Ropalidia puncta (FABRICIUS 1804), 2025

Ropalidia puncta (FABRICIUS 1804) stat. rev.

Polistes punctum FABRICIUS 1804 (type deposited in Museum Kiel; later relocated to Copenhagen)

Icaria distigma GERSTAECKER 1857 , syn. nov.

Icaria cariniscutis CAMERON 1910 View in CoL

Type material. A specimen with the label Nova Cambria Dom. Billardiere, deposited in the SNM. This specimen has caused some confusion, attributed to either R. cincta or R. guttatipennis ( van Der Vecht, 1959) . The specimen is in poor condition; essentially, it is only a posterior part of the mesosoma, posterior coxa, femur III and a right posterior wing. (Supplementary Figure 13 View FIGURE 13 ). In addition, there is another free (unattached) pronotum, which is mainly yellow (Supplementary Figure 14 View FIGURE 14 ). However, a careful comparison indicates that the free pronotum is more or less intact, while the pinned specimen still has remaining parts of the pronotum attached to the antero-lateral margins of the mesonotum, suggesting that these are the remains of two species. Therefore, the free pronotum is excluded from the taxonomic analysis, as it certainly belongs to another specimen. The examination of the pinned remains suggested a species that has predominantly ferruginous basal colour, developed upper propodeal carina, strong and irregular striae, golden pubescence and yellowish valvula; coxa is ferruginous. This description fits Ropalidia distigma (GERSTAECKER) . Interestingly, one specimen of this taxon from the NHRS collection suggest the similar; Anders Gustaf Dahlbom (1806–1859) labelled a specimen as “ Epipona punctum ”, “ Polistes id. Fabr. Typ. in Mus. Kiel Collat. A GD” (Supplementary Figure 15 View FIGURE 15 ), possibly suggesting that he compared this specimen with the type and found them to be conspecific.

Icaria distigma GERSTAECKER. The type is deposited in MFNB; it fits the species features, including propodeal striations, lack of strongly developed inferior propodeal carina, ferruginous legs and antenna. The type is in relatively good condition, missing antenna and a few legs, but providing sufficient evidence for status assessment.

Icaria cariniscutis CAMERON. The type is deposited in NHM. The specimen is characterized by a very lightly coloured antenna and striated propodeum, and darker legs, as already indicated in the species description ( Cameron, 1910). It has been proposed as a synonym of R. distigma by Meade Waldo (Meade-Waldo, 1913). The examination of the NHRS collection revealed two specimens ( NHRS 8284, NHRS 8285) that have the same label and originate from Usambara , Mombo , listed as the locus typicus. Both specimens have all features of the Kenyan-Tanzanian cluster of R. puncta (FABRICIUS) stat. rev., with striated propodeum, plenty of yellow colour on the face, ferruginous antenna and a black apical spot of the fore wing.

Comments. A larger species of the genus, with an interesting distribution pattern, aligned with genetic COI lineage analysis.Although the majority of specimens were seen from South Africa, there is an interesting cluster that is prevalent in Tanzania and Kenya, which was previously labelled as R. cariniscutis (CAMERON) . Some specimens of this species may be hard to separate from closely related R. aethiopica (DU BUYSSON) , including males. The feature that is very useful in females, golden pubescence on frons, is common in South Africa ( Figure 103a View FIGURE 103 ), while the specimens from Eastern Africa, primarily Kenya, commonly have silvery frons pubescence ( Figure 103b View FIGURE 103 ).

Genetics. In line with morphological issues, there are also problems in the genetics of this group, originating in three separate genetic clusters attributable to this species (further discussion on the entire group is provided under R. aethiopica DU BUYSSON ).