Pison erythrogastrum Rohwer, 1915

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 : 175-177

Pison erythrogastrum Rohwer

Figures 373 -379.

Pison erythrogastrum Rohwer, 1915:247 , ♀. Holotype: ♀, Australia: Queensland: Duaringa in Dawson District (USNM), examined. – Turner, 1916b:595 (in key to Australian Pison ), 599 (recognition characters); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:335 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Cardale, 1985:259 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae ).

RECOGNITION. – Pison erythrogastrum has only two submarginal cells, the length of the posterior margin of the second one being 1.6-2.0 × its height. The clypeal lobe is well differentiat- ed (the clypeal free margin markedly concave laterally), with an obtuse median point, slightly concave on each side of the point ( Fig.373 ), the tegula is impunctate posterolaterally, the propodeal dorsum is separated from the side by a conspicuous, longitudinal carina that extends from the gastral socket area toward the spiracle, the length of tergum I is smaller than the apical width, and the femora (at least the hindfemur), tibiae, and tarsi are ferruginous. The female is similar to P. compressum , P. erythrocerum , and P. simulans , and most specimens differ from the latter two species in having a ferruginous gaster (rather than all black), although in some specimens the gaster is also black. It differs frome these species as follows:

In contrast to P. compressum , Pison erythrogastrum has markedly finer punctures of sternum II, the gaster only insignificantly constricted between terga I and II ( Fig. 375 ) rather than markedly so in the female and many males, in the female by having an obtuse, lateral corner at the free margin of the clypeal lamella ( Fig. 373 ), and in the male by having the apical margin of sternum VIII rounded ( Fig. 376 ) rather than shallowly emarginate.

Unlike P. erythrocerum , the posteroventral forefemoral surface is sparsely punctate ( Fig. 374 ) rather than impunctate), the ocellocular distance in the female is equal to 0.4-0.8 × of the hindocellar diameter (1.0-1.2 × in P. erythrocerum ), in the male the setae of the apical sterna are appressed (rather than erect, as long as 0.3-0.4 × midocellar diameter), and the apical margin of sternum VIII is rounded (rather than convex mesally, concave submesally, and with apicolateral corner at each side). Also, in many specimens the gaster is ferruginous (a least partly so), whereas all black in P. erythrocerum .

Unlike P. simulans , the femora of P. erythrogastrum are all or largely ferruginous (rather than black except apically), and in many specimens the gaster is ferruginous, all or partly (rather than all black). In the female, the ocellocular distance is 0.4-0.8 × hindocellar diameter (rather than 1.0-1.3 × diameter), the forefemur is not swollen (rather than swollen), and the body length is 5.7-7.4 mm (rather than 7.5-8.9 mm). In the male, the apical margin of sternum VIII is rounded (rather than broadly, shallowly emarginate, and he body length is 4.7 mm (rather than 6.2-7.0 mm) The pronotal collar in many specimens is shorter than in P. simulans , but equally long in some.

The male can be recognized, in addition to the characters listed above, by an unusually narrow and insignificantly emarginate apically sternum VIII.

DESCRIPTION.– Frons minutely punctate, punctures less than one diameter apart, interspaces microsculptured but slightly shiny. Midocellus smaller than hindocellus. Labrum emarginate mesally. Anteromedian pronotal pit either round, with width equal to 0.5 midocellar diameter, or transversely elongate, about as long as midocellar diameter. Propleuron sparsely punctate anteriorly (punctures several diameters apart). Scutum not foveate along flange, in female with ill-defined, short longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures less than one diameter apart. Scutellum with foveate sulcus along anterior margin. Tegula enlarged, impunctate posterolaterally. Mesopleural punctures well defined, larger than those on scutum, less than one diameter apart. Postspiracular carina absent. Metapleural sulcus not 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 obliquely ridged (ridges minute to fine except coarse near base), punctate between ridges; side punctate, partly ridged; posterior surface punctate, interspaces merging into transverse ridges. Forewing with two submarginal cells; posterior margin of second submarginal cell 1.6-2.0 × its height. Posteroventral forefemoral surface with punctures that are many diameters apart. Punctures of tergum I minute, about one diameter apart. Sternum II with well-defined punctures that average about two diameters apart mesally.

Setae silvery, appressed on gena, thorax, forecoxal venter, femoral venters, and tergum I. Apical depressions of terga without silvery or golden apical fasciae.

Head, thorax, and propodeum black, female clypeus ferruginous next to lobe free margin; mandible ferruginous except basally and apically; antenna ferruginous, one or a few apical flagellomeres dark brown dorsally. Femora, tibiae, and tarsi ferruginous. Gaster all ferruginous (most specimens) or basal segments black, all gaster black in some specimens.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.82-0.84 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.4-0.8 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli 1.1 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.12-1.14 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella roundly, obtusely angulate, with obtuse apical point, slightly concave on each side of point, with obtuse lateral corner ( Fig. 373 ). Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.4 × apical width, of flagellomere IX 0.9 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with minute incision at about midlength. Length 5.7-7.4 mm; head width 1.5-1.7 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.90 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.9 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.3 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 1.06 × distance between eye notches. Free margin of clypeal lamella point- ed mesally. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.0-1.1 × apical width, of flagellomere X 0.8 × apical width. Apical sterna with appressed setae, sternum VIII insignificantly emarginate apically ( Fig. 376 ). Genitalia: Figs. 377, 378 . Length 4.7 mm; head width 1.3-1.4 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 379).–

Eastern New South Wales, eastern Queensland,

western part of Western Australia.

RECORDS.– AUSTRALIA: New South Wales:

Iluka (1 ♂, CAS), Lake George Cullerin (1 ♀,

UCD), Manly: Kangaroo Park (2 ♀, ANIC) , 40.5 km

SW Narrabri at 30°37.7ʹS 149°34.1ʹE (1 ♀, CAS) ,

Pearl Beach (1 ♀, ANIC), 15 km NE Ulan (1 ♀,

ANIC), Warrumbungle National Park at 31°16.9ʹS

148°59.1ʹE (5 ♀, CAS), Wiskers 7 km WNW

Hoskinstown at 35°24ˈS 149°23ˈE (1 ♀, ANIC) ,

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

150°24.8ʹE (6 ♀, CAS). Queensland: Bamaga (1 ♀,

ANIC), Coen at 13°57ʹS 143°12ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC) ,

Curtain Fig 2 km SSW Yungaburra at 17°17ʹS FIGURE 379. Collecting localities of Pison erythrogas- 145°34ʹE (1 ♀, ANIC), Duaringa in Dawson District trum Rohwer .

(1 ♀, USNM, holotype of Pison erythrogastrum ), Eungella National Park at 21°10.5ʹS 148°30.3ʹE (4 ♀, CAS), Halliday Bay 50 km NE Mackay (1 ♂, AMS), 14 km NW Hope Vale Mission (1 ♀, ANIC), Mackay (3 ♀, BMNH, including one paralectotype of Pison pertinax ), Mount Molloy (1 ♀, ANIC). Western Australia: Kalamunda (Turner, 1916b) .

Figures

FIGURES 373-378. Pison erythrogastrum Rohwer, female. (373) Clypeus; (374) Forefemor in posterior view; (375) Gastral base in profile; male: (376) Sternum VIII (ventral surface); (377) Genitalia in dorsal view; (378) Genitalia in lateral view.

FIGURES 1-3. Pison abductor Pulawski, sp. nov., female. (1) Clypeus and mandibles; (2) Head in dorsal view; (3) Mandible in lateral view (arrow shows abductor ridge). FIGURE 4. Collecting locality of Pison abductor Pulawski, sp. nov.