Notes on three species of PisonSCIENTIFIC Jurine, 1808 (: COMMUNICATION ) collected in Rio Claro (SP), Brazil. 89

NOTES ON THREE SPECIES OF JURINE, 1808 (HYMENOPTERA: CRABRONIDAE) COLLECTED IN RIO CLARO (SP), BRAZIL

N.P.O. Pinto1, H.G. Fowler1, E.A. Digiampietri Filho1, N. Gobbi2 lDepartamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. 24-A, l5l5, CEP 13506-900, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The Pison Jurine (in Spinola), 1808 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) was revised by Menke, 1988 and three subgenera were placed in synonymy with Pison: Pisonoides F. Smith, 1858; Krombeiniellum Richards,1962 and Entomopison Menke, 1968a. The genus includes 42 native species in the Neotropical Region and more of the half of these are found in Brazil. Some of them make mud nests on diverse substrates, such as: on the underface of broad leafs, on the wall of human constructions, boxes, windows, and in the edges of roofs. The coccons of some of these species are closed cells with a fine layer of mud in a small abandoned nest (made on vegetable fibres) of Mischocyttarus de Saussure, 1853 sp. (Hymenoptera.: Vespoidea, Vespidae, Polistinae, Mischocyttarini). This is the first record of nesting behavior for this species. Male of P. duckei is still undescribed. The third specie observed was P. delicatum Menke, n sp.

KEY WORDS: Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Pison duckei, P. aureofaciale P. delicatum,, behavior.

RESUMO

O gênero Pison Jurine (in Spinola), 1808 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) foi revisado por Menke, 1988 e três subgêneros foram colocados em sinonímia com Pison: Pisonoides F. Smith, 1858; Krombeiniellum Richards, 1962 e Entomopison Menke, 1968a. O gênero contém 42 espécies nativas na Região Neotropical e mais da metade dessas espécies são encontradas no Brasil. Algumas delas constróem ninhos de barro em diferentes substratos: na face inferior de largas folhas, em paredes de alvenaria, caixas, janelas, beirais de telhado. Os casulos de algumas dessas espécies são constituídos de minúsculos grãos de areia perfeitamente encaixados e fixados pela larva da vespa antes de empupar, como os observados em P. aureofaciale Strand,1910. Foram encontrados exemplares de P. duckei Menke,1968b, um macho e uma fêmea, em células fechadas com fina camada de barro em pequeno ninho abandonado (feito de fibras vegetais) de Mischocyttarus de Saussure, 1853 sp. (Hymenoptera : Vespoidea, Vespidae, Polistinae, Mischocyttarini) sendo este o primeiro relato do hábito de nidificação e descrição do casulo para a espécie. Macho desta espécie ainda não foi descrito. A terceira espécie observada foi de P. delicatum, Menke, n.sp.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Pison duckei, P. aureofaciale, P. delicatum, compor- tamento

Crabronid of the genus Pison Jurine, 1808 Some species make aerial nests of mud and are found (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) were observed in ani- in several regions of Brazil, such as: P. pilosum Smith, mal rearing facility (a building measuring 30 x 39 m P. aranevorax Menke, which build mud cells in different with an internal garden) of the Instituto de Biociências, sheltered places (Menke, l988) and P. aureofaciale at Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Rio Cla- Strand, like P. sphaerophallus Menke, which also makes ro, SP, Brazil (22° 25’S, 47° 32’W, 612 m). This genus mud nests on varied substrates and their cocoons are has approximately 200 species describeds worldwide constitued of microsized sand grains inserted and and only North America lacks native species (BOHART fixed by the larva of the (PINTO et al., in press). A & MENKE, 1976; MENKE, 1988; ANTROPOV, 1994). In the nest of P. delicatum Menke, a rather common South Neotropical Region, 42 species of Pison occur (MENKE, American species, was found in concealed places and 1988; MENKE & FERNÁNDEZ, 1996). The species of New the cocoons contained microsized sand grains (PINTO World are segregated into 12 groups (MENKE, 1988). et al., pers. obs.). P. cressoni Rohwer builds a mud cell

2Depto. de Ecologia e CEA – UNESP - Rio Claro (SP).

Arq. Inst. Biol., São Paulo, v.69, n.1, p.89-91, jan./mar., 2002 90 N.P.O. Pinto et al.

