treatments-xml/data/12/B0/A5/12B0A500D9A5572D958CD379CF92ACD5.xml

<document ID-DOI="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.90.81581" ID-GBIF-Dataset="61c55b52-c9c7-4703-b95c-b2be3e9765d2" ID-Pensoft-Pub="1314-2607-90-213" ID-Pensoft-UUID="3E8856445AFD58E3A0FD83B412250C41" ID-Zenodo-Dep="6508926" ID-ZooBank="61F3203BF36641D7971251EA68ED4574" ModsDocID="1314-2607-90-213" checkinTime="1651307078823" checkinUser="pensoft" docAuthor="Polasek, Ozren, Bellingan, Terence &amp; van Noort, Simon" docDate="2022" docId="12B0A500D9A5572D958CD379CF92ACD5" docLanguage="en" docName="JourHymenoptRes 90: 213-222" docOrigin="Journal of Hymenoptera Research 90" docPubDate="2022-04-29" docSource="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.90.81581" docTitle="Ropalidia amabala Polasek, Bellingan &amp; van Noort 2022, sp. nov." docType="treatment" docUuid="D2F40851-7892-4C82-AA17-20C1D462BF72" docUuidSource="ZooBank" docVersion="4" id="3E8856445AFD58E3A0FD83B412250C41" lastPageNumber="213" masterDocId="3E8856445AFD58E3A0FD83B412250C41" masterDocTitle="A new species of paper wasp from the genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville from South Africa (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)" masterLastPageNumber="222" masterPageNumber="213" pageNumber="213" updateTime="1678757766116" updateUser="pensoft">
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<mods:title>A new species of paper wasp from the genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville from South Africa (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)</mods:title>
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<mods:name type="personal">
<mods:role>
<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
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<mods:namePart>Polasek, Ozren</mods:namePart>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="ORCID">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5765-1862</mods:nameIdentifier>
<mods:affiliation>Croatian Centre for Global Health, University of Split, Split, Soltanska 2, 21000 Split, Croatia</mods:affiliation>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="email">opolasek@gmail.com</mods:nameIdentifier>
</mods:name>
<mods:name type="personal">
<mods:role>
<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
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<mods:namePart>Bellingan, Terence</mods:namePart>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="ORCID">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3064-1744</mods:nameIdentifier>
<mods:affiliation>Department of Entomology and Arachnology, Albany Museum, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa &amp; Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Makhanda, 6140, South Africa</mods:affiliation>
</mods:name>
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<mods:role>
<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
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<mods:namePart>van Noort, Simon</mods:namePart>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="ORCID">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6930-9741</mods:nameIdentifier>
<mods:affiliation>Research and Exhibitions Department, South African Museum, Iziko Museums of South Africa, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa &amp; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa</mods:affiliation>
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<mods:title>Journal of Hymenoptera Research</mods:title>
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<mods:date>2022</mods:date>
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<mods:number>2022-04-29</mods:number>
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<mods:number>90</mods:number>
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<treatment ID-GBIF-Taxon="194907365" LSID="urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D2F40851-7892-4C82-AA17-20C1D462BF72" httpUri="http://treatment.plazi.org/id/12B0A500D9A5572D958CD379CF92ACD5" lastPageNumber="213" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
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<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<taxonomicName LSID="http://zoobank.org/D2F40851-7892-4C82-AA17-20C1D462BF72" authority="Polašek, Bellingan &amp; van Noort" authorityName="Polasek, Bellingan &amp; van Noort" authorityYear="2022" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia amabala" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="species" species="amabala" status="sp. nov.">
Ropalidia amabala 
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
, Bellingan &amp; van Noort
</taxonomicName>
<taxonomicNameLabel pageId="0" pageNumber="213">sp. nov.</taxonomicNameLabel>
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="type specimens">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Type specimens.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Holotype</emphasis>
: Oatlands Road, Grahamstown, 
<geoCoordinate degrees="33" direction="south" minutes="18" orientation="latitude" precision="1" seconds="16.13" value="-33.30448">33°18'16.13S</geoCoordinate>
, 
<geoCoordinate degrees="26" direction="east" minutes="31" orientation="longitude" precision="1" seconds="26.62" value="26.524061">26°31'26.62E</geoCoordinate>
, South Africa, Nov 2020, leg TA Bellingan and MH Villet, 1♀. (AMGS). 
