Gigascolia speciosa (Smith, 1858), 2025

Gigascolia speciosa (Smith, 1858) , comb. nov.

( Figs 7 View FIGURE 7 , 11 View FIGURE 11 , 12 View FIGURE 12 )

Scolia speciosa Smith, 1858a: 90 ( holotype, ♀, Sarawak, deposited in NHM, not examined; allotype examined, details below);

Cameron 1901: 18. Scolia ( Triscolia) speciosa : Saussure & Sichel 1864: 44; Cameron 1892: 101. Scolia View in CoL ( Scolia View in CoL sectio Triscolia ) speciosa : Dalla-Torre 1897: 183. Triscolia speciosa : Cameron 1905: 53. Triscolia speciosa : Micha 1927: 140–141. Scolia View in CoL ( Triscolia sectio Megascolia ) speciosa : Betrem 1928: 243. Megascolia ( Megascolia) speciosa : Betrem & Bradley 1964: 441; Bradley & Betrem 1967: 322; Gupta & Jonathan 2003:135;

Osten 2005b: 44.

Type material examined. Allotype of Scolia speciosa (RMNH) , ♂, ‘R. Limbang / April 12.1910.’ ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 ).

Other material examined. Malaysia. Perak state. 1♀, Tapah , IV.2013 (local coll. leg.) [ CJBC] . Indonesia. Kalimantan Barat province. 1♀, Mount Bawang , 10.IV.2024 (local coll. leg.) [ CJBC] .

Diagnosis. Gigascolia speciosa (Smith, 1858) , comb. nov. differs from G. speciosissima Castagnet & Cabon , sp. nov. in females by having the apical margin of clypeus straight, without a prominent median lobe; the dorso-median area of propodeum almost impunctate; and the T1 largely impunctate medially. In contrast, in G. speciosa the apical margin of clypeus has a prominent median lobe; the dorso-median area of propodeum is almost entirely punctate; and the T1 is largely punctate medially. The male of G. speciosissima is unknown.

Redescription. Female ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ). Length 32–36 mm.

Head ( Figs 11B, C View FIGURE 11 ). Anterior edge of clypeus without median lobe. Disk of clypeus slightly domed in the middle; very finely and densely punctate laterally; impunctate medially; very densely and finely punctate apically, bearing long and dense setae. Fissura frontalis weak but distinct, barely reaching the level of the lamina frontalis and ending in a shallow pit. Frons impunctate. Vertex almost entirely impunctate, with fine, very sparse punctures behind; sparse punctures at median ocelli, forming a line connecting the two eyes.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 11D View FIGURE 11 ). Pronotum very finely and densely punctate basally, impunctate on the rest. Tegula largely impunctate; near scutum densely and finely punctate; in the middle with one or two very coarse punctures. Scutum with fine, sparse and irregular punctures basally and laterally; largely impunctate medially and apically. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally; rest impunctate. Metanotum very finely and densely punctate all over. Basal part of dorso-lateral area of propodeum impunctate; apical part very finely and densely punctate. Dorso-median area of propodeum impunctate, except apical angles densely punctate. Mesopleura densely and finely punctate with long, dense setae. Anterior half of upper plate of metapleure densely and finely punctate, posterior half impunctate. Lower plate of metapleura densely and finely punctate over its entire surface. Apical end of hind femur bearing dense tuft of setae (scopa), without spines. Second transverso-cubital vein reaching the same level as the junction between the first transverso-cubital vein and the radial area.

Metasoma ( Fig. 11E View FIGURE 11 ). T1 largely impunctate basally and medially; very densely and finely punctate apically; more coarsely and sparsely punctate laterally. T2 and T3 with very fine, dense punctures basally and apically; impunctate medially, with a few scattered coarse punctures. T4 and T5 with similar punctures. Hypopygidium coarsely and densely punctate, except medially with impunctate area. S1 impunctate basally, domed and very densely and finely punctate apically. S2 with a prominent basal tubercle, very finely and densely punctate; the pilosity forming a tuft; with coarse, sparse punctures basally and medially; apical part densely and finely punctate laterally, with an impunctate surface in the middle. S3 to S5 with similar punctures.

