Protopolybia picteti-emortualis

Dos Santos Junior, José N. A., Silveira, Orlando T. & Carpenter, James M., 2020, Taxonomic revision of the Protopolybia picteti - emortualis species-group (Richards 1978), with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Polistinae), Zootaxa 4729 (2), pp. 228-248 : 245-246

Key to the species of the Protopolybia picteti-emortualis species-group.

1. Occipital carina strong but fading at some point near middle of gena; mesoscutum with dense moderately elongated erect setae ( Fig. 11 and 14); pronotal pretegular carina not strongly developed............................................. 2

– Occipital carina strong and salient from top to the posterior articulation of the mandibles; mesoscutum with notably elongated setae ( Fig. 8 ); pronotal pretegular carina strongly developed, adjacent area wider....................................3

2. Metanotal process with apex truncated; propodeum deeply excavated above the valvula ( Fig. 22 ), propodeal valvula basally triangular ( Fig. 23 ); color brown to reddish, moderately marked with yellow; scutellum and metanotum partially yellow, propodeum with paired dorsal marks; male genitalia with paramere dorsally smoothly rounded. Nest construction material composed of mud, plant material and saliva.................................................... P. emortualis (de Saussure)

– Metanotal process short, with apex approximately acute; propodeum shallower above the valvula ( Fig. 12), propodeal valvula attenuate ( Fig. 13); color black with marks yellow; scutellum with two small spots, metanotum partially yellow; male genitalia with paramere dorsally slightly angular................................................... P. duckei (du Buysson)

3. Mesoscutum with fewer sparse elongated setae ( Fig. 56 )...................................................... 4

– Mesoscutum with numerous notably elongated setae, distinctly curved apically ( Fig. 8 , 20 and 57 )......................5

4. Metanotal process distinctly wider than long, with apex rounded ( Fig. 25 ); color brownish with marks yellow ( Fig. 26 ) mesoscutum brownish, scutellum with two marks, metanotum with yellow band anterior; preapical region of aedeagus not angular (Fig. 43)......................................................................... P. fulvotincta (Cameron)

– Metanotal process with apex truncated; propodeum with wide and deeper cavity, with a central channel; propodeal valvula narrow ( Fig. 58 ); species blackish to brown, richly marked with yellow spots; frons with a butterfly-like mark; T2 with yellow spots on each side anteriorly. Preapical region of aedeagus angular (Fig. 54); parameral spine not laterally expanded at base P. picteti (de Saussure)

5. Metanotal process distinctly wider than long, with apex truncated ( Fig. 10 ); front margin of pronotum distinctly angled below the fovea ( Fig. 8 and 61 ); T1 with petiole short but remarkable; color brownish richly marked with yellow to whitish ( Fig. 6 and 7 ), mesoscutum reddish, generally with two stripes, scutellum with two marks, metanotum with yellow to whitish band anterior............................................................................. P. djaneteae sp. nov.

– Metanotal process approximately as long as wide with apex truncated or rounded...................................6

6. Pronotal fovea wide and deep; frontal margin of pronotum with distinct (ca. 120 degree) angle near to fovea; species black to brownish, richly marked with yellow spots; mesoscutum with four stripes; T2 with three spots anteriorly, being the central pyriform.............................................................................. P. wheeleri Bequaert

– Pronotal fovea narrow and small, shallow................................................................ …7

7. Species black, T1 and T2 ferruginous with yellow marks; vertex, mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum and propodeum with marks; metanotal process with apex truncated; propodeal valvula wide.……..................... P. steinbachi Richards

– Species entirely black, brown or ferruginous, with yellow marks.................................................8

8. Propodeum with a wide and shallow cavity, heart-like shaped ( Fig. 19); metanotal process with apex truncated; propodeal valvula wide ( Fig. 20 and 60 ); color black to brownish moderately marked with yellow, mesoscutum with two stripes, sometimes without, T2 with three spots anteriorly...................................................... P. eldinaris sp. nov.