<emphasis bold="true" italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Paratypes</emphasis>
[10♀♀, 3♂♂]: 9♀♀ and 1♂ with the same location data as the holotype (including series of larva in ethanol and a nest) (AMGS, AMNH, SAMC); Kenton on Sea, South Africa, January 1972, leg RA Jubb (malaise trap), 2♂♂ (AMGS); Howison's Poort, Grahamstown, South Africa, 14-29.II.1972, leg FW Gess, 1♀ (AMGS). The total number of examined specimens: 11♀♀, 3♂♂. Observational data: Mount Michael, Hilton, -29.575806, 30.288814, South Africa, 1♀, 1♂; obs. happyasacupcake (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/20355582).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="diagnosis">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Diagnosis.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
This species can easily be separated from other African mainland species by the dark brown ground colour with a reddish hue, combined with a large whitish-yellow area on the pronotum, and a posterior band on T2 that is merged with six semi-circular spots. The circular location of these accessory spots is a sufficient criterion for a unique species determination, since other mainland 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Guerin-Meneville" authorityYear="1831" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
do not have a central ventral or dorsal spot on T2 or S2. In addition, males have an interesting pattern of clypeus punctation, characterised by the presence of large and dense punctations in the basal half, while the apical half of clypeus is almost entirely impunctate.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="description">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Description.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Females</emphasis>
. Wing length 8.6-9.7 mm. 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Colour</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
The ground colour is dark brown with a reddish tone (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). Clypeus with the basal two thirds in ground colour, the apical third is whitish-yellow; sometimes, suffused whitish-yellow markings can appear under the upes (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1b</figureCitation>
). Interantennal area sometimes with whitish-yellow spot, commonly without any markings. Mandible with a yellowish antero-basal spot (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1b</figureCitation>
), gena and tempora brown-reddish, lighter than the ground colour (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). The antennal scape blackened dorsally, with a brown underside (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). AF1 is similarly coloured to 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. tenebrica" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="tenebrica">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. tenebrica</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
, 2022, with a brown base and a distal blackening. The remaining flagellomeres are black dorsally, occasionally brownish ventrally. The pronotum is mainly whitish-yellow, with only the basal colour remaining at the posterior (mesopleural) margin and inferior angle (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). Mesosoma in the ground colour, posterior margins of scutellum and metanotum brownish (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1c</figureCitation>
). Propodeum and the rest of the mesosoma in ground colour (occasionally a minute yellowish spot at the tip of coxa I). Femora in the ground colour, tibia brownish, lighter than the femur (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). The apical spot of the fore wing is dark and opaque, nervature brown, stigma dark brown and opaque (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). Metasoma basally with the ground colour (more distal segments can be brownish). T1 without any markings, T2 with a thick posterior band and six merged semi-circular spots (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
); these spots are arranged unevenly, one dorsally, one ventrally and two on each side (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a, d</figureCitation>
). T2 lamella is yellowish, comparatively shorter.
</paragraph>
<caption doi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" start="Figure 1" startId="F1">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Figure 1.</emphasis>
<taxonomicName authorityName="Polasek, Bellingan &amp; van Noort" authorityYear="2022" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia amabala" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov., female 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">a</emphasis>
habitus 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">b</emphasis>
head 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">c</emphasis>
scutellum, metanotum and propodeum 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">d</emphasis>
T2, dorsally.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Head</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
Clypeus wide, about 1.4 times wider than long, with a moderately convex surface; the basal part, in ground colour, is covered by shallow and large punctations, which lose contour apically and convert to poorly defined craters in the yellow areas of the clypeus (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1b</figureCitation>
). The upes is straight and comparatively longer, while the juxtamandibular notch is shallow; the oculo-clypeal angle is not sharp (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1b</figureCitation>
). The general appearance of the clypeus mostly resembles 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. excavata" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="excavata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. excavata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Giordani Soika, 1977 females, but with a less developed juxtamandibular notch. The entire clypeal surface is covered by a golden under-layer of pubescence and stronger yellowish protruding setae of approximately equal length basally and apically. Gena is slightly narrower than the broadest part of the eye, most commonly about 0.9 times its width (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). It is covered by large and well-defined punctums next to the eye margin, smaller and shallower close to the occipital carina. Frons is covered by large and coarse punctation, extending until the ocelli; it dissipates posteriorly towards the occipital carina. The occipital carina is complete and slightly sinuate. The complex eye is covered by short and sparse setae. The ocellar triangle is barely acute forward or equilateral. Frons is covered by yellowish straight or slightly bent setae, which are about as long as the forward ocellus diameter. The scape is barely shorter than AF1; AF2 is about as wide as long.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Mesosoma</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
