Regiscolia splendida ( Saussure, 1858 ), 2025

Regiscolia splendida ( Saussure, 1858) , comb. nov.

( Figs 89–92 View FIGURE 89 View FIGURE 90 View FIGURE 91 View FIGURE 92 )

Scolia ( Lacosi) splendida Saussure, 1858: 213 ( holotype, ♂, Asie , deposited in MNHN, France, not examined).

Scolia ( Discolia) splendida : Saussure & Sichel 1864: 116.

Scolia View in CoL ( Solia , Triscolia ) splendida : Dalla-Torre 1897: 183.

Scolia View in CoL ( Triscolia sectio Triscolia ) wetterensis Betrem, 1928: 237 (synonymised by Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443).

Scolia View in CoL ( Triscolia sectio Triscolia ) wetterensis floresensis Betrem, 1928: 238.

Scolia splendida : Betrem 1928: 338–339.

Megascolia ( Regiscolia) splendida splendida : Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443; Bradley 1974: 470; Osten 2005b: 44.

Megascolia ( Regiscolia) splendida floresensis : Betrem & Bradley 1964: 443; Osten 2005b: 44.

Type material examined. Holotype of Scolia ( Triscolia sectio Triscolia ) wetterensis (RMNH) , ♂, [white labels] ‘ Scolia wetterensis Betr Holotype det. Betrem’, ‘K. Schädler/ Wetter/ acg[?].1898’, [red label] ‘Holotype’ ( Fig. 89 View FIGURE 89 ).

Holotype of Scolia ( Triscolia sectio Triscolia ) wetterensis floresensis (RMNH), ♂, [white labels] ‘ Scolia wetterensis subspec florensis Betr Holotype det. Betrem’, ‘H. Ten Kate/ O. Flores / 1891’, [red label] ‘Holotype’ ( Fig. 90 View FIGURE 90 ).

Diagnosis. Regiscolia splendida ( Saussure, 1858) , comb. nov. differs from R. alecto (Smith, 1858) , comb. nov., R. almoraensis ( Gupta & Jonathan, 2003) , comb. nov., R. azurea ( Christ, 1791) , comb. nov., R. bidens ( Linnaeus, 1767) , comb. nov., R. capitata ( Fabricius, 1804) , comb. nov., R. fulvifrons ( Saussure, 1855) , comb. nov., R. maculata ( Drury, 1773) , comb. nov. and R. rubida ( Gribodo, 1893) , comb. nov. in both sexes (see remarks section for the female diagnosis) by having the mesosoma marked with orange on pronotum and scutum (except in ssp. floresensis ). In constrast in R. alecto , R. almoraensis , R. azurea , R. bidens , R. capitata , R. fulvifrons , R. maculata , and R. rubida , the mesosoma is entirely melanistic (sometimes only scutellum with yellowish).

Moreover, R. splendida differs from R. almoraensis , R. bidens , R. maculata , and R. rubida , in both sexes, by having the wings entirely dark. Whereas in R. almoraensis , R. bidens , R. maculata , and R. rubida , the wings are bicolored, yellowish in the cells and dark elsewhere (in R. almoraensis the wings are almost entirely black).

The ssp. florensis , known only from the male, is distinguished from R. alecto by having the metasoma marked with orange-yellow on the T3. Whereas in R. alecto , the mesosoma and metasoma are entirely melanistic.

The ssp. florensis is distinguished from R. azurea in males, by having the pilosity of the metasoma entirely black (yellow in the colored areas). Whereas in R. azurea , the metasoma has red pilosity apically.

The ssp. florensis is distinguished from R. capitata by having an entirely black mesosoma. Whereas in R. capitata , the mesosoma is marked with yellow on scutellum, metanotum and dorso-median area of propodeum.

The ssp. florensis is distinguished from R. fulvifrons by having the head being predominantly yellow. Whereas in R. fulvifrons , the head is predominantly black.

Female. Undescribed (see remarks).

Redescription. Male ( Figs 89 View FIGURE 89 , 90 View FIGURE 90 ). Length 24–28 mm.

Head ( Figs 89C View FIGURE 89 , 90C View FIGURE 90 ). Inner margin of mandible with three distinct tooth (third apical tooth sometimes blunt and barely visible). Disk of clypeus with few coarse and dense punctures medially, denser and finer punctures basally and laterally. Frontal spatium with dense, tight and fine punctures. Fissura frontalis barely visible after the frontal spatium, not reaching the anterior ocellus. Frontal cross-furrow barely visible, its extension reaching the upper lobe of the eye. Anterior ocelli depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with dense and coarse punctures, except in front of anterior ocellus with an impunctate area and between ocular sinus and spatium frontal. Vertex behind the ocelli with dense and coarse punctures.

