Ropalidia dondo Polašek, 2025

Polašek, Ozren, Onah, Ikechukwu, Kehinde, Tope, Rojo, Veronica, Noort, Simon Van & Carpenter, James M., 2025, Revision of the mainland African species of the Old World social wasp genus Ropalidia Guérin-Méneville 1831 (Hymenoptera; Vespidae), Zootaxa 5626 (1), pp. 1-142 : 79-81

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5626.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:42F5F55D-041C-4CEE-A106-2927C5BDF2AA
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/4F5987BA-E826-FFE4-FF11-F94D76E19E36
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Ropalidia dondo Polašek
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Ropalidia dondo Polašek sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6F21EBAE-6643-460B-8760-B5E3A1A840B0

Type specimens. Holotype: Dondo Forest , Mozambique, 1♀ ( SAM. A007890 View Materials ) . Paratypes: Kasungu, Malawi, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Mlanje, Malawi, 3♀♀, 2♂♂ F ( NHM) ; Mulanje, Malawi, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Ntchisi, Malawi, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Catandica , 30 km NW, Mozambique, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Chimoio, Mozambique, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Chimoio, 40 km W, Mozambique, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Mancala, 30 km NW of Catandica , Mozambique, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Miombo, Gorongosa NP, Mozambique, 1♀ ( SAM) ; Gorongosa NP, Mozambique, 1♀ ( SAM) ; Sofala, Mozambique, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Sofala, 100 km N of Save , Mozambique, 1♀ ( OLM) ; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 1♀ ( ZSM) ; Kahama, Shinyanga, Tanzania ,

4♀♀ ( OLM); Kagoma , Tanzania , 1♀ ( OLM); Nungwi , Tanzania , 1♂ ( OLM); Chibombo , Zambia , 1♀ ( OLM); Chimola , 65 km S to Mpika, Zambia , 1♀ ( OLM); Chingola-Solwezi , Zambia , 2♀♀, 1♂ ( OLM); Kapiri Mposhi , 140 NE, Zambia , 1♀ ( OLM); Kapiri Mposhi , 20 km S, Zambia , 2♂♂ ( OLM); Luwingu , Zambia , 1♀ ( OLM); Mkushi , Zambia , 6♀♀ ( OLM); Mkushi env, E, Zambia , 3♀♀ ( OLM); Serenje , SW, Zambia , 1♀ ( OLM); Solwezi , Zambia , 1♀ ( OLM); Solwezi , 150 km SW, Zambia , 1♀ ( OLM); Solwezi , 80 km SSW, Zambia , 3♀♀ ( OLM). The total number of examined specimens : 42♀♀, 6♂♂.

Diagnosis. Large species, characterized by punctate inner orbits, absent inferior propodeal carina, longer pubescence and basal brown colour, with strong colour-based cline (increasingly more yellow markings in Mozambique and Malawi, including two spots on pronotum, scutellum and a spot high on mesopleuron, intermediate pattern in Zambia, smaller yellow markings on these body parts, and nearly complete lack of yellow markings on mesosoma and metasoma in Tanzania). Males are recognized by bicolorous terminal flagellomere, somewhat longer than R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) , alongside longer pubescence and bilateral yellow markings on S7.

Description. Female. Wing length: 8.9–11.3 mm. Colour. Basal colour ferruginous-brown, with marked colour pattern cline; females colour pattern ranging from completely brown mesosoma and metasoma in Tanzania and Zambia ( Figure 88a, b View FIGURE 88 ), gradual appearance of yellow markings on mesopleuron and scutellum, to population in Mozambique, which additionally has thick yellow line on pronotum and thick posterior yellow band on T2 ( Figure 29 View FIGURE 29 bb, Figure 46a View FIGURE 46 ). Clypeus entirely brown in Tanzania (sometimes even with black suffused area), further South with two thin apical lines that merge and create thicker yellow apical line in specimens from Mozambique ( Figure 34 View FIGURE 34 aa). Mandible colour follows this pattern, ranging from entirely brown to brown with large yellow basal spot. Gena brown or with small yellow spot under eye, vertex and tempora brown. Mesosoma brown; metapleuron sometimes darker. More xanthic colour pattern includes thick yellow line on pronotum, two large spots on scutellum, bilateral spot on mesopleuron and yellow markings on tegula ( Figure 46a View FIGURE 46 ). Coxa I commonly without yellow markings, less frequently with suffused yellow margins, rarely with yellow spot. Metasoma basally brown, with posterior yellow band on T2 (sometimes reddish or completely reduced). Legs evenly brown, wings yellowish, with brown nervature, yellowish stigma and light brown apical spot. Antenna ferruginous or darkened from above, orange underneath ( Figure 34 View FIGURE 34 aa).

Head. Clypeus wider than long, similar in shape to R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) ; upes rounded, OC angle weak ( Figure 34 View FIGURE 34 aa). Clypeal punctures intermediate in size, larger centrally, craters apically. Inner orbit punctate, but less coarsely than in R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) . Frons punctures shallow, dense and intermediate in diameter. Tempora with intermediate-sized and well-defined punctures. Gena close to eye covered by sparse and very large punctures that almost completely dissipate towards posterior margin. Ocellar triangle acute forwards. Eye setae very short or absent. Entire head covered by yellowish-golden pubescence and longer protruding setae that are either straight or equally curved; setae length to ocellus diameter. Scape about as long as AF1, AF2 about 1.3–1.4 times as long as wide.

