Metapolybia carpenteriana Andena & Noll 2024, sp. nov.

Metapolybia carpenteriana Andena & Noll sp. nov. Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Diagnosis. Very like M. suffusa in color and general aspects, but with yellow markings more isolated with only the metasoma being more extensively reddish resembling the M. suffusa pattern, the head is more distinctly excavated and emarginated behind, lateral pronotal carina more raised and somewhat sharp, propodeum with fewer and shorter bristles and most of them concentrated on the posterior region, and tergum I more produced after spiracles. Description. Female. Size: 5.5 mm. Length of fore wing 5.5 mm. Color: Blackish species with yellow markings as follows: spot in U-shape on clypeus, inner orbits, and bottom of gena; mandibles with a yellow band extending longitudinally; broad band on anterior margin of pronotum, covering the lateral pronotal carina, interrupted medially and posterior margin of pronotum, fading to sides, both connected dorsally forming an X shape; two lateral spots on scutellum, metanotum and bottom of propodeum; axilla yellow; Antennal articles blackish, last three antennomeres brownish / reddish beneath, scape brownish above and yellowish beneath; Fore legs blackish, coxae with yellow spots, tibia and tarsus orange, mid and hind legs blackish, coxae sometimes with yellow spots. Metasoma orange / reddish, yellow bands on tergum and sternum I to V. Body surface covered with yellowish tomentum. Wings hyaline, venation brown. Head: (1) clypeus 1.8 times wider than longer with punctures shallow, scattered, separated by more than 2.0 diameters; (2) inter-antennal prominence moderately raised, subacute with weak medial furrow; (3) frons and vertex with punctures denser than clypeus, shallow separated by about 1.0–2.0 diameters; (4) gena 0.75–0.8 wider than width of the eyes, slightly narrowing to mandibular condyle, punctures very shallow and scattered; (5) tempora narrowing to vertex; (6) posterior region of the head excavated, moderately emarginated. Mesosoma: (1) pronotum with very shallow and scattered punctures, lateral pronotal carina raised, subacute to acute; (2) humeri do not at all projected in front of tegula, rounded; (3) pretegular carina acute on upper region, curved, not interrupted; (4) scutum 1.1 times wider than longer with very small and scattered punctures; (5) mesopleura with shallow punctures separated by more than 2.0 diameters, like those on frons and vertex; (6) scutellum very slightly concave, almost flat, with shallow punctures or absent, indistinct, medial line raised anteriorly, weakly marked posteriorly; (7) metanotum slightly concave, slightly pointed posteriorly; (8) metapleuron with scattered punctures, upper plate 1.5 times longer than wide; (9) propodeum, with moderately long and sparse outstanding hairs, predominantly on posterior region; (10) propodeal concavity narrow and moderately deep, developed anteriorly, weakly striate, not extending laterally, scattered punctuation; (11) prestigma as long as wide, tip rounded-truncate. Metasoma: (1) first metasomal tergum filiform, widening little after the prominent spiracles, slightly convex in lateral view, moderately prominent after spiracles; (2) second metasomal tergum 1.5 times wider than long, coriaceous (3) tergum three to six moderately to densely punctured. Male. Like female except for the more extensive yellow spots; mandibles entirely yellow; clypeus yellow with a very small brown spot dorsally; tip of clypeus rounded – truncate, compressed, narrower with silvery pubescence, and fewer and shorter bristles; fore coxae almost entirely yellow; dorsal region of mid and hind coxae also yellow; gena narrower; excavation on posterior region of head less distinct, more rounded. Male genitalia: see male genitalia description section below. Nest. Unknown. Distribution. Ecuador: Napo; Peru: Loreto. Type material. Holotype. Ecuador • 1 female; Prov. Napo, 10 km W Misahualli; 16 Dec. 1990; Carpenter & Wenzel; Nest 901216-4; AMNH. Paratype. Ecuador • 19 females, 2 males; same data as for holotype; one male with extracted genitalia pinned together; AMNH. Other material. Ecuador • 51 females, 4 males; same data as for holotype. Peru • 15 females; Loreto, Iquitos, Rio Nanay; 2 Jan. 1991; Carpenter & Wenzel; Nest 910102-3; AMNH. Etymology. The specific name honors Dr. James M. Carpenter, who recognized all these new species described in this work and asked us to describe them, and also for his contribution to the knowledge on the systematics of Vespidae around the world.