Research Article |
Corresponding author: Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen ( phuonglientit@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Volker Lohrmann
© 2023 Hoa Thi Quynh Bui, Thai Van Mai, Lien Thi Phuong Nguyen.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Bui HTQ, Mai TV, Nguyen LTP (2023) A new species of the paper wasp genus Ropalidia Guérin-Méneville, plebeja group (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae), from Vietnam. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 96: 543-553. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.96.103533
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A new species, Ropalidia daklak Bui, Mai & Nguyen, sp. nov., belonging to the plebeja-group of the genus Ropalidia Guérin-Méneville, 1831 is described and figured based on females and males from Vietnam. The nest structure of the new species is described, and an updated key is provided to all known species of the group.
Nest, new species, Polistinae, R. plebeja group, Vespidae, Vietnam
The social wasp genus Ropalidia Guérin-Méneville,1831, is one of the largest genera among the social wasps, consisting of about 180 extant species (
In present work, based on specimens deposited in the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Hanoi, Vietnam (IEBR), one species of the R. plebeja species group is described as new to science. In addition, an updated key is provided to all known species in the group.
The material examined in the present study is deposited in the collections of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), Hanoi, Vietnam. Adult morphological and color characters were observed on pinned specimens with the aid of a stereomicroscope. The male terminal sterna and genitalia were dissected out, cleared in KOH, and mounted on hand-washing gel for observation and taking photos with the stereomicroscope. Terminology for male genitalia follows that of
Holotype (deposited in IEBR): Vietnam: • ♀; Dak Lak provvince, Krong Ana, Dray Sap; 12°32'53.5"N, 107°58'27.9"E; 19 Jun. 2020; Bui TQH leg.; Nest#VN-TN-2020-R-01; QHoa-A11-12. Paratype (deposited in IEBR): Vietnam: • 3 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀, same data as holotype.
This species can be distinguished from other species in the R. plebeja group by the following combination of characters: pronotal carina raised into thin lamella but somewhat weaker at dorsal part; vertex weakly sloping down to occipital carina behind posterior ocelli; epicnemial carina absent, border between punctured posterodorsal and unpunctured anteroventral areas of mesepisternum well-defined; disc of mesoscutellum flat, in lateral view mesoscutellum smoothly passing into mesoscutum; median concavity of propodeum deep and wide, with distinct lateral edges; TI with posterior lamella depressed, wide and flat; TII dorsally with lateral margins abruptly diverging in basal third, then almost parallel to near apical margin. In female, head in frontal view 1.2 times as wide as high; distance between posterior ocelli about 2.2 times as long as their diameter. In male, antennal scape about 2.45 times as long as wide; digitus gradually widened from base to near apex, then abruptly curved to a sharp point at apex; penis valves short, slightly more than half as long as basal apodeme.
Female (Fig.
Head black; clypeus yellow to orange, dorsal margins black, with two black spots medially; spot at inner orbit close to clypeus and spot between antennal toruli (usually separated into paired smaller spots) brown; ill-defined spot above yellow spot at inner orbit, central spot behind posterior ocelli (usually absent), and most of gena (sometimes reduced to posterior band narrowing ventrally) reddish-brown; mandible brown in apical half, ivory white basally. Antenna brown to dark brown, but yellowish beneath. Mesosoma black; pronotum reddish-brown, except black pronotal collar and yellow band along carina. Tegula brown; mesoscutum black with two triangular orange spots at anterior margin; disc of mesoscutellum dull orange with black anterior margin and yellow to light brown posterior margin, metanotum yellow, propodeum black, propodeal teeth and propodeal valvula brown. First metasomal segment reddish-brown, with wide, pre-apical yellow band on tergum (sometimes interrupted medially on tergum); second metasomal segment black, thin lamella brown; third to sixth metasomal segments black. Legs reddish-brown; coxae black with a yellow spot; trochanters black basally; femora black basally. Wings hyaline, with subapical blackish cloud; pterostigma yellowish-orange; veins brown.