Mesosoma covered by comparatively denser and coarser punctation, similar to 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. excavata" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="excavata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. excavata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Giordani Soika, 1977. Punctation of mesonotum is of equal density throughout, including the areas lateral to parapsidal furrows. The pronotum is densely punctated, but punctation is well defined only in the remaining dark areas; punctation on the whitish-yellow areas is comparatively shallower and less defined. Mesopleura covered by large and coarse punctums, while those on the metapleura are about half their size and less dense. The scutellum is comparatively more developed and elevated, similar to 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. soikai" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="soikai">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. soikai</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
&amp; Kehinde, in contrast to the more flattened scutellum in 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. excavata" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="excavata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. excavata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Giordani Soika, 1977 (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1c</figureCitation>
). The median carina of the scutellum is barely visible in the anterior part, while it is completely lacking dorsally, thus resembling the entire 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Cameron" baseAuthorityYear="1910" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia nigrofemorata" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
group of species. The metanotum is posteriorly flattened, with a moderate size of the shiny impunctate area. The propodeal excavation is comparatively shallower, with well-developed superior carina, variable striations (more or less developed, but always visible), and variably developed inferior carina (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1c</figureCitation>
). The general appearance of the propodeum mostly resembles 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. kuficha" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="kuficha">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. kuficha</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
, 2022, which has only thin yellow markings on the body.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Metasoma</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
Tergum 1 is pyriform and slightly elongate, similar to 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. guttatipennis" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="guttatipennis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. guttatipennis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(de Saussure), with more developed punctation on the posterior half. T2 is covered by dense directional punctation, which is sparse on S2. The entire T2 surface is covered by short yellowish protruding setae, which barely extend posteriorly over the lamella.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Males</emphasis>
resemble females, except having more yellowish markings on the face and the ventral side of the mesosoma. Wing length 8.2-9.3 mm. 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Colour</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
Most of the face is yellowish-white, except dark-brown frons (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2a</figureCitation>
). Tempora with a reddish line, gena with a yellow widened area close to the eye, posteriorly in ground colour. Antenna dorsally black; scape yellow underneath, flagellomeres orange (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2a</figureCitation>
). Pronotum with a larger whitish-yellow area, scutellum and postscutellum posteriorly with a faint reddish area. Mesopleura anteriorly with a large yellow patch, laterally without yellow markings. Coxa I and II, and femora I and II ventrally entirely yellow (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2b</figureCitation>
). Tibia and tarsi brown, in contrast to dark-brown (ground colour) dorsal side of the femora, similarly to 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. nigrofemorata" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(Cameron). Wings translucent, with minimal anterior yellowing close to stigma; nervature brown, stigma dark brown and opaque. The apical spot is well developed, faintly reaching stigma (equal to Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). Metasoma in the ground colour, except a faint reddish posterior band on T1 and a characteristic whitish-yellow posterior band on T2 and S2, with integrated six spots (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2b</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
<caption doi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" start="Figure 2" startId="F2">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Figure 2.</emphasis>
<taxonomicName authorityName="Polasek, Bellingan &amp; van Noort" authorityYear="2022" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia amabala" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov., male 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">a</emphasis>
head 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">b</emphasis>
habitus, inferior oblique view 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">c</emphasis>
antenna, dorsally.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Head</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
The clypeus is broader than long (1.3 times), with a flattened surface, which is minimally depressed sub-apically in some specimens (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2a</figureCitation>
). The clypeus is similar to 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. nigrofemorata" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(Cameron), with evenly curved upes, long and straight basal notch, lacking the oculo-clypeal angle and a barely projecting, subacute apex (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2a</figureCitation>
). Clypeus base is covered by large and shallow punctums, which become less defined apically; the apical third of the clypeus surface is usually completely impunctate (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2a</figureCitation>