Coloration ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ). Head black, marked with a large rounded yellow spot on frons and vertex with only the ocellar region black; tempora sometimes marked with a yellow spot.Antennae black. Mesosoma black, marked with yellow on pronotum, sides of scutum close to pronotum, upper part of mesopleura, dorso-median and dorso-lateral area of propodeum. Metasoma black, with two yellow spots on T3 and two small yellow spots on S3. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with greenish reflections. Pilosity entirely black; yellow on the colored areas.

Male ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 ). Length 28 mm.

Head ( Figs 12B, C View FIGURE 12 ). Inner margin of mandible with two distinct tooth. Disk of clypeus densely punctate, impunctate medially. Fissura frontalis weak but distinct, barely reaching the level of the lamina frontalis and ending in a shallow pit. Cross-furrow indistinct, its extension ending in the upper part of ocular sinus. Frontal spatium with very dense, fine, tight and shallow punctures. Median ocelli slightly depressed, larger than posterior ocelli. Frons with sparse and coarse punctures, almost entirely impunctate in front of the median ocellus. Vertex with fine and sparse punctures.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 12D View FIGURE 12 ). Pronotum with fine and dense punctures on basal half, almost impunctate on the apical half. Tegula almost entirely impunctate, with few scattered and coarse punctures. Scutum with fine and dense punctures; with coarse and scattered punctures laterally; with two distinct areas almost impunctate medially. Scutellum with fine and dense punctures basally and medially, impunctate apically. Metanotum very finely and densely punctate, almost impunctate apically. Basal part of dorso-lateral area of propodeum impunctate; apical part very finely and densely punctate. Dorso-median area of propodeum impunctate, except apical angles with dense and coarse punctures. Lateral carina of the propodeum slightly exceeding the spiracle. Forewing with three submarginal cells.

Metasoma ( Fig. 12E View FIGURE 12 ). T1 very densely and finely punctate apically; more coarsely and sparsely punctate laterally; largely impunctate basally and medially. T2 very finely and densely punctate all over. T3 with very dense and fine punctures, with an impunctate triangular area basally in the middle. T4 to T6 with similar punctures, but the impunctate area very reduced. S2 with a strong tubercle, finely and densely punctate; with coarse, sparse punctures basally and medially; apical part densely and finely punctate laterally, with an impunctate area in the middle. S3 to S6 with similar punctures.

Coloration ( Fig. 12 View FIGURE 12 ). Head predominantly yellow; mandibles, frontal spatium, ocellar region, vertex apically black. Antennae black. Mesosoma black, marked with yellow on pronotum, sides of scutum near pronotum, upper and lower part of mesopleura, metanotum, dorso-lateral and dorso-median areas of propodeum. Metasoma black, with a thin yellow band on the basal part of T3 and two yellow spots on S3. Legs black. Wings entirely dark, with greenish/blue reflections. Pilosity entirely black; yellow on the colored areas.

Genitalia. Following examination and dissection of the type specimen, the genitalia were not recovered and are presumed lost.

Distribution. Indonesia ( Riau Islands, West Kalimantan), Malaysia ( Perak, Sarawak, Terengganu) ( Smith 1858a; Cameron 1892, 1901, 1905; Betrem 1928) ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ).

Biology. Unknown.

Remarks. Smith (1858) described Scolia speciosa from a female collected in Malaysia ( Sarawak). He gave a very detailed description, specifying that this species is one of the most beautiful in the genus, and that it has never before been captured outside Borneo. It took 70 years for the male to be described by Betrem (1928), also from the island of Borneo. However, Cameron (1901) had already provided a brief description of the male based on material from Bukit Besar mountain ( Terengganu), which seems to have gone unnoticed.