Nitela punctidorsalis, Li & Li & Ma, 2025

Li, Chengfang, Li, Qiang & Ma, Li, 2025, Six new species of the genus Nitela Latreille (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) from China, with a key to the Oriental species, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 98, pp. 871-896 : 871-896

Nitela punctidorsalis sp. nov.

Fig. 3

Type material.

Holotype. ♀, China • Guangdong, Zhanjiang, Mangrove Nature Reserve , 21.6103°N, 109.7906°E, 2020.X.21–XI.18, Fei Ye collector .

Paratypes. • 3 ♀, same location as holotype, 2021.V.11–26, Fei Ye collector ; 10 ♀, Guangdong, Guangzhou, Haitzu National Wetland Park , 23.0603°N, 113.3369°E, 2021.IV.26–V.11 ( 4 ♀), 2021.VI.10–25 ( 1 ♀) 2021.VI.25–VII.10 ( 2 ♀), 2023.VII.17–VIII.22 ( 3 ♀), Fei Ye collector ; • 1 ♀, Hainan, Lingshui Country, Diaoluo Mountain , 19.0778°N, 109.4144°E, 2021.II.28–III.31, coll. Longlong Chen ; • 1 ♀, Baisha Country, Nankai Township, Binlanglin , 19.0778°N, 109.4144°E, 2019.X.20–30, Longlong Chen collector .

Diagnosis.

This species is similar to N. ohgushii Tsuneki, 1956 in having pronotal collar rectangular, with broad, transverse groove; antero-lateral angle approximately rectangular; posterior surface of propodeum with median sulcus narrowing from base to apex, forming triangular zone, internally rugose, lateral to sulcus with sparse, coarse striae. It differs by the following characteristics (characters of N. ohgushii in parentheses): frons and mesonotum densely punctate (frons and mesonotum sparsely punctate, intervals finely coriaceous); mesoscutellum not coriaceous, densely punctate (mesoscutellum finely coriaceous, impunctate); clypeus with median longitudinal carina extending to lower-frontal tubercle (clypeal median carina not continued to lower-frontal tubercle).

Description of female.

Body length 4.3–4.9 mm. Body black. Mandible basally dark brown, apex yellowish-brown; maxillary palpus and labial palpus mostly yellowish-brown; stigma and tegula dark brown; wing veins yellowish-brown. Body covered with silvery pubescence.

Head. Inner margin of mandible subapically with one tooth. Clypeus slightly convex medially; with complete middle carina extending to frontal swelling; anterior margin of clypeus with triangular smooth area, slightly concave medially (Fig. 3 B ). Frons densely punctate, swollen medially, depressed laterally; convex portion laterally with dense transverse ridges; frontal concavity deep (Fig. 3 B ). Ocellar triangle area punctate (Fig. 3 C ). Gena densely punctate. Vertex with irregular transverse ridges and punctures (Fig. 3 C ). Eyes converging above; OOD: POD: ODD = 4: 9: 5 (Fig. 3 C ). Flagellomere I conspicuously shorter than pedicel.

Mesosoma. Pronotal collar rectangular, with broad transverse groove; antero-lateral angle slightly rounded; anterior carina conspicuous (Fig. 3 D ). Basal median area of mesoscutum with two short longitudinal ridges; densely transverse ridges, between ridges areas punctate; posterior third with conspicuous, short, oblique, rugae; scutal lateral sulcus crenulate, inner margin slightly defined, internal transverse ridges extending beyond border (Fig. 3 D ). Mesoscutellum densely, finely punctate; without longitudinal carina; anterior margin crenulate (Fig. 3 D ). Mesopleuron sparsely punctate except episcrobal area; smooth, polished; central circular depression punctate, area below depression punctate (Fig. 3 F ); episternal sulcus deeply crenulate, internal longitudinal ridges slightly exceeding lateral margin; hypersternaulus usual, inconspicuously crenulate (Fig. 3 F ). Mesosternum densely punctate. Metanotum finely punctate (Fig. 3 D ). Metapleuron conspicuously separated from propodeal lateral surface; dorsally with three inconspicuously longitudinal ridges (Fig. 3 F ). Propodeal dorsum with irregular, conspicuous reticulate ridges (Fig. 3 E ); posterior surface with median sulcus narrowing from base to apex, forming triangular zone, internally rugose; lateral to sulcus with sparse sturdy striae (Fig. 3 E ); lateral surface of propodeum with parallel oblique carinae, between carinae with inconspicuous, short ridges (Fig. 3 F ).

Wings. Recurrent vein without stub of vein just before its junction with submarginal cell (Fig. 3 G ).

Metasoma. Metasoma spindly; terga polished, terga I – II with sparse, fine punctures; tergum III and subsequent with dense, fine punctures. Sternum I with a keeled projection, laterally to keel with inconspicuous weak ridges. Basal third of sternum II with deep transverse groove, groove surface coriaceous.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

China ( Guangdong, Hainan).

Etymology.

The specific epithet punctidorsalis is derived from the Latin stem “ punct ” and the Latin word “ dorsalis ”, referring to the densely punctate mesoscutellum of this species.

Figures

Figure 3. Nitela punctidorsalis sp. nov. Female. Holotype A habitus, lateral view B head, frontal view C head, dorsal view D pronotum, scutum and scutellum, dorsal view E propodeum, dorso-posterior view F thorax, lateral view G fore and hind wings. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.