Pison perplexum F. Smith

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 : 336-339

Pison perplexum F. Smith

Figures 802 -810.

Pison perplexum F. Smith, 1956:314 , ♂ (as perplexus, incorrect original termination). Lectotype: ♂, North Australia: no specific locality (BMNH), present designation, examined. – F. Smith, 1869:290 (in checklist of Pison , as perplexus); Kohl, 1885:188 (in checklist of world Pison ); nec Roth, 1885:321 (= Pison argentatum ); Froggatt, 1892:217 (in catalog of Australian Hymenoptera ); Dalla Torre, 1897:712 (in catalog of world Hymenoptera ); Turner, 1910:355 (description of ♀, as perplexus), 1916b:597 (in key to Australian Pison ), 605 (may be the male of Pison fuscipenne , as perplexus); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:336 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:261 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

Pison fuscipenne F. Smith, 1869:294 , ♀ (as fuscipennis, incorrect original termination). Lectotype: ♀, Australia: Western Australia: Champion Bay, now Geraldton, but labeled “Swan r.” (BMNH), present designation, examined. New synonym. – Kohl, 1885:187 (in checklist of world Pison ); Froggatt, 1892:217 (in catalog of Australian Hymenoptera ); Dalla Torre, 1897:711 (in catalog of world Hymenoptera ); Turner, 1916b:597 (in key to Australian Pison ), 606 (recognition characters); nec Yasumatsu, 1937:131 and 1939b:83 (= Pison hospes ); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:335 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:259 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

Pison punctulatum Kohl, 1884 ,336, ♀, ♂. Lectotype: ♀, Australia: Queensland: Peak Downs ( NHMW), present designation, examined. New synonym. – Kohl, 1885:188 (in checklist of world Pison ); Froggatt, 1892:217 (in catalog of Australian Hymenoptera ); Dalla Torre, 1897:712 (in catalog of world Hymenoptera ); Vachal, 1907:114 ( New Caledonia, determination tentative); Turner, 1908:512 ( Australia: Queensland: Mackay and Peak Downs); W. Schulz, 1911b:198 (New South Wales, variation); Turner, 1916b:597 (in key to Australian Pison ), 608 (recognition characters); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:336 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:261 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ); Dollfuss, 1989:11 (type material in NHMW).

LECTOTYPE DESIGNATION AND TYPE LOCALITY.– Smith (1856) did not give the number of specimens examined in his description of Pison perplexum . I have selected as the lectotype the only specimen under this name in The Natural History Museum , London. Although the description only gives Australia as the country of origin, the specimen is labeled “N. Australia ”.

Likewise, he (1869) did not mention the number of the specimens examined in the original description of Pison fuscipenne , and I have designated as the lectotype the only existing specimen in The Natural History Museum, London. It is said, in the description, to have originated from Champion Bay (now Geraldton), but it is labelled “Swan r.”, probably Swan River.

I have examined the two syntypes of Pison punctulatum present in the Naturhistorisches Museum , Wien and designated the female as the lectotype of this species and the male as the paralectotype.

JUSTIFICATION OF NEW SYNONYMY.– The lectotype of P. perplexum is clearly the opposite sex of that of P. fuscipenne . Turner (1916b) already suspected this synonymy, but was hesitant to accept it because of the limited number of the specimens available to him. Also the two syntypes of P. punctulatum are clearly conspecific with P. perplexum , the two names thus being synonyms.

