Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 April 2018 | 10(5): 11686–11696

Additional reports of solitary potter wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) in Bhutan

Tshering Nidup ¹, Wim Klein ², P. Girish Kumar ³ & Phurpa Dorji ⁴

¹ Department of Environment and Life Sciences, Sherubtse College, Royal University of Bhutan, Trashigang, Bhutan

² Honorary Research Associate, Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, 2300 RA Leiden, Netherlands

³ Western Ghat Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode, Kerala 673006, India

⁴ Royal Society for Protection of Nature (RSPN), P.O. Box: 325, Building # 25, Lhado Lam, Kawajangsa, Thimphu, Bhutan

¹ tsheringnidup.sc@sherubtse.edu.bt (corresponding author), ²klein.wim.f@gmail.com, ³ kpgiris@gmail.com, ⁴ pdorji@rspnbhutan.org

Abbreviations: BMNH - British Museum (Natural History), London, UK; MRSN - Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino, Italy; MSNV - Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia, Venice, Italy; NBCB - National Biodiversity Centre Bhutan, Bhutan; NHMB - Naturhistorisches Museum, Basel, Switzerland; OUM - Oxford University Museum, Oxford, UK; UZMC - Universitetets Zoologiske Museum, København, Denmark; ZMB - Zoologisches Museum der Humboldt Universität, Berlin, Germany; ZSIK - Western Ghat Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode (= Calicut), India.

doi: http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3888.10.5.11686-11696 | ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:98F6B632-F9C7-43BD-8C79-952AAA2F8116

Editor: P.M. Sureshan, Zoological Survey of India, Kozhikode, India. Date of publication: 26 April 2018 (online & print)

Manuscript details: Ms # 3888 | Received 13 November 2017 | Final received 31 March 2018 | Finally accepted 02 April 2018

Citation: Nidup, T., W. Klein. P.G. Kumar & P. Dorji (2018). Additional reports of solitary potter wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) in Bhutan. Journal of Threatened Taxa 10(5): 11686–11696; http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3888.10.5.11686-11696

Copyright: © Nidup et al. 2018. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use of this article in any medium, reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and the source of publication.

Funding: Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC).

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to acknowledge National Biodiversity Centre (NBC), Bhutan for coordinating the invertebrate documentation project, Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation (BTFEC) for funding and Mr. Tshering Wangdi, President, Sherubtse College, Royal University of Bhutan, for supporting us during the fieldwork.

Potter wasps belong to the subfamily Eumeninae of family Vespidae. These are solitary species though some show primitive social behavior. This group is economically important as the predators of insect larva of many pests; however, adults feed on nectar (Srinivasan & Kumar 2010). The potter or mason wasp of Bhutan is documented by Giordani (1975) recording Rhynchium haemorrhoidale quinquecinctum, Ancistrocerus sikkimensis, Delta pyriforme, and described Stenodynerus baronii and Antepipona bhutanensis as new to science. Pareumenes quadrispinosus was reported from the Himalaya by Bingham (1897), and Srinivasan & Kumar (2010) specifically listed it from Bhutan in their distribution list. Nidup et al. (2016) reported seven species of petiolate potter wasps from Bhutan with an additional two subspecies, Pareumenes quadrispinosus acutus and Delta pyriforme pyriforme. This, however, is a mere underestimation of the vast diversity and richness of Eumeninae wasps in Bhutan. This paper reports 11 species with an additional subspecies from Bhutan including Antepipona bhutanensis Giordani, 1975, for the first time after its original description. This study is based on a series of specimens collected during the invertebrate documentation project during the period of June 2014 to June 2017 from different localities of Bhutan.

The specimens were caught with a swift net and euthanized with ethyl acetate. The specimens were pinned, dried, stored in an insect box and deposited in the National Biodiversity Centre (NBCB), Bhutan. The specimens were studied under a stereomicroscope and photographed with a Nikon D5100 with an attached 40mm macro lens.

1a. Anterhynchium flavomarginatum curvimaculatum (Cameron, 1903) (Images 1 & 2)

Rhynchium curvimaculatum Cameron, 1903, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 11(7): 328, female, Khasia Hills, Assam [=Meghalaya] (OUM).

Rhynchium collinum Cameron, 1903, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 11(7): 329, female, male, Khasia Hills, Assam [=Meghalaya] (OUM).

