Pison priscum Turner

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 : 349-352

Pison priscum Turner

Figures 842 -850.

Pison insulare st. priscum Turner, 1908:510 , ♀. Lectotype: ♀, Australia: Queensland: Mackay (BMNH), present designation, examined. – As Pison priscum : Turner, 1916b:596 (in key to Australian Pison ), 602 (new status, recognition characters); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:336 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:261 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION.– Turner did not mention the number of the specimens examined in the original description of Pison priscum . I have designated as the lectotype the only existing specimen so labeled in The Natural History Museum, London.

RECOGNITION.– Pison priscum and P. lucens are the only two species in which the abundant, conspicuous erect setae on the head, thorax, propodeum and tergum I are combined with the sparsely punctate propodeum, with punctures averaging several diameters apart ( Fig. 846 ) and the absence of the carina between the propodeal dorsum and posterior surface, and the side. Pison posterior surface punctate, punctures averaging more than one diameter apart (several diameters apart in most specimens), posterior surface transversely ridged ventrally in many specimens; interspaces unsculptured, shiny. Posteroventral forefemoral surface with well-defined punctures that are several diameter apart. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin not carinate. Punctures of tergum I minute, many widths apart, 2-3 diameters apart on horizontal part (several diameters apart on apical depression). Sternum II with minute punctures many diameters apart mesally.

Setae silvery, erect on frons, gena, thorax, forecoxal venter, femoral venters, and tergum I; longest genal setae almost 3.0 × midocellar diameter; forming setal fasciae on apical depressions of terga in most specimens, but inconspicuous in some.

Head, thorax, propodeum, gaster, and legs black, including antenna and mandible.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.68 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.6 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.7-0.8 × hindocellar diameter ( Fig. 845 ); eye height equal to 1.18 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella conspicuously arcuate ( Fig. 842 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.6 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.6-1.7 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly beyond midlength. Length 9.3-13.4 mm; head width, 2.8-3.1 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.9 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.3 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.1 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.04 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella sharply pointed ( Fig. 843 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.5 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.1 × apical width. Sternum VIII shallowly, broadly emarginate ( Fig. 847 ). Genitalia: Figs. 848, 849 . Length 7.6-9.1 mm; head width, 2.3-2.6 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 850).–

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria.

RECORDS.– AUSTRALIA: New South Wales:

5 km E Bilpin near Kurrajong (1 ♀, AMS), Cheltenham (1 ♀, AMS), Congo 8 km SE Moruya at

35°58ʹS 150°09ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), Dorrigo National

Park (1 ♀, AMS), Gibraltar Range National Park

(1 ♂, AMS), Lord Howe Island : Mount Lidgebird

(1 ♀, ANIC) and Old Settlement Creek (1 ♀, ANIC) ,

Mount Dromedary near Narooma (1 ♀, ANIC) ,

Mount Tomah (8 ♀, 6 ♂, AMS), Starrs Creek Forest

Reserve near Lansdowne in vicinity of Taree (1 ♀,

AMS), Wentworth Falls in Blue Mountains (1 ♀,

AMS). Queensland: Bunya Mountains (3 ♀, AMS) ,

Mackay (1 ♀, BMNH, lectotype of Pison priscum ), FIGURE 850. Collecting localities of Pison priscum Turner .

Mission Beach (1 ♀, AMS), Mount Glorious at

27°20ʹS 152°45ʹE (2 ♀, 2 ♂, BMNH; 1 ♀, MNKB), Paluma Range National Park at 18°59.5ʹS 146°09.9ʹE (1 ♀, CAS) . Victoria: Melbourne (1 ♀, BMNH) , Mount Buffalo National Park (1 ♀, CAS) , no specific locality (1 ♂, BMNH) .

Figures

FIGURES 842-846. Pison priscum Turner. (842) Female clypeus; (843) Male clypeus; (844) Female frons; (845) Female vertex; (846) Female propodeum.

FIGURES 847-849. Pison priscum Turner, male. (847) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (848) Genitalia in dorsal view; (849) Genitalia in lateral view.