Pseudagris de Saussure 1863
Creators: name: Selis, Marco
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Eumenidae
Pseudagris

description: Genus Pseudagris de Saussure, 1863
Pseudagris de Saussure 1863: 203, division of genus Synagris Latreille.
Type species: Synagris carinata de Saussure, 1863, by monotypy.
Diagnosis. Medium to large sized “odynerine” wasps characterized by the following combination of characters: mandible with flattened teeth separated by narrow incisions, second tooth of mandible pointed and projecting, palpal formula 5:3, labial palpi long and robust, third segment of labial palpi with preapical thick bristles, clypeus shortly pyriform with longitudinal carinae, gena narrower than compound eye, cephalic foveae present and located in a depression (except in P. tessmanniana, which lacks foveae), lateral surface of pronotum evenly convex, tegula with a posterior triangular lobe at least equaling parategula, axillary fossa narrow and slit-like, metanotum convex with lateral longitudinal carinae, propodeum with a median longitudinal carina fused to a basal triangular sclerite, posterolateral angles of propodeum produced and sharp (except in P. brunnea, which has entirely rounded propodeum), inferior carina of propodeum running up to posterolateral corners, T1 with median longitudinal furrow or depression, apical margin of T2 duplicate with slightly reflexed preapical margin, S1 with arched carina between narrow and enlarged parts, S2 with a basal depression and bulging basally in lateral view, prestigma shorter than pterostigma (except in P. versicolor, where the prestigma is as long as pterostigma), apex of male clypeus truncated or very narrow and rounded, first segment of labial palpi of female as long as following segments combined (modified from Selis & Carpenter 2022).
Key to the species of Pseudagris
[The females of P. apicalis, P. nigrithorax and P. nigrorufa, and the males of P. holomelas rubripes, P. tanzanica, P. tessmanniana and P. versicolor are unknown; characters of male P. holomelas holomelas and female P. brunnea are extracted from literature and/or pictures (Gusenleitner 2007; von Schulthess 1928)]
1. ♀: flagellum 10-segmented and apically simple, six metasomal segments......................................... 2
-. ♂: flagellum 11-segmented and apically hooked, seven metasomal segments..................................... 10
2. Mesosoma depressed and elongate, with mesoscutum and scutellum flattened and forming an even surface, metanotum weakly oblique (Fig. 3d). Dorsal faces of propodeum mostly smooth with very sparse punctures... Pseudagris brunnea Gusenleitner
-. Mesosoma not depressed and elongate, scutellum convex and not forming an even surface with mesoscutum, metanotum distinctly angled with a posterior vertical face. Dorsal faces of propodeum densely punctate, without smooth interspaces... 3
3. Cephalic foveae barely visible, not located in a depressed portion of vertex (Fig. 11c). Head and mesoscutum with interspaces shiny and as large as or larger than diameter of punctures. Mesepisternum with large flat bottomed punctures. Propodeum with lateral flattened irregular teeth. S2 with narrow depression in basal third, strongly margined anterolaterally. Entirely black; wings weakly fuscous, strongly darkened along costa (Fig. 11a)............... Pseudagris tessmanniana (von Schulthess)
-. Cephalic foveae clearly visible, located in a depression of vertex; depression deep or shallow, but always visible (Figs. 1e, 4e, 5c, 9e, 10c, 12c). Interspaces on head and mesoscutum shorter than diameter of punctures and dull. Mesepisternum with smaller punctures. S2 with shallower and larger depression........................................................... 4
4. Cephalic foveae located in a very shallow oval depression (Fig. 5c). Metasoma velvety due to dense short black pubescence (Fig. 5d). Larger species, body length around 20 mm. Wings strongly fuscous, almost black, with strong blue-purplish reflections. ................................................................................................... 5
