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.