Alastor (Alastor) parilis Selis, 2020

Selis, Marco, 2020, Notes on the Afrotropical species of Alastor Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Vespidae Eumeninae), with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 4822 (3), pp. 361-388 : 376-377

Alastor (Alastor) parilis Selis , sp. nov.

( Figs. 25–29 , 47 )

Diagnosis. This species comes very close to Alastor moody , but can be distinguished as follows: apical part of clypeus less projecting ( Fig. 26 ), sides of propodeum more rounded and partly impunctate ( Fig. 27 ), apical teeth of propodeum shorter and with lower lamella short than upper one, T1 longer and more rounded anteriorly, T3 more developed, male clypeus longer and shallowly emarginate ( Fig. 28 ), male apical flagellomere flattened and broad ( Fig. 29 ), male humeri less projecting, ventral margin of aedeagus more raised basally and more concave apically, narrow apical part of aedeagus proportionally shorter, ventral lobes of penis valve more rounded ( Fig. 47 ), digitus with less tubercles basally, female pronotal carina straighter and more developed medially, posterior concavity of female propodeum more sculptured.

Material examined. Holotypus, ♀, labeled “ NAMIBIA / Aus (Pad C13) / 8. 12. 1994, M.Kuhlmann leg. // Alastor (A.) parilis / Selis, sp. nov. / HOLOTYPUS ♀ / Det. Marco Selis 2019” ( MSNVE) . PARATYPES: same data as holotype, 2♂ 1♀ (1♂ 1♀ MSVI; 1♂ MSNVE) . OTHER SPECIMENS: same data as holotype, 1♀ ( MSVI).

Description. Holotype, female ( Fig. 25 ). Body length 7.3 mm; fore wing length 5.1 mm.

Head in frontal view as long as wide ( Fig. 26 ), in dorsal view wider than mesosoma and elongate. Clypeus in frontal view 1.4 × as wide as long, dorsal margin evenly convex, lateral margins of free apical part sinuate and converging below, forming a subrectangular produced apical portion, apical margin truncate and shorter than interantennal space, 0.35 × as wide as clypeus width, apical corners right angled; clypeus in lateral view weakly convex basally and shallowly depressed apically. Interantennal space weakly convex with shallow median ridge. Frons in lateral view distinctly convex, so that posterior ocelli are placed clearly above level of anterior ocellus. Vertex weakly elongate, distance from posterior ocellus to occipital margin 1.7 × as long as distance from posterior ocellus to inner eye margin, about as long as dorsal lobe of eye; gena in lateral view 1.1 × as long as width of eye at bottom of ocular sinus; occipital carina disappearing in the middle and becoming stronger and lamellate ventrally, strongly angled below so that the lower portion is nearly horizontal. Scape 3 × as long as apically wide; F1 1.25 × as long as wide and about 1.5 × as long as F2; F2–F9 wider than long, becoming proportionally wider apically; F10 bullet shaped, as long as basally wide. Mandible elongate, three apical teeth triangular and pointed, fourth and fifth teeth fused in a single broad tooth with emarginate apical margin. Mesosoma in dorsal view elongate, 1.7 × as long as wide. Pronotal carina distinct only on dorsal side of pronotum and disappearing in median third, strongly angulate on sides; humeri in dorsal view spiniform and pointing out, sides of pronotum in dorsal view nearly parallel sided and weakly concave just behind humeri; lateral faces of pronotum weakly concave below humeral area. Mesoscutum in dorsal view 1.05 × as long as wide; flattened in lateral view. Scutellum horizontal, on same plane of mesoscutum and flattened, with a deep median longitudinal furrow near anterior margin. Metanotum vertical, weakly convex, with a transverse ridge on dorsal margin. Mesepisternum shortened dorsoventrally and widened anteroposteriorly, distinctly wider than long and flattened medially, shortly lamellate along foramen, epicnemial carina absent. Propodeum in dorsal view elongate, nearly twice as long as scutellum, lateral margin parallel sided and forming a rounded angle separated from the apical teeth by a rounded emargination, apical teeth conical and pointed, bearing below a flattened rounded lamella which is smaller than teeth ( Fig. 27 ); median depression of posterior face deep and broad, entirely rounded, median triangular area longer than wide and reaching middle of propodeum; when propodeum in lateral view, dorsal margin weakly oblique and linear, apical teeth pointing upward and appearing bifid. Tegula broader in anterior third, outer margin strongly convex anteriorly, more weakly posteriorly and shortly reflexed, posterior lobe short and subtriangular with rounded apex, surface convex medially. T 1 in dorsal view short and anteriorly rounded, 1.6 × as long as broad; in lateral view anterior face vertical and convex, smoothly passing in posterior horizontal face, preapical furrow broad and shallow, clearly distinct medially and disappearing laterally. T 2 in dorsal view about as long as wide, parallel sided, about as wide as width of T1; T 2 in lateral view weakly and evenly convex; apical margin hyaline. T3 large and with strongly convex apical margin, distinctly longer than respective sternum and nearly covering following terga. S2 weakly longer than T2, in lateral view evenly convex.

