NguyenLien Thi PhuongKojimaJun-ichiDistribution and nests of paper wasps of Polistes (Polistella) in northeastern Vietnam, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae)Zookeys8120142014368456310.3897/zookeys.368.6426 Polistes (Polistella) japonicus http://species-id.net/wiki/Polistes_japonicus de Saussure, 1858Polistes japonicus de Saussure, 1858: 260, female, “le Japon” [lectotype in the Museum d’Histoire Naturelle, Géneve].Material examined.

Northeastern provinces: Bac Kan: 4 females, Kim Hy NP, Na Ri, 21°15'N, 106°06'E, alt. ca 270 m, 3−4.VIII.2012, J. Kojima, H. Nugroho et al.; Bac Giang: 2 females, Thanh Son, Son Dong, 21°13'N, 106°45'E, alt. ca 300 m, 1.VII.2010, P.H. Pham; Tay Yen Tu NP, Son Dong, 21°21'N, 106°11'E, P.H. Pham [2 females, alt. ca 200−300 m, 3.VII.2010; 1 female, alt. 150 m, 2.VII.2010]; 1 female, Khe Ro, Son Dong, 17.V.2013, D.D. Tran. Other provinces: Son La: 1 female, 20°50'37"N, 104°40'17"E, alt. ca 950m, Nong Truong, Moc Chau, 2.VII.2013, D.D. Nguyen; Lang Son: 1 female, Bac Son, 21°54'N, 106°19'E, 1.VII.2003, L.X. Truong. Other provinces: Phu Tho: 1 male, 6 females, Xuan Son NP, 21°10'N, 104°58'E, alt. ca 200−600 m, 13−16.VI.2004, L.T.P.Nguyen; 1 female, Xuan Dai, Tan Son, 20.V.2011, P.H. Pham; Ninh Binh: 1 male, 3 females, Cuc Phuong NP, 20°19'N, 105°37'E, 7−9.V.2002, T. V. Hoang; Thanh Hoa: 1 male, 2 females, Lung Cao, Ba Thuoc, 20°28'N, 105°10'E, alt. ca 500 m, 12.VI.2003; 1 female, Hon Can, Van Xuan, Thuong Xuan, 23−24.VIII.2012, L.T.P. Nguyen & T.V. Hoang; Nghe An: Mon Son, Con Cuong 18°56'N, 104°56'E [2 males, 2 females, 22−24.VII.2004, L.T.P. Nguyen; 1 female, 9.VIII.2002; 3 females, 11.VIII.2002; 2 females, 13.IX.2005]; 1 female, Pu Mat NP, 19°6'N, 104°44'E, 26.VII.2004, L.T.P. Nguyen; 1 female, Chau Cuong, Quy Hop, 19°21'N, 105°6'E, 14−19.VII.2004, H.X. Le; 1 female, Chau Thanh, Quy Hop, 19°23'N, 105°2'E, 16.VII.2004, H.X. Le; 1 female, Co Phat, Con Cuong, 18°53'N, 104°52'E, ca 200 m, 22.VII.2006, ISD−c; 1 female, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, 19°20'N, 104°34'E, 12.VII.2006; Ha Tinh: 4 males, 1female, Son Tay, Huong Son, 18°27'N, 105°20'E, 19−27.V.2004, L.T.P. Nguyen; 1 female, Rao An, Huong Son, 18°34'N, 105°10'E, 20.IV.1998, L.D. Khuat.

Remarks on distribution.

In Vietnam, this species has been recorded in the provinces of Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Hoa Binh, Ha Noi, Thua Thien Hue (Nguyen and Khuat 2003), Phu Tho, Hai Phong (Nguyen et al. 2005), Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam (Nguyen and Ta 2008), Son La (Nguyen and Pham 2011), Bac Kan, Lang Son, Bac Giang, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh (present study), showing that the species is widely distributed in Vietnam except for southern provinces. This species could occur widely in eastern parts of subtropical and temperate Asia, from Vietnam, through eastern parts of continental China, to Korea and Honshu Island of Japan; its closely related species, Polistes formosanus Sonan may co-occur with this species in Taiwan and only Polistes formosanus is known to occur in the Nansei Islands (Saito et al. 2007).

NguyenLTPKhuatLD (2003) A survey of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Ba Vi and Tam Dao National Parks.Proceedings of the 2nd National Conference on Life Sciences, Hue, July 2003: 658661. [In Vietnamese with English summary]NguyenLTPKojimaJSaitoF (2005) Survey of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Xuan Son and Cat Ba National Parks.Proceedings of the National Conference on Life Sciences, Hanoi Medical University, November 2005: 218-220. [In Vietnamese with English summary]NguyenLTPTaTH (2008) Survey of social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Truong Son range, which belong to Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Provinces.Proceeding of the 6th Vietnam National Conference on Entomology, Hanoi, April 2008: 964968. [In Vietnamese with English summary]NguyenLTPPhamPH (2011) Study on social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) from some natural reserves in northwestern Vietnam.Proceeding of the 7th Vietnam National Conference on Entomology, Hanoi, April 2011: 848851. [In Vietnamese with English summary]SaitoFKojimaJNguyenLTPKanukaM (2007) Polistes formosanus Sonan, 1927 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), a good species supported by both morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, and a key social wasp in understanding the historical biogeography of the Nansei Islands.Zoological Science24: 927-939. doi: 10.2108/zsj.24.927