Bembecinus somalicus (Arnold) Gess & Pulawski & Gess, 2015

Gess, Friedrich W., Pulawski, Wojciech J. & Gess, Sarah K., 2015, A Revision of the rhopalocerus Species Group of Bembecinus Costa (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Bembicinae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (7), pp. 207-256 : 242-243

Bembecinus somalicus (Arnold) , new status

Figures 5d , 22 .

Stizus quadristrigatus race somalicus Arnold, 1940:116 , Fig. 11 ♀ . Holotype ♀, Somalia: Warderi, now Ethiopia: Werder ( SAMC), examined by W. Pulawski.— As Bembecinus qudristrigatus somalicus (Arnold) : R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:532 (new combination, new status, in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Pulawski, 2014:30 (in catalog of world Sphecidae sensu lato.

Stizus quadristrigatus var. dubiosus Guiglia, 1941:78 , ♀. Holotype: ♀, Ethiopia: Gabredarre, now Kebri Dehar ( MSNG). New synonymy by W. Pulawski.— As Bembecinus quadristrigatus dubiosus (Guiglia) : R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:531 (new combination, new status, in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Pulawski, 2014:29 (in catalog of world Sphecidae sensu lato).

RECOGNITION.— Bembecinus somalicus has a color pattern unique within the rhopalocerus group: terga II-V each have a pair of submedian black stripes that extend beyond tergal midlength, as in B. loriculatus (F. Smith) , or a pair of black spots near the tergal middle.

JUSTIFICATION OF NEW SYNONYMY. — The original description and the illustration of B. dubiosus clearly show the unique color pattern identical to that of B. somalicus . These two names are therefore synonyms. In addition, the holotypes of the two species originate from adjacent localities that are less than 100 km apart, both in the Somali Region of Ethiopia.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.— ETHIOPIA: Somali Region: El Rago, 9.xii.1953, Desert Locust Survey, D.J. Greathead (1 ♀, AMGS); Gabredarre, now Kebri Dehar ( Guiglia, 1941); Warderi, now Wereder (1 ♀, SAMC, holotype of somalicus ) . KENYA: Eastern Province: Archer’s Post at Ewaso Ngiro River , 12.xii.1969, E.S. Ross (5 ♀, 6 ♂, CAS; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, UCDC); 5 km NNE Isiolo at 0°24.3′N 37°35.7′E, 8–10.vi.2000, M.H. Bourbin, V.F. Lee, and W.J. Pulawski (2 ♀, CAS); near Ewaso Ngiro River opposite Archer’s Post at 0°38.1′N 37°40.4′E, 2–8.xii.2002, W.J. Pulawski (14 ♀, CAS) ; same locality, M.A. Prentice, 2–8.xii. 2002 (7 ♂, CAS) and 19–20.xii.2002 (1 ♀, 2 ♂, AMGS; 1 ♀, 3 ♂, CAS). Coast Province: Taveta on Lumi River, xii.1912, collector unknown (1 ♀, BMNH); TANZANIA: Tanga Region: 2 km NE Mkomazi at 4°37.8′S 38°05.5′E, 29–31.xii.2002, M.A. Prentice (1 ♀, CAS) and W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS) .

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.— Known from semi-arid to arid areas of the Somali Region of Ethiopia, Kenya, and northeast Tanzania ( Fig. 26d ).

FLORAL ASSOCIATIONS.— Unknown.

NESTING.— Unknown.

PREY.— Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Bembecinus spp.: a – quadristrigatus, female, male; b – rhopaloceroides, female, male; c – rhopalocerus, female, male; d – somalicus, female, male; e – zebratus, female, male (approximate lengths of females: a. 11.5 mm, b. 11.5 mm, c. 13 mm, d. 11.8 mm, f. 10.5 mm).

FIGURE 22. Bembecinus somalicus: female tergum II showing color pattern.

FIGURE 11. Bembecinus inexspectatus: a – female clypeus in profile, b – male tergum VII.

FIGURE 26. Collecting records of Bembecinus spp.: a – quadristrigatus, b – rhopaloceroides, c – rhopalocerus, d – somalicus, e – zebratus, f – all species combined.