Diagnosis: Black with the following parts yellow: two spots on pronotum dorsally, postscutellum narrowly at base, a spot on mesopleuron, I & II tergites with narrow apical bands interrupted medially, clypeus with two spots at base laterally, spot between antennae, scape from inner side; wings fuscous with purple effulgence. For detailed description, consult van der Vecht (1963).

Measurements: 1 female: 24.20mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00193, 15.iv.2016, 1 female, Phuntshothang (Bangtar), Samdrup Jongkhar (27.89⁰N & 91.69⁰E, 258m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Phurpa Dorji.

Distribution: India (van der Vecht 1963). New record for Bhutan.

1b. Anterhynchium flavomarginatum flavomarginatum (Smith, 1852) (Images 3 & 4)

Rhynchium flavo-marginatum Smith, 1852, Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 2(2): 35, male, China (BMNH).

Odynerus nigrifrons Smith, 1857, Cat. Hym. Brit. Mus., 5: 62, female - “North China (Shanghai)” (BMNH).

Diagnosis: This subspecies is distinguished from Anterhynchium flavomarginatum curvimaculatum in having smaller size, postscutellum wholly black, yellow spot between antennae, lacking of yellow mark on clypeus at base, broadly interrupted yellow bands on I & II tergites (separation much wider in II tergite), lacking yellow spots on mesopleuron. For more details, consult van der Vecht (1963).

Measurements: 1 female: 16.30mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00194, 12.x.2015, 1 female, Tsholingkhar, Tsirang (27⁰N & 90.08⁰E, 1,159m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein from the paddy field.

Distribution: China, India, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal, Laos, Mongolia, Korea & Japan (van der Vecht 1963; Nguyen 2015). New record for Bhutan.

2. Allorhynchium argentatum (Fabricius, 1804) (Images 5 & 6)

Vespa argentata Fabricius, 1804, Syst. Piez.: 260, male, “Sumatra” (UZMC).

Rhynchium clypeatum Cameron, 1900, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) 6: 531, female, “Barrackpore, Bengal” (BMNH).

Allorhynchium argentatum; van der Vecht, 1963, Zool. Verh., Leiden 60: 60 (list), fig. 5a.

Diagnosis: Female: Body entirely black except yellow line in between antennal toruli and inner eye margin, tarsal claws blackish-brown. Wings dark with purple reflections, body with rather sparsely to moderately dense fine silvery white pubescence. Male: similar to female except partly to almost entirely yellow clypeus. For more details, consult Kumar & Sharma (2015).

Measurements: 3 males: 11.51–13.64 mm; 4 females: 12.15–12.51 mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00195, 18.iv.2016, 1 female, NBCB00196, 11.iv.2015, 1 male, Nganglam, Pema Gatshel (26.82⁰N & 91.23⁰E, 720m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup; NBCB00197, 26.x.2015, 1 female, Kapatapsa, Wangdiphodrang (27.71⁰N & 89.76⁰E, 1,476m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein; NBCB00198, 19.vii.2015, 1 female, Phuntshothang, Samdrup Jongkhar (27.89⁰N & 91.69⁰E, 258m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Phurpa Dorji; NBCB00199, 15.x.2015, 1 male, Berti, Zhemgang (27.15⁰N & 90.66⁰E, 531m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00200, 12.x.2015, 1 male, Tsholingkhar, Tsirang (27⁰N & 90.08⁰E & 1,159m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00201, 16.vi.2012, 1 female, Chuzomsa, Wangdiphodrang (27.50⁰N & 89.96⁰E, 1,362m), coll. Wim Klein.

Distribution: India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore & Thailand (Kumar & Sharma 2015). New record for Bhutan.

3. Rhynchium brunneum brunneum (Fabricius, 1793) (Image 7)

Vespa brunnea Fabricius, 1793, Entomol. Syst., 2: 264, Syntype, sex not mentioned, “Tranquebariae, India (UZMC)”.

Rhynchium brunneum; Spinola, 1808, Ins. Ligur, 2: 189.

Rhynchium brunneum brunneum: Gusenleitner, 2006, Linzer bioI. Beitr., 38 (1): 692 (Sikkim, Meghalaya, West Bengal).