Mesosoma ( Figs 89A View FIGURE 89 , 90A View FIGURE 90 ). Pronotum with dense and fine punctures over its entire surface. Tegula with few coarse punctures anteriorly, with shallow and dense micropunctures on the rest. Scutum with fine and dense punctures basally and laterally; coarse and sparse punctures medially, with impunctate area. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally, sparser and coarser medially and mostly impunctate apically. Metanotum with fine and dense punctures laterally, impunctate line in the middle. Dorso-lateral area of propodeum with an impunctate area (mirror); with fine, dense and tight punctures. Dorso-median area of propodeum with fine, tight and dense punctures over its entire surface. Anterior margin of the marginal cell longer than posterior margin. Forewing with three submarginal cells.

Metasoma ( Figs 89A View FIGURE 89 , 90A View FIGURE 90 ). T1 with a strong tubercle; very dense and fine punctures laterally and apically; more coarsely and sparsely punctate basally at the level of tubercle. T2 with fine, tight and dense punctures; sparser punctures medially. T3 largely impunctate medially, with dense and fine punctures laterally and apically, less dense and sparse punctures basally. T4-T6 similarly punctate. S1 raised in the middle, with dense punctures. S2 without tubercle; with dense and fine punctures basally and laterally, mostly impunctate medially and apically. S3 with very sparse punctures medially, more denser laterally. S4-S6 similarly punctate.

Coloration ( Figs 89 View FIGURE 89 , 90 View FIGURE 90 ). Clypeus, frons, vertex and tempora yellow-orange, and sometimes frontal area. Mesosoma entirely black in the floresensis subspecies ( Fig. 90 View FIGURE 90 ), with yellow markings on pronotum, entire scutum and scutellum in the nominal subspecies ( Fig. 89 View FIGURE 89 ). Metasoma black, marked with two yellow-orange spots sometimes fused. Wings entirely dark. Pilosity black, yellow in the colored areas.

Genitalia. Known only from the two type specimens, genitalia have not been examined.

Distribution. Indonesia ( East Nusa Tenggara [ Flores, Rote]; Maluku [Wetar]) ( Saussure 1858; Betrem 1928) ( Fig. 91 View FIGURE 91 ).

Biology. Unknown.

Remarks. The female of Regiscolia splendida is unknown and has never been described. However, photographs published on iNaturalist by Colin Trainor (user “colintrainor”) show an undescribed Regiscolia female, exhibiting a habitus very similar to that of the male of R. splendida ( Fig. 92 View FIGURE 92 ). This observation was made on Rote Island (Rote Ndao Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, 10°55’20.1”S 122°50’53.0”E), located near Flores and Wetar. Given the locality and the strong morphological resemblance to the male R. splendida , it is highly likely that this individual represents the undescribed female of this species. Moreover, its distinctive habitus, as in the male of R. splendida , is sufficiently different to avoid confusion with any other known species of Regiscolia . Based on the available photographs, a preliminary description of the habitus can be proposed: frons, vertex, and temples yellow-orange. Mesosoma black, pronotum and scutum (entirely) yellow-orange. Metasoma black, with two yellow-orange spots. Pilosity black, turning yellow-orange in the colored areas. In addition, the following morphological details can be noted: frons and vertex almost impunctate; pronotum with sparse punctures laterally; scutum largely impunctate; T1 with a prominent tubercle.

Two subspecies of R. splendida are recognized ( Betrem & Bradley 1964; Osten 2005b): ssp. splendida ( Saussure, 1858) from Wettar and Rote islands ( Figs 89 View FIGURE 89 , 92 View FIGURE 92 ) and ssp. floresensis ( Betrem, 1928) from Flores island ( Fig. 90 View FIGURE 90 ).

Key to subspecies of Regiscolia splendida

(female undescribed)

1. Mesosoma View in CoL black ( Fig. 90 View FIGURE 90 ). Flores island................................................ ssp. floresensis (Betrem)

- Pronotum, scutum and scutellum yellowish-orange ( Fig. 89 View FIGURE 89 ). Wetar, Rote islands.............. ssp. splendida (Saussure)