Clypeus with large deep punctures, interspaces about as large as punctures diameter, convex and shiny, apical portion with a series of three larger punctures. Frons and vertex with deep rounded punctures, interspaces very narrow on interantennal space, about half as wide as punctures diameter on frons, as large as punctures diameter on vertex; gena punctured similar to vertex, but interspaces becoming larger ventrally. Mandible smooth and shiny, with basal triangular area deeply punctate. Scape with deep small punctures, interspaces large and sparsely micropunctate. Anterior face of pronotum smooth and shiny, with dense deep punctures on lateral thirds and some sparse punctures in the middle of dorsal margin; dorsal face of pronotum punctured similar to frons, but punctures larger; lateral faces of pronotum densely and coarsely punctured, with narrow irregular interspaces. Mesoscutum and scutellum punctured like dorsal face of pronotum, interspaces convex and irregular, with very sparse and fine micropunctures; anterior margin of scutellum crenate. Metanotum smooth and shiny with deep dense punctures on dorsal margin. Proepisternum shiny with sparse deep punctures. Mesepisternum with large deep punctures forming irregular series, interspaces shiny and narrower dorsally, where they tend to form irregular transverse ridges. Dorsal plate of metaepisternum smooth anteriorly, striate posteriorly; ventral plate of metaepisternum shiny and micropunctate, with deep punctures becoming denser ventrally, anterior margin with short ridges. Dorsal faces of propodeum with large deep punctures, interspaces shiny and convex, larger anteriorly; median depression of propodeum smooth and shiny, with deep punctures on sides; lateral faces of propodeum punctured similar to dorsal faces, but interspaces larger. T1 weakly shiny with deep punctures, which are finer and sparser on anterior face and become larger and denser on horizontal posterior face but not reaching apex, thus forming an apical smooth margin. T2 densely punctured, punctures deep and weakly oblique, interspaces weakly micropunctate and about as larger as punctures diameter, becoming shorter on apical margin. T3 similar to T2, but punctures denser on disc, sparser on apical margin. T4–T6 with interspaces microreticulate and progressively larger, punctures becoming shallower. S1 with deep punctures, interspaces shiny and irregular. S2 similar to T2, but punctures denser. S3 with sparse shallow punctures, interspaces microreticulate. S4–S6 entirely microreticulate.

Head and mesosoma with long grayish erect setae. Short dense silvery pubescence present on basal margin and sides of clypeus, lower margin of ocular sinus and transverse furrow of mesepisternum. Metasoma with dense dust like grayish pubescence.

Black; following parts yellowish-white: humeral spots on pronotum, narrow regular apical bands on T1–T2, apical band on S2 enlarged medially, short line on outer face of fore and mid femur and outer face of fore tibia; following parts ferruginous: mandibles except teeth, small spot at bottom of ocular sinus, anterior and posterior margin of pronotum, small lateral spots on scutellum, tegula, part of tibiae and tarsi. Wings fuscous-hyaline.

Male. Differing from female as follows: head less elongate and nearly circular in frontal view, clypeus 1.2 × as wide as long in frontal view with apical margin lamellate and weakly emarginate, apical emargination as wide as interantennal space and 0.3 × as wide as clypeus width ( Fig. 28 ), clypeus in lateral view convex in basal two thirds, vertex shorter, F1–F2 longer than wide, F3–F4 subquadrate, F5–F9 wider than long, F10 very small and subquadrate, F11 not reaching base of F9, in dorsal view parallel sided with rounded apex, in lateral view straight and digitiform ( Fig. 29 ), mesosoma less elongate and 1.4 × as long as wide, pronotal humeri angled but less projecting, dorsal faces of propodeum less punctured, lower lamellae of apical teeth of propodeum shorter, T2 about as long as wide, S 2 in lateral view more convex basally, apical margin of T3 less convex, T7 and S7 with converging sides and rounded apex, clypeus entirely covered by short silvery pubescence, S3–S6 with dense fringes of long silvery setae, pale yellow markings on mandible, apex of fore and mid femora, outer side of all tibiae.

Apical part of aedeagus in ventral view long and narrow, fusiform in basal half, ventral margins basally expanded due to ventral lobes pointing out, then parallel sided and converging apically, apex rounded and weakly expanded; in lateral view dorsal margin entirely straight, ventral lobes of penis valve triangular and pointing ventrobasally, reflexed on outer face, smoothly passing into ventral margin, which is raised and straight in basal two thirds and strongly concave and narrowed in apical third; raised part of ventral margin finely serrate. Basal plate of aedeagus very short and pointed. Basal apodeme of aedeagus in lateral view evenly curved, with a tubercle on ventral margin; basal apodemes in ventral view evenly curved, nearly parallel at apex ( Fig. 47 ). Distal lobe of digitus long and subrectangular with rounded apex, parallel-sided; basal lobe of digitus short and subtriangular with rounded apex; ventral root of digitus long and pointed. Basal lobe and most of distal lobe with long moderately dense setae; tubercles forming arcuate area on basal lobe and base of distal lobe. Volsella setose, cuspis short, triangular and pointed.

Etymology. The specific name means “similar”, in reference to the great resemblance of this species to Alastor moody .

Distribution. Namibia.

Notes. One of the specimens is tentatively placed in this species, but not included in the typical series due to some differences in shape of clypeus and coloration. It could represent a different species, but examination of more specimens is needed.

Figures

FIGURES 25–29. Alastor (Alastor) parilis Selis, sp. nov. 25–27, ♀. 28–29, ♂. 25, Habitus in dorsal view. 26, 28, Head in frontal view. 27, Propodeum in posterodorsal view. 29, Flagellum in lateral view.

FIGURES 43–48. Aedeagus in lateral and ventral view. 43, Alastor (Alastor) brevicornis Selis, sp. nov. 44, Alastor (Alastor) gestroides Selis, sp. nov. 45, Alastor (Alastor) moody Selis, sp. nov. 46, Alastor (Alastor) namibiensis Selis, sp. nov. 47, Alastor (Alastor) parilis Selis, sp. nov. 48, Alastor (Alastor) temperatus Selis, sp. nov.