Body covered with appressed tomentum and dense, suberect, silvery setae; setae longer on apical part of clypeus and apical margin of propodeum than on other body parts. Clypeus with sparse, shallow punctures; frons with dense, deep punctures, interspaces between punctures much narrower than their diameters; vertex less densely punctured, interspaces between punctures narrower than their diameters; punctures on gena large, sparse, shallow, interspaces between punctures wider than their diameters. Pronotum, mesoscutum, metapleuron, and lateral surfaces of propodeum with dense punctures as on frons; punctures on mesoscutellum and metanotum slightly larger, with interspaces slightly wider than those on mesoscutum; posterior margin of metanotum impunctate and polished; median concavity of propodeum with fine, transverse striae; dorsolateral surface of propodeum with distinct and oblique striae. First metasomal tergum impunctate on anterior surface, with ill-defined punctures preapically; punctures on second metasomal tergum relatively large, their interspaces smaller than their diameters; punctures on second sternum similar to those on second tergum.
Ropalidia daklak sp. nov. 12–17 male 18, 19 nest (photos were taken on 12 March 2023) 12 head, frontal view 13 antenna 14 inner aspect of paramere with digitus and volsella 15 digitus 16, 17 aedeagus (16 ventral view 17 lateral view) 18 nest, view from cell opening 19 nest, beneath. Scale bars: 1 mm (12–14, 18); 0.5 mm (15–17).
Head
: In frontal view (Fig.
Mesosoma
: Rather thick, about as long as thorax, and as wide as mesoscutum between tegulae. Pronotum (Fig.
Metasoma
: First metasomal segment short, TI in dorsal view (Fig.
Male. Similar to female except as follows: Body length (head+mesosoma+first two metasomal segments) 8.32–9.22 mm; forewing length 6.84–8.04 mm.
Coloration generally as in female, but markings partly reduced or absent: head black, clypeus entirely black, spot at inner orbit and spot between antennal sockets light-brown, mandible dark brown with a large yellow mark in the middle, mesosoma entirely black, propodeum black with short narrow yellow band, tegulae pale yellow, first metasomal segment (Fig.
Head
: In frontal view relatively wider than in female (Fig.
Genitalia
: As in Figs
Nest (Figs
Vietnam (Tay Nguyen highland).
The specific epithet refers to the name of the province where the holotype was collected.
The new species is compared with R. rufoplagiata based on the description of
Icaria rufoplagiata
Cameron, 1905: 71, ♂, ♀, “Tjandi near Semarang”;
Ropalidia rufoplagiata
(Cameron):
Vietnam: • ♀; Hai Phong, Cat Ba national park; 18.Jul.2003, Nguyen TPL leg.
This key is based on the one by
5 | Median concavity of propodeum deep and wide, with distinct lateral edges; metanotum slightly produced medioposteriorly | 6 |
– | Median concavity of propodeum shallow and narrow, without distinct lateral edges; metanotum not produced medioposteriorly | R. andamanensis |
6 | Gena of female in profile about 0.9 times as wide as compound eye; distance between posterior ocelli slightly more than twice as long as their diameter; clypeus of male about 1.4 times as wide as high; antennal scape slightly less than 3 times as long as wide; digitus gradually narrowed from midlength to apex, with a bluntly pointed apex | R. rufoplagiata |
– | Gena of female wider than compound eye; distance between posterior ocelli about 2.2 times as long as their diameter; clypeus of male greater than 1.5 times as wide as high; antennal scape about 2.45 times as long as wide; digitus gradually widened from base to near apex, then abruptly curved to a sharp-pointed apex | R. daklak sp. nov. |
We thank Michael S. Engel for providing English proofreading of the manuscript. The present study was supported by the grant from Tay Nguyen University to the first author (T2021- 53CBTĐ).