Miscophus nigricans Cameron, 1907

Kumar, P. Girish, Mawadda, N. V. Ayisha, Terine, Joshua B. & Amal, S., 2024, Review of the genus Miscophus Jurine, 1807 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Crabroninae) of the Indian subcontinent with descriptions of two new species from southern India, Zootaxa 5418 (5), pp. 589-600 : 593-594

3. Miscophus nigricans Cameron, 1907

( Figs 14–17 )

Miscophus nigricans Cameron, 1907: 1010 , ♂ [wrongly identified as ♀ by Cameron]. Holotype or syntypes: ♂ [wrongly identified as ♀ by Cameron], India: Maharashtra: Matheran (NHMUK), digital images of the female type examined. Additional citations: Ramakrishna Aiyar, 1916: 553 (in catalog of Indian aculeates described after Bingham, 1897); Bohart and Menke, 1976: 319 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ).

Materials examined. India: Goa, South Goa district, Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary , 2 ♂, 17.v.2018, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24378–24379; Karnataka , Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary, Shimoga district, Hosagaddai , 1 ♂, 29.xii.2019, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/ IR/INV.24380; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Madappally, 6 ♀ & 5 ♂, 27.xii.2018, 3.ii.2019, 2.iii.2019 & 12.xii.2020, S. Anagha collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24381–24391; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Nanminda, 2 ♀ & 11 ♂, 9–16.xii.2018 & 8.iii.2020, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24392– 24404; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Elathur, 2 ♀ & 11 ♂, 9–16.xii.2018 & 8.iii.2020, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24392–24404; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Elathur, 3 ♀, 29.iv.2019 & 13.i.2020, C. Binoy collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24405–24407; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Purameri, 3 ♀ & 3 ♂, 2.ii.2019, 22.iv.2019, 27.xi.2019 & 25.x.2020, K.P. Hanima Raveendran collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/ WGRC/IR/INV.24408–24413; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Moorad , 1 ♂, 17.i.2020, J.B. Terine, collector ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24414; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Moorad , 1 ♀, 2.iii.2020, S. Anagha collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24415; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Payanthong, 2 ♀ & 1 ♂, 3.iii.2019, K.P. Hanima Raveendran collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24416–24418; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Peruvannamuzhi , 1 ♂, 25.iv.2023, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24419; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Kakkadampoyil , 1 ♂, 15.i.2020, P.M. Sureshan & Party collectors, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/ WGRC/IR/INV.24420; Kerala , Kozhikode district, East Hill , 1 ♂, 25.iii.2015, U.M. Sheeja collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24421; Kerala , Kozhikode district, Chaliyam, 2 ♀, 19.ii.2020, N.V. Ayisha Mawadda collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24422–24423; Kerala , Kannur district, Madayipara, 1 ♀ & 4 ♂, 11.xi.2018, C. Charesh collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24424–24428; Kerala , Kannur district, Kannapuram, 1 ♀ & 4 ♂, 3.iii–21.iv.2019, C. Charesh collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24429– 24433; Kerala , Kannur district, Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary , 1 ♀, 16.iii.2019, C. Charesh collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24434; Kerala , Kannur district, Koothuparamba , 1 ♂, 30.ix.2020, Jeenu Lisb collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24435; Kerala , Wayanad district, Chethalayam , 1 ♀, 17.ii.2016, V.K. Raseena Farsana collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24436; Kerala , Malappuram district , Calicut University Campus , 1 ♀, 10.viii.2018, C. Binoy collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24437; Kerala , Malappuram district , Calicut University Campus, 3 ♀, 21.ii–5.iii.2020, A.P. Ranjith collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/ INV.24438–24440; Kerala , Palakkad district, Ramakrishnapadi , 1 ♀, 27.xii.2019, S. Surya collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24441; Kerala , Thrissur district, Attoor, 2 ♀, 2.ii.2020 & 14.iv.2020, N.V.Ayisha Mawadda collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24442 & 24443; Rajasthan , Desert National Park, Jaisalmer district, Sam , 2 ♀ & 1♂, 25.iii.2019, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24444–24446; Tamil Nadu , Thirunelveli district, Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary , 1 ♀, 27.ix.2018, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24447; Tamil Nadu , Thirunelveli district, Manimuthar dam site, 1 ♀, 1.x.2018, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24448; Tamil Nadu , Thirunelveli district, Ramanadi dam site, 2 ♀, 2.x.2018, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. Nos. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.24449 & 24450; Tamil Nadu , Coimbatore district, Govanur , 1 ♀, 6.i.2019, P. Girish Kumar collector, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/ INV.24451 .

Distribution. India: Goa (new record), Karnataka (new record), Kerala (new record), Maharashtra, Rajasthan (new record), Tamil Nadu (new record).

Note. Miscophus nigricans is the most widely distributed species in India. Cameron (1907) originally described this species based on a darker male specimen which he erroneously treated as female. Most of the specimens studied here are more brightly coloured than the type with T1 entirely and T2 mostly (sometimes the base of T3 also) red and legs mostly black. The type specimens and a few other specimens studied here are darker, with T1 mostly brick red to reddish brown (sometimes T2 also) and legs mostly brick red.

Figures

FIGURES 14–17. Miscophus nigricans Cameron, 1907 type male. 14, Habitus, lateral view; 15, Habitus, dorsal view; 16, Head, frontal view; 17, Type labels.