Pison erimaense Tsuneki, 1983

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 : 510-511

Pison erimaense Tsuneki

Figures 1226-1228.

Pison erimaense Tsuneki, 1983:50 , ♀. Holotype: ♀, New Guinea: Madang Province : Erima (MTM), examined. – Tsuneki, 1983:42 (in key to Pison of New Guinea).

RECOGNITION.– Pison erimaense is an all black species (except for a small portion of the foretibia), with three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein, and the setae appressed on tergum I. It can be recognized by an evenly arcuate clypeal lamella (Fig. 1226), the interocellar distance equal to 0.6 × midocellar width, punctate propodeal dorsum (punctures about two or three diameters apart near the median sulcus, about one diameter apart laterally), with unsculptured interspaces (Fig. 1227), sterna punctate throughout, and dorsal length of flagellomere I 3.3 × apical width. It is closely similar to P. novaguineanum . They share several essential characters such as the shape of the clypeal lamella, the length of flagellomere I, the punctation of the propodeal dorsum, the evanescent spines on the outer side of the hindtibia, the shape and length of setae; also, the area around the clypeal sockets is characteristically sunken and the supraantennal area swollen in both species. They differ by several rather minor characters (see the key to Pison of New Guinea) that may represent individual variation rather than specific differences. Pison erimaense is known from four females and P. novaguineanum from the holotype only. Additional material is needed to ascertain these species status.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons swollen mesally above antennal base, frontal punctures averaging more than one diameter apart; interspaces dull, microsculptured. Occipital carina joining hypostomal carina. Gena narrow in dorsal view. Labrum not emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal area without transverse pit. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures of medium size, mostly about one or two diameters apart (some punctures up to three diameters apart); interspaces microsculptured, dull. Tegula enlarged. Mesopleural punctures well defined, some of them at center about one diameter apart whereas others up to three diameters apart (but less than one diameter apart anteriorly, dorsally, and next to metapleuron). Postspiracular carina present, about as long as midocellar width; area between postspiracular carina and episternal sulcus minutely punctate. Metapleural sulcus costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum with irregular longitudinal carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum punctate, punctures about two or three diameters apart near midline, about one diameter apart laterally, with middle carina in shallow sulcus, interspaces unsculptured (Fig. 1227); side with well-defined punctures that are less than one diameter apart, also ridged anteriorly, not posteriorly; posterior surface conspicuously, transversely ridged. Posteroventral forefemoral surface minutely punctate, punctures 2-3 diameters apart. Outer surface of hindtibia with evanescent spines. Punctures of tergum I averaging 2-3 diameters apart between horizontal part and basal declivity. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin sharply carinate; inner margin with low, obtuse tooth basally. Sterna punctate throughout.

Setae silvery, appressed on frons except subappressed and about as long as midocellar width between midfrontal carina and midocellus, appressed on scutum and tergum, on lower gena subappressed, curved, about as long as midocellar width; not concealing integument on clypeus. Apical depressions of terga with silvery, setal fasciae.

Body black, mandible dark ferruginous preapically, inner surface of foretibia ferruginous in apical two fifths.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.68 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.8 × hindocellar width, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.6 × hindocellar width; eye height equal to 0.96 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella evenly arcuate (Fig. 1226). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 3.3 × apical width, of flagellomere IX

1.4 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly beyond midlength;

acetabular groove with two rows of punctures.

Length 12.4 mm; head width 3.8 mm.

♂.– Unknown.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 1228).–

Known from one locality in Papua New

Guinea.

RECORDS.– Papua New Guinea: Madang

Province: Erima (4 ♀, MTM, holotype and para- FIGURE 1228. Collecting locality of Pison erimaense types of Pison erimaense ). Tsuneki.