Taxonomic study of wasp species in the Polybia (Myrapetra) occidentalis group morphologically related to P. scrobalis and P. flavifrons, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae) Author Amorim, Danielle C. De A. Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi-MPEG, Coordenação de Zoologia, Laboratório de Entomologia, Avenida Perimetral, 1901, Terra Firme, CEP: 66077 - 830, Belém, Pará, Brasil. Author Dos Santos Junior, José N. A. Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará-Folha 31, Quadra 07, Lote Especial, s / n. º-Nova Marabá, Marabá-PA, 68507 - 590, São Félix do Xingú, Pará, Brasil. Author Carvalho- Filho, Fernando Da S. 0000-0002-2480-3874 Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi-MPEG, Coordenação de Zoologia, Laboratório de Entomologia, Avenida Perimetral, 1901, Terra Firme, CEP: 66077 - 830, Belém, Pará, Brasil. fernandofilho@museu-goeldi.br Author Silveira, Orlando T. 0000-0002-5899-199X Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi-MPEG, Coordenação de Zoologia, Laboratório de Entomologia, Avenida Perimetral, 1901, Terra Firme, CEP: 66077 - 830, Belém, Pará, Brasil. orlando@museu-goeldi.br Author Carpenter, James M. American Museum of Natural History- 200 Central Park W, New York, NY 10024, USA. text Zootaxa 2024 2024-07-11 5477 5 537 562 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5477.5.2 journal article 299900 10.11646/zootaxa.5477.5.2 97578732-5c6e-4fe8-ac7b-6010bbabf8b3 1175-5326 12733301 5F7FB3F5-BC72-40C3-BB2A-63C4C6F119CA Polybia surinama Richards, 1970 , stat. nov. ( Figs 8 , 16 , 24 , 32 , 41 , 62, 63 ) Polybia scrobalis surinama Richards, 1970: 303 ; Holotype ♀ , Coppename R., Voltz Mt, 11.vii.63 (D. C. Geijskes) (RMNH); photos of a paratype with same data as the holotype were examined. Richards 1978: 88 ; Valverde et al . 2019: 4 , 10. Diagnosis . FEMALE. Fore wing with ca. 7.0 mm; occipital-genal margin distinct laterally and dorsally, just less intense behind ocelli; pronotal carina weakly developed, but perceptible at sides; prominence in front of fovea moderately elevated; first metasomal segment moderately elongated and with wide apex; body mostly black. Proportional ratios: LSI / HMP—0.97; LSI / WT1_AP—1.82; WT1_AP / BA—2.85. MALE. occipital-genal margin obliterated in the dorsal region and distinct in the lateral region; clypeus with rounded apex, presence of whitish, closely spaced pubescence and not very dense bristles at apex; mandibles with few and short bristles; eyes practically bald; pronotal carina with weak marking; absence of erect bristles on body, in lateral view Redescription . FEMALE. Fore wing with 7.0 mm occipital-genal margin distinct laterally and dorsally, just less intense behind ocelli, gena narrow, width less than eye-width at the level of ocular sinus; FHH/INTOW—1.02; malar space short, about half the diameter of an antennal alveolus; clypeus as wide as high, subquadrate (HCLP/ WCLP—0.97) with rounded apex, presence of erect, spaced, few numerous and pale bristles at apex of clypeus and on the mandibles; eyes practically bare; pronotal carina weakly developed, but perceptible at sides; pronotum at sides without any enlarged yellow band; prominence in front of fovea moderately elevated; body without outstanding erect bristles; LMS/WMS—0.92; scrobal furrow