Sphecodes dathei Schwarz, 2010

Astafurova, Yulia V., Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu. & Schwarz, Maximilian, 2019, The distribution of the genus Sphecodes Latreille (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) of the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding countries with description of hitherto unknown female of S. atlanticus Warncke, 1992 and male of S. dathei Schwarz, 2010, ZooKeys 872, pp. 13-40 : 18-19

Sphecodes dathei Schwarz, 2010 Figures 12-15 , 24

Sphecodes dathei Schwarz, 2010: 483-486, ♀, plates 1-12 (holotype: ♀, United Arab Emirates, Wadi Shawkah, 25°06'N, 56°02'E, 9-24.VI.2007, in water trap, A. van Harten leg.; SDEI), examined.

Diagnosis.

The species is similar to Sphecodes crassus Thomson, 1870 owing to the wide female metafemur (strongly enlarged in the basal half); strongly transverse female head; sparsely punctate mesoscutum in both sexes, weakly developed male antennal tyloids (usually covering less than 1/3 of ventral flagellar surfaces). The female of Sphecodes dathei differs from S. crassus by dense, apressed, snow-white, plumose pubescence obscuring integument in paraocular areas (sparse, simple pubescence not obscuring integument in S. crassus ); the male differs by densely and relatively coarsely punctate T1 (in S. crassus T1 usually with a few fine punctures, rarely with relatively coarse and dense punctures). Both species have similar gonostylar shape, but S. dathei has a narrower, trapezoidal membranous portion of the gonostylus (wider, close to oval in S. crassus , Fig. 25 ).

Description of hitherto unknown male.

Total body length 5.0-6.5 mm. Head ( Fig. 12 ) black (except reddish mouthparts and brownish antenna); weakly transverse, 1.1 times as wide as long; vertex not elevated; distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus ca. two lateral ocellar diameters as seen in dorsal view; antenna ( Fig. 13 ) reaches posterior margin of mesoscutum; F1 transverse, 0.6 times as long as wide; F2 long, 1.7 times as long as wide; remaining flagellomeres 1.2-1.3 times as long as wide; tyloids weakly developed (on F2-F4 covering less than 1/6 of ventral flagellar surfaces and from F5 onward covering less than 1/3); clypeus, frons, supraclypeal and paraocular areas with fine contiguous punctures (10-20 μm); ocello-ocular area and gena with shiny interspaces, punctures separated by 0.5-1 a puncture diameter; face below and above the antennal toruli with dense adpressed snow-white plumose pubescence obscuring integument; gena with similar pubescence, but not obscuring integument.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 14 ) black; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with punctures (20-25 μm) separated by 0.5-4 puncture diameters; mesepisternum and hypoepimeral area densely reticulate-rugose; propodeal triangle ( Fig. 14 ) and vertical part of propodeum coarsely reticulate-rugose with shiny, smooth interspaces between wrinkles; lateral parts of propodeum coarse reticulate- to strigate-rugose with shiny interspaces between wrinkles; legs dark brown, but tarsi and partially tibia yellow or reddish. Hind wing costal margin with 5 hamuli.

Metasomal T1-T3 red (T1 black basally, T3 - apically); tergal discs ( Fig. 15 ) with dense punctures (10-15 μm / 0.5-1), becoming sparse along marginal zone on T1; marginal zones smooth, impunctate; sterna with numerous microscopic setae pores; gonocoxite dorsally with a deep impression; membranous portion of gonostylus small, trapezoidal ( Fig. 24 ).

Material examined.

SAUDI ARABIA: 1 ♀, Wadi Majarish, 800 m, 12.II.1983, K. Guichard (NHMUK 013380455); UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 1 ♀, Hatta, 24.IV.1992 (NHMUK 013380414); 1 ♂, idem, 19-20.V.1988 (NHMUK 013380431); 7 ♂♂, idem, 14.IV.1990, I. Hammer (NHMUK 013380428, 013380429, 013380430, 013380432, 013380433, 013380434, 013380430); YEMEN: 1 ♀, Lawdar, NE Aden, 1140 m, 13°53'N, 45°48'E, 28.X.2005, J. Halada (OLBL/PCMS).

Published records.

Schwarz 2010: 483 (United Arab Emirates).

Distribution.

United Arab Emirates, *Saudi Arabia, *Yemen.

Figures

Figures 12 - 15. Sphecodes dathei Schwarz, male. 12 Head, frontal view 13 antenna, frontal view 14 mesosoma, dorsal view 15 T 1, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figures 22 - 25. Genitalia, males, dorsal view. 22 Sphecodes atlanticus Warncke 23 S. scabri collis Wesmael 24 S. dathei Schwarz 25 S. crassus Thomson. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.