Diagnosis: Female: clypeus broad and truncate, I and II tergite black at base, punctures on clypeus large and dense, reddish brown body. Male: other characters similar to female except yellow parts: clypeus, lower frons, inner eye margins. Mesonotum darker than in female. For more characters, consult Kumar & Sharma (2013).

Measurements: 3 males: 13.92–14.16 mm; 3 females: 14.96–21.17 mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00202, 17.iv.2016, 1 female, Panbang, Zhemgang (26.85⁰N & 90.97⁰E, 222m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup; NBCB00203, 07.x.2015, 1 female, Sorchen, Chhukha (26.89⁰N & 89.42⁰E, 960m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00204, 15.vi.2016, 1 female, Kanglung, Trashigang (27.28⁰N & 91.52⁰E, 1,823m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Tshering Nidup; NBCB00205, 25.vii.2016, 1 male, Kanglung, Trashigang (27.28⁰N & 91.52⁰E, 1,823m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Tshering Nidup; NBCB00206, 08.x.2015, 1 male, Pasakha, Chhukha (26.84⁰N & 89.45⁰E, 329m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00207, 22.x.2015, 1 male, Trashigang Pam, Trashigang (27.31⁰N & 91.53⁰E, 987m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein.

Distribution: India, Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, Guam, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia, Marquesas Island, Myanmar, Nepal, New Britain, Pakistan, Taiwan & Thailand (Kumar & Sharma 2013). New record for Bhutan.

4. Antodynerus limbatus (de Saussure, 1852) (Images 8, 9 & 10)

Rhygchium limbatum de Saussure, 1852, Ét. Fam. Vesp. 1: 117, female, pl. 13 fig. 10, “L’Amerique? “ (coll. de Romand).

Rhynchium rugolatum Cameron, 1900, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) 6: 533, female, male, “Barrackpore, Bengal, Poona, Khasia Hills” (syntypes: OUM; 2 male BMNH).

Diagnosis: Female: reddish-brown with black markings, thorax more or less black ventrally, reddish-brown parts: abdomen wholly except I & II tergites at base, hind coxa and femur, frons around antennae forming irregular shape, enlarged spot around ocelli, triangular shaped on mesonotum anteriorly and posterior apically, propodeum medially, tergites faintly yellow apically. Wings hyaline brown, marginal cell darker. Male: similar to female except smaller size, clypeus wholly, irregular marks on frons, around the ocular emargination and inverted triangular mark above clypeus, yellow. For structural details, consult Kumar & Carpenter (2013).

Measurement: 12 females: 11.44–14.72 mm; 13 males: 10.31–12.38 mm.

Materials studied: NBCB00208, NBCB00209, NBCB00210, NBCB00211, NBCB00212, 14.iv.2016, 4 females, 1 male, Nganglam, Pema Gatshel (26.82⁰N & 91.23⁰E, 720m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup from Deezama village; NBCB00213, NBCB00214, NBCB00215, NBCB00216, NBCB00217, 17.iv.2016, 2 females, 3 males, Panbang, Zhemgang (26.83⁰N & 90.94⁰E, 137m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup from Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan; NBCB00218, 9.x.2015, 1 female, Dhamdangra, Chhukha (26.87⁰N & 89.38⁰E, 310m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00219, 13.x.2015, 1 female, Sarpang (26.87⁰N & 90.26⁰E, 331m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00220, NBCB00221, 27.x.2015, 1 female, 1 male, Bajothango, Wangdi Phodrang (27.51⁰N & 89.88⁰E, 1,218m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein; NBCB00222, NBCB00223, 12.viii.2016, 1 female, 1 male, Wachey, Wangdi Phodrang (27.60⁰N & 89.87⁰E, 1,506m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00224, NBCB00225, 24.viii.2016, 2 females, Thridangbi, Mongar (27.29⁰N & 91.16⁰E, 1,512m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein; NBCB00226, NBCB00227, NBCB00228, NBCB00229, 21.viii.2016, 4 males, Phuntshothang (Bangtar), Samdrup Jongkhar (26.88⁰N & 91.70⁰E, 370m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein; NBCB00230, 14.x.2015, 1 male, Tingtibi, Zhemgang (27.14⁰N & 90.69⁰E, 631m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00231, 23.x.2015, 1 male, Menghugang, Mongar (27.27⁰N & 91.14⁰E, 762m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein; NBCB00232, 18.vii.2016, 1 male, Yadi, Mongar (27.28⁰N & 91.37⁰E, 1514m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein; NBCB00233, 05.viii.2016, 1 male, Dharamsala, Chhukha (26.87⁰N & 89.41⁰E, 303m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00234, 19.viii.2016, 1 male, Trashigang Chagzam, Trashigang (27.35⁰N & 91.55⁰E, 766m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein.

