Taxonomic notes on poorly known species of potter wasps (Vespidae: Eumeninae: Zethini) from India

ABSTRACT

Potter wasps belonging to the tribe Zethini are reviewed from India. A new synonym, Discoelius nigerrimus Nguyen, syn. nov.  = Discoelius turneri, is proposed. Zethus ceylonicus de Saussure, is re-described and the male recorded for the first time. A key to species of the tribe Zethini from India is included.

KEYWORDS:

• Eumeninae
• Zethini
• Discoelius
• Zethus
• new synonymy
• India

Acknowledgements

We express our thanks to Dr. C. A. Viraktamath for providing us with the specimens deposited in the insect museum under his care, Dr. Jeong Kyu Kim for providing important information on Discoelius and Dr. S. Ramani for helpful comments on the manuscript. We also thank Dr. L.T.P. Nguyen (Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam) for providing literature and clarification on D. turneri. We express sincere gratitude to Dr. Gavin Broad (British Museum of Natural History, London) for providing images of the type specimen of D. turneri, Viola Richter (Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin) for providing images of Zethus indicus and Frédérique Bakker (Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands) for sending images of Z. malabaricus and Z. albopilosus. We also acknowledge the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru. We are grateful to Dr. Lukasz Przybylowicz (editor) and three anonymous reviewers for the useful suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.