Pison sulcatum Pulawski, 2018

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2018, A Revision of the Wasp Genus Pison Jurine, 1808 of Australia and New Zealand, New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 65, pp. 1-584 : 440-445

Pison sulcatum Pulawski , species nova

Figures 1071-1083.

NAME DERIVATION.– Sulcatum, Latin neuter adjective meaning sulcate; with reference to the sulcate male sternum VIII.

RECOGNITION. – Pison sulcatum is either all black or the tibiae and tarsi are ferruginous (apical depressions of terga brownish). It has three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein or nearly so, and the setae appressed on tergum I. It is further characterized by the short setae of the lower gena (equal to about 0.5 × midocellar diameter), a patch of dorsolaterally oriented setae (ill defined in some specimens) on each side of the upper frons (between the dorsal end of the middle carina and the midocellus). An important recognition feature, shared with P. antennatum , P. auriventre , P. compressum , and P. gregorii , is a conspicuously areolate sulcus adjacent to both the anterior and posterior margin of the metanotum (i.e., on the posterior margin of the mesopleuron and on the anterior margin of the propodeal side).

The female can be recognized, in addition to the above characters, by the ocellocular distance equal to 0.4-0.9 × hindocellar diameter, the dorsal length of flagellum I equal to 2.3-2.4 × its apical width, and the impunctate portion of the tegula the usual size (unlike P. angustivertex where the impunctate portion of the tegula is unusually small). Unlike P. gregorii , the clypeal lamella of P. sulcatum is roundly arcuate rather than acutely angulate (compare Figs. 1071 and 482), and the inner mandibular margin has no preapical tooth.

The male can be recognized by the presence of a median concavity on the ventral surface of sternum VIII that may be either elongate or rounded; in many specimens the concavity is bordered by a swelling, at least basally, but both basally and apically in some specimens (Fig. 1080). The concavity, in many specimens, is bordered on each side by a row of stiff, dense setae (Fig. 1077), but in others the setae are soft and do not form rows (Fig. 1078). Sternum VIII rounded apicolaterally is a subsidiary recognition feature. The specimens from South Australia and most from New South Wales have a pair of sharp, admedian tubercles on sternum IV and also on sternum III in many individuals (Fig. 1076), a feature unique within the genus (the tubercles are invisible when the gastral segments are contracted). Also unique is the presence of erect setae on the venter of the three apical hindtarsomeres in specimens from South Australia (Fig. 1075), and some from New South Wales and Queensland. Both features are present in many specimens, but only the erect tarsal setae are present in some males, and both features lack in many other males. Somewhat similar is P. tibiale in which male sternum VIII also has a longitudinal sulcus but in contrast to P. sulcatum the abundant, erect setae are present on the head, thorax, propodeum, and tergum I.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, minutely punctate, punctures averaging less than one diameter apart. Labrum emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as midocellar diameter. Propleuron sparsely punctate laterally in some specimens. Scutum not foveate or foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures fine, averaging less than one diameter apart; interspaces microsculptured, dull. Mesopleural punctures fine, contiguous (Fig. 1074). Postspiracular carina present, about as long as midocellar diameter. Mesopleuron adjacent to metapleuron and propodeal side adjacent to metapleuron below dorsal pit with conspicuously foveolate sulcus; mesopleural punctures less than one diameter apart. Propodeum with irregular longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum with short transverse carinae emerging from middle carina, remaining surface obliquely ridged (ridges becoming conspicuous anteriorly and laterally, evanescent posterolaterally in many specimens); side punctate (except anteriorly), also ridged at least anterodorsally, ridges minute in specimens from Western Australia; posterior surface coarsely, transversely ridged on each side of median sulcus. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer carina effaced in anterior half. Punctures of tergum I minute, about one diameter apart. Sterna minutely, densely punctate throughout.

Setae silvery, appressed on frons, scutum, femora, and tergum I, not concealing integument on clypeus in female, concealing in male, forming patch of dorsolaterad oriented setae on each side of upper frons (between dorsal end of middle carina and midocellus, patch ill defined in some specimens); setae of lower gena suberect, straight, about 0.5 × as long as midocellar diameter. Apical depressions of terga with silvery, setal fasciae.