Distribution: India, China, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand (Kumar & Carpenter 2013). New record for Bhutan.

5. Phimenes flavopictum (Zimmermann, 1931) (Image 11)

Eumenes arcuata continentalis Zimmermann, 1931, Zietschr. Morph. Oek. Tiere, 22: 203, female, male, Syntypes, Type Loc. Sikkim (ZMB).

Eumenes flavopictus continentalis; van der Vecht, 1959, Zool. Verh. Leiden, 41: 36.

Phimenes flavopictum continentale (Zimmermann); Gusenleitner, 2006, Linzer Biol. Beitr. 38(1): 694.

Diagnosis: Male: Black with the following parts yellow: Clypeus, interantennal space, inner orbit, ocular sinus, a line behind eye, band on pronotum in front, two curved spots antero-laterally and two parallel longitudinal lines medially on mesoscutum, broad C-shaped mark on tegula, subtriangular spot on scutellum laterally, broad line on postscutellum apically, broad vertical mark on mesopleuron, dorsum of propodeum laterally (depicting cross-shaped black mark centrally), two small spots at petiole base laterally, two slightly medially and a subapical band of petiole, two large pyriform spots near base of II gastral tergite, two minute spots on II gastral sternite laterally, subapical interrupted bands on margins of II-VI tergites posteriorly, VII tergite black entirely. Legs black, variegated with yellow. Wings fuscohyaline. Clypeus smooth, pyriform, the apex sharply truncated, frons, vertex and thorax with fine shallow punctures, petiole and gaster smooth.

Measurements: 1 male: 21.75mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00235, 15.iv.2016, 1 male, Panbang, Zhemgang (26.83⁰N & 90.94⁰E, 137m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup from Royal Manas National Park of Bhutan.

Distribution: India, China (including Hong Kong), Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore & Thailand (Srinivasan & Kumar 2010; Kumar 2013). New record for Bhutan.

6. Coeleumenes burmanicus (Bingham, 1897) (Images 12 & 13)

Montezumia burmanica Bingham, 1897, Fauna Brit. India, Hym. 1: 350, fig. 101, female, male, “Tenasserim” (BMNH).

Montezumia bisulcata Cameron, 1900, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) 6: 535, female, “Khasia Hills, Assam [=Meghalaya]” (OUM).

Montezumia burmanica var. malayana Dover, 1931, J. Fed. Malay St. Mus. 16: 253, female, “Jor Camp, Perak, Malaya” (? BMNH). Synonymized by van der Vecht 1963: 46.

Coeleumenes burmanicus; van der Vecht, 1963, Zool. Verh. Leiden 60: 46, [Sikkim; Assam; Indo-China; Siam; Malaya; Vietnam (Than Moi)].

Diagnosis: Male: Jet-black with the following parts yellow: inner side of scape, subtriangular shape at base of clypeus, wedge-shaped between antennae, narrow lines on dorsum of pronotum; wings fuscous with purple effulgence, posterior wings hyaline at base.

Measurements: 1 male: 11.26mm.

Materials examined: BNCB00236, 15.iv.2016, 1 male, Panbang, Zhemgang (26.84⁰N & 90.99⁰E, 390m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup from the village of Thinleygang.

Distribution: Vietnam, India, Malaysia, Myanmar (Bingham 1897; van der Vecht 1963; Nguyen 2016). New record for Bhutan.

7. Coeleumenes impavidus impavidus (Bingham, 1897) (Images 14 & 15)

Montezumia impavida Bingham, 1897, Fauna Brit. India, Hym., 1: 351, female, Burma; Tenasserim, type female, Thaungyin Valley, Tenasserim, (BMNH).

Pseudozumia impavida; Giordani Soika, 1941, Boll. Soc. Venez. Stor. Nat., 2: 165, 168, fig. 8 (4, 5, 8).

