Polistes (Palisotius) major Palisot de Beauvois

Somavilla, Alexandre, Oliveira, Marcio Luiz, Andena, Sergio Ricardo & Carpenter, James Michael, 2018, An illustrated atlas for male genitalia of the New World Polistes Latreille, 1802 (Vespidae: Polistinae), Zootaxa 4504 (3), pp. 301-344 : 338-339

Polistes (Palisotius) major Palisot de Beauvois

Paramere ( Fig. 40A ): (1) about three times longer than wide at the middle; (2) lateral groove very shallow, almost straight; (3) parameral spine long (about 1/6 the total length of paramere), pointed apically and inclined slightly to the side with very long and dense bristles; (4) paramere lobe widely developed and rounded; (5) inferior portion of paramere narrow, about half the width at the middle portion. Aedeagus ( Fig. 40B, C ): robust; (1) apical portion with intermediate and serrated denticulation, extended on the apical portion to the end of median expansion, lateral margin straight; (2) penis valve weakly dilated and with a slight central entrance, with a weakly bilobed appearance (little more than 1/3 of the total length of apical portion); (3) median expansion widely developed, pointed apex; (4) lateral apodeme directed forward and almost the same size than ventral process, (5) ventral process rounded and dilated; (6) inferior portion of aedeagus curved, in lateral view. Digitus ( Fig. 40D ): slender; (1) apical process developed, about twice longer than the digitus base, same width from the base to the apex, (2) apex pointed; (3) anteroventral lobe short and rounded apically; (4) punctation strong and forming a central band around the base of the digitus; (5) evanescent bristles. Cuspis ( Fig. 40E ): slender; (1) apex pointed and tapering abruptly to the end; (2) short and dense bristles, but more on lateral margin; (3) punctation restricted on the lateral lobe; (4) lower part of cuspis damaged.

Remarks. In Richards (1978: 445–448), P. major was divided into eight subspecies. Such division was based on color variation, which is not considered in this work. The male was described for P. major major , and the male genitalia in pp. 445–446. His description complements ours in relation to the teeth of the aedeagus- about in 20 number. Other structures match with ours.

Figures

FIGURE 40. Male genitalia of Polistes (Palisotius) major—A= paramere, lateral view; B= aedeagus, ventral view; C= aedeagus, lateral view; D= digitus, lateral view; E= cuspis, lateral view. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.