Sphex jansei Cameron, 1910

Dörfel, Thorleif H. & Ohl, Michael, 2022, The wasp genus Sphex in Sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 796 (1), pp. 1-170 : 129-133

Sphex jansei Cameron, 1910

Figs 2 , 29–30 , 106–107, 112 (purple)

Sphex jansei Cameron, 1910: 139 , ♂ (holotype or syntype: 1 ♂, South Africa, Gauteng, Pretoria, TMP, not examined).

Chlorion rufiscute R. Turner, 1918: 359 , ♀, ♂ (as C. rufiscutis , incorrect original termination). Syn. nov.

Sphex mochii Giordani Soika, 1942: 197 , ♀ (as S. Mochii , incorrrect original capitalization) (holotype: ♀, Ethiopia, Oromia Region, km 46 on Harrar– Dire Daua Road, depository?, not examined). Syn. nov.

Differential diagnosis

Females of S. jansei ( Fig. 106 ) are distinguished through their hyaline cellular wing area ( Fig. 29 ) and silvery-white propodeal setae, whereas those of S. gaullei ( Fig. 104 ) and S. schmideggeri sp. nov. ( Fig. 108 ) have the propodeal setae brownish-grey. The cellular wing area of S. gaullei is somewhat infuscate ( Fig. 31 ), while that of S. schmideggeri sp. nov. has a distinct yellow tinge.

Males of S. jansei ( Fig. 107 ), as well as those of S. gaullei ( Fig. 105 ), are distinguished from those of the remaining group members by their combination of a notable ferruginous clypeus and golden erect facial setae. Sphex jansei has the cellular forewing area hyaline and only a fuscous spot on the anterior part of the apical hindwing margin ( Fig. 30 ), whereas S. gaullei has most of the cellular forewing area and all of the hindwing apex infuscate ( Fig. 32 ).

Material examined

AFRICA • 3 ♀♀; ZMB .

BOTSWANA – South-East District • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Gaborone Dam ; [24°42ʹ0.58ʺ S, 25°55ʹ34.97ʺ E]; 28 Dec. 1977; H.R. Feijen leg.; RMNH .

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – Ouham-Pendé • 1 ♀; Bozoum ; [6°19ʹ02ʺ N, 16°22ʹ42ʺ E]; 30 Apr. 1914; S. Tessmann leg.; ZMB .

KENYA – Homa Bay County • 1 ♂; Gembe Hills , near seasonal stream; 0.48933° S, 34.24333° E; 15– 22 Jan. 2005; R. Copeland leg.; ICIPE . – Nakuru County • 1 ♂; Mount Longonot Crater ; [0°54ʹ55ʺ S, 36°27ʹ25ʺ E]; Dec. 1911; Ch. Alluaud and Jeannel leg.; MNHN .

MALAWI • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; NW shore of Lake Nyasa, between Florence Bay and Karonga; 30 Jun.–6 Jul. 1910; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH. – Northern Region • 1 ♂; Karonga; [9°56ʹ S, 33°56ʹ E]; 7–11 Jul. 1910; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Karonga District, valley of N Rukuru; [9°56ʹ S, 33°56ʹ E]; 15–18 Jul. 1910; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH. – Southern Region • 1 ♂; Liwonde ; [14°50ʹ S, 35°20ʹ E]; 23 Apr. 1975; G.G.M. Schulten leg.; RMNH .

MOZAMBIQUE – Maputo City • 1 ♂; Maputo ; [25°58ʹ S, 32°35ʹ E]; 12 Feb. 1994; G.G.M. Schulten leg.; RMNH . – Maputo Province • 1 ♂; Moamba ; [25°36ʹ14.4ʺ S, 32°14ʹ45.6ʺ E]; 27 Jan. 1976; G.G.M. Schulten leg.; RMNH • 1 ♀; Rikatla , N of Maputo; [25°46ʹ57.9ʺ S, 32°37ʹ22.1ʺ E]; 7–18 Apr. 1982; G.G.M. Schulten leg.; RMNH .

