Pison pseudociliatum 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 : 364-366

Pison pseudociliatum Pulawski , species nova

Figures 880 -885.

NAME DERIVATION.– Pseudociliatum is derived from the species name ciliatum and the prefix pseudo- (from Greek ψευδής, lying, false), indicating its visual similarity to that species.

RECOGNITION.– The male of P. pseudociliatum (the female is unknown) resembles P. ciliatum in sharing the unique combination of an apically rounded sternum VIII, without posterolateral angles ( Fig. 881 ), setae appressed on tergum I, an all black gaster, and ferruginous tibiae and tarsi. It differs from P. ciliatum in having the scutal and mesopleural punctures separated by narrow gaps (compressed against each other in P. ciliatum ), the upper interocular distance equal to the lower interocular distance ( Fig. 880 ) rather than to 0.84-0.86 × lower interocular distance, the ocellocular distance equal to 2.3-2.5 × hindocellar diameter (rather than 1.7-1.8 × hindocellar diameter), sterna III-VI unsculptured and shiny preapically (rather than uniformly punctate), and the body length 8.6-10.5 mm (rather than 5.6-5.8 mm).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart. Labrum emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about as long as 1.5 × midocellar diameter. Propleuron sparsely punctate. Scutum not foveate along flange, with short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, mostly less than one diameter apart, but those behind center about one diameter apart; interspaces with widely spaced microscopic punctures. Tegula enlarged. Mesopleural punctures mostly less than one diameter apart, but a few about one diameter apart. Postspiracular carina present, about as long as midocellar diameter. 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 nearly compressed against each other); side minimally concave, punctate (punctures less than one diameter apart), interspaces merging into small ridges; posterior surface transversely ridged, punctate between ridges. Posteroventral forefemoral surface closely punctate. Punctures of tergum I less than one diameter apart on horizontal portion. Most punctures of sternum II less than one diameter apart, but those anterolaterally on apical depression several diameters apart.

Setae silvery, appressed on upper frons, postocellar area, scutum, and tergum I; largely concealing integument on clypeus; on lower gena mostly appressed, but near hypostomal carina suberect, curved apically, about as long as 0.5 × midocellar diameter. Apical depressions of terga (including tergum II) with silvery, setal fasciae.

Head, thorax, propodeum, and gaster black, mandible dark reddish brown apically, apical depressions of terga brown. Forefemur black ferruginous apically, midfemur ferruginous ventrally and apically, black dorsally, hindfemur, tibiae, and tarsi ferruginous.

♀.– Unknown.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 1.00 × lower interocular distance ( Fig. 880 ); ocellocular distance equal to 2.3 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.4-1.6 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.90 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate ( Fig. 880 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.0-2.2 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.4 × apical width. Mandible with rudimentary abductor ridge. Sterna III-VI unsculptured, shiny anterior of apical depression, sternum VIII rounded apically ( Fig. 881 ), in lateral view: Fig. 882 . Genitalia: Figs. 883, 884 . Length 8.6-10.5 mm; head width 2.5-2.8 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 885).– Known from two localities in Western Australia.

RECORDS.– HOLOTYPE: ♂, AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Mount Gibson Station , 26 Feb 2000, S.R. Patterson ( WAM).

PARATYPES: AUSTRALIA: Western Australia: Mount Augustus National Park , M.E. Irwin and F.D. Park- er, at 24°18.0ʹS 116°47.6ʹE, 25 Apr – 7 May 2003 (1 ♂, CAS) and at 24°21.7ʹS 116°50.2ʹE, 7-9 May 2003 (1 ♂, ANIC) .

Figures

FIGURE 880-884. Pison pseudociliatum Pulawski, sp. nov., male. (880) Head in frontal view; (881) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (882) Sternum VIII in lateral view; (883) Genitalia in dorsal view; (884) Genitalia in lateral view. FIGURE 885. Collecting localities of Pison pseudociliatum Pulawski, sp. nov.