nest on bird’s nests (ONIKI, 1970 a, b in MENKE, 1988) Two nests (Fig. 1) were collected, placed into Petri and also builds mud cells on the interior of abandoned dishes, and taken to the laboratory on November 17th nests of Polybia Lepeletier, 1836 (Hymenoptera : 1998. A specimen of crabronid emerged in the next Vespidae) wasps (Wenzel in litt.), and makes nests in day. A second crabronid emerged on October 1st, other sheltered situations (MENKE 1988). Specimens of 1999. One of the nests contained 11 cells from which Pison longicorne Menke emerged from mud cells, under 2 (the largest ones) were closed with a fine layer of the envelope of an old nest of Metapolybia Ducke, mud. Subsequently, these were examined under a 1905a (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) (RICHARDS, field stereomicroscope and interior holes of 1 mm in size notes 160 and 160A, BMNH, in Menke, 1988). between the cells were detected. Neither cocoons nor Eight small abandoned nests of Mischocyttarus sp. remains of hosts in the nest were encountered. The (Hym.: Vespoidea, Vespidae, Polistinae, second nest had 40 cells. One cell closed with mud Mischocyttarini), constructed of vegetable fibers, were was opened revealing 2 firm, light chesnut colored observed. Some cells of these nests were closed with cocoons, with few embedded microsized sand grains. a fine layer of red mud. Mischocyttarus cerberus styx A dark thick meconium with a fine and light colored RICHARDS, 1940, M. cassununga Ihering, 1903 and M. layer over one of their extremities was observed. Some drewseni de Saussure, 1857c were observed throughout threads externally covered the cocoons, and adults the year (nesting in open places). Based on Richards wasps emerged from the cell through lateral holes. A (1978), the nests of M. cerberus (Duke) are small, third nest, with similar characteristics, was found on subtriangular or subcircular comb, with an excentric a edge of a roof on February 15th, 2000. It contained 11 pedicel, and of a light brown coloration. The cells, one of which was closed with mud. On September distribution of M. cerberus styx in Brazil encompasses 15th, 2000 the nest was examined and remains of the states of São Paulo, Goiás and Mato Grosso , a larva, and the cocoon were observed. Five (RICHARDS, 1978). Commonly, nests of this species other nests with similar characteristics to previous consist of 1 to 4 adults which fly away when disturbed. ones were colected during 2000. Six of the eight nests M. cerberus styx mimics Agelaia pallipes Olivier showed holes which ranged from 1 to 1.5 mm in the (Hymenoptera : Vespidae, Polistinae, Epiponini) lower parts of the cells near to the ones closed with which is also found in the area, and becomes agressive mud. No cocoons or adults of P. duckei were found. when disturbed. Specimens of (Trypoxylon) Partially consumed were found in 6 nests. sp. (Hymenoptera : Crabronidae) were found in an Pison wasps provision cells with spiders (BOHART abandoned nest of M. cassununga (nest with more than & MENKE, 1976; MENKE, 1988). Some species of Pison 80 cells) in the same place. prefer specific spider species and the last spider

AB

b2

b1

b3 Fig. l – A) Nest of Mischocyttarus sp. (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) with 11 cells, 2 closed with a fine layer of mud and with lateral holes. B) Nest of Mischocyttarus sp. (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) with 40 cells, where cocoons of Pison duckei Menke (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) were located: b1 – a nest with 1 mud-closed cell: b2 – 2 cocoons inside this cell: b3 – detail of the cocoon with some mineral particles present.

Arq. Inst. Biol., São Paulo, v.69, n.1, p.89-91, jan./mar., 2002 Notes on three species of Pison Jurine, 1808 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) collected in Rio Claro (SP), Brazil. 91 introduced in the cell receives the wasp’s egg (BOHART REFERENCES & MENKE, 1976). Adults which emerged from the second nest were ANTROPOV, A.V. A Review of the Agile Species Group of sent to Arnold S. Menke, at the Ammophila Research Pison (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae: ). J. Hym. Institute, Bisbee, Arizona, USA, who stated that :²Your Res., v.3, p.114-132, 1994. BOHART, R M. & MENKE A.S. Sphecid wasps of the world: a Pison, a male and a female, appear to be duckei Menke, generic revision. Berkeley: University of California, but your material is outside to known range of duckei, 1976. 695p. and the specimens are somewhat atypical. MENKE, A.S. Pison in the new world: a revision Unfortunately, I have no material here to compare (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae: Trypoxylini). Contrib. with your wasp. For the time being I guess you can call Am. Entomol. Inst., Ann Arbor, v.24, n.3, p.1- the wasp duckei with a question mark.” Males of P. 171,.1988. duckei (Stangei Group) are not presently described. P. MENKE, A.S. & FERNÁNDEZ, C.F. Claves ilustradas para las duckei ranges from Panamá to central Brazil (MENKE, subfamilias, tribus y géneros de esfécidos neotropicales 1988) and our observations are from South-East Brazil, (: Sphecidae). Rev. Biol. Trop., v.44, n.2, p.1-68, approximately 660 km south of Brasília. The 1996. specimens will be deposited as voucher specimens in RICHARDS, O.W. The social wasps of the Americas excluding the Vespinae. Norwich: British Museum of Natural the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC, USA. History. Fletcher & Son, 1978. 521 p. Acknowledgements

To Arnold S. Menke, from Ammophila Research Institute, Bisbee, Arizona, USA, for the identification of the specimens of Pison duckei Menke, Pison aureofaciale Strand, Pison delicatum Menke and Received on 5/6/01 comments on the text. Accepted on 15/4/02

Arq. Inst. Biol., São Paulo, v.69, n.1, p.89-91, jan./mar., 2002