developed above, obliterated below; first metasomal segment moderately elongated with wide apex, sides diverging gradually, apex seen from the sides with a convex dorsal profile; body largely black; yellow band at margin of tergum 1, terga and sterna 2–6 absent or inconspicuous. Proportional ratios: LSI / HMP—0.97; LSI/ WT1_AP—1.82; WT1_AP/ BA—2.85. MALE ( Fig. 41 ). Fore wing with ca. 7.0 mm; occipital-genal margin obliterated in the dorsal region and distinct in the lateral region; FHH/INTOW—0.93; short malar space, having a little more than half the diameter of an antennal alveolus; clypeus with rounded apex (HCLP/WCL—1.06); presence of whitish, closely spaced pubescence and not very dense bristles at apex; mandibles with few and short bristles; eyes practically bald; pronotal carina with weak marking; absence of erect bristles on body, in lateral view; LMS/WMS—1.03; scrobal furrow distinct above, and obliterated below; first metasomal segment moderately elongated, with a very wide apex. Proportional ratios: LSI / HMP—0.95; LSI / WT1_AP—1.74; WT1_AP / BA—3.25. Genitalia ( Figs 62, 63 ). Aedeagus with rounded apex; parameral spine distinctly surpassing the aedeagus apex; digit more or less at the level of the aedeagus apex. Examined material. BRAZIL : Acre , Porto Acre Humaita , 4♀ 15.vi–02.vii.1992 , Armadilha suspensa ( Gorayeb , Pena , Henriques , Edmar ) ( MPEG ); Amapá , Oiapoque , 1♀ 26.v.1904 , 2♀ 30.v.1904 ( Ducke )( MPEG ), Serra do Navio , 1♀ 31.v.1999 (J. Chaves , Z. Miranda ), 1♀ 05.vi.2002 ( José Chaves ) ( IEPA ); Amazonas , Alvarães , 18♀ 23.ix.1993 (I.S. Gorayeb , O.T. Silveira ) ( I.S. Gorayeb , O.T. Silveira ) ( MPEG ), 1♀ 2016 (J.A. Rafael and team), Ipixuna , Rio Liberdade , Estirão da Preta , 07°21'46.7”S , 71°52'07.1”W , 2♀ 11–15.v.2011 , (J.A. Rafael , D. Takiya , A. Somavilla , A. Agudelo ) ( INPA ), Manaus Janauca , 4♀ 14.ii.1978 ( W.L. Overal and team), Manaus ZF 2, 2°35'21”S , 60°06'55”W , 1♀ 1–15.xii.2016 , 1♀ 15–31.xii.2017 , 1♀ 18–31.i.2017 (J.A. Rafael , F.F. Xavier F.), R. Japurá , 2♀ 14.ix.1904 , Teffé , 2♀ 08.ix.1904 ( Ducke ) ( MPEG ); Pará , 3♀ , Aveiro Cataueré Rio Mamuru , 03°24’30.4”S , 56°24’16.5”W , 13♀ 24.ix.2009 , 159♀ 25.ix.2009 , 15.ix.2009 (O. T. Silveira , S.S. Silva , J. Pena ), Benevides PA –408 Km 06, 1♀ 17.ix.1980 (E.L. Oliveira ), Juruti , 2º19’3”S , 56º1’23”W , 3♀ 11.vi.2009 , 2º36’9”S , 56º10’54”W , 4♀ 13.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva, K. A. Souza, L.A. Quaresma),Acamp. Mutum, 2°36’45.2”S , 56°11’37.4”W , 3♀ 03.iii.2008 , 2°34’15.6”S , 56°13’16”W , 5♀ 29.ii.2008 (O. T. Silveira), Barroso, 2°26’59.4”S , 56°01’31.7”W , 24♀ 26.x.2007 , 2°27’54.54”S , 00’11.82”W, 23.x.2007 (Silva, S. S. and team), 2°29’1.92”S , 55°58’37.38”W , 31♀ 27.x.2007 , 2°29’48”S , 55°57’26.40”W , 36♀ 01.xi.2007 , 2°29’49”S , 55°56’22”W , 26♀ 02.xi.2007 , Beneficiamento, 2°29'28.5”S , 56°11'53.5”W , 30♀ 08.xii.2008 ( S.S. Silva and J.Dias ), 2°29'47”S , 56°10'34”W , 9♀ 06.vi.2009 , 2°29'31”S , 56°12'5”W , 9♀ 16.vi.2009 ( S.S. Silva , K.A. Souza , L.A. Quaresma ,), Bota Fora 6A, 27♀ 06.xii.2008 ( S.S. Silva ), Rod. Km 43, 3♀ 31.x.2007 ( S.S. Silva and team), Capiranga, 1♀ 26.v.2008 , 3♀ 13.vi.2009 , 9♀ 14.vi.2009 ( S. S. Silva , J. Dias ), Est. Barroso, 2°26’29.8”S , 56°01’66.3”W, 19♀ 24.ii.2008 , Estr. MUT– MAU, 