Taxonomic revision of the Protopolybia picteti - emortualis species-group (Richards 1978), with descriptions of two new species (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Polistinae) Author Dos Santos Junior, José N. A. Author Silveira, Orlando T. Author Carpenter, James M. text Zootaxa 2020 2020-01-29 4729 2 228 248 journal article 24217 10.11646/zootaxa.4729.2.5 0e932262-6e5a-477c-ad0f-32c1feb84725 1175-5326 3632610 D7BA9B46-A096-4382-AF1A-8132F2A07012 Protopolybia picteti (de Saussure, 1854) ( Figs 53, 54, 55 ) Polybia picteti de Saussure, 1854: 168 . ( holotype : ♀ , Colombia , Tolima , Libano , (MNHN), examined. Polybia picteti : Smith 1857: 124 ; Dalla Torre 1894: 165 ; Rudow 1901: 341; Dalla Torre 1904: 78 . Protopolybia picteti : Ducke 1905a: 18 ; 1910: 468 , 471; Bequaert 1944a: 117 ; 1949 (1948): 131. Protopolybia picteti picteti (de Saussure) : Richards 1978: 139 , 147; Sarmiento 1994: 359 . FIGURES 33–44 . 33, 34, 35, 36. Protopolybia bella ; 37, 38, 39, 40. Protopolybia biguttata ; 41, 42, 43, 44. Protopolybia fulvotincta . 33, 37, 41. Parameres of the male genitalia. 34, 35, 38, 39, 42, 43. Aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view. 36, 40, 44. Volsella of male genitalia in lateral view. Scale 0.2mm . FIGURES 45–55 . 45, 46, 47, 48. Protopolybia iheringi ; 49, 50, 51, 52. Protopolybia nitida ; 53, 54, 55. Protopolybia picteti . 45, 49, 53. Parameres of the male genitalia. 46, 47, 50, 51, 54. Aedeagus in dorsal and lateral view. 48, 52, 55. Volsella of male genitalia in lateral view. Scale 0.2 mm . ps, parameral spine ; par , preapical region . FIGURES 56–62 . 56. Protopolybia fulvotincta ; 57. Protopolybia djaneteae . Mesoscutum in lateral view. 58. Protopolybia picteti ; 59. Protopolybia alvarengai ; 60. Protopolybia eldinaris . Metapleuron in lateral view. 61. P. djaneteae . 62. P. rotundata . Pronotum in lateral view. Scale 0.2 mm. fmp , front margin of pronotum; black arrow=elongated setae. Diagnosis . Length of fore wing 4.0– 4.68 mm ; mesoscutum with sparse and notably elongated setae; humerus not mutch distinctly projecting, carina lamellate and recurved forwards at extremity, not extending downwards; metanotal process with apex truncated; propodeum with wide and deep cavity, like a central channel; propodeal valvula narrow; species blackish to brown, richly marked with yellow spots; frons with a butterfly-like mark; T2 with yellow pair of spots on each side anteriorly. Preapical region of aedeagus angular ( Fig. 54 ); parameral spine not laterally expanded at base ( Fig. 53 ). MALE: Length of fore wing 4.0 mm; eyes wide, strongly produced inwards; clypeus narrow, longer than wide, with silvery bristles, ventral margin acute; tentorial pit approximately equidistant to eye margin and to the antennal socket; gena narrow; color like female, except by mandible, clypeus and front yellow. Parameral spine narrow, without elongate bristles; basal and apical angle of paramere widened ( Fig. 53 ); digitus narrow ( Fig. 55 ), with apical margin rounded; basal process of digitus narrow and acuminate; cuspis covered with dense and elongated bristles; ventral process of aedeagus approximately lobed, not projecting laterally, strongly sclerotized and not laterally serrated ( Fig. 54 ); preapical region of aedeagus angular ( Fig. 54 ). Material examined . COLOMBIA : Sevilla , 1♀ , 1.v.1926 ( C.G. Gowdey ); Magdalena , 38♀ , 20♂ , 14.ii.1976 (F. Schremmer); 1♀ , N. Sierra Nevada , Rio Don Diego , 22–24.xii.1976 ( M. Cooper ) ; 1♀ , Rio Buritaca , 14.ii.1974 ; 1♀ , Santa Marta , 14.ii.1976 (without collector) ( BMNH ) ; COSTA RICA : Heredia , 1♀ , La Selva Biol. Sta. , 3km S Pto. Viejo , 10°26N , 84°01W , 28.vii-02.viii.1992 ( G. Wright ) , 1♀ , 19.vii.1992 (H.A. Hespenheide ) ( AMNH ) . Distribution . Panama , * Costa Rica ; Colombia : Magdalena , Tolima ; Venezuela : D.F. Remarks . Richards (1978) treated both P. picteti and P. fulvotincta as subspecies, considering the color pattern as the only difference between them. These species also share the presence of sparse and notably elongated setae on the mesoscutum. The male genitalia present clear differences (on the aedeagus apex and on the parameral spine), indicating that they are indeed distinct species.