Diagnosis: Male: Black with the following parts yellow: clypeus, wedge-shaped above clypeus and between antennae, scape of antennae in front, broad line behind eyes not reaching vertex, pronotum dorsally and medially interrupted, spot at mesopleurae basally, one spot each on tegula anteriorly and posteriorly, mesoscutum on lateral apically, subtriangular marks on lateral angles of scutellum little marginally, medially interrupted transverse band on petiole, apical bands on II, III & IV tergites, on III divided to three interrupted spots, reduced to tiny spot on V tergite, inner side of femur and tibia (tibia apically) on fore legs, inner side of femur (apically) and tibia on mid legs, laterals of propodeum apically; wings brownish hyaline, darker along costal margin; antenna reddish yellow from inner side.

Variation: It differs from the description of Bingham (1897) in not having a yellow line on postscutellum and two longitudinal lines on mesonotum but agrees on having black mesoscutum as described by van der Vecht (1963).

Measurements: 1 male: 10.27mm.

Materials examined: BNCB00272, 01.x.2015, 1 male, Khaling, Trashigang (27.20⁰N & 91.60⁰E, 2073m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Phurpa Dorji from the village.

Distribution: India, Indo-China, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Indonesia (Bingham 1897; van der Vecht 1963). New record for Bhutan.

8. Apodynerus troglodytes troglodytes (de Saussure, 1856) (Images 16 & 17)

Odynerus troglodytes de Saussure, 1855, Ét. Fam. Vesp. 3: 249, male (in subgenus Odynerus division Parodynerus), “Le Sénégal” (MRSN).

Apodynerus troglodytes troglodytes; Gusenleitner, 1988, Linz. Biol. Beitr. 20: 180.

Antepipona malabarica Lambert, 2004, in Rajmohana et al., Perspectives Biosystematics Biodiversity: 554 (key), 560, female, “India, Kerala, Calicut University Campus”, holotype female (ZSIK).

Antepipona narendrani Lambert, 2004, in Rajmohana et al., Perspectives Biosystematics Biodiversity: 558, female, male, “India, Kerala. Sulthan Bathery”, holotype female (ZSIK).

Diagnosis: Body black with yellow maculation, wings hyaline, thickly infumated at stigma, slightly infumated at apex of median cell and radial cell entirely. Fine silvery white pubescence on body. The specimens studied agrees quite well with the description provided by Kumar et al. (2013) but specimens from Bhutan differs in lacking yellow spots on II tergite and mesepisternum.

Measurements: 13 males: 5.85–7.08 mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00238, NBCB00239, NBCB00240, NBCB00241, 20.viii.2016, 4 males, Dewathang, Samdrup Jongkhar (26.85⁰N & 91.45⁰E, 941m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein from the campus of Jigme Namgyal College of Engineering; NBCB00242, NBCB00243, 21.viii.2016, 2 males, Bangtar, Samdrup Jongkhar (26.88⁰N & 91.69⁰E, 278m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein from the Bangtar market on the stream bank; NBCB0244, 21.viii.2016, 1 male, Mantar, Samdrup Jongkhar (26.91⁰N & 91.58⁰E, 584m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein from along the road;NBCB00245, NBCB00246, NBCB00247,14.iv.2016, 3 males, Nganglam, Pema Gatshel (26.82⁰N & 91.23⁰E, 720m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup from Deezama Village and Alabari Village; NBCB00248, 9.x.2015, 1 male, Dhamdangra, Chhukha (26.87⁰N & 89.38⁰E, 310m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00249, 04.viii.2016, 1 male, Rinchending, Chhukha (26.84⁰N & 89.39⁰E, 461m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00250, 13.x.2015, 1 male, Chhokhorling, Sarpang (26.91⁰N & 90.36⁰E, 415m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein from the village.

Distribution: India, China (including Hong Kong), Borneo, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia (including Sarawak, Sabah), Singapore, Indonesia: Sumatra, Java (including Kangean), Sulawesi, Moluccas (Kumar et al. 2013). New record for Bhutan.

9. Antepipona tytides (Cameron, 1904) (Images 18 & 19)

Odynerus tytides Cameron, 1904, Entomologist 37: 309, male, female, “Darjeeling, India” (BMNH).

Antepipona tytides; Giordani Soika, 1975, Entomol. Basil. 1: 390, figs 3, 5 (compared to A. bhutanensis n. sp.).

