Sphex pulawskii, 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 : 98-100

Sphex pulawskii sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0BD5A35B-90FD-4CB0-9340-394AE7E5D6FB

Figs 86–87, 91 (blue)

Differential diagnosis

Within the nigrohirtus group, females of S. pulawskii sp. nov. can be recognized through their silvery appressed setae posterolaterally on the collar and silvery appressed and erect setae at the posterior propodeal margin, in combination with the remaining erect propodeal setae being black ( Fig. 86 ). Those of S. incomptus have most of the propodeum covered with silvery setae ( Fig. 85 ), whereas female S. nigrohirtus have uniformly black mesosomal setae ( Fig. 84 ).

Males can be more difficult to identify, as some specimens of S. nigrohirtus share the combination of erect propodeal setae that are black on the enclosure and silvery at the posterior margin. The easiest characteristic to distinguish them is the absence of cyan iridescence on the wings of S. pulawskii sp. nov., being rich purple instead ( Fig. 87 ).

Etymology

We dedicate this species to Dr Wojciech J. Pulawski, who collected some of the specimens and who is responsible for creating and maintaining the amazing Catalog of Sphecidae that has made our work much more manageable.

Material examined

Holotype BENIN – Atakora Department • ♂; Niaro ; [10°12ʹ02.2ʺ N, 1°36ʹ59.9ʺ E]; 2 Jul.1969; J. Hamon leg.; MNHN.

Paratypes AFRICA • 1 ♀; 2 Feb. 1894; ZMB .

CAMEROON – Southwest Region • 1 ♀; Victoria [now Limbe] ; [4°01ʹ N, 9°13ʹ E]; P. Preuss leg.; ZMB • 1 ♀; 12 mi. SW of Loum, Mungo Forest Camp ; [4°34ʹ05ʺ N, 9°38ʹ09ʺ E]; 22 Oct. 1966; E.S. Ross and K. Lorenzen leg.; CAS .

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO – North Kivu • 1 ♀; Mutsora ; [0°19ʹ20ʺ N, 29°44ʹ43ʺ E]; 22 Apr. 1905; Hackars leg.; MRAC .

GHANA – Eastern Region • 2 ♀♀; Aburi ; [5°50ʹ52ʺ N, 0°10ʹ28ʺ W]; Dec. 1941; K.M. Guichard leg.; BMNH .

LIBERIA – Bong County • 1 ♀; 10 mi. NE of Gbanka [Gbarnga]; [7°09ʹ30ʺ N, 9°27ʹ07ʺ W]; 11Aug.1966; E.S. Ross and K. Lorenzen leg.; CAS . – Gbarpolu County • 1 ♀; Kolobanu [Kolobani] ; [7°12ʹ07ʺ N, 9°52ʹ38ʺ W]; 19 Oct. 1926; J. Bequaert leg.; MRAC . – Lofa County • 1 ♀; 36 mi. S of Voinjama; [7°56ʹ44ʺ N, 9°32ʹ10ʺ W]; 13 Aug. 1966; E.S. Ross and K. Lorenzen leg.; CAS .

NIGERIA – Cross River State • 1 ♀; Obudu Cattle Ranch ; [6°22ʹ N, 9°22ʹ E]; 3 May 1973; J.T. Medler leg.; BMNH . – Edo State • 1 ♂; Benin ; [6°20ʹ17ʺ N, 5°37ʹ32ʺ E]; 30 Jul. 195?; T. Davey leg.; BMNH . – Oyo State • 1 ♀; 10 mi. N of Ibadan; [7°37ʹ15ʺ N, 3°55ʹ08ʺ E]; 9 Sep. 1966; E.S. Ross and K. Lorenzen leg.; CAS • 1 ♂; Olekemeji, Ibadan ; [7°23ʹ N, 3°53ʹ E]; J.C. Bridwell leg.; USNM .

