) L., Asteraceae ) [AMG].

Paratypes.

SOUTH AFRICA: NORTHERN CAPE: Namaqualand, Springbok, Hester Malan Nature Res[erve] [now Goegap Nature Reserve] (29.37S, 18.00E), 10-12.x.1988 (D. W. Gess), 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; same locality, 10-11.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 5 ♀♀ (3 ♀♀ visiting fls of Leysera gnaphalodes (L.) L., Asteraceae ); same locality and date (D. W. Gess), 1 ♀; same locality (windmill site) (29.37S, 17.59E), 4-8.x.1994 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 2 ♀♀ (on yellow fls Leysera tenella DC, Asteraceae ); Namaqualand, Narap (Narab) (29.53S, 17.46E), 14.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 5 ♀♀ (visiting fls of Leysera gnaphalodes ); [Namaqualand], Farm Arkoep, 6 km N [of] Kamieskroon (30.19S, 17.56E), 1-2.x.1990 (C. Eardley), 3 ♀♀ [SANC]; 15 km N of Nieuwoudtville on road to Loeriesfontein, [Skuinshoogte Pass] (31.16S, 19.08E), 3-8.x.1989 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 5 ♀♀, 1♂ (4 ♀♀ visiting yellow fls of Rhynchopsidium pumila (L. f.) DC., Asteraceae ; 1 ♀ visiting fls of Senecio sp., prob. nivea Less.); same locality and date (D. W. Gess), 1 ♂; same locality, 23-30.ix.1994 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 1 ♂ (on yellow fls of Leysera / Rhynchopsidium sp., Asteraceae ); Nieuwoudtville Falls, 5 km N of Nieuwoudtville (31.19S, 19.07E), 28.ix.1990 (F. W. and S. K. Gess), 22 ♀♀, 5 ♂♂ (20 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂ on yellow fls of Leysera gnaphalodes , one pair in copula; 2 ♀♀ on yellow fls of Rhynchopsidium sp.) - [all AMG unless otherwise stated].

Diagnosis.

Medium to large (4.4-5.3 mm). Fore wing with Cu1a and 2 m-cu complete and as thick as other veins. Both sexes with thorax and gaster subshiny with coarse punctures. Female with scutellum markedly convexly raised medially, black with pale lamella. Male with mandible white and tip ferruginous; labrum and clypeus wholly white; antennal club light ferruginous; frons in lower half with large median marking and ocular sinus with marked white crescent; scutellum with curved posterior white band and pale lamella; sternum VII subglabrous and apically with fringe of fine setae.

Description.

Female ( Figs 56, 58, 60 ):Black. The following are yellowish-white: underside of antenna; pair of small streaks on pronotal dorsum and minute spot at postero-dorsal angle of same (these markings effaced in most specimens); tegula anteriorly and posteriorly; scutellar lamella laterally; posterior bands (not reaching sides and progressively reduced) on terga I - IV; apex of femur, most of tibia, and tarsomeres of all legs. The following are ferruginous: mandible (except base); upper side of antenna; bottom of ocular sinus (in most specimens); tegula medially; tergum I basally; terga I - V laterally and narrowly posteriorly; tergum VI entirely; sterna. Wings lightly browned; veins brown.

Length 4.8-5.3 mm (average of 3: 5.1 mm); length of fore wing 3.0-3.3 mm (average of 3: 3.2 mm); hamuli 5.

Head in front view 1.4 × as wide as long; microreticulate (shagreened), moderately shiny, with small punctures separated by less than their diameter; POL: OOL = 1: 0.85. Clypeus 1.8 × as wide as long (to bottom of emargination); anterior margin shallowly and widely emarginate; antero-lateral angles rounded. Mesosoma and metasoma microsculptured (shagreened) with punctures on pronotum, mesopleuron, mesoscutum, scutellum and tergum I coarser than those on head; punctures on mesoscutum and scutellum most distinct; those on gaster progressively smaller from tergum I to VI. Scutellum smoothly, convexly raised above level of hind end of mesoscutum. Tegula with inner posterior corner markedly inwardly produced. Fore wing with Cu1a and 2 m-cu complete and as thick as other veins.

Male ( Figs 57, 59, 61, 62 ): Black. The following are yellowish-white: mandible (except tip); labrum; clypeus (except small area below antennal socket); large marking on lower half of frons immediately above clypeus; large crescent in ocular sinus; scape, pedicel and proximal flagellomeres; anterior margin of pronotum (carried down to humeral angle) and small spot on postero-dorsal angle of same; large marking on upper half of mesopleuron; tegula anteriorly and posteriorly; curved posterior band (more or less tri-lobed) on scutellum; scutellar lamella (medially interrupted with ferruginous); posterior bands (not reaching sides and progressively reduced) on terga I - VI; some diffuse areas on tergum VII; apex of femur, most of tibia, most of tarsomeres (becoming progressively more ferruginous) of all legs. The following are ferruginous: mandibular tip; antennal club both above and below; propodeal angle laterally; tergum I basally and laterally, tergum II laterally, terga III - VII where not marked with yellowish-white; all sterna; tarsomeres to some degree (as indicated above). Wings lightly browned; veins brown.

Length 4.4-5.1 mm (average of 3: 4.8 mm); length of fore wing 2.6-2.8 mm (average of 3: 2.7 mm); hamuli 5.

Head in front view 1.4 × as wide as long; POL: OOL = 1: 0.96. Clypeus 1.8 × as wide as long (to bottom of emargination); anterior margin shallowly and widely emarginate; antero-lateral angles rounded. Puncturation of head, mesosoma and met asoma similar to that of female. Tergum VII with a median slit and with lobes flanking it smoothly rounded apically. Sterna atuberculate; sternum VII subglabrous, apically with a fringe of fine setae.

Etymology.

The name Quartinia scutellaris serves to draw attention to the scutellum which in the female is raised medially and in the male has a characteristic curved posterior white band.

Geographic distribution.

Known from the north-western part of the Northern Cape (Namaqualand; winter rainfall region) of South Africa, the collecting sites being principally in the Namaqualand Broken Veld of Acocks (1953).

Floral associations.

Asteraceae ( Leysera, Rhynchopsidium ).

Nesting.

Unknown.

Discussion.

Sympatric with the generally similar looking Quartinia frontalis , Quartinia setositerminalis and Quartinia vagepunctata . Association of sexes confirmed by one pair in copula (see above).

Figures

Figures 56 - 62. Quartinia scutellaris 56 ♀, lateral view (x 12) 57 ♂, lateral view (x 11) 58 ♀, dorsal view (x 12) 59 ♂, dorsal view (x 12) 60 ♀, head, front view (x 17) 61 ♂, head, front view (x 19) 62 ♂, tergum VII, dorsal view (x 20).