Polistes (Fuscopolistes) Richards, 1973

Somavilla, Alexandre, Santos, Bernardo F., Carpenter, James M., Andena, Sérgio Ricardo & Oliveira, Márcio Luiz, 2021, Total-evidence Phylogeny of the New World Polistes Lepeletier, 1836, Paper Wasps (Vespidae, Polistinae, Polistini), American Museum Novitates 2021 (3973), pp. 1-44 : 19

Polistes (Fuscopolistes) Richards, 1973 , status rev.

Fuscopolistes Richards, 1973: 95, 96, 100. Type species: Vespa fuscata Fabricius, 1793 , by original designation.

INCLUDED SPECIES: P. apachus , P. aurifer , P. bellicosus , P. carolina , P. dorsalis , P. flavus , P. fuscatus , P. hirsuticornis , P. metricus , P. parametricus , P. poeyi , P. rossi , and P. rubiginosus .

DIAGNOSIS: Body large, about 25 mm in length, except for P. poeyi which is smaller, about 15 mm. Species with varying pigmentation: entirely brown or yellowish, or with extensive spots on mesosoma and metasoma. Malar space as long as wide. Clypeus in female touching eye for an extension shorter than diameter of antennal socket; in male, strictly separated from eyes. Pronotal fovea present. Epicnemial carina absent. Mesepisternal dorsal groove distinct, sometimes incomplete. Propodeal striae strongly marked on center, laterally weaker but reaching propodeal margin laterally. Tergum I slightly wider than long, abruptly widened in lateral view. Posterior sternum with tubercles. Male genitalia with aedeagus strong, teeth on the apical portion developed and prominent, generally with smaller teeth intercalated; penis valve dilated and strongly bilobed, digitus with reduced apical process and pointed anteroventral lobe, except in P. poeyi