Diagnosis: Female: Black with following parts red: two spots on clypeus basally, scape ventrally, spot above interantennal space and mesopleuron, narrow line along internal eye lobe till ocular sinus, elongated mark on temple, band on pronotum and scutellum (constricted in middle), tegula and parategula, all femora apically, all tibia and tarsi entirely, narrow apical band on I, II & IV tergites and II sternite, spot on VI tergite, lateral spots on I tergite basally. Wings fuscous with faint purple effulgence.

Variation: One female with red apical band on I-V tergites and sternum II & III; red spots at the base of each tubercle on postscutellum; one female lack red spot on interantennal space.

Measurements: 6 females: 8.54–9.97 mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00251, 16.vi.2012, 1 female, Geyneykha, Thimphu (27.31⁰N & 89.60⁰E, 2,824m), coll. Wim Klein; NBCB00252, NBCB00253, 06.x.2016, 2 females, Chapcha, Chhukha (27.15⁰N & 89.54⁰E, 2,264m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00254, NBCB00255, 06.x.2015, 2 females, Wang sisina, Thimphu (27.35⁰N & 89.57⁰E, 2,209m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein;NBCB00256, 17.x.2015, 1 female, Dechenpelrithang, Bumthang (27.51⁰N & 90.80⁰E, 2,483m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein.

Distribution: India, Nepal, China, Myanmar, Laos (Kumar et al. 2016). New record for Bhutan.

10. Antepipona bhutanensis Giordani Soika, 1975 (Images 20 & 21)

Antepipona bhutanensis Giordani Soika, 1975, Entomol. Basil. 1: 390, figs 2, 4, male, female, “Bhutan: Thimphu” (holotype, male, NHMB).

Diagnosis: black with the following parts red: two spots on clypeus connected narrowly medially, clypeus apically, scape ventrally, spot on interantennal space, mesopleuron, inner margin of eye till ocular sinus and lateral side of tergite II at base, elongated mark on temple, band on pronotum, scutellum and postscutellum, I-VI tergites with apical band, band on II-VI sternites, tegula (transparent in center), parategula, all femora apically, tibia and tarsi entirely. Wings fuscous with slight purple effulgence.

Measurements: 2 males: 8.72–8.90 mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00257, 09.viii.2016, 1 male, Paro (27.45⁰N & 89.42⁰E, 2,298m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00258, 06.x.2015, 1 male, Chapcha, Chhukha (27.15⁰N & 89.54⁰E, 2,264m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein.

Distribution: Endemic to Bhutan (Thimphu, Paro, Chhukha).

11. Antepipona biguttata (Fabricius, 1787) (Images 22 & 23)

Vespa biguttata Fabricius, 1787, Mant. Ins. 1: 291, “China”, male, (UZMC).

Odontodynerus biguttatus: van der Vecht, 1959, Arch. Neerl. Zool. Suppl. 1: 241, fig 3 (redescription of type).

Antepipona biguttata; van der Vecht & Fischer, 1972, Hym. Cat. (n. ed.) 8: 71 (cat.). Antepipona injucunda Giordani Soika, 1973, Boll. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Venezia 32: 104, female, male, “China; Wa-sha-toui, Kwan-tung” (ZMB).

Antepipona biguttata takaoensis Giordani Soika, 1982, Boll. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Venezia 32: 207 (key), 224, female, male, “Formosa: Takao”, holotype, female (MSNV).

Diagnosis: Female: Body black with following parts yellow: base of mandibles and clypeus, long mark on temples, quadrangular mark on front above antennae, scape ventrally, pair of triangular mark on pronotum dorsally, tegulae except black center, parategulae, mesopleuron, pair of spots at scutellum and metanotum, lateral lines on propodeum, mid coxa. Apical half of fore and mid femur, all tibia on outer side, apical band at I, II (broader than on I), III (reduced to only at sides), IV, V (a spot in the center) tergites and sternum II; two spots laterally on II tergites at base. Male: color similar to female except: clypeus wholly yellow, mandibles yellow except reddish brown apically, yellow mark at lower front is inverted triangle touching base of clypeus. For detailed description, consult Kumar et al. (2016).

Measurements: 3 males: 6.44–8.03 mm; 6 females: 8.17–9.07 mm.

