Pison woji Menke

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 : 498-500

Pison woji Menke

Figures 1198-1203.

Pison woji Menke, 1988:92 , ♀. Holotype: ♀, Papua New Guinea: Western Highland Province : Bayier River (AEI), paratype examined.

RECOGNITION.– Pison woji is one of the species in which the second recurrent vein joins the second submarginal cell at the middle of the latter’s length. It differs from all other Pison except the New Guinean species P. pistillum by its unusually long first gastral segment (Fig. 1201), although P. difficile and P. icarioides approach this condition: the length of tergum I is 1.6-1.7 × the apical width, the distance between the gastropropodeal articulation and the spiracle 2.1-2.2 × the distance between the spiracles. As in P. exultans , the midfrontal supraantennal carina is replaced by a fine sulcus. As in P. pistillum , the ommatidia are markedly larger in the lower half of the eye than those in the dorsal half (Fig. 1199). See the latter species for differences.

DESCRIPTION.– Head subspherical in dorsal view (Fig. 1200). Frons swollen, dull, minutely punctate, punctures about one diameter apart; middle supraantennal carina replaced by fine sulcus. Distance between antennal socket and orbit smaller than half socket width. Gena narrow in dorsal view (Fig. 1200). Labrum emarginate. Ommatidia markedly larger in lower half of eye than those in dorsal half (Fig. 1199). Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, twice as long as midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posteri- or margin; scutal punctures fine, averaging about one diameter apart; interspaces miscrosculptured. Tegula somewhat enlarged. Mesopleural punctures minute, averaging about 2 diameters apart. Postspiracular carina present, about as long as midocellar diameter. Metapleural sulcus not costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum with longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum finely punctate, also obliquely ridged basomedially; side finely punctate; posterior surface finely punctate, finely ridged laterally. Forewing with three submarginal cells; second recurrent vein received by second submarginal cell II near its midlength. Posteroventral forefemoral surface

♀ (Fig. 1202).– Upper interocular distance equal to 1.05-1.10 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.3 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.6-0.8 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.02-1.04 × distance between eye notches. Midle clypeal lobe barely protruding beyond lateral section, free margin of lamella shallowly concave on each side (Fig. 1198). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.8-1.9 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.3 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with minute incision shortly beyond midlength. Length 5.4-6.5 mm; head width 1.3-

1.5 mm.

♂.– Unknown.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 1203).–

Northern Queensland, Papua New Guinea.

RECORDS.– AUSTRALIA: Queensland: 11 km

NW Bald Hill in McIlwraight Range at 13°44ʹS

143°20ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), 12 km SSE Heathlands at

11°51ʹS 142°38ʹE (10 ♀, ANIC; 5 ♀, CAS) .

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Madang Province:

Baiteta 12 km NW Alexishafen at 5°00ʹS 145°45ʹE

(2 ♀, CAS). Sandaun (= West Sepik) Province:

Sugoite in Torricelli Mountains (1 ♀, BISH). Western Highlands Province: Baiyer River (1 ♀, CAS,

paratype of Pison woji ).

FIGURE 1203. Collecting localities of Pison woji Menke.