SOUTH AFRICA – Gauteng • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Pretoria ; [25°43ʹ32ʺ S, 28°14ʹ38ʺ E]; 25 Jan.–5 Mar. 1969; R.T. Simon Thomas leg.; RMNH • 1 ♀; Salt Pan, Pretoria ; [25°24ʹ30.55ʺ S, 28°04ʹ57.1ʺ E]; 4–10 Feb. 1929; G. van Son leg.; TMP • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 14 Mar. 1956; TMP . – KwaZulu-Natal • 1 ♂; Estcourt ; [29°00ʹ S, 29°53ʹ E]; 4 Mar. 1963; H.N. Empey leg.; RMNH • 1 ♂; Ithala Game Res. ; 27°30ʹ S, 31°20ʹ E; 28–30 Jan. 1995; F. Koch leg.; THD-025-ZMB ; Genbank CO1 gene: MW538561 ; ZMB • 1 ♀; Lake St Lucia, False Bay ; [28°00ʹ31.3ʺ S, 32°21ʹ39.9ʺ E]; 13–17 Feb. 1967; D. Gillissen and L. Blommers leg.; RMNH • 1 ♂; Mkuze Game Reserve ; 27°37ʹ S, 32°14ʹ E; 26 Feb.–3 Mar. 1987; A.J. Weaving leg.; AMG • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 8–12 Mar. 1987; AMG • 1 ♀; Weenen ; [28°50ʹ57ʺ S, 30°04ʹ38ʺ E]; Feb. 1925; H.P. Thomasset leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but Mar. 1925; BMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but Jan.–Mar. 1927; BMNH . – Limpopo • 1 ♂; Punda Milia, Kruger National Park ; [22°41ʹ51.5ʺ S, 31°01ʹ13.8ʺ E]; 22 Feb. 1969; R.T. Simon Thomas leg.; RMNH . – Mpumalanga • 1 ♀; 40 km SW of Komalipoor; [25°48ʹ43ʺ S, 31°49ʹ46ʺ E]; 1–2 Jan. 2004; J. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 2 ♀♀; Blyde River Canyon ; [25°14ʹ40.5ʺ S, 30°16ʹ24.1ʺ E]; 28 Feb. 1982; F.J. Herbst leg.; AMG . – North West • 1 ♀; Mamagalieskraal ; [25°32ʹ S, 27°49ʹ E]; 16 Mar. 1926; W. Lingnau leg.; DEI .

TANZANIA – Lindi Region • 1 ♂; Lindi; [9°59ʹ49ʺ S, 39°42ʹ59ʺ E]; 24–30 Jun. 1936; Zerny leg.; NHMW . – Mbeya Region • 2 ♀♀; Langenburg [now Tukuyu] ; [9°15ʹ S, 33°39ʹ E]; 26 Jul.–8 Aug. 1898; F. Fülleborn leg.; ZMB • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 3 Sep.–4 Nov. 1898; ZMB . – Morogoro Region • 1 ♀; 50 km SW of Morogoro; 6°50ʹ S, 37°15ʹ E; 12 Jan. 2007; J. Halada leg.; OÖLM . – Rukwa Region • 1 ♀; Kafokola, Rukwa Valley , SW Tanganyika; [8°00ʹ S, 32°00ʹ E]; 9 Jun. 1952; O.W. Richards leg.; BMNH .

ZAMBIA • 1 ♀; “ Luangwa to Petauke ”; 14–17 Sep. 1910; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 1 ♀, holotype of Chlorion rufiscute R. Turner, 1918 ; “ Sinapunge ”; 13 Feb. 1911; Silverlock leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; BMNH. – Eastern Province • 1 ♂; near mouth of Lusangazi River; [13°25ʹ57.5ʺ S, 31°32ʹ31ʺ E]; 1–3 Sep. 1910; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH .

