Sphex vestitus F. Smith, 1856

Doerfel, Thorleif H. & Ohl, Michael, 2015, A revision of the Australian digger wasps in the genus Sphex (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae), ZooKeys 521, pp. 1-104 : 66-68

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Sphecidae

Sphex vestitus F. Smith, 1856

Sphex vestitus F. Smith, 1856: 248, ♀ (as vestita , incorrect original termination). Holotype or syntypes: ♀, Australia: no specific locality (BMNH). Not examined.

Material examined.

AUSTRALIA:NSW: 6 km NE of Bilpin, Blue Mountains, 1♀, 26.03.1982, N. W. Rodd (AMS), 1♀, 27.02.1983, N. W. Rodd (AMS); Brisbane Water National Park, Warrah Trig, 1♀, 15.02.1986, D. B. McCorquodale (ANIC); 13 km N of Coffs Harbour, 1♀, 05.01.1978, G. Daniels (AMS); Fairlight Road, Mulgoa, 1♀, 26.02.1985, C. A. P. Urquhart (AMS); Pearl Beach, 1♂, 01.01.1985, C. A. P. Urquhart (AMS); Sandy Creek W of Ebor, 1♂, 03.01.1978, G. Daniels (AMS); Sydney, 2♀, C. Gibbons (AMS); The Needles, Woronora River, Engadine, 1♀, 27.01.1979, R. Eastwood (AMS); Woy Woy, 1♀, 1♂, 08.05.1924, Nicholson (AMS); QLD: "North Queensland", 1♂ (BMNH); N Bundaberg, 1♀, 1♂, 21.03.1972, H. Frauca (ANIC); Byfield State Forest, 1♀, 01.01.1976, G. Daniels (AMS); Claudie River, 4 miles W of Mount Lamond, 1♂, 24.12.1971, D. K. McAlpine, G. A. Holloway, D. P. Sands (AMS), 1♂, 12.01.1972, D. K. McAlpine & G. A. Holloway (AMS), 1♂, 13.01.1972, D. K. McAlpine & G. A. Holloway (AMS); Cockatoo Creek Xing, 17 km NW Heathlands, 11°39'S, 142°27'E, 1♀, 25.04.-07.06.1992, T. McLeod (ANIC); Division of Dawson, 1♀, Rothschild & Bequest (BMNH); Kamerunga near Cairns, 1♀, 27.12.1974, M. S. & B. J. Moulds (AMS); Kuranda, 1♂, 05.03.1950, A. N. Burns (ANIC); Lockerbie Scrub, Cape York, 1♀, 12.04.1975, M. S. Moulds (AMS); Moorooka, 1♀, 10.02.1945, E. F. Riek (ANIC); 9 miles W of Paluma, 1♂, 16.04.1969, I. F. B. Common & M. S. Upton (ANIC); Pinock River, Hogback range, WSW of Bundaberg via Gin Gin, 1♀, 11.03.1972, H. Frauca (ANIC).