Body all black in most specimens, mandible ferruginous mesally (dark ferruginous in many specimens), apical tarsomeres brown, and distal flagellomeres (up to distal half of flagellum) ferruginous in many males, but hindtibia narrowly ferruginous basodorsally in one female from 3 km ENE Wilpena, South Australia, and tibiae and tarsi ferruginous (fore- and midtibiae partly black) in specimens from 45 km S Newman, Western Australia.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.76-0.84 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.4-0.9 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.7-1.3 × hindocellar diameter (Fig. 1073); eye height equal to 0.96-1.12 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella roundly arcuate (Fig. 1071). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.3-2.4 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.3-1.6 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with minimal, barely perceptible incision at about midlength. Length 5.2-9.0 mm; head width 1.4-2.5 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.82-1.0 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.9-1.6 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.1-1.3 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.96-1.0 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella obtusely angulate in most specimens (Fig. 1072), acutely angulate in some, minimally to distinctly concave on each side of midpoint. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.7-1.9 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.1-1.3 × apical width. Hindtarsomeres III-V with erect setae on venter in specimens from South Australia and some from New South Wales and Queensland (Fig. 1073). Sternum IV or sterna III and IV each with a pair of sharp tubercles medially (Fig. 1076) in most specimens from South Australia and New South Wales. The specimen from Renmark area, South Australia, has erect setae on hindtarsus but no tubercles on sterna, and many specimens (including all from Western Australia) have neither erect hindtarsal setae nor sternal tubercles. Sternum VIII with median sulcus (Fig. 1077) that in some specimens is broadened to form round concavity (Fig. 1079), in many specimens sulcus flanked by swelling, at least basally, but both laterally and apically in some individuals (Fig. 1080), in most specimens with row of dense, stiff setae oriented toward midline on each side of sulcus (Fig. 1077), in males from Western Australia setae soft and not arranged in rows (Fig. 1078); sternal apex roundly arcuate (Figs. 1077-1079). Genitalia: Figs. 1081, 1082. Length 6.2-8.5 mm; head width 1.7-2.3 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 1083).–

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♂, AUSTRALIA: South

Australia: Wilpena in Flinders Ranges National

Park at 31°31.7ʹS 138°36.2ʹE, 20 Dec 2010,

V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski ( SAM).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: New South Wales :

1 km W Eumungerie at 31°56.7ʹS 148°36.9ʹE,

19 Dec 2009, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♂,

CAS); Homestead Gorge in Mutawintji National

Park at 31°17ʹS 142°18ʹE, 7-13 Oct 1988, E.D.

Edwards (1 ♀, ANIC); Kinchega National Park at

32°23.7ʹS 142°22.7ʹE, 18 Dec 2011, V. Ahrens and

W.J. Pulawski (1 ♂, CAS); 15 km W Narrandera, 24 FIGURE 1083. Collecting localities of Pison sulcatum Pulawski , sp. nov.

Nov 1991, N.W. Rodd (1 ♀, AMS); Paroo Darling

National Park at 30°51.9ʹS 143°05.5ʹE, 14 Dec 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (5 ♀, 7 ♂, CAS) ; Wallaroi Creek 1.5 km S Condobolin, 27 Dec 1976, Z. Liepa (1 ♀, ANIC) ; White Cliffs at 30°51.0ʹS 143°06.3ʹE, 13 Dec 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) ; Wyvern Bringagee , 29 Oct 1947, V. Robb (2 ♂, AMS) . Northern Territory: 32 km WNW Alice Spring at 23°36ʹS 133°35ʹE, 8 Oct 1978, J.C. Cardale (2 ♂, ANIC, one headless; 1 ♂, CAS) ; Standley Chasm NW Jay Creek , 4 Oct 1972, Z. Liepa (1 ♂, ANIC) . Queensland: Bluff Range near Biggenden , 7 Jan 1972, H. Frauca (1 ♂, ANIC) ; Eungella National Park , 16-19 Oct 1979, H.E. Evans, M.A. Evans, and A. Hook (1 ♀, QMB) ; Homevale National Park at 21°26.9ʹS 148°32.4ʹE, 28 Nov 2012, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) ; 48 km E Mount Surprise at 18°09.0ʹS 144°43.6ʹE, 21 Nov 2012, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) ; 35 km SW Moura at 24°48ˈS 149°46ˈE, 23 Oct 1992, P. Macnicol (1 ♂, ANIC) ; 61 km S Rolleston at 24°59.7ʹS 148°27.8ʹE, 1 Dec 2012, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, 2 ♂, CAS) , 6 km N Taroom at 25°36ʹS 149°46ʹE, 2 Oct 1992, G. Daniels (1 ♂, QMB) . South Australia: Aroona Ruins in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°17ʹS 138°35ʹE, 9 Nov 1987, I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale (1 ♂, CAS) ; Brachina Gorge in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°20ʹS 138°34ʹE, 4-10 Nov 1987, I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale (1 ♀, ANIC) ; Dingly Dell Camp on Oraparinna Creek in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°21ʹS 138°42ʹE, I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale, 4-10 Nov 1987 (3 ♀, ANIC) and 7 Nov 1987 (1 ♂, ANIC) ; Gawler National Park at 32°35.1ʹS 135°26.3ʹE, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski, 5 Jan 2011 (1 ♀, 6 ♂, CAS) and 7 Jan 2011 (1 ♀, 2 ♂, CAS) and at 32°35.4ʹS