-. Cephalic foveae located in a deep pit. Metasoma without such pubescence, or pubescence sparse. Smaller species, body length generally less than 15 mm. Wings not so strongly fuscous and with weaker reflections............................... 6
5. Clypeus, mandible, and legs largely red (Fig. 6b)...................... Pseudagris holomelas rubripes (Giordani Soika)
-. Clypeus, mandible, and legs black, except inner side of fore tibia (Fig. 5a)........ Pseudagris holomelas holomelas (André)
6. Pit on vertex with elevated posterior margin (Fig. 12c). Mesosoma abundantly marked with orange-red; wings with bronzy reflections (Fig. 12a).................................................... Pseudagris versicolor (von Schulthess)
-. Pit on vertex not margined posteriorly (Figs. 1e, 4e, 9e, 10c). Mesosoma entirely black or with reduced brownish-red markings on anterior face of pronotum; wings with purplish reflections.................................................. 7
7. Apical margin of clypeus broader, 0.25× as wide as clypeus width (Figs. 1c, 9c)................................... 8
-. Apical margin of clypeus narrower, 0.20× as wide as clypeus width (Figs. 4c, 10c)................................. 9
8. Tegula densely micropunctate, without macropunctures. Apical tergites orange-red (Fig. 9a).................................................................................................... Pseudagris pygmaea Gusenleitner
-. Tegula with large macropunctures. Apical tergites yellowish-white (Fig. 1a)......... Pseudagris albicauda (von Schulthess)
9. Longitudinal carinae of clypeus sharp in ventral third, then becoming dull (Fig. 4c). Pit on vertex irregularly margined and nearly oval (Fig. 4e). Posterolateral angles of propodeum produced in an obtuse but distinct tooth, lateral margins denticulate; lateral face of propodeum with shallow and irregular striae. Basal depression of S2 margined anterolaterally by rounded bumps; S 2 in lateral view strongly convex basally, then flattened (Fig. 9e)..................... Pseudagris carinata (de Saussure)
-. Longitudinal carinae of clypeus sharp for entire length (Fig. 9b). Pit on vertex distinctly margined and small, heart-shaped (Fig. 9c). Posterolateral angles of propodeum entirely rounded, lateral margins not denticulate; lateral face of propodeum only with sparse barely visible punctures. Basal depression of S2 not margined by bumps; S 2 in lateral view almost regularly convex from base to apex (Fig. 9d)........................................................... Pseudagris tanzanica sp. nov.
10. Larger species, body length around 15 mm. Metasoma velvety due to dense short black pubescence (Fig. 5d). Wings strongly fuscous, almost black, with strong blue-purplish reflections (Fig. 5a). F11 thick and apically rounded....................................................................................... Pseudagris holomelas holomelas (André)
-. Smaller species, body length less than 12 mm. Metasoma without such pubescence. Wings less fuscous and with weak reflections. F11 different.............................................................................. 11
11. Free apical part of clypeus strongly tapering apically, apical margin reduced to a rounded point (Fig. 3b). F 11 in lateral view digitiform and straight with rounded apex, barely reaching basal margin of F9 (Fig. 3c). Metanotum short and oblique; dorsal faces of propodeum largely impunctate and touching behind metanotum (Fig. 3d)........ Pseudagris brunnea Gusenleitner
-. Free apical part of clypeus not strongly tapering, apical margin usually subtruncate and distinct even if narrow (Figs. 1b, 2b, 4b, 7b, 8b, 9b). F 11 in lateral view claw shaped and curved with pointed apex, reaching apex of F8 (Figs. 1d, 2c, 4d, 7c, 8c, 9d). Metanotum angled with a long posterior vertical face; dorsal faces of propodeum densely punctate and not touching behind metanotum......................................................................................... 12
12. F 11 in dorsal view apically pointed, nearly circular in section (Figs. 1d, 4d)...................................... 13
-. F 11 in dorsal view obliquely truncated at apex, flattened dorsoventrally (Figs. 2c. 7c, 8c, 9d)........................ 14
