Masaris Fabricius, 1793

Fateryga, Alexander V., 2025, The pollen wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) in Central Asia. Contribution I. Genera Masaris Fabricius, 1793 and Quartinia André, 1884, Zootaxa 5659 (2), pp. 151-178 : 174-175

Key to the species of Masaris Fabricius, 1793

1. Females............................................................................................ 2

- Males (unknown in M. tianshanicus )..................................................................... 5

2. Frons and clypeus covered with dense stiff setae bearing at least small, knob-like, spherical swelling at distal end, forming pollen brush, knobbed setae on frons about as long as diameter of median ocellus ( Fig. 12A )......................... 3

- Frons and clypeus covered with less dense setae pointed at distal end, setae on frons much shorter than diameter of median ocellus ( Fig. 12B ).................................................................................... 4

3. Metasoma black with yellow pattern........................................... M. longicornis ( Kuznetzov, 1923)

- Metasoma with reddish pattern at least on tergum II in addition to black and yellow pattern. M. tianshanicus Panfilov, 1968

4. Large species (total body length 15–17 mm); clypeus, frons, dorsal mesepisternum, and propodeum black, metasomal terga I–III completely reddish...................................................... M. gussakovskii Kostylev, 1935

- Smaller species (total body length 10–11 mm); clypeus, frons, dorsal mesepisternum, propodeum, and metasomal terga I–III black with yellow pattern, metasoma without reddish pattern.......................... M. carli von Schulthess, 1922

5. Antennal club long, more or less parallel-sided, apically rather pointed ( Fig. 12E ); sternum II with acute ventral projection, sternum III with truncate ventral projection, sternum IV concave in posterior half ( Fig. 12C ); tergum VII rather parallel-sided in posterior half, apically with two carinate teeth and semi-circular emargination between them ( Fig. 12F )........................................................................................ M. longicornis ( Kuznetzov, 1923)

- Antennal club shorter, more or less broadened towards apex, apically rather truncate ( Fig. 12G ); sternum II at most bulged, without acute ventral projection, sternum III with ventral projection roundly pointed apically, not truncate, sternum IV not modified ( Fig. 12D and fig. 14 in Gusenleitner 2002); tergum VII rather pentagonal, apically without carinate teeth laterally to semi-circular emargination ( Fig. 12H and fig. 12 in Gusenleitner 2002).......................................... 6

6. Large species (total body length about 15 mm); sternum II with less produced ventral projection situated posterior to its half-length (fig. 14 in Gusenleitner 2002); tergum VII rather gradually narrowing towards apex (fig. 12 in Gusenleitner 2002)............................................................................. M. gussakovskii Kostylev, 1935

- Smaller species (total body length 10–11 mm); sternum II with more produced ventral projection situated at its half-length ( Fig. 12D ); tergum VII rather parallel-sided at base and than more abruptly narrowing towards apex ( Fig. 12H )........................................................................................... M. carli von Schulthess, 1922

Figures

FIGURE 12. Masaris spp. A, M. longicornis (Kuznetzov, 1923), ♀, Uzbekistan; B, M. carli von Schulthess, 1922, ♀, Kazakhstan; C, E, F, M. longicornis, ♂, holotype; D, G, H, M. carli, ♂, Kazakhstan. A, B, head in lateral view; C, D, sterna II–IV in lateral view; E, G, antenna in dorsal view; F, H, sternum VII in dorsal view. Scale bars 1 mm.