RECOGNITION.– Pison perplexum is an all black species with three submarginal cells, the second recurrent vein joining the second submarginal cell near its apex or interstitial with the second intersubmarginal vein, the setae appressed on tergum I, and conspicuous silvery, setal fasciae on the apical depressions of terga. It can be recognized by the transverse ridges of the posterior propodeal surface that extend onto the propodeal side ( Fig. 804 ); there is either no carina delimiting dorsum and posterior surface from the side or, if exceptionally the carina is present, it does not extend to the bottom of the propodeum. Subsidiary recognition features are: dorsum of pronotal collar with dense appressed setae that totally conceal the integument (except in the middle); many scutal punctures in most specimens more than one diameter apart (many up to two or three diameters apart); clypeus in most females shallowly concave just above lamella which has a well-defined lateral corner; ocellocular distance in female equal to 0.7-0.9 × hindocellar diameter; male sternum VIII unusually deeply emarginate ( Fig. 806 ), with apicolateral arm conspicuously curved ventrally ( Fig. 807 ), and male flagellomeres II-V with linear tyloids ventrally ( Fig. 805 ). Sternum VIII is also unusually deeply emarginate in the males of P. excisum and P. petraeum , which differ from P. perplexum by a number of characters (see these species for the differences).

DESCRIPTION.– Frons dull, punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart. Occipital carina somewhat expanded, joining hypostomal carina. Labrum not emarginate or minutely emarginate. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, about twice as long as midocellar diameter. Propleuron impunctate anteromesally. Scutum at most finely foveate along flange (not foveate in most specimens), without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, many of them in most specimens more than one diameter apart (some up to two or three diameters apart); interspaces aciculate. Mesopleural punctures well defined, less than one diameter apart anteriorly, up to two diameters apart posteriorly in some specimens; interspaces aciculate. Postspiracular carina present or absent (when present, up to about 1.5 × midocellar diameter long). Metapleural sulcus costulate between dorsal and ventral metapleural pits. Propodeum, in most specimens, without carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface, but such carina present in some; dorsum obliquely ridged (ridges conspicuous anterolaterally or laterally), punctate between ridges; side with compressed punctures, interspaces merging into irregular ridges; posterior surface conspicuously ridged, ridges extending into posterior part of propodeal side ( Fig. 804 ). Punctures of tergum I well defined, about one diameter apart mesally. Sternum II punctate throughout.

Setae silvery, mainly appressed (including tergum I), but suberect on upper frons (about as long as 0.5 × midocellar diameter) and on lower gena (about as long as midocellar diameter), forming setal fasciae on apical depressions of terga.

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

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.6 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.7-0.9 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 0.8-1.1 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.96 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella roundly arcuate, with obtuse but well-defined lateral corner ( Fig. 802 ), clypeal surface in most specimens shallowly concave dorsally of lamella. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 3.3 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 1.4 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with small incision shortly after midlength, acetabular groove with two rows of punctures and associated setae. Length 11.8-12.7 mm; head width 3.2-3.4 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.80 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.6 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.1 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.88 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella acutely angulate ( Fig. 803 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 3.3 × apical width, of flagellomere X 1.3 ×

apical width; flagellomeres III and IV concave basoventrally, convex apicoventrally (slightly to conspicuously so), II-V with linear tyloids ventrally ( Fig. 805 ). Sternum VIII broadly, deeply emarginate ( Fig. 806 ), apicolateral arm conspicuously bent ventrally ( Fig. 807 ). Genitalia: Figs. 808, 809 . Length 8.5-9.6 mm; head width 2.5-2.8 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 810).–

Whole Australia except Tasmania and Victoria .

RECORDS.– AUSTRALIA: New South Wales:

17 km NE Broken Hill at 31°47ʹS 141°31ʹE (1 ♀,

AMNH), Fowlers Gap Research Station at 31°05ʹS

141°42ʹE (1 ♀, AMNH; 1 ♀, ANIC), Gilgandra

(1 ♀, AMS), Orange Botanic Gardens at 33°15.3ʹS

149°05.7ʹE (2 ♂, CAS), Warrumbungle National

Park at 31°16.9ʹS 148°59.1ʹE (1 ♂, CAS), 87 km E

Wilcannia at 31°42.8ʹS 144°08.6ʹE (3 ♀, 2 ♂, CAS) ,

Wollemi National Park (northern edge) at 32°23.4ʹS

150°24.8ʹE (2 ♀, 2 ♂, CAS). Northern Territory:

27 km NW Alice Springs at 23°27ʹS 133°50ʹE (1 ♀,

ANIC), Devils Marbles 9 km NNE Wauchope at

20°34ʹS 134°16ʹE (1 ♂, ANIC), Ellery Gorge 85 km FIGURE 810. Collecting localities of Pison perplexum W Alice Springs at 23°46ʹS 133°04ʹE (5 ♂, ANIC), F. Smith .