13. Longitudinal carinae of clypeus strongly marked (Fig. 4b). F11 shorter, 2.45× as long as basally wide in lateral view (Fig. 4d). Mesepisternum densely punctured, interspaces shorter than diameter of punctures. T4–T7 almost entirely orange (Fig. 4a)............................................................................ Pseudagris carinata (de Saussure)
-. Longitudinal carinae of clypeus weak, appearing as rounded folds (Fig. 1b). F11 longer, 3× as long as basally wide in lateral view (Fig. 1d). Mesepisternum more sparsely punctured, interspaces as long as diameter of punctures. T4 with thin apical band and T5–T7 largely white (Fig. 1a).......................................... Pseudagris albicauda (von Schulthess)
14. Posterior half of mesoscutum coarsely punctured, interspaces reduced to thin carinae, surface appearing dull. T1–T2 dull due to blackish pubescence and shallow punctures. Clypeus, T4–T7 and S5–S7 orange (Figs. 9a–b)................................................................................................. Pseudagris pygmaea Gusenleitner
-. Posterior half of mesoscutum less coarsely punctured, interspaces flattened and with some micropunctures, surface not dull. T1–T2 not dull. Coloration different..................................................................... 15
15. Clypeus apically rounded, without a distinct apical margin (Fig. 2b). F4–F8 weakly convex dorsally (Fig. 2c). Posterior face of propodeum not shiny. T1–T3 with dense and deep oblique punctures. Clypeus red, T4 with thin apical band and T5–T6 largely white, wings strongly fuscous and nearly matt black at base, with purplish reflections (Figs. 2a–b, 2d)................................................................................................ Pseudagris apicalis sp. nov.
-. Clypeus apically truncated, apical margin narrow but distinct (Figs. 7b, 8b). F4–F8 strongly convex dorsally (Figs. 7c, 8c). Posterior face of propodeum densely micropunctate but shiny. T1–T3 with shallower and sparser punctures. Clypeus yellow, metasomal markings different, wings not black at base....................................................... 16
16. Gena narrower, 0.4× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus, more or less linear in lower third (Fig. 8d); vertex strongly sloping in posterior half. Punctures on mesoscutum and mesepisternum sparser, interspaces exceeding half diameter of punctures. Black with reddish markings on head, mesosoma and fore legs, wings strongly fuscous with purplish reflections (Fig. 8a)............................................................................... Pseudagris nigrorufa sp. nov.
-. Gena wider, 0.6× as wide as eye at bottom of ocular sinus, occipital carina and eye diverging in lower third (Fig. 7d); vertex shallowly sloping in posterior third. Punctures on mesoscutum and mesepisternum denser, interspaces shorter than half diameter of punctures. Black with pale yellow lateral spots on T1–T4, wing weakly fuscous with brassy reflections (Fig. 7a)................................................................................... Pseudagris nigrithorax sp. nov.
Updated checklist of the species of Pseudagris
1. Pseudagris albicauda (von Schulthess, 1923)
2. Pseudagris apicalis sp. nov.
3. Pseudagris brunnea Gusenleitner, 2007
4. Pseudagris carinata (de Saussure, 1863)
5. Pseudagris holomelas holomelas (André, 1895)
5a. Pseudagris holomelas rubripes (Giordani Soika, 1987)
6. Pseudagris nigrithorax sp. nov.
7. Pseudagris nigrorufa sp. nov.
8. Pseudagris pygmaea Gusenleitner, 1998
9. Pseudagris tanzanica sp. nov.
10. Pseudagris tessmanniana (von Schulthess, 1913) stat. rev. et comb. nov.
11. Pseudagris versicolor (von Schulthess, 1914)
description: Published as part of Selis, Marco, 2023, Taxonomic revision of the Afrotropical genus Pseudagris de Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae), with description of four new species, pp. 201-230 in Zootaxa 5315 (3) on pages 202-229, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5315.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8130464