135°21.1ʹE, 7 Jan 2011 (1 ♂, CAS); 19 km N Renmark at 34°00ʹS 140°47ʹE, K.R. Pullen , 7 Sept – 12 Oct 1995 (2 ♂, ANIC) and 10 Oct – 9 Nov 1995 (1 ♀, ANIC) ; Trezona Camp at Brachina Creek in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°20ʹS 138°37ʹE, I.D. Naumann and J.C. Cardale , 4-10 Nov 1987 (2 ♀, ANIC) and 10 Nov 1987 (1 ♀, ANIC) ; same locality and collectors as holotype, 20 Dec 2010 (31 ♀, 8 ♂, CAS) , 21 Dec 2010 (31 ♀, 7 ♂, CAS) , 22 Dec 2010 (21 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS) , 27 Jan 2011 (8 ♀, 5 ♂, CAS) , 28 Jan 2011 (2 ♀, CAS) ; 3 km ENE Wilpena at 31°31.0ʹS 138°36.6ʹE, same collectors, 23 Dec 2010 (4 ♀, 7 ♂, CAS) , 26 Jan 2011 (24 ♀, 14 ♂, CAS) , 27 Jan 2011 (60 ♀, 12 ♂, CAS; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, NHMW); Wirreanda Creek 28 km SW Hawker at 32°05.9ʹS 138°17.7ʹE, 26 Jan 2011, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS) . Western Australia: 10 km W Cobra Station at 24°10.2ʹS 116°23.0ʹE, 26 Apr – 10 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (1 ♂, USU) ; 22 km E Cobra Station at 24°13.3ʹS 116°33.1ʹE, 26 Apr – 10 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (1 ♀, USU) ; 12 km ENE Comet Vale Siding at 29°57ʹS 121°07ʹE, 7-15 Mar 1979, T.F. Houston (1 ♂, WAM) ; Great Northern Highway at 23°02.6ʹS 118°50.2ʹE, 23 Apr – 10 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (1 ♀, USU) ; Hamelin Telegraph Station at 26°23.9ʹS 114°09.9ʹE, 8 Nov 2008, V. Ahrens and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♂, CAS) ; Karijini National Park at 22°26.3ʹS 118°22.9ʹE, 23 Apr – 4 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (2 ♀, USU) ; Karratha at 20°44.4ʹS 116°50.2ʹE, 19-29 Apr 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (1 ♀, USU) ; 28 mi. E Leonora , 18 Sept 1962, E.S. Ross and D.Q. Cavagnaro (10 ♀, 87 ♂, CAS) ; 133 km SW Marble Bar = 17 km E Woodstock Station at 21°41.6ʹS 119°04.8ʹE, 3-16 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (1 ♀, USU) ; 65 km E Nanutarra Road House at 22°27.8ʹS 116°02.6ʹE, 5-12 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Park- er (2 ♂, CAS) ; 45 km S Newman on Great Northern Highway at 23°42.4ʹS 119°44.3ʹE, 23 and 24 Apr – 6 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (2 ♀, 2 ♂, ANIC; 1 ♂, CAS; 1 ♂, USU) ; 47 km S Pardoo Roadhouse on Shay Gap road at 20°22.7ʹS 120°01.3ʹE, 1-14 May 2004, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (5 ♀, CAS) ; 30 km ESE Three Rivers Station at 25°13.6ʹS 118°56.9ʹE, 24 Apr – 7 May 2003, M.E. Irwin and F.D. Parker (4 ♀, ANIC) .