). Frons covered by large and coarse punctation, which becomes smaller on tempora, but then reverts to equally large punctum size on gena, close to the eye; punctums on tempora and gena posteriorly become somewhat smaller and less defined. Gena about 0.4-0.5 times the eye width. Mandibles shiny, nearly impunctate; only a few basal punctums can be more defined. Scape broadened, about 1.6-1.9 times the AF1 base width, shorter than AF1; AF2 about 1.4-1.6 times longer than wide. Tyloids are weak and thin, and they are not elevated above the flagellomere surface; the first one originates on the distal part of AF1, as a thin line that gradually emerges and becomes discernible of the distal half of the flagellomere length. Those on AF2 and AF3 are linear and thin, gradually widening on AF4 and AF5 and reaching about a half of the inner flagellomere surface in more distal segments, or a majority of surface in the terminal flagellomere (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2c</figureCitation>
). In all instances, their surface is partly shiny but less than in 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. nigrofemorata" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(Cameron). The terminal flagellomere is elongated, about 1.7 times the AF10, with a rounded tip (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2c</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Mesosoma</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
Fore tarsal spur 1 not developed.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Metasoma</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
S7 is flattened or weakly concave (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2b</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="key to species update">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Key to species update</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
The key provided in the previous genus revision (
<bibRefCitation author="Polasek, O" journalOrPublisher="The Quarterly Review of Biology" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" refId="B4" refString="Polasek, O, Onah, I, Kehinde, T, Rojo, V, van Noort, S, Carpenter, JM, 2022. Revision of the mainland African species of the Old World social wasp genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville 1831 (Hymenoptera; Vespidae). Zootaxa (in press)." title="Revision of the mainland African species of the Old World social wasp genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville 1831 (Hymenoptera; Vespidae). Zootaxa (in press)." year="2022">
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
et al. 2022
</bibRefCitation>
) should be updated with the following elements.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="females">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Females</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<table inLine="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">35a</emphasis>
</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
Basal body colour dark brown with a reddish hue, with a large whitish-yellow area on the pronotum and six whitish-yellow spots integrated with a posterior band on T2 and S2 (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). The apical spot of the fore wing is dark, but faintly extending towards the stigma (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). The median carina of the scutellum is weakly developed, barely visible dorsally. South Africa
</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. amabala" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov.
</emphasis>
</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">-</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
Basal body colour pattern is different; if the pronotum and T2 have large markings, these are yellow, and the basal body colour is brown or ferruginous (rarely, specimens of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. aethiopica" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="aethiopica">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. aethiopica</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
may have yellowish markings or even reddish basal colour, but in these cases, the median scutellar carina is well developed dorsally)
</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">35</emphasis>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="males">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Males</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<table inLine="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">18a</emphasis>
</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
Basal body colour dark brown with a reddish hue, with a large whitish-yellow area on the pronotum and six whitish-yellow spots integrated with a posterior band on T2 and S2 (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). The apical spot of the fore wing is dark, but faintly extending towards the stigma (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1a</figureCitation>
). The median carina of the scutellum is weakly developed, barely visible dorsally. South Africa
</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. amabala" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov.
</emphasis>
</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">-</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
Basal body colour pattern is different; if the pronotum and T2 have large markings, these are yellow, and the basal body colour is brown or ferruginous (rarely, specimens of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. aethiopica" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="aethiopica">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. aethiopica</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
may have yellowish markings or even reddish basal colour, but in these cases, the median scutellar carina is well developed dorsally)
</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">35</emphasis>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Nest</emphasis>
.
</emphasis>
The nest is one of the most striking features of this species. In contrast to all previously known mainland African 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Guerin-Meneville" authorityYear="1831" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
species, the only examined nest of this species was built directly on the tree trunk of a 
<taxonomicName class="Magnoliopsida" family="Malvaceae" genus="Brachychiton" kingdom="Plantae" lsidName="Brachychiton" order="Malvales" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Tracheophyta" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Brachychiton</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp., in an area devoid of the surrounding lightly coloured grey lichen (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. R. amabala sp. nov., nest a general appearance on a tree trunk b nest with wasps and closed cocoons c dried nest, with four tachinid cocoons." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677852" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">3a</figureCitation>
