Ropalidia artifex (de Saussure, 1854) de Saussure, 1854

Tan, Jiang-Li, Van Achterberg, Kees & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2014, Pictorial key to species of the genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville, 1831 (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) from China, with description of one new species, ZooKeys 391, pp. 1-35 : 14

Ropalidia artifex (de Saussure, 1854) rec. n. Figure 1A

Icaria artifex de Saussure, 1854: 236. Type locality: Java.

Ropalidia artifex ; Dover 1931: 257.

Ropalidia artifex artifex ; van der Vecht 1941: 110.

Ropalidia artifex fuscata van der Vecht 1941: 136. Type locality: N. Sumatra.

Specimens examined.

CHINA: 3 ♀ (NWUM), Yaoqu, Mengla, Yunnan, 28-30.ix.2010, JL Tan; 1 ♀ (NWUM), Longmen, Shangyong, Yunnan, 26.ix.2010, JL Tan; 1 ♀ (ZJUH), Jinghong Forestry Park, Yunnan, 31.vii.2003, J Lu (no. 20045916); 5 ♀ (ZJUH), Fugong, Yunnan, 24.viii.2003, Q Li (no. 20046662, -4, -6, -8, -70); 1 ♀ (ZJUH), Mt. Youle, Yunnan,17.iv.1981, JH He (no. 811876); 1 ♀ (ZJUH), Shuangjiang, Yunnan, 21.iv.1981, coll. JH He (no. 813609); 2 ♀ + 8 ♂ (ZJUH), Tongzhong, Shiwandashan, Guangxi, 3.xii.2001, ZF Xu (no. 20029971-4, -77-79, -80-82). INDONESIA: 2 ♀ (RMNH), W. Java: Djampang Tengah, 1634, M Walsh; 1 ♂ (RMNH), Udjung Kulon, Tjidaon, Java, 29.xi.1951, AMR Wegner. VIETNAM: 1 ♀ (RMNH), S. Vietnam: Dak Lak, Chu Yang Sin N.P., 50 km S. Buon Ma Thuot, Krong K’Mar, 550-600 m, 23-25.x.2005, near rainforest, C van Achterberg & R de Vries; 1 ♀ (RMNH), id., but 590-840 m, 22-26.x.2005, Malaise traps 13-23; 1 ♂ (RMNH), N. Vietnam: Viet Try, Thuong Cuu, near Thanh Son, 20°59'N, 105°8'E, 350-400 m, 12-16.x.1999, R de Vries. MYANMAR: 8 ♀ + 1 ♂ (RMNH), S. Shan state, Burma, 1500 m, Taunggyi, 1. viii– 13.x.1934, R Malaise.

Remarks.

Some specimens have the apical margin of the second metasomal tergite flattened, not convex as in typical specimens. In the species Ropalidia artifex , there are two subspecies e.g. Ropalidia artifex artifex and Ropalidia artifex fuscata van der Vecht 1941. Up to date, no distinct morphological differences between them were found, and it is hard to formally treat them as two distinct species ( van der Vecht 1962, Nguyen et al. 2006). The Chinese specimens belong all to Ropalidia artifex artifex .

Distribution.

China (Yunnan, Guangxi); Borneo; Java; Myanmar; Malay Peninsula; Sumatra; Vietnam ( Kojima and Carpenter 1997 and updated to 2006, Nguyen et al. 2006).