Podalonia minax (KOHL)

Dollfuss, H., 2010, A Key to Wasps of the Genus Podalonia FERNALD 1927 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Sphecidae) of the Old World, Linzer biologische Beiträge 42 (2), pp. 1241-1291 : 1261-1262

Podalonia minax (KOHL) Figs 47, 72, 106, 114, 120

Ammophila minax KOHL 1901: 162 ,. Lectotype:, Egypt: Abbasia near Cairo (NHMW), present designation.

Ammophila confalonierii GUIGLIA 1932: 469 ,. Holotype:, Libya: Cyrenaica : Es Sahabi (Genova).

R e c o g n i t i o n The female of Podalonia minax differs from all other Podalonia species with a glabrous propodeal enclosure in having reddish-brown legs. The collar and scutum are nearly smooth, with sparse punctation, flagellomere I is nearly as long as II and III combined; the following leg parts are mostly pale-brown: fore- and midfemora apically, fore- and midtibia, fore- and midtarsi and base of hindtibia. In addition, the foretarsomeres are distinctly asymmetrical. The two or three apical segments of gaster are black, mostly with a metallic reflection as seen on Ammophila sabulosa , and the petiole is distinctly shorter than hindtarsomere I (3: 4). The body-length is extremely variable (9-17 mm.).

The male of P. minax differs from all species with glabrous propodeal enclosure by the apically acute free margin of the clypeus (fig. 120). The forelegs are completely, and the mid- and hindlegs are partly reddish-brown. The mesopleuron has appressed silver setae. In addition, the tegulae, wing veins, petiole and terga I-IV are reddish. Flagellomere I is distinctly longer than II, and the petiole is as long as hindtarsomere I. The penis valve in lateral view is simple (fig. 47), dorsally: fig 72, apically: fig 106, and the gonostyle is apically broadly rounded (fig. 114).

G e o g r a p h i c d i s t r i b u t i o n North Africa, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Western Sahara, Canary Islands.

S p e c i m e n s e x a m i n e d 6, 10.