Todd River 8 mi. N Alice Springs (1 ♂, ANIC) . Queensland: Almaden (3 ♀, AMS) , Amby (2 ♀, 1 ♂, QMB) , Condamine (1, ♂, AMS) , Cunnamulla (1 ♀, AMS) , Murrays Spring 8 km NW Musselbrook at 18°35ʹS 138°03ʹE (1 ♂, ANIC) , Musselbrook Camp at 18°36ʹS 138°08ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC) , Musselbrook Reserve (2 ♀, NTM) , Peak Downs (1 ♀, 1 ♂, NHMW, lectotype and paralectotype of Pison punctulatum ), Tara (1 ♀, QMB) , Wondai (1 ♀, QMB) . South Australia: Adelaide (1 ♀, RMNH) , Victory Well in Everard Park Station at 27°S 132.7°E (1 ♂, SAM) , Wilpena in Flinders Ranges National Park at 31°31.7ʹS 138°36.2ʹE (9 ♀, 20 ♂, CAS) , 3 km ENE Wilpena at 31°31.0ʹS 138°36.6ʹE (56 ♀, 25 ♂, CAS) , 34 km S Wilpena (1 ♀, 2 ♂, UCD) . Western Australia: Badgingarra at 30°23′56″S 115°33′14″ (1 ♀, WAM) , Balgo Hills (2 ♀, ANIC) , Bamboo Creek at 20°55ʹS 120°13ʹE (6 ♀, WAM) , Chidlow at 31°52ʹS, 116°16ʹE (2 ♀, WAM) , 10 km W Cobra Station at 24°10.2ʹS 116°23ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS), Geraldton (as Champion Bay), (1 ♀, lectotype of Pison fuscipenne , labeled Swan r.), Juna Downs Station at 22°51ʹ36ʺS 118°42ʹ19ʺE (4 ♂, AMS) , 11 mi. SE Kalbarri (1 ♀, WAM) , 82 km S junction Karijini Drive on Great Northern Highway at 23°07.3ʹS 119°05.5ʹE (1 ♀, USU) , Karijini National Park at 22°26.3ʹS 118°22.9ʹE (1 ♀, CAS) , Kathleen Valley at 27°24ʹS 120°39ʹE (2 ♀, WAM) , Minnivale at 31°08ʹS 117°11ʹE (1 ♀, WAM) , Morawa at 29.208270°S 116.007602°E (1 ♀, MNKB) , Mount Augustus National Park at 24°18.0ʹS 116°47.6ʹE (2 ♀, ANIC) and 24°21.7ʹS 116°50.2ʹE (1 ♂, CAS) , Nullagine at 21°53ʹS 120°07ʹE (2 ♀, WAM) , Perth: Darlington (2 ♀, WAM) , Pigeon Rocks at 29°55ʹS 119°16ʹE (16 ♀, WAM) , Southern Cross at 31°13ʹS 119°20ʹE (1 ♂, WAM) , Turner Creek 24 km W Mulga junction, 121 km W Highway 95 at 24°50.7ʹS 118°28.9ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC) . No specific locality: (1 ♀, BMNH, lectotype of Pison perplexum ) .

Figures

FIGURES 802-805. Pison perplexum F. Smith. (802) Female clypeus and mandibles; (803) Male clypeus of mandibles; (804) Female propodeum in oblique lateral view (arrows shows transverse ridges transgressing onto lateral side); (805) Male flagellomeres II-IV and half V showing tyloids.

FIGURES 806-809. Pison perplexum F. Smith, male. (806) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (807) Sternum VIII in oblique lateral view; (808) Genitalia in dorsal view; (809) Genitalia in lateral view.