). The nest has the same colour as the lichen, suggesting that the nearby lichen fibres were used as the nest-building material, exhibiting a striking mimicry with the surroundings (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. R. amabala sp. nov., nest a general appearance on a tree trunk b nest with wasps and closed cocoons c dried nest, with four tachinid cocoons." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677852" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">3b</figureCitation>
). There are additional reddish or blackish streaks in the cell wall; the opercula are below the outer cell margin, with traces of the cell wall (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. R. amabala sp. nov., nest a general appearance on a tree trunk b nest with wasps and closed cocoons c dried nest, with four tachinid cocoons." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677852" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">3b</figureCitation>
). Notably, the marginal cells exhibit a fair degree of disordered building, failing to create a regular hexagonal form (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. R. amabala sp. nov., nest a general appearance on a tree trunk b nest with wasps and closed cocoons c dried nest, with four tachinid cocoons." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677852" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">3b</figureCitation>
). After collection, the cell colour of the nest changed to mainly yellowish (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. R. amabala sp. nov., nest a general appearance on a tree trunk b nest with wasps and closed cocoons c dried nest, with four tachinid cocoons." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677852" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">3c</figureCitation>
). The nest had 37 complete cells and about 20 incomplete marginal cells. Most of the cells were regular, but the marginal cells close to the lower edge of the nest were commonly irregular. There were 28 larvae in the nest and 24 detectable eggs; most of marginal cells had eggs laid in them, a single egg in each cell. The cocooned cells were unevenly distributed across the nest (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. R. amabala sp. nov., nest a general appearance on a tree trunk b nest with wasps and closed cocoons c dried nest, with four tachinid cocoons." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677852" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">3b</figureCitation>
). The average cell wall width was 2.4 
<normalizedToken originalValue="±">+/-</normalizedToken>
0.1 mm [n=15], while the average cell length of cells with cocoons was 11.1 
<normalizedToken originalValue="±">+/-</normalizedToken>
1.5 mm [n=11]. The closed cocoons had a flattened surface that did not reach the outer cell margin. The cell paper is dense and brittle. In addition, there were four empty tachinid cocoons in the nest (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. R. amabala sp. nov., nest a general appearance on a tree trunk b nest with wasps and closed cocoons c dried nest, with four tachinid cocoons." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677852" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">3c</figureCitation>
), suggesting a heavy tachinid parasitoid load. At the time of collection, in the early morning, there were 10 females and one adult male present on the nest.
</paragraph>
<caption doi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677852" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" start="Figure 3" startId="F3">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Figure 3.</emphasis>
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. amabala" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov., nest 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">a</emphasis>
general appearance on a tree trunk 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">b</emphasis>
nest with wasps and closed cocoons 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">c</emphasis>
dried nest, with four tachinid cocoons.
</paragraph>
</caption>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="phylogenetic status">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Phylogenetic status.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
The new species was compared with three groups: (i) the mainland African 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
-group, (ii) non-capensis group and (iii) selected Malagasy 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Guerin-Meneville" authorityYear="1831" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
species. The last group of species was selected on the basis of the nesting pattern, and it included three species that build the nests directly on tree trunks, in an area where the lichen or moss has been cleared. These include 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. minor" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="minor">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. minor</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(de Saussure) [iNat: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/69302879], with partly green nests, 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. saussurei" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="saussurei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. saussurei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Kojima [iNat: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9669640, 85477179], with entirely green nests and 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. dubia" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="dubia">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. dubia</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(de Saussure) [iNat: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/81256863], with brownish nests in the lichen cleared area.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
The comparison was based on three morphological features: the tarsal 1 spur on the foreleg in males (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Comparative morphology of a R. amabala sp. nov., male, tarsal I spur b R. saussurei Kojima, male, tarsal I spur c R. minor (de Saussure), male, antenna d R. saussurei Kojima, propodeal excavation, oblique posterior view." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677853" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">4a</figureCitation>
), the tyloids of the terminal flagellomere in males, and the morphology of the propodeal excavation in both sexes.
