Metapolybia araujoi Somavilla & Andena, 2018

Somavilla, Alexandre & Andena, Sérgio Ricardo, 2018, Metapolybia araujoi, a new species of swarming social wasp from the Brazilian Amazon rainforest (Vespidae: Polistinae), Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 62 (2), pp. 83-86 : 83-84

Metapolybia araujoi Somavilla & Andena , new species

( Fig. 1 A–E )

Diagnosis: Body color reddish-brown, resembling M. suffusa , M. rufata and M. encantata . Differing from the previously mentioned species by the blackish scutum, contrasting with the rest of the body; punctures on vertex and clypeus larger and deeper, contiguous, separated by approximately 1.0× their own diameter or less; propodeum with a well-defined concavity and evident striae; first metasomal tergum is filiform and with a vestigial groove apically, in lateral view.

Female: Size: 10.0 mm, forewing 7.5 mm in length.

Color: Reddish-brown species, scutum blackish; margin of pronotum in dorsal view, yellow; scape of antenna brownish, flagellomeres becoming darker, blackish; clypeus, front and vertex blackish, opaque, ventral margin of clypeus yellow; mandible reddish-brown with a yellow spot; tergum II–IV with evanescent yellow apical bands; all sterna with evanescent yellow bands; legs reddish-brown; wings hyaline, venation brown.

Head: (1) clypeus 1.5 times wider than long, punctures strong, large and deep, separated by approximately 1.0× their own diameter or less; short pubescence covering most of the clypeus, except the tip, clypeus bristles long at apex, being bare on medial and upper region; upper margin separated by less than the width of the antennal socket; lateral margin touching the eyes by more than the antennal socket; (2) interantennal prominence raised, subacute, with a weak medial furrow; (3) frons and vertex covered with yellowish pubescence, punctures large and deep, contiguous, separated by less than 1.0 diameter, giving a rugose aspect; (4) gena 0.80 width of eye, narrowing to mandibular condyle abruptly, covered with yellowish pubescence; punctures large and deep, spaced, separated by about 2.0 diameter; occipital carina present (5) tempora narrowing to vertex; (6) posterior region of head excavated, very strongly emarginate.

Mesosoma: (1) anterior pronotal carina little raised, acute, extending to ventral corner; (2) humeri slightly projected forward, rounded; (3) pretegular carina projecting on upper region, acute, curved, not interrupted; (4) pronotum with punctures large and deep, separated by about 1.0 diameter (5) scutum 1.5 times wider than long; punctures large and deep, separated by 1.0 diameter; (6) mesopleura convex with deep punctures separated by 1.0 diameter, becoming sparser laterally; upper plate about twice longer than wide, dorsal mesepisternal groove very shallow; (7) scutellum slightly concave posteriorly, medial line raised anteriorly, vanishing posteriorly, punctures separated by 1.0 diameter; (8) metanotum moderately concave, punctures scattered; (9) propodeum with few erect hairs and distinct punctures laterally; (10) propodeal concavity deep and well defined, striation evident, extending laterally; (11) opening of propodeal muscle large, rounded; (12) prestigma of the forewing as long as wide, with the tip truncate; sub-marginal cell II narrow.

Metasoma: (1) Tergum I filiform, slightly widened after the prominent spiracles in dorsal view, posteriorly convex in lateral view, angle very produced, punctures very weak, spaced; vestigial groove in apical part, in lateral view; (2) tergum II 1.2 times wider than long; punctures more distinct and strong on posterior fifth; yellowish pubescence; (3) terga III–VI more densely punctured than tergum I; (4) punctures on sterna II–V more evident on posterior apical region.

Male: unknown.

Nest: unknown.

Holotype: female ♀, Brazil, Pará, Adolph Ducke leg., 28.02.1902, Museum Paris, France – Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle ( MNHN, Paris EY25602). There is no information of a specific locality, only the state and country.

Distribution: Brazil: Pará.

Etymology: We are naming this species according to a label found attached to the specimen by the late O.W. Richards – “ M. araujoi Rich. / paratype ” ( Fig. 2 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Metapolybia araujoi Somavilla & Andena new species: (A) dorsal view; (B) lateral view; (C) metasoma in lateral view; (D) head front view; (E) anterior and posterior wings. Scale bar =01 mm. Figures by Agnièle Touret-Alby © MNHN.

Fig. 2. Labels found attached to the specimen.