Spilomena bobyjosei Girish Kumar & Amal, 2025

Girish Kumar, Puthuvayi & Amal, Sreedharan, 2025, Description of a new species of Spilomena Shuckard, 1838 (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae: Pemphredoninae) from Western Ghats, India, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 11 (3), pp. 639-646 : 640-642

Spilomena bobyjosei Girish Kumar & Amal sp. nov. ( Figs 1 & 2A–H )

https://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9212D9DC-BF76-4ABC-B095-A05E6423F2B4

Material examined. Holotype ♂: India, Kerala, Wayanad district, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Muthanga Range , Thottamoola (11°37'51.6"N 76°18'39.6"E Alt. 905m), 6. xii.2024, Collector Sreejith S. Kumar & Party, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/ WGRC /I. R.-INV.28483.

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Dr. Boby Jose, Principal, St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri, Kozhikode, Kerala, a distinguished Zoologist in recognition of his keen interest and support for the studies conducted by the first author.

Diagnosis. Spilomena bobyjosei sp. nov. differs from its congeners by the following combination of characters: head in frontal view subquadrate; inter-ocular distance at vertex distinctly shorter than that at clypeus; level of topmost margin of eyes distinctly above the median ocellus; dorsal side of propodeum irregularly rugose; recurrent vein of the forewing joins the first submarginal cell distinctly away from first transverse cubital vein; second submarginal cell of forewing almost square-shaped; basal half of T2 micropunctate; temple, propleuron, mesopleuron and lateral sides of pronotum ferruginous; lower half of frons yellow.

Description. Holotype male ( Fig. 1 ). Body length 6.6 mm; forewing length 4.07 mm.

Colour. Head and mesosoma largely black; mandible (except at the apex of tooth ferruginous to dark red), clypeus, lower half of frons, antennae, pronotal tubercle, tegula and legs yellow; temple, propleuron, lateral sides of pronotum and mesopleuron ferruginous; metasoma black, apex of T3–T6 and S3-S6 yellowish brown, T7 & S7 largely yellowish brown; fore wing veins and stigma brown.

Vestiture. T2–T6 with setigerous micropunctures posteriorly; apex of S3 with decumbent setae; remaining body with sparse vestitures.

Head. Subquadrate in frontal view ( Fig. 2A ); apical margin of clypeus ( Fig. 2D ) produced medially with a median cleft; inter-antennal tubercle inconspicuous, not distinctly pointed, not extending towards the upper part of frons; mandible bidentate apically, with a short, sharp inner tooth ( Fig. 2D ); scape length to breadth ratio = 16:3; lower part of frons imbricate, upper part of frons and vertex imbricate to microcoriaceous with setigerous punctures; OOL 2.51 × POL ( Fig. 2B ); interocular distance at vertex distinctly shorter than that at clypeus; level of topmost margin of eyes distinctly above the median ocellus ( Fig. 2A ); upper margin of vertex depressed medially ( Fig. 2B ); gena shiny ( Fig. 2C ).

Mesosoma ( Figs. 2E–F ). Dorsal surface of pronotum with irregular weak striations, lateral surface with few distinct regular striations; pronotal collar with weak transverse carina, almost straight; mesoscutum weakly microcoriaceous, with dense micropunctures; admedian line and parapsidal line weak; scutellum punctured as that of mesoscutum; anterior groove of scutellum crenulate medially; metanotum weakly striated laterally; mesopleuron weakly micro-coriaceous; dorsal side of propodeum ( Fig. 2F ) irregularly rugose, lateral side of propodeum ( Fig. 2E ) distinctly striate, posterior side of propodeum with a median carina with weakly radiating striations becoming irregular rugae. Fore wing ( Fig. 2H ) with stigma elongate, relative length to breadth = 38:13; recurrent vein of fore wing joining to first submarginal cell distinctly away from first transverse cubital vein; second submarginal cell almost square-shaped.

Metasoma ( Fig. 2G ). T1 shiny, base with few distinct longitudinal carinae; basal half of T2 micro-punctate.

Female. Unknown.

Habitat. Semi evergreen forest ( Fig. 3 ).

Distribution. India: Kerala.

Remarks. The new species described here is closely allied to S. fulvopleuris , sharing the following characteristics: ferruginous mesopleuron and lateral sides of pronotum; inter-antennal tubercle not distinctly pointed; and propodeum black to brownish black. However, it distinctly differs in the following ways: (1) head in frontal view subquadrate (in S. fulvopleuris somewhat circular); (2) inter ocular distance at vertex distinctly shorter than that at clypeus (in S. fulvopleuris inter ocular distance almost same at vertex and clypeus); (3) level of topmost margin of eyes distinctly above the median ocellus (in S. fulvopleuris distinctly below the median ocellus); (4) pronotal collar with weak transverse carina, almost straight (in S. fulvopleuris with strong transverse carina, distinctly curved); (5) mesoscutum and scutellum weakly microcoriaceous, with dense micropunctures (in S. fulvopleuris strongly microcoriaceous, with sparse micropunctures); (6) dorsal side of propodeum irregularly rugose (in S. fulvopleuris apical half of dorsal side of propodeum transversely striated); (7) recurrent vein of fore wing joining to first submarginal cell distinctly away from first transverse cubital vein (in S. fulvopleuris recurrent vein of fore wing interstitial with the first transverse cubital vein); (8) second submarginal cell of forewing almost square-shaped (in S. fulvopleuris second submarginal cell rectangular); and (9) basal half of T2 micropunctate (in S. fulvopleuris T2 impunctate).

Figures

Figure 1. Spilomena bobyjosei Girish Kumar & Amal sp. nov. holotype male. Habitus, lateral view.

Figure 2. Spilomena bobyjosei Girish Kumar & Amal sp. nov. holotype male. A. Head, frontal view; B. Head, dorsal view; C. Head, lateral view; D. Lower half of head, frontal view; E. Mesosoma, lateral view; F. Mesosoma, dorsal view; G. Metasoma, dorsal view; H. Forewing.

Figure 3. Collection locality of Spilomena bobyjosei Girish Kumar & Amal sp. nov.