Bembecinus omaruru Pulawski, 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 : 233-234

Bembecinus omaruru Pulawski , sp. nov.

Figures 4e , 16.

NAME DERIVATION.— Named after the Omaruru River , near which the holotype was collected; a noun in apposition to the generic name.

RECOGNITION.— Like hyperocrus and inexspectatus , omaruru has erect setae on tergum II, although in the female these setae are short dorsally and distinct only laterally (as in Fig. 10c ). The males of both hyperocrus and omaruru have the clypeus, supraclypeal area, and the frons all black (in inexspectatus , the clypeus, supraclypeal area, and stripes along the orbits are pale yellow). In hyperocrus , however, the gastral terga are ferruginous and have no pale yellow apical fasciae, whereas in omaruru the terga are either ferruginous or golden tan, with pale yellow apical fasciae (the fasciae are ill defined in golden tan specimens); in the female of omaruru , the clypeus is all yellow and practically not angulate in profile (in inexspectatus and hyperocrus , it is black basally, and roundly angulate in profile); in addition, in the female of omaruru , the minimum interocular distance is equal to 2.2 × that between antennal scrobe and base of clypeus, while 3.2 × in inexspectatus . In the male of omaruru , the clypeus and the frons ventrally of the antennal socket have no dense, appressed vestiture and the integument is thus easily visible (in hyperocrus the clypeus and the frons ventrally of the antennal socket are covered with dense, appressed vestiture, partly covering integument). The scape covered with erect setae along its entire length (except basally) is a subsidiary recognition feature of this species.

DESCRIPTION.— Head black, with the following yellow: mandible except apex, labrum, narrow stripe on gena adjacent to orbit, and in the female also clypeus, face below antennae and narrowly along orbit up to about one third of frons height, scape, pedicel, flagellomeres I and II (remaining flagellomeres yellowish brown, apical flagellomeres dark dorsally); in male, narrow stripe along clypeus free margin yellow, scape and pedicel yellow ventrally, black dorsally, flagellum yellow. Thorax black, with the following yellow: pronotal collar, pronotal lobe, scutum laterally, tegula, triangular lateral spot on scutellum, metanotum except basally, in female also pair of short admedian streaks and mesopleuron anteriorly. Propodeum black, with lateral margin yellow. Gastral terga either ferruginous or golden tan, with apical pale yellow fasciae (fasciae ill defined in golden tan specimens), basal declivity of tergum I black, black extending mesally on horizontal part, tergum II and in male also tergum III narrowly black basally. Coxae black basally, yellow apically; trochanters yellow ventrally, black dorsally; femora yellow, black basodorsally; tibiae and tarsi yellow. Wings hyaline, vein Sc+R black, other veins brown.

Scape covered with erect setae along its entire length (except basally). Setae of tergum II erect, in female short dorsally, distinct laterally (as in Fig. 10c ). Hindtarsal arolium as long as one quarter of hindtarsal claw.

♀: Length 10.3–12. 8 mm. Ocular index 2.3. Minimum interocular distance equal to 2.2 × that between antennal scrobe and base of clypeus. Distance between posterior ocelli 1.5 × distance between posterior ocellus and eye margin. Width of clypeus at insertion of mandibles 1.7 × its midline. Labrum roundly triangular, its greatest width 1.0–1.3 × midlength.

♂: Length 11.4–15. 5 mm. Ocular index 2.1. Minimum interocular distance equal to 2.4 × that between antennal scrobe and base of clypeus. Distance between posterior ocelli 2.0 × distance between posterior ocellus and eye margin. Width of clypeus at insertion of mandibles 1.6 × its midline. Labrum roundly triangular, its greatest width 1.3 × midlength. Apical flagellomere simple. Tergum VII subtriangular ( Fig. 16 ).

MATERIAL EXAMINED.— HOLOTYPE: ♀, NAMIBIA: Erongo Region: 20 km NE Hentiesbaai at 21°58′S 14°22′E, 10.xii.1996, W.J. Pulawski ( CAS) . PARATYPES: NAMIBIA: ERONGO REGION: 20 km NE Hentiesbaai at 21°58′S 14°22′E, 10.xii.1996, W.J. Pulawski (1 ♂, CAS) ;! Karas Region: Aus , xii.1929, R.E. Turner (1 ♀, 1 ♂, BMNH) .

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.— Known from two widely separated localities in Namibia: one associated with the drainage channel of the Omaruru River in the northern Namib Desert and the other from the eastern edge of the northern limit of the winter rainfall southern Namib ( Fig. 25e ).

FLORAL ASSOCIATIONS.— Unknown.

NESTING.— Unknown.

PREY.— Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Bembecinus spp.: a – karasanus, female, male, b – mutabilis, female, male; c – namaquensis, male; d – namibius, female, male; e – omaruru, female, male; f – pakhuisae, female, male.(approximate lengths of females: a. 11 mm, b. 10.5 mm, c. male 11.8 mm, d. 9.7 mm, e. 11.3 mm, f. 15 mm).

FIGURE 16. Bembecinus omaruru: tergum VII of male.

FIGURE 10. Bembecinus hyperocrus: a – female clypeus in profile (arrow indicates the roundly angular portion), b – left side of female terga I and II, c – dorsal parts of male terga I and II in profile, d – male tergum VII.

FIGURE 25. Collecting records of Bembecinus spp.: a – karasanus, b – mutabilis, c – namaquensis, d – namibius, e – omaruru, f – pakhuisae.