– Propodeum with a wide and deep cavity, sometimes like a channel (Fig. 28 and 31)..................................9

9. Scutellum totally yellow, metanotum almost; metanotal process with apex slightly rounded (Fig. 28); propodeum with wide and deeply excavated cavity (Fig. 28); ground color black or reddish, T2 with a large and anterior yellow spot (Fig. 29); ventral process of aedeagus curved, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and weakly serrated; preapical region of aedeagus angular................................................................................ P. nitida (Ducke)

– Scutellum not totally yellow, metanotum partially marked or without any marks................................... 10

10. Humerus not projecting, shortened to roundly truncate, generally marked by yellow band ( Fig. 9 ).....................11

– Humerus distinctly projecting, carina lamellate and recurved forwards at extremity, not extending downwards ( Fig. 18)... 12

11. Propodeal valvula basally triangular; front margin of pronotum not angled ( Fig. 62 ); scrobal groove not strong; species black with few yellow spots. Scutellum with a wide yellow mark, posterior margin of T1 and T2 with yellow spot.................................................................................................. P. rotundata Ducke

– Propodeal valvula attenuate ( Fig. 59 ), front margin of pronotum distinctly angled a little below the fovea; species black to brownish, with few yellow marks; vertex and mesoscutum black; scutellum, metanotum and propodeum with two spots, T1 and T2 with a yellow spot posterior......................................................... P. alvarengai Richards

12. Scrobal groove shallow and abbreviated; propodeal valvula narrow; color ferruginous moderately marked with yellow (Fig. 32), mesoscutum reddish, generally with two yellow stripes, scutellum with two marks, metanotum with yellow band anterior. Metanotal process with apex rounded (Fig. 31); propodeum with a wide and deep cavity, like a central channel (Fig. 31); few and shallow mesopunctation on mesoscutum (Fig. 30); with sparse and notably elongated setae distinctly curved apically...................................................................................... P. perfulvula Bequaert

– Scrobal groove strongly marked; propodeal valvula wide..................................................... 13

13. Scutellum without marks; T1–T3 with distal narrow bands, T2 with three spots anteriorly (one of them being a small anterior central mark), and with narrow band posteriorly; species black, with few yellow marks; ventral process of aedeagus approximately trapezoidal, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and not serrated (Fig. 47); preapical region of aedeagus angular (Fig. 47)............................................................................... P. iheringi Ducke

– Scutellum with a mark, T2 with three basal spots and a distal band..............................................14

14. Propodeum with wide and deeply excavated cavity; mesoscutum black, scutellum with a bilobated mark, metanotum partially, three basal spots and distal band on T2; ventral process of aedeagus approximately lobed, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and laterally serrated (Fig. 39); preapical region of aedeagus angular (Fig. 39); parameral spine narrow (Fig. 37); digitus narrow, with apical margin rounded (Fig. 40)......................................... P. biguttata Bequaert

– Propodeum with a wide and deep cavity ( Fig. 1), heart-like shaped; species black to brownish richly marked ( Fig. 1 and 2); scutellum with two small spots, metatonum partially yellow ( Fig. 1); ventral process of aedeagus angular, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and serrated laterally (Fig. 34 and 35); preapical region of aedeagus angular; parameral spine laterally expanded at base (Fig. 33).............................................................. P. bella (Von Ihering)

Figures

FIGURES 5–10. Protopolybia djaneteae sp. nov. yellow arrow= front margin of pronotum. black arrow=elongated setae.

FIGURES 21–26. 21, 22, 23. Protopolybia emortualis. pv, propodeal valve; 24, 25, 26. Protopolybia fulvotincta.

FIGURES 56–62. 56. Protopolybia fulvotincta; 57. Protopolybia djaneteae. Mesoscutum in lateral view. 58. Protopolybia picteti; 59. Protopolybia alvarengai; 60. Protopolybia eldinaris. Metapleuron in lateral view. 61. P. djaneteae. 62. P. rotundata. Pronotum in lateral view. Scale 0.2 mm. fmp, front margin of pronotum; black arrow=elongated setae.