ZIMBABWE – Bulawayo • 1 ♀; Bulawayo ; [20°10ʹ12ʺ S, 28°34ʹ48ʺ E]; 26 Jul. 1923; R.H.R. Stevenson leg.; USNM . – Manicaland • 2 ♂♂; 10–20 km S of Birchenough Bridge; [20°05ʹ35.8ʺ S, 32°21ʹ06.7ʺ E]; 24 Dec. 1998; M. Snižek leg.; OÖLM . – Mashonaland West • 1 ♀; 15 km NW of Makuti; [16°12ʹ S, 29°09ʹ E]; 12 Apr. 1985; J. Gusenleitner leg.; NHMW • 1 ♂; Sanyati Camp, Lake Kariba ; [17° S, 28° E]; 8–10 Jan. 1985; A.J. Weaving leg.; AMG . – Matabeleland North • 1 ♂; Lonely Mine ; [19°30ʹ06ʺ S, 28°44ʹ49ʺ E]; 18 Apr. 1914; H. Swale leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but 19 Sep. 1914; BMNH • 1 ♀; Matetsi ; [18°05ʹ S, 26°07ʹ E]; 1 Apr. 1934; R.H.R. Stevenson leg.; RMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 28 Oct. 1934; BMNH • 1 ♂; Victoria Falls ; [17°56ʹ S, 25°50ʹ E]; 14 Jan. 1969; F.J. Herbst leg.; AMG . – Matabeleland South • 1 ♀; Beit Bridge ; [22°13ʹ S, 30°00ʹ E]; Apr. 1932; A. Mackie leg.; BMNH • 2 ♂♂; same locality as for preceding; 27 Mar. 1960; C.F. Jacot-Guillarmod leg.; AMG .

Description

Female

SIZE. 21.2–25.0 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, scape, pedicel, flagellomeres I–IV, clypeus, legs from trochanter onward, excluding apical half of claw, and occasionally collar dorsally, tegula, scutellum, dorsal part of metanotum and apical segment of metasoma. Cellular area of fore- and hindwing hyaline, apical margin fuscous.

VESTITURE. Appressed and erect setae on clypeus and paraocular area golden, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented anteriorly. Clypeus medially with vertical glabrous stripe. Scutellum densely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin stepped medially, with slight indentation above. Scutellum convex. Metanotum slightly raised, not markedly bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Foretarsomere I 1.8–2.0× length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 2.4–2.7× its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 20.1–22.8 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, scape, pedicel ventrally, lower part of clypeus, legs from trochanter onward, excluding posterodorsal portion of trochanter and femur as well as apical half of claw, tegula and dorsal part of scutellum. Cellular area of forewing hyaline, apical margin fuscous. Hindwing hyaline.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus and paraocular area silvery-golden, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect setae on clypeus and paraocular area golden, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented anteriorly. Clypeus medially with vertical glabrous stripe. Scutellum densely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple. Scutellum convex. Metanotum slightly raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure with indistinct ridges. Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII convex. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII concavely emarginate. Penis valvae without conspicuous modifications. Petiole length 2.3–2.8 × its medial width. Flagellomeres III + IV with narrow placoids covering their entire length.

Variation

Unknown.

Distribution

Southeastern to eastern Africa.

Remarks

Besides the original description, there are almost no other publications that mention diagnostic characters for this species. Brauns (1917) placed it in the genus Isodontia Patton, 1880 , which, as correctly noted by Arnold (1928), must be incorrect due to the length of the petiole being described as only one-fourth longer than the hind coxa. Arnold also indicated that S. jansei may be synonymous to S. rufiscutis , but he was not able to certify this because of “the description of the colour […] [being] too confused”. He stated that the type specimen of S. jansei could no longer be found in the TMP. Despite receiving material from the collection and having specifically requested the type specimen to be sent, it was not included in the loan, and further inquiries remained unanswered. Thus, we were forced to rely solely on the original description.