Mesosoma. Mesosoma covered by golden pubescence and setae of intermediate length; underlying pubescence on mesonotum denser. Punctures small and shallow, often obscured by pubescence. Mesonotum with intermediate-sized punctures, area lateral to parapsidal furrows with just slightly sparser punctures. Metapleuron with smaller and shallow punctures that can be absent centrally. Scutellum with developed median carina. Metanotum with moderately developed median tooth (weaker in specimens from Tanzania) and larger impunctate area. This area inversely proportional to yellow colour; it occupies no more than half of metanotum height in completely brown specimens from Tanzania ( Figure 46b View FIGURE 46 ), while it can occupy entire metanotum height in specimens from Mozambique with more yellow colour markings; this is one of separation features for specimens that have similar colour pattern as R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) . Propodeum with rounded sides, with weak or moderately developed upper carina, moderately developed striations and absent inferior propodeal carina, resembling R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) . Coxa II and III punctate laterally, punctures small and scattered.

Metasoma. T1 wide and globular, with developed posterior constriction ( Figure 88a, b View FIGURE 88 ). T2 mostly parallel-sided, for more than half of its length ( Figure 88a View FIGURE 88 ). T2/S2 suture well developed, in some specimens visible as far as T2 lamella, but without indents in it. Lamella comparatively short, translucent and yellowish. Posterior T2 margin with obliquely cut out in relation to T2/S2 suture, giving it much longer dorsal than ventral surface. T2/S2 lamella without S2 side excavation, linear along its outer surface. Protruding setae on T2 longer, about as long as the base of hind tarsal I segment; this feature is very useful in separating from R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) females.

Males resemble females in general colour patterns, including the North-South gradient ( Figure 88a, b View FIGURE 88 ). Wing length: 9.2–11.0 mm. Colour. Face predominantly yellow, gena with thin yellow line along eye; remaining parts of gena, tempora, frons and vertex ferruginous ( Figure 63a View FIGURE 63 ). Mandible yellow with basal bark brown or black triangular spot, useful in separation from R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) males ( Figure 63a View FIGURE 63 ). Mesosoma similarly coloured to females, but with more yellow—entire anterior surface of mesopleuron yellow ( Figure 62 View FIGURE 62 bb). Specimens from Tanzania can have black mesosoma underside. Coxa I and II yellow, femur I and II (sometimes and III) with yellow markings. Metasoma variable; T1 either without yellow markings or with bilateral remnants of posterior band, T2 with posterior band or without it, remaining segments in basal body colour. Scape, pedicel and AF1 ferruginous from above (AF1 distally darkened from above), remaining segments also darkened from above; underside centrally yellow, marginally orange, tyloids orange ( Figure 63a View FIGURE 63 ).

Head. Morphologically hardly distinguishable from R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) males. Clypeus broader than long, upes curved, no OCA ( Figure 63a View FIGURE 63 ). Clypeal punctures basally coarse, apically less defined and wider. Inner orbit commonly with few well-defined puncta, barely visible in some specimens. Gena about 0.7–1.0 times of eye width. Ocellar triangle equidistant or acute forward. Eyes commonly asetose. Scape widened, shorter than AF1, AF2 slightly longer than wide (about 1.2 times as long as wide). Tyloids barely visible on AF1, gradually widening and reaching approximately full width at AF8; their surface matt. Terminal flagellomere elongated, with evenly curved sides ( Figure 63b View FIGURE 63 ), in contrast to R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) , whose males have unevenly curved sides ( Figure 63 View FIGURE 63 bb).

Mesosoma. Tarsal I spur absent.

Metasoma. S7 strongly concave.

Similar species: No taxonomic problems are expected in southern populations ( Mozambique and Malawi), where this species is allopatric to R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) . In these regions, colour pattern alone is sufficient. However, specimens from Zambia and Tanzania may present certain taxonomic problems, where misidentification with R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) is more likely.

Distribution. Zambia (50%), Mozambique (19%), Malawi (17%), Tanzania (15%).

Etymology. The holotype specimen was collected in the Dondo forest of Mozambique; the name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Genetics. Due to variable colour pattern and phenotypic uncertainties, 16 specimens were genotyped, supporting an interesting situation, with two branches with two lineages, attributing to four separate lineages (only three BINs were assigned).The first two lineages belong to specimens from Tanzania (BOLD:ADN4199 and BOLD:ADO4145). Both lineages are darker than the holotype, with even black mesosoma underside in a few of the examined specimens. Due to problems in separating this species from R. guttatipennis (DE SAUSSURE) , we retained these as R. dondo sp. nov., and did not elevate this cluster to a different species. The remaining two lineages comprise the single specimen from Malawi (BIN not assigned) and all the other remaining specimens, from Zambia and Mozambique (BOLD: ADO1867). The 28S rDNA suggests that this species is closely related to R. guttatipennis , R. copelandi sp. nov. and R. clepsydra sp. nov.