Polistes (Epicnemius) subsericeus de Saussure 1854

Polistes (Epicnemius) subsericeus de Saussure, 1854 (Figs 73, 74) Polistes subsericeus de Saussure, 1854: 100, ♂. Diagnosis. Female. Body pigmentation dark brown to black, with lighter mesosoma, yellow apical band on tergum I, yellow bands on propodeal area. Wings pigmentation reddish to brown. Intermediate size, about 20 mm in total length. Clypeus long than wider, covered by short bristles at its base becoming long toward the apex, and large sized deep punctures present only in the apical region, pointed apex, clypeus-eye touching for an extent equal to or greater than width of antennal socket; gena width at midlength equal to or slightly wider than eye; occipital carina strong, extending through entire gena; humeri slightly projecting; dorsal groove incomplete; mesepisternum with short and dense bristles, small and shallow punctation; propodeal concavity absent, propodeal striae strong along entire length; tergum I longer than wide, with short and dense bristles and weak, small, and shallow punctures; tergum II wider or as wide as long, short and dense bristles, weakly punctate. Male. Similar to females, except for the contact between the clypeus and the eye for a distance smaller than the diameter of the antennal socket, central region of the gena with width smaller than the eye. Material examined. 30♀, 14♂ in total. Brazil: Bahia, 1♀ (MNB), 1♂ (NHM); Brasília, 1♀, 1♂ (NHM); Mato Grosso, 1♀ (INPA), 1♀ (MZSP), 19♀, 9♂ (NHM); Minas Gerais, 1♀ (MNHN); Rio de Janeiro, 1♀ [Lectotype] (MNHN); Roraima, 1♀ (AMNH); Santa Catarina, 1♀ (MNB); São Paulo, 1♂ (AMNH), 1♀ (MNHN), 1♂ (MZSP), 1♀, 1♂ (NHM). Distribution. Brazil: Amapá, Amazonas, Bahia, Distrito Federal, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Pará, Rio de Janeiro, Roraima, Santa São Paulo; Colombia; Venezuela; Guyana; Suriname; French Guiana; Bolivia; Paraguay.