Taxonomic revision of the Protopolybia sedula species-group (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae), with an new identification key to species Author Dos Santos Junior, José N. A. Author Silveira, Orlando T. Author Carpenter, James M. text Zootaxa 2018 2018-04-03 4403 1 87 98 journal article 30356 10.11646/zootaxa.4403.1.4 cd2f6487-8bb2-49b3-818a-f3d60161ab67 1175-5326 1212023 96CE079C-189D-406C-B87C-342115731414 Protopolybia amarella Bequaert, 1944 ( Figs. 4, 5, 6 , 22 , 26 ) Protopolybia amarella Bequaert, 1944a : 101 , 113. (holotype: ♀, Guyana, Source of R. Essequibo (MCZ, Cambridge), examined); 1944b: 266, 267; Richards 1978 : 139 , 149; Sarmiento 1994 : 359 ; Rasmussen & Asenjo 2009 : 49 . Protopolybia mellea Ducke : Overal 1978 : 11 (nomen nudum). Diagnosis. Pronotal carina blunt, non-lamellate, distinctly extending downwards at side, humerus normal, pronotal carina blunt; pronotal fovea distinct and deep, metanotal lobe with apex pointed ( Fig. 4 ); wing-like processes on petiole of T1 reduced and not very sharp; species yellow, with light ferruginous and very few black markings, commonly on the mesoscutum ( Fig. 6 ). Redescription. FEMALE. Length of fore wing 4.87 mm ; clypeus relatively wide, approximately as long as wide (HClp=0.75; MxWClp=0.88;TeW= 0.59; MiWClp= 0.78 mm ), with ventral margin pointed; tentorial pit closer to antennal socket than to eye margin; interantennal area relatively wide, approximately 2 × diameter of antennal socket; mandibles relatively short with length 0.8 × distance between eyes at vertex; occipital carina distinct, fading very close to insertion of mandible; humerus normal, pronotal carina blunt, non-lamellate, distinctly extending downwards at side; pronotal fovea distinct, pronotal prominence extending above and close to pronotal carina, nearly collinear with fovea; length of mesoscutum 1.02 × its width; mesepisternal groove absent; scutellum with short but well-marked median line; metanotum triangular, length of median axis approximately 0.82 × width of central disk, metanotal lobe with apex pointed; propodeum with wide and shallow cavity; T1 with petiole very short, wing-like processes reduced and not very sharp, distal margin wider and nearly straight, cuplike; T1 notably narrower than T2. Front, mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum with moderate micropuntation and shallow mesopunctation ( Fig. 26 ); ventral region of mesopleuron with distinct punctures; clypeus with short golden bristles, except ventral margin, which has elongated bristles; eyes with minute and sparse bristles; body almost completely covered by short bristles; propodeum with long and sparse bristles. Coloration: species entirely yellow, except on mesoscutum which has small and sparse black marks ( Fig. 5 ); wings hyaline, venation testaceous. Material examined. BRAZIL : Acre , 1♀ , Rio Branco , Reserva Catuaba , 12.viii.1993 ( M.L. Oliveira ) ( MZUSP ) , 1♀ , Cruzeiro do Sul , 23.ii.1968 (without collector) ( BMNH ); Pará , 1♀, Gorotire, 51W8S, 18.viii.1978 (D.A. Posey); 1♀, Serra Norte, Est. Fofoca, 23.viii.1984 (M.F. Torres); 1♀, Est. Manganês, 19–22.viii.1984 (MPEG); Amazonas, 1♀ , Ipixuna , vi.2011 ( A. Somavilla ) ( INPA ); Rondônia , 1♀ , V. Rondonia , Aeroporto , 18.vi.1978 (without collector) ( BMNH ); BRITISH GUIANA : 1♀ , New River , Boundary Mark 12.v ..1938 ( C.A. Hundson ); COLOMBIA : 1♀ , Putumayo , Mocoa , 600m , 6.xi.1974 ( M. Cooper ) , 1♀ , 31.v. –7.vi.1976 ( BMNH ); PERU : Pachitea , 1♀, 9239 (without date and collector) (MPEG), 1♀, Tingo Maria, 1.viii.1971 (BMNH). Distribution. Brazil : Acre , * Amazonas , * Pará ; Bolivia : Pando ; Colombia : Amazonas ; Guyana , Peru : Huánuco , Loreto , R. Pachitea. FIGURES 7–12. 7, 8, 9. Protopolybia sedula ; 10, 11, 12. Protopolybia weyrauchi , Paratype .