Sphex basilicus (R. Turner, 1915)

Doerfel, Thorleif H. & Ohl, Michael, 2015, A revision of the Australian digger wasps in the genus Sphex (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae), ZooKeys 521, pp. 1-104 : 44-45

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Sphecidae

Sphex basilicus (R. Turner, 1915)

Chlorion basilicus R. Turner, 1915a: 65, ♀. Holotype or syntypes: ♀, Australia: Queensland: probably Cape York Peninsula (BMNH). Not examined. - As Sphex basilicus : Bohart and Menke (1976: 116) (new combination, in checklist of world Sphecidae ).

Material examined.

AUSTRALIA:QLD: Claudie River near Mount Lamond, 1♂, 02.06.1966, D. K. McAlpine (AMS); 1 mile NE of Mount Lamond, 1♀, 26.12.1971, D. K. McAlpine, G. A. Holloway, D. P. Sands (AMS); 4 miles W of Mount Lamond, 3♀, 2♂, 12.01.1972, D. K. McAlpine & G. A. Holloway (AMS), 1♂, 13.01.1972, D. K. McAlpine & G. A. Holloway (AMS).

The collecting localities are shown in Fig. 35B.

Diagnosis.

Sphex basilicus differs from most other Australian Sphex by the color of its legs, which are orange from the distal half of the femur up to but excluding the claws, while the remaining parts are black or dark brown (sometimes, tarsomeres V are also black). As opposed to other species with orange legs, the metasoma and scutellum of Sphex basilicus are completely black. The males of this species are also recognizable by the shape of metasomal sternum VIII, which, like Sphex bilobatus and Sphex latilobus , carries two prominent lobes that are visible from above. Unlike these two species, where the lobes are the only visible part of sternum VIII and mostly straight, the lobes of Sphex basilicus are conspicuously curved upward, and a large, undivided portion of sternum VIII is also visible (Fig. 27B).

Description.

Body black, but the following are orange: distal part of forefemur, mid- and hindfemora at least below; tibiae, tarsi, and proximal half of claw. Forewing membrane yellow near base, fore- and hindwings with fuscous band at apex. Wing veins brown. Clypeus with narrow medial glabrous stripe. Distance between hind- ocelli 0.7 × their shortest distance to compound eyes. Pubescence on collar and scutum golden, on scutum denser laterally than medially. Scutellum convex, with medial impression. Propodeal enclosure with long, somewhat dense, golden setae; sculpture not completely concealed.

Female: Body length 27.2-31.2 mm. Forebasitarsal rake with eight long spines. Appressed pubescence and erect setae on clypeus and frons golden. Free clypeal margin medially with indistinct emarginations and an indentation directly above, distance between lobes less than 1/8 length of flagellomere II. Length of petiole 1.2 × length of flagellomere II. Tomentum golden, dense on metasomal tergum I, moderately dense on tergum II.

Male: Body length 34.4-43.6 mm. Metasomal sternum VIII orange. Appressed pubescence and erect setae on clypeus and frons silvery-white. A single lobe emerging medially and slightly posteriorly from free clypeal margin. Length of petiole 1.6 × the length of flagellomere II. Tomentum golden, very dense on metasomal tergum I where it is also interspersed with dense, long, erect golden setae, moderately dense on tergum II. Metasomal terga V and VI with long, golden setae facing posteriorly, especially at apical margin. Metasomal sterna mostly glabrous, several long golden setae laterally on sterna V–VII. Metasomal sternum VIII with two lobes that are curved upward and diagonally truncate posteriorly.

Notes on type material.

The type of Sphex basilicus was not examined because the character combination in the original description (black body, golden pubescence on clypeus and propodeum, partially ferruginous legs) is sufficient to unambiguously identifiy this species.