Notogaster charlesi Fernandez-Triana & Ward, sp. nov.

(Figs 12 A–H, 13A–G)

Holotype. Female (NZAC), NEW ZEALAND, HB, Havelock North, -39.6612 176.8864, 29/x/1984, JG Charles. Voucher code: NZAC04035739.

Paratypes. 26 Females, 7 Males (CNC, LUNZ, NZAC) . 1 Female, AK, Lynfield, 8/2/1981, G Kuschel, Malaise trap, NZAC04049359 ; 1 Female, AK, Birkenhead, Dec 1980, JF Longworth, Malaise trap, second growth bush, NZAC04048843 ; 1 Female, AK, Waitakere Ranges, Nov 1980, JS Noyes, NZAC04044101 ; 1 Female, AK, Cornwallis Beach, 27/10/1980, JS Noyes, NZAC04044269 ; 1 Female, AK, Waitakere Ranges, 6/10/1980, JS Noyes, NZAC04048932 ; 1 Female, AK, Titirangi, Dec 1980, PA Maddison, Malaise trap, in garden, NZAC04049289 ; 1 Female, AK, Titirangi, Dec 1980, GW Ramsay, Malaise trap, in garden, NZAC04049036 ; 1 Female, BP, Rereauira Swamp, 26/1/1993 – 9/3/1993, JS Dugdale, Malaise trap, NZAC04035534 ; 1 Female, BP, Hicks Bay, 12/1992– 3/2/1993, RC Henderson, Malaise trap, NZAC04049609 ; 1 Male, BP, Te Araroa, 2/2/1993 – 4/2/1993, RC Henderson, Pan trap, NZAC04195909 ; 1 Male, HB, Havelock North, 28/1/1985, JG Charles, porch, NZAC04049264 ; 1 Female, KA, Oaro, 14/3/1981 – 21/3/1981, JW Early, RM Emberson, Yellow Pan trap, at edge coastal bush, LUNZ ; 1 Female, MC, Dallington, Jan 1922, ES Gourlay, NZAC04049388 ; 1 Female, 1 Male MC, Christchurch, New Brighton, 20/10/1976, PM Johns, Estuary, supralittoral, NZAC04192782, NZAC04048929 ; 1 Female, ND, Puketi Forest, 30/1/1995, L LeSage, Beating, vegetation around headquarters, WAM 0344 ; 1 Female, ND, Poor Knights Is. Tawhiti Rahi, Dec 1980, CF Butcher, Sweeping, NZAC04049375; 4 Females, ND, Waipoua Kauri Forest, 11/12/1983 – 12/12/1983, L Masner, Sweeping, CNC, GOU 0480 ; 1 Female, ND, Poor Knights Is. Aorangi, Puweto Valley, 80m, 11/11/1981 – 19/11/1981, JS Dugdale, Malaise trap, Beilschmiedia tarairi site, NZAC04048994 ; 2 Females, NN, Bullivants Island, Mapua Estuary, Feb 1987, AK Walker, Malaise trap, Coastal scrub, NZAC04049422, NZAC04196377 ; 1 Female, NN, Bullivants Island, Mapua Estuary, Jun 1989, AK Walker, Malaise trap, Coastal scrub, NZAC04048925 ; 1 Female, NN, Bullivants Island, Mapua Estuary, Dec 1987, AK Walker, Malaise trap, Coastal scrub, NZAC04049706 ; 1 Female, WD, Lake Kaniere, 13km South Hokitika, 30/12/1983, L Masner, Sweeping, WAM 0389 ; 1 Female, WI, Munro’s Bush, Palmerston North, Jan 1981, P Watts, Malaise trap, in bush, NZAC04044094 .

Diagnostic description. Mesosoma mostly to extensively light (orange, yellow or light yellow-brown); metasoma dorsally mostly light (orange, yellow or light yellow-brown); gena with relatively large and clear pale spot; tegula pale; first two pairs of legs entirely pale (yellow, orange or light yellow-brown), rarely with coxae darker; metacoxa pale; metafemur mostly pale (yellow, orange or light yellow-brown); metatibia mostly yellow; T 2 mostly sculptured. See Table 1 for additional morphological measurements. Notogaster charlesi is one of the most distinctive in the genus because of its light colouration and large pale spot on the gena (Figs 12 and 13). Only N. macdonaldae has a relatively similar light body colouration (although some areas of mesosoma and metasoma are slightly darker), but the main difference is that N. macdonaldae lacks a pale spot on the gena.

Molecular data. The species has two DNA barcode compliant sequences in BOLD (plus 14 additional partial barcode sequences), corresponding to BIN BOLD:ACL8814, which is 1.36% different to the closest BIN in BOLD. We have only been able to examine one of those 16 barcoded specimens (with voucher code WAM 0344) which has one partial sequence (407 bp).

Distribution. AK, BP, HB, KA, MZ, ND, NN, WD, WI (Fig. 2).

Etymology. Named after John Charles for his contribution to entomology in New Zealand.