Sphex schoutedeni malawicus, Dörfel & Ohl, 2022

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 : 116-117

Sphex schoutedeni malawicus subsp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:59F1F204-D7F6-44E0-A5D8-11478E9D2A52

Figs 18 , 23–24 , 99 (blue)

Differential diagnosis

Males of this subspecies are most easily identifiable through the structure of their genitalia. Like S. schoutedeni schoutedeni , they have the fused penis valvae dorsally open, laterally not widened and with a notch ( Figs 23–24 ). In the similar S. stadelmanni stadelmanni ( Figs 21–22 ), the valvae are laterally widened, but lack a notch, and the valvicipites are curved posteroventrally and not perpendicularlyoriented as in S. schoutedeni s. lat. The males of the other species and subspecies of the bohemanni group all differ in having sternum VII or VIII modified in a conspicuous way ( Figs 19–20 , 25 ), whereas S. schoutedeni malawicus subsp. nov. has sternum VII without a notch and sternum VIII convex and entire. Finally, the nominotypical S. schoutedeni schoutedeni is distinguishable through having partially silvery propodeal setae ( Fig. 94 ), while S. s. malawicus subsp. nov. has them black, with the exception of some erect golden setae at the posterior propodeal margin.

Females can be recognized based on the color of their clypeus and its vestiture. They, like all members of the bohemanni group, have the appressed setae black in the clypeal center, but the presence of golden appressed lateroclypeal and paraocular setae combined with a slightly ferruginous free clypeal margin is unique ( Fig. 18 ).

Etymology

This subspecies is named after the country of Malawi, where most of the material was collected.

Material examined

Holotype

ZIMBABWE – Manicaland • ♂; Vumba Mountain ; 19°07ʹ S, 32°47ʹ E; 16 Mar. 2001; F. Koch leg.; THD-028-ZMB ; GenBank CO1 gene: MW538575 ; GenBank LWR gene: MW582287 ; ZMB.

Paratypes

MALAWI – Southern Region • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Mlanje ; [16°01ʹ53ʺ S, 35°30ʹ E]; 20 Mar. 1913; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 14 Apr. 1913; BMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 29 Apr. 1913; BMNH • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but 6 May 1913; BMNH • 3 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding but 10 May 1913; BMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 19 May 1913; BMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 13 Jun. 1913; BMNH • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 1 Jul. 1913; BMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 7 Nov. 1913; BMNH • 1 ♂; Zomba; [15°23ʹ09ʺ S, 35°19ʹ07ʺ E]; Oct. 1950; C. Graham leg.; AMG • 1 ♂; same locality as for preceding; H.S. Stannus leg.; BMNH .

MOZAMBIQUE – Manica Province • 2 ♂♂; Vanduzi , 21 mi. N of Vila; [18°57ʹ04ʺ S, 33°15ʹ58ʺ E]; 14 Mar. 1958; Pery leg.; CAS .

TANZANIA – Ruvuma Region • 1 ♀; Ugano (Umgano), Matengo Highlands , WSW of Songea; [10°58ʹ S, 34°55ʹ E]; alt. 1500–1700m; 23 Nov. 1937; F. Zimmer leg.; NHMW • 3 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; 20–30 Nov. 1935; Zerny leg.; NHMW • 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 1–10 Dec. 1935; NHMW • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but 1–12 Jun. 1936; NHMW .

ZAMBIA – Central Province • 1 ♂; “ Alala Plateau, Mkushi distr. ”; alt. about 4000 ft; 16 Nov. 1905; S.A. Neave leg.; OUMNH .

ZIMBABWE – Manicaland • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Vumba Mt, Botanical Garden ; 19°07ʹ S, 32°47ʹ E; 16–18 Mar. 2001; F. Koch leg.; ZMB .

Description

Female

SIZE. 26.7–27.1 mm.

COLOR. Black, except for basal half of mandible and free clypeal margin, which are ferruginous. Wings uniformly fuscous, with cyan-violet iridescence.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus and paraocular area black, towards lateral clypeal margins and on paraocular area with golden luster. Appressed setae on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect propodeal setae oriented posteriorly. Lower center of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin medially with two broad, indistinct processes, stepped above. Clypeus with indentation in lower center, without carina. Scutellum convex. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Foretarsomere I 2.7 × length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.7–1.8 × its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 26.2–27.1 mm.

COLOR. Black, except for basal half mandible, which is ferruginous. Wings slightly fuscous, with cyanviolet iridescence.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus and paraocular area golden, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect setae on clypeus black, on paraocular area black intermixed with golden ones, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black, on posterior margin of propodeum silvery-golden. Erect propodeal setae oriented posteriorly. Clypeus with glabrous spot medially at free margin. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent. Metasomal sterna II–VII with increasingly dense fringes of black setae.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple. Scutellum convex. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII convex. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII semicircular. Fused penis valvae laterally not widened, with notch, valviceps oriented perpendicularly. Petiole length 1.7–1.9× its medial width. Flagellomeres IV–VI with broad placoids covering their entire length.

Variation

Unknown.

Distribution

Southeastern Africa.

Figures

Figs 13–18. Faces of females in frontal view. 13. Sphex nigrohirtus Kohl, 1895. 14. Sphex abbotti nivarius subsp. nov. 15. S. abbotti abbotti W. Fox, 1891. 16. S. stadelmanni stadelmanni Kohl, 1895. 17. S. abyssinicus (Arnold, 1928). 18. S. schoutedeni malawicus subsp. nov.

Figs 19–24. 19–20. Ventral view of the two apical sterna in males of the bohemanni group. 21, 23. Dorsal view of apical third of penis valvae in males of the bohemanni group. 22, 24. Lateral view of penis valvae. 19. Sphex bohemanni Dahlbom, 1845. 20. S. abbotti abbotti W. Fox, 1891. 21– 22. S. stadelmanni stadelmanni Kohl, 1895. 23–24. S. schoutedeni s. lat.

Figure 93–99. 93, 96. Habitus of ♀. 94–95, 97. Habitus of ♂. 93. Sphex pseudopraedator sp. nov. 94. S. schoutedeni schoutedeni Kohl, 1913. 95. S. stadelmanni stadelmanni Kohl, 1895. 96– 97. S. stadelmanni rufus subsp. nov. 98. Geographic distribution of S. pseudopraedator sp. nov. 99. Geographic distribution of S. schoutedeni schoutedeni (red); S. schoutedeni malawicus subsp. nov. (blue); S. stadelmanni stadelmanni (yellow); S. stadelmanni rufus subsp. nov. (purple).

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, ♂.