The genus Quartinia Ed. Andre, 1884 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae) in southern Africa. Part II. A new species with complete venation and with a deeply excised antennal club in the male

2008·2 MB·English

HYM. RES.
J.
Vol. 17(1), 2008, pp. 83-85
The Genus Quartinia Ed. Andre, 1884 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae:
A New
Masarinae) in Southern Africa. Part II. Species with Complete
Venation and with a Deeply Excised Antennal Club in the Male
Friedrich W. Gess
Albany Museum, Grahamstown, 6140 South Africa; email: [email protected]
—
Abstract. In this pubhcation, the second of a projected series revising the Afrotropical
(essentially southern African) species of the genus Quartinia Ed. Andre, 1884 (Hymenoptera:
Vespidae: Masarinae), anew species withcompletevenation, stnicki, is described. Byvirtue ofthe
similarly deeply excised antennal club of the male, hitherto a character unique to Q. antennata
Schulthess, a deceptive but superficial similarity to that species is shown. The differences between
the two species are discussed.
—
The background to the present state of Description. Male: Head and mesosoma
know^ledge of the taxonomy of the genus black; gaster and legs dark reddish brown.
Quartinia Ed. Andre, 1884 and the rationale The following are white: basal half of
adopted of pubHshing a series of papers mandible dorsally; labrum, disc of cl3/peus;
describing new species as well as review- paraocular streak up to antennal socket;
ing some known species, at a time when a supraclypeal marking on frons; underside
1-5
complete revision of the genus is not yet of pedicel and of flagellomeres
practicable, has been fully stated in Gess (becomingprogressively suffused withred-
(2007). Reference should be made to the dish); smaU spot on either side of anterior
introduction of that paper with regard to margin of pronotal dorsum and small spot
the size categories adopted to express the on postero-dorsal angle of same; anterior
relative size of these small wasps. margin and posterior angle of tegula (oth-
The acronym AMG stands for Albany erwise dark brown with a testaceous cen-
Museum, Grahamstown, South Africa. tre); transverse marking postero-medially
on scutellum and entire scuteUar lamella;
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES AND extreme apex of fore trochanter; most of
COLLECTION DATA underside and anterior surface of fore
femur; anterior surface of fore tibia; distal
Quartinia strucki Gess, new species two thirds ofanterior surface ofmid femur;
anterior surface of mid tibia; most of fore
— andmidtarsomeres (becomingprogressive-
Diagnosis. Large (4.6 - 5.0 mm). Fore ly suffused with reddish). Reddish are:
wingwith Ciila and Im-cu complete and as posterior bands, progressively narrower
thick as the other veins. Male with deeply and not reaching sides, on terga I - VI (that
excised antennal club, with head and onVIreducedtoamedianspotinoneofthe
clypeus of usual proportions, and with specimens); posterior band on tergum II at
sternum I bearing a very pronounced, its ends markedly anteriorly produced to
laterally compressed, antero-ventrally di- form a sub-circular spot almost reaching
rected tubercle. In both sexes tegula with anteriormarginoftergum;hindtarsomeres.
posterior inner corner markedly and acute- Fore wings lightly browned, especially
ly inwardly produced. anteriorly.
84 JournalofHymenoptera Research
Length: circa 4.8 mm; length of fore sides on terga III and IV. Fore wings lightly
wing 3.5 mm; hamuli 5. browned, especially anteriorly.
mm
Head in front\iew 1.35 X aswideaslong; Length: 4.6 - 5.0 (average of 4:
finely and closely punctured and with 4.9 mm); length of fore wing 3.6 -
microsculptured interstices; matt; frons 3.7 mm; hamuli 6.
and \'ertex with dense, short setae; vertex Head in front view 1.32 X as wide as
behind posterior ocelli depressed and oc- long; clypeus matt, very finely microreti-
cipital carina lamellate medially; POL: OOL culate with a scattering of a few minute
= 1: 0.65; clypeus L4 X as wide as long; its flat-bottomed punctures; frons and vertex
disc evenly convex, its ventral margin moderately shiny closely punctured
,
broadly hyaline and slightly reflexed; la- (punctures larger than those of male) and
brum wide, its ventral margin transverse; with microsculptured interstices; vertex
antenna with all flagellomeres wider than behind posterior ocelli depressed and
long; first flagellomere 1.3 X as wide as occipital carina lamellate medially; POL:
long; second flagellomere 1.6 X as wide as OOL = 1: 0.66. Mesosoma shiny; punctures
long; enlarged club formed offlagellomeres (particularly those on pronotum, mesoscu-
VI - X; flagellomeres VII - IX with a deep, tum and scutellar disc) noticeably larger
semicircular, sharp edged emargination; than on head and in places subconfluent;
flagellomere X unmodified, not part of interstices finely microreticulate. Meta-
emargination,formingaconvexendtoclub. soma with punctures on terga I and II
Mesosoma similarly punctured to head, distinct, especially posteriorly; those on III
pronotum and mesonotum with dense, smaller; all terga finely microsculptured.
