Sphecodes turneri Cockerell, 1916 Figures 135-138, 139-144

Sphecodes turneri Cockerell, 1916: 430, ♀ (holotype: ♀, India, Assam, Shilong, 5.03., B. Turner, 1905-125. 17a.561; NHMUK 013380320; examined).

Diagnosis.

This species differs from other species of the genus by having forewings with two submarginal cells (Fig. 143) (versus three cells in other Sphecodes species).

Descriptive notes.

Wings with brownish darkening; hind wing with the angle between basal (M) and cubital (Cu) veins ca. 70°, costal margin with eight or nine hamuli. Female. Total body length 8-9 mm. Head transverse (Fig. 135), ca. 1.3 times as wide as long; vertex elevated with distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus ca. one and a half lateral ocellar diameter as seen in frontal view; ocello-ocular area shining, with punctures separated by 0.5-2 puncture diameters; paraocular and supraclypeal areas with dense adpressed white plumose pubescence, gena with sparser pubescence. Mesoscutum (Fig. 137) irregularly punctate, denser peripherally and with large interspaces medially (20-35 μm / 0.5-5); mesoscutellum sparsely punctate withlarge impunctate interspaces; propodeal triangle (metapostnotum) with longitudinal parallel wrinkles (Fig. 137); lateral parts of propodeum striate-rugose; mesepisternum reticulate-rugose (Fig. 136). Metasoma with a mixture of minute and coarse punctures (5-25 μm / 1-3) (Fig. 138); marginal zones T1 entirely and T2 medially punctate Pygidial plate narrow, 0.4 times as wide as metabasitarsus; T1-T4 red. Male (new). Total body length 7.0-8.5 mm. Head (Fig. 139) weakly transverse, 1.15 times as wide as long; vertex elevated, with distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus ca. one and a half of a lateral ocellar diameter as seen in frontal view; antenna long, reaching mesoscutellum, F2 1.7 times as long as wide, remaining flagellomeres ca. 1.2 times as long as wide; tyloids weakly developed, narrowly semicircular across atmost 1/4 of the basal flagellar surfaces (Fig. 144). Face and ocello-ocular area densely punctate, the punctures separated by at most 0.5 of a puncture diameter. Mesoscutum coarsely punctate (20-30 μm / 0.5-3); mesoscutellum irregularly punctate with large interspaces (Fig. 140). Propodeal triangle coarsely reticulate-rugose (Fig. 140); mesepisternum reticulate-rugose. Metasoma (Fig. 141) with a mixture of minute and coarse punctures, 5-20 μm); marginal zones of T1 and T2 punctate; gonocoxite dorsally without impression; gonostylus with a long and narrow apical process as in Fig. 142.

Material examined.

Laos: 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Prov. Hua Phan, Phou Pan, Umg. Ort Ban Saleui, 20°13'N, 103°59'E, 1350-1900 m, 15.IV.2012, C. Holzschuh & locals (OLBL/PCMS).

Distribution.

*Laos, India (Meghalaya).

Remarks.

It is noteworthy that the other cleptoparasitic genus Nomada Scopoli ( Apidae) also has a small group of species with two submarginal cells (Proshchalykin and Lelej 2010).