REPUBLIC OF CÔTE D’IVOIRE • 1 ♀; “ Samplen ”; 1910; A. Chevalier leg.; MNHN. – Lagunes District • 1 ♀; 40 km NW of Abidjan; [5°46ʹ27ʺ N, 4°07ʹ34ʺ W]; 6 Jan. 1991; W.J. Pulawski leg.; CAS .

SIERRA LEONE • 1 ♀; MNHN .

TOGO – Centrale Region • 1 ♀; Bismarckburg [near Yégué] ; [8°10ʹ32.74ʺ N, 0°41ʹ09.42ʺ E]; 20 Jul.–20 Sep. 1890; R. Büttner leg.; ZMB • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; ZMB .

Description

Female

SIZE. 20.8–26.9 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible and free clypeal margin. Wings fuscous, with purple iridescence.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, posterolaterally on scutum and at posterior propodeal margin silvery, on remainder of scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect setae on clypeus, frons, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black, on posterior margin of propodeum silvery. Central third of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin with broad, gently notched, shovel-like process medially, not markedly stepped above. Clypeus with notable indentation in lower center and longitudinal carina above. Scutellum convex. Metanotum not 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 2.8–2.9 × length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.8–2.2× its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 20.6–21.7 mm.

COLOR. Black except for ferruginous stripe in center of mandible. Wings slightly fuscous, with markedly purple iridescence.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar and posterior margin of propodeum silvery, on scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar and scutum black, on propodeal enclosure silvery intermixed with black, on posterior margin of propodeum silvery. Lower center of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent. Metasomal sterna II–VI with increasingly dense fringes of black setae.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple. Clypeus with longitudinal carina in upper center. 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 slightly notched. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII concavely emarginate. Penis valvae without conspicuous modifications. Petiole length 2.2–2.7× its medial width. Flagellomere V with narrow placoid covering its proximal four-fifths and tapering medially or distally.

Variation

Unknown.

Distribution

Western Africa.

Remarks

After careful consideration, we came to the conclusion that while the distinguishing characters of this species are very subtle, its classification as a separate taxon is warranted nonetheless, the reasons for which are explained below.

Our studies show that the similar S. nigrohirtus is restricted to the southern and eastern parts of the African continent. However, S. pulawskii sp. nov. is found in western Africa, and it is characterized by having the appressed and erect setae on the propodeum, posterolaterally of the enclosure, colored silvery instead of black. Additionally, western females also have the appressed setae silvery posteriorly on the collar and posterolaterally on the scutum, whereas those from eastern and southern Africa have them black.

Males, however, are not so easy to define. The color of the appressed setae posterolaterally on collar, scutum and propodeum and the erect setae on the posterior propodeal margin varies between black and silvery in S. nigrohirtus even among specimens from the same locality. There is one character that, although difficult to objectively define, is obvious in western African males: the iridescence on the wings. In these, it is uniformly purple, resembling the color Byzantium, whereas the tone is more akin to Spanish violet and always contains shades of cyan in S. nigrohirtus .

Figures

Figs 85–92. 85–86. Habitus of ♀. 87–90. habitus of ♂. 85. Sphex incomptus Gerstaecker, 1871. 86– 87. S. pulawskii sp. nov. 88. S. abbotti abbotti W. Fox, 1891. 89. S. abbotti nivarius subsp. nov. 90. S. bohemanni Dahlbom, 1845. 91. Geographic distribution of S. incomptus (red) and S. pulawskii sp. nov. (blue). 92. Geographic distribution of S. a. abbotti (red), S. a. nivarius subsp. nov. (blue), S. abyssinicus (Arnold, 1928) (yellow) and S. bohemanni (purple).

Figs 79–84. 79–80. Apical third of penis valvae in ♂♂ of Sphex camerunicus Strand, 1916. 81–82. Apical third of penis valvae in ♂ of S. nigrohirtus Kohl, 1895. 79, 81. Dorsal view. 80, 82. Lateral view. 83. S. camerunicus, habitus of ♀. 84. S. nigrohirtus, habitus of ♀.