—
short setae. Etymology. Named after Dr Michael
Terga II and III and to a lesser degree Struck, botanist and meticulous observer,
also IV markedly impressed at base, collector of the material.
—
tergum VII with truncate apex and non- Materialexamined. Holotype: o, SOUTH
hyaline margin, notincised. Sternum Iwith AFRICA: WESTERN CAPE: Farm "Quag-
a very pronounced, laterally compressed, gaskop" (3in9'S 18=39'E), 30.vii.l992 (M.
antero-ventrally directed tubercle. Struck) (on flowers of Argyroderma fissum
Female: Head andmesosomablack; gaster (Haw.) L. BoL, Aizoaceae: Mesem-
andlegsdarkreddish-brown.Thefollowing bryanthema) [AMG]. Paratypes: SOUTH
are yellowish-white: underside of pedicel AFRICA: WESTERN CAPE: same data as
and of flagellomeres (becoming progres- holotype, 1 S, 13 99: same locality but date
sively suffused with reddish); in some l.vi.l993, 1 9 (all M. Struck) (all on flowers
specimens a minute dot on postero-dorsal of Argyroderma fissum (Haw.) L. BoL,
angle of pronotum; anterior margin and Aizoaceae: Mesembryanthema) [AMG].
—
posterior angle of tegula (otherwise dark Geographic distribution. Known only
brown with a testaceous centre); transverse from the type locality, the farm Quaggas-
marking postero-medially on scutellum (in kop [also spelled Kwaggakop], situated on
some specimens only) and entire scutellar the Knersvlakte, 31 km due N of Van-
lamella (both tending to be variously rhynsdorp. —
suffused with reddish); streak on distal half Floral associations. Argyroderma fissum
of fore femur; most of antero-dorsal surface (Haw.) L. Bol. (Aizoaceae: Mesem-
of tibia and basal tarsomere of fore leg; bryanthema).
—
antero-dorsal surface of tibia of middle leg Nesting. Unknown.
—
(in some specimens only). Reddish are: Discussion. By virtue of the similarly
most f)f terga I and II (with exception deeply excised antennal club of the male,
media! 'ark markings); posterior bands, Q. strucki is reminiscent of Q. antennata
progresir jly narrower and not reaching Schulthess, as described by that author
Volume 17, Number 1, 2008 85
(1935: 388 and unnumbered figure of pronounced, laterally compressed, antero-
antenna) and by Richards (1962: 162). The ventrally directed tubercle (sternum I
species may be readily distinguished from postero-medially subconically produced).
Q. antennata, however, by the following Material of Q. antennata Schulthess exam-
characters - the state of those pertaining to ined.—Holoiype S [BMNH(E), Hym.
Q. antennata, as given in the descriptions 18.52]. SOUTH AFRICA: WESTERN
and, as ascertained by the present author CAPE: Worcester, Sept. - Oct. 1931 (R. E
from examination of the holotype S and of Turner); 9 [BMNH(E)] SOUTH AFRICA:
a 9, being noted in brackets (in Richard's WESTERN CAPE: Worcester, 3-4. x.1928
description flagellomere I and flagellomere (R. E. Turner).
II are given as segments 3 and 4).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Q. strucki is considerably smaller, the
length of the male and of the female being
mm mm The following individuals are thanked for much
circa4.8 mmand 4.6-m5.m0 respectively appreciatedassistanceasspecified: DrMichaelStruck
(6.0 - 7.5 and 6.0 respectively). forthegiftofthespecimensheredealtwithandforhis
In Q. strucki the head of the male, 1.35X patience in awaiting their determination; Dr Gavin
as wide as long, is of usual proportions BroadoftheBMNHfortheloanoftheholotypeSand
(head much broader than long). a 9 of Quartinia antennata Schulthess; and Mr Ashley
Kirk-Spriggs of the Albany Museum for conveying
In Q. strucki the clypeus of the male, 1.4 these specimens from London to Grahamstown.
X as wide as long, is of usual proportions
and the disc is evenlyconvex (clypeus very LITERATURE CITED
transverse, more than six times as wide as
high, raised and sinking almostperpendic- Gess,F.W.2007.ThegenusQuartiniaEd. Andre, 1884
(Hymenoptera: Vespidae:Masarinae) insouthern
ularly along whole ventral margin). Africa. Part I. Descriptions of new species with
In Q. strucki the antenna of the male has complete venation. Journal of Hymenoptera Re-
flagellomere I 1.3 X as wide as long, search 16: 211-233.
flagellomere II 1.6 X as wide as long Richards, O. W. 1962. A revisional study ofthe masarid
(flagellomere I more than twice as long as wasps (Hymenoptera, Masaridae). British Museum
(Natural History), London.
broad, flagellomere II quadrate). Schulthess, A. von. 1935. Some more South African
In addition to the above characters, in Q. Masaridae (Vespoidea). Annals and Magazine of
strucki sternum I of the male has a very NaturalHistory 16 (10): 383-390.