2°32'45.1”S 56°11'18.5”W , 1♀ 30.xi.2008 , Malaise (J. Dias , S.S. Silva ), Jaratuba , Rio Mamuru , 03°11'32.6”S 56°34'51.4”W , 3♀ 27.ix.2009 , 8♀ 27.ix.2009 Malaise ( O.T. Silveira , S.S. Silva , J. Pena ), Mauari , Galiléia , 1♀ 27.ii.2008 , ( O.T. Silveira and team), Mutum , 46♀ 13.vi.2009 ( S. S. Silva and team), Ramal do Mutum , 15♀ 22.ii.2008 , 6♀ 23.ii.2008 , 12♀ 28.ii.2008 , 81♀ 29.ii.2008 , 1♀ 03.iii.2008 ( O. T. Silveira and team), R. Mutum , 2°32’16”S , 56°10’01”W , 22♀ 28.v.2008 , 92♀ 02.vi.2008 , 2°28’10”S , 55°59’58”W , 5♀ 01.vi.2008 (Santos, Quaresma), R. Barroso, 2°28’10”S , 55°59’58”W , 12♀ 31.v.2008 , 152♀ 01.vi.2008 ( Santos and Quaresma ), R. Capiranga , 3♀ 27.v.2008 ( Quaresma, S.S . Silva, Santos ), Rodovia / Bota Fora , 6♀ 12.vi.2009 ( S. S. Silva and team), Ramal Pacoval , 16♀ 22.ii.2008 , 11♀ 23.ii.2008 ( O.T. Silveira and team), Trevo do Mutum , 2°36'18”S 56°18'58”W , 7♀ 28.xi.2008 , 1♀ 15.vi.2009 , (J. Dias , K.A. Souza , L.A. Quaresma , S.S. Silva ), Vista Bela , Rio Mamuru , 03°07'00.0”S , 56°35'06.7”W , 20♀ 01.x.2009 , 2♀ 02.x.2009 (O.T. Silveira , S.S. Silva , J. Pena ), Pacaval , 1♀ 15.vi.2009 (S. S. Silva ), Pacoval , 2°34’20”S , 56°9’21”W , 15♀ 29.xii.2008 (S.S. Silva and team), Pacoval-Est.Mau-Mut, 2°32’47”S , 56°11’26”W , 9♀ 30.xi.2008 , Percurso 2, 23♀ 13.vi.2009 ( S. S. Silva ), Melgaço Caxiuanã-ECFPn, 1♀ 24.iii.1998 , 4♀ 26.vi.1998 (J. Dias , J. Pena. O.T. Silveira ) ( MPEG ), Serra Norte, N 1. Est. Serraria , 1♀ 6.ix.1983 ( Luz. U. V. ); Rondônia , Ji-Paraná , 3♀ 14.viii.1984 ( R. B. Neto ), V. Rondônia (378 Km S de P. Velho ), 1♀ 25.i–9.ii.1961 ( Pereira and A. Machado ) ( MPEG ). Distribution . Costa Rica ; Panama ; Colombia ; Suriname ; French Guiana ; Brazil : Acre *, Amapá , Amazonas, Pará*. Remarks . After receiving photos of the “ holotype ” of Polybia scrobalis surinama deposited at the National Museum of Natural History, Leiden, Netherlands —RMNH, we found that it corresponded to a different species, P. dimorpha only described years later by Richards (1978) . It soon became clear that this had been caused by labelling error, and that some other specimen had been labelled as holotype . Collecting data of the “dimorpha-like” specimen was Suriname , Paloemeu Pepejoe, 14.v.1954 (D. C. Geijskes), different from the data mentioned by Richards (1970: 304) to the group of “ four females including the holotype (D. C. Geijskes) (Leiden Museum)” of P. s. surinama : Suriname , Coppename R., Voltz Mt, 11.vii.63 (D. C. Geijskes). Photographs of one of these four specimens corresponded well to the characters described by Richards for subspecies surinama . However, it is important to note that the “dimorpha-like” specimen was indeed cited by Richards (1970) as a paratype of P. s. surinama , and that in the description of surinama , Richards (1970 ; pg. 303) considered as a mere variation the fact that “ seven female specimens had the pronotal prominence stronger”, this being precisely a diagnostic character of P. dimorpha described by him eight years later. There is no information about the nest in Richards (1978) , but in the MPEG there are three small nests with the following features: main color being dark brown with some light brown spots; with just one comb; brood cell width approximately 3.8 mm; overall size ca 5.5 cm long.