Materials examined: NBCB00259, 12.x.2015, 1 female, Tsholingkhar, Tsirang (27⁰N & 90.08⁰E, 1,159m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein from the paddy field; NBCB00260, 14.iv.2016, 1female, Nganglam, Pema Gatshel (26.82⁰N & 91.23⁰E, 720m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup from Alabari Village; NBCB00261, 04.viii.2016, 1 female, Rinchending, Chhukha (26.84⁰N & 89.39⁰E, 461m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein; NBCB00262, 11.viii.2016, 1 female, Punacha, Wangdiphodrang (27.50⁰N & 89.75⁰E, 1275m), coll. Tshering Nidup & Wim Klein along the road to Dawakha;NBCB00263, 22.x.2015, 1 female, Kafu, Monggar (27.32⁰N & 91.36⁰E, 885m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein from the village; NBCB00264, 26.viii.2016, 1 female, Serithang, Punakha (27.29⁰N & 91.31⁰E, 1,359m), coll. Phurpa Dorji & Wim Klein on the way to Gasa; NBCB00265, 27.x.2015, 1 male, Bajothango, Wangdi Phodrang (27.51⁰N & 89.88⁰E, 1218m), coll. Phurpa Dorji& Wim Klein; NBCB00266, 10.iv.2016, 1 male, Chenery, Trashigang (27.31⁰N & 91.33⁰E, 758m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Thinley Gyeltshen & Tshering Nidup from the river bank; NBCB00267, 08.v.2016, 1 male, Fawan, Lhuntse (27.48⁰N & 91.18⁰E, 953m), coll. Phurpa Dorji, Kinzang Chophel &Thinley Gyeltshen from the waterfall.

Distribution: India, China, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam (Kumar et al. 2016). New record for Bhutan.

References

Bingham, C.T. (1897). The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma, Hymenoptera, I - Wasps and Bees. Taylor and Francis, London, 579+i-xxix.

Giordani, S.A. (1975). Ergebnisse der Bhutan - Expedition des Naturhistorisches Museums in Basel, Hymenoptera, Fam. Eumenidae. Entomologica basiliensis 1: 387–393, 5 figs.

Kumar, P.G. (2013). A taxonomic revision of Phimenes Giordani Soika (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) of Indian subcontinent. Records of the Zoological Survey of India 113(Part-3): 119–135.

Kumar, P.G. & J.M. Carpenter (2013). A taxonomic review of the genus Antodynerus de Saussure, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from the Indian subcontinent. Zootaxa 3731(2): 267–278; http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3731.2.7

Kumar, P.G., J.M. Carpenter & P.M. Sureshan (2016). A taxonomic review of the genus Antepipona de Saussure, 1855 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from India. Zootaxa 4150(5): 501–536; http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4150.5.1

Kumar, P.G., K.P.M. Shareef, L. Kishore & J.M. Carpenter (2013). A taxonomic study on the Oriental genus Apodynerus Giordani Soika (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from the Indian subcontinent. Biosystematica 7(1): 23-31.

Kumar, P.G. & G. Sharma (2013). A taxonomic study on the genus Rhynchium Spinola (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from the Indian subcontinent. Records of the Zoological Survey of India 113(Part-2): 105–122.

Kumar, P.G. & G. Sharma (2015). A review of the genus Allorhynchium van der Vecht, 1963 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from the Indian subcontinent. Prommalia 3: 20–34.

Nidup, T., T. Gyeltshen, P.G. Kumar, W. Klein & P. Dorji (2016). New records of petiolate potter wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from Bhutan. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8(12): 9467–9472; http://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2744.8.12.9467-9472

Nguyen, L.T.P. (2015). Taxonomic notes on the species of the genus Anterhynchium de Saussure, 1863 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from Vietnam, with description of a new species. Zootaxa 3915(1): 132–138. http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3915.1.7

Nguyen, L.T.P. (2016). Contribution to the taxonomy of the genus Coeleumenes van der Vecht, 1963 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from Vietnam, with description of a new species. Zootaxa 4121(2): 175–180; http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4121.2.7

Srinivasan, G. & P.G. Kumar (2010). New records of potter wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from Arunachal Pradesh, India: five genera and ten species. Journal of Threatened Taxa 2(12): 1313–1322; http://doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o2468.1313-22

Vecht, J. van der (1963). Studies on Indo-Australian and East Asiatic Eumenidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea). Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden 60: 1–116.