Part of the reason why it is difficult to interpret the color characters given by Cameron (1910) is that there likely were some important words omitted in the text; an attempt at correcting this issue is presented here:

“Black; … mandibles, except the teeth, [red, as well as] the apex of clypeus, the centre broadly (the red colour extending near to the middle in the centre), the sides narrowly, antennal scape, tegulae, and the legs, except the [following which are all black:] coxae, greater part of the trochanters, a streak on the basal outer half of the fore femora, the basal three-fourths of the middle behind, and the hinder with more than three-fourths, …”

Assuming these changes concur with Cameron’s intended description, the characters mentioned very closely match those we observed in males of S. rufiscutis and even rule out conspecificity with the similar S. gaullei , which is found in the equatorial regions of Africa, on account of the wing coloration. The geographic distribution of S. jansei and S. rufiscutis fit together as well, and all other species from southern Africa, an area from which we examined a large amount of material, are quite distinct. Therefore, we propose that jansei becomes the valid name for this species.

The type material of Sphex mochii Giordani Soika, 1942 , is apparently lost, so the original description by Giordani Soika (1942) is the only basis we can use to discern its taxonomic identity.

The original description stated that the female of S. mochii is similar to that of S. rufiscutis (R. Turner, 1918) (= S. jansei Cameron, 1910 ). The scutellum was said to be more convex than in S. jansei , and the scutellum and metanotum are medially impressed. The petiole was described as being much shorter than in S. pruinosus . The wings of S. mochii were stated to be hyaline with the apical margin of the forewing infuscate, and the color pattern described corresponds with that of S. jansei and three other African species that are superficially similar ( S. gaullei , S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. and S. occidentalis sp. nov.). Even so, the description cannot refer to S. pseudosatanas sp. nov., as this species has the scutellum markedly flatter than in S. jansei . Additionally, S. occidentalis sp. nov. can be ruled out due to its having uniformly fuscous wings. Finally, S. gaullei does not entirely match the description either, because a large part of its cellular wing area is infuscate ( Fig. 31 ). Also, the scutellum of S. jansei and S. gaullei is more or less identical. We conclude that S. mochii is identical to S. jansei (= rufiscutis ), which is in contrast to Giordani Soika’s original interpretation.

Figures

Figs 1–6. 1–3. Dorsal view of propodeal setae in different orientation. 4. Lateral view of thoracic dorsum. 5–6. Lateral view of scutellum and metanotum. 1. Sphex pseudopraedator sp. nov., ♀. 2. S. jansei Cameron, 1910, ♂. 3–4. S. umtalicus Strand, 1916, ♀. 5. S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov., ♀. 6. S. gaullei Berland, 1927, ♀.

Figs 25–32. 25–26. Ventral and lateral view of sternum VIII and genitalia in male of Sphex abyssinicus (Arnold, 1928). 27–28. Frontal view of free clypeal margin in males. 29–32. Dorsal view of fore- and hindwing in males and females of thegaullei group. 27. S. umtalicus Strand, 1916. 28. S. decipiens Kohl, 1895. 29. S. jansei Cameron, 1910, ♀. 30. S. jansei, ♂. 31. S. gaullei Berland, 1927, ♀. 32. S. gaullei, ♂.

Figs 106–112. 106–107. Sphex jansei Cameron, 1910. 108. S. schmideggeri sp. nov. 109. S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. 110–111. S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. 106, 108–110. Habitus of ♀. 107, 111. Habitus of ♂. 112. Geographic distribution of S. decipiens Kohl, 1895 (red), S. pruinosus Germar, 1817 (blue), S. gaullei Berland, 1927 (yellow), S. jansei (purple) and S. schmideggeri sp. nov. (green).

Figs 100–105. 100–101. Sphex decipiens Kohl, 1895. 102–103. S. pruinosus Germar, 1817. 104– 105. S. gaullei Berland, 1927. 100, 103, 105. Habitus of ♂. 101. Frontal view of ♀. 102, 104. Habitus of ♀.