</paragraph>
<caption doi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677853" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" start="Figure 4" startId="F4">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Figure 4.</emphasis>
Comparative morphology of 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">a</emphasis>
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. amabala" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov., male, tarsal I spur 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">b</emphasis>
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. saussurei" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="saussurei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. saussurei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Kojima, male, tarsal I spur 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">c</emphasis>
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. minor" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="minor">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. minor</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(de Saussure), male, antenna 
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">d</emphasis>
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. saussurei" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="saussurei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. saussurei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Kojima, propodeal excavation, oblique posterior view.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
The tarsal I spur was shown to be a character present in the 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
group of species (with two exceptions), while it is entirely lacking in the non- 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
group (
<bibRefCitation author="Polasek, O" journalOrPublisher="The Quarterly Review of Biology" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" refId="B4" refString="Polasek, O, Onah, I, Kehinde, T, Rojo, V, van Noort, S, Carpenter, JM, 2022. Revision of the mainland African species of the Old World social wasp genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville 1831 (Hymenoptera; Vespidae). Zootaxa (in press)." title="Revision of the mainland African species of the Old World social wasp genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville 1831 (Hymenoptera; Vespidae). Zootaxa (in press)." year="2022">
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
et al. 2022
</bibRefCitation>
).The same anatomical feature is present in males of all three analysed Malagasy species, but lacking in 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. amabala" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov., suggesting that the newly described species is more closely related to the non- 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
group than either 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
or the Malagasy species.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
The tyloids of the male antenna further support the closeness of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. amabala" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov. to the non- 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
group. The tyloids in 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. amabala" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov. mostly resemble the mainland African species (most notably 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. nigrofemorata" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Cameron), with a flattened surface that is not elevated above the flagellomere, especially in the terminal flagellomere, where the tyloid occupies most of the surface (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., male a head b habitus, inferior oblique view c antenna, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677851" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">2c</figureCitation>
). In contrast, most Malagasy species, including all three examined species, have a thinner tyloid with a sharp inner margin on a substantially longer terminal flagellomere (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Comparative morphology of a R. amabala sp. nov., male, tarsal I spur b R. saussurei Kojima, male, tarsal I spur c R. minor (de Saussure), male, antenna d R. saussurei Kojima, propodeal excavation, oblique posterior view." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677853" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">4c</figureCitation>
). Similar morphological characters are present in almost all members of the mainland 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
group (
<bibRefCitation author="Polasek, O" journalOrPublisher="The Quarterly Review of Biology" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" refId="B4" refString="Polasek, O, Onah, I, Kehinde, T, Rojo, V, van Noort, S, Carpenter, JM, 2022. Revision of the mainland African species of the Old World social wasp genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville 1831 (Hymenoptera; Vespidae). Zootaxa (in press)." title="Revision of the mainland African species of the Old World social wasp genus Ropalidia Guerin-Meneville 1831 (Hymenoptera; Vespidae). Zootaxa (in press)." year="2022">
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
et al. 2022
</bibRefCitation>
).
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
The third analysed character is the superior and inferior propodeal carina (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1c</figureCitation>
). Nearly all of the mainland non- 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
species have those developed, commonly as sharp cuticular structures (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Ropalidia amabala sp. nov., female a habitus b head c scutellum, metanotum and propodeum d T 2, dorsally." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677850" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">1c</figureCitation>
), while these carinae are almost entirely lacking in the members of the 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">capensis</emphasis>
group. Furthermore, the analysed Malagasy species of 
<taxonomicName authorityName="Guerin-Meneville" authorityYear="1831" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
do not have either the superior or the inferior carina developed (Fig. 
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Comparative morphology of a R. amabala sp. nov., male, tarsal I spur b R. saussurei Kojima, male, tarsal I spur c R. minor (de Saussure), male, antenna d R. saussurei Kojima, propodeal excavation, oblique posterior view." figureDoi="10.3897/jhr.90.81581.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/677853" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">4c</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
The morphological characteristics of 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. amabala" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="amabala">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. amabala</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
sp. nov. exhibit the most similarity with the mainland 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Cameron" baseAuthorityYear="1910" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia nigrofemorata" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
group of species, comprising 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. nigrofemorata" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(Cameron), 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. tenebrica" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="tenebrica">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. tenebrica</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
and 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. tenuipilosa" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="tenuipilosa">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. tenuipilosa</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
, rendering this species a member of the 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Cameron" baseAuthorityYear="1910" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia nigrofemorata" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
group. Among them, the nesting habits were only described for 
<taxonomicName lsidName="R. tenuipilosa" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" rank="species" species="tenuipilosa">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">R. tenuipilosa</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<normalizedToken originalValue="Polašek">Polasek</normalizedToken>
, which constructs the nests on tree branches (iNat: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/19815065). The comparison of the morphological characteristics of the member of the 
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Cameron" baseAuthorityYear="1910" class="Insecta" family="Vespidae" genus="Ropalidia" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Ropalidia nigrofemorata" order="Hymenoptera" pageId="0" pageNumber="213" phylum="Arthropoda" rank="species" species="nigrofemorata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Ropalidia nigrofemorata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
group did not yield any additional reliable morphological difference.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="distribution">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Distribution.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa).</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="213" type="etymology">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">Etymology.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="213">
The name comes from the Zulu word 
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="213">amabala</emphasis>
, meaning 
<normalizedToken originalValue="“spots”">&quot;spots&quot;</normalizedToken>
, and refers to the six spots integrated with the posterior band on T2 and S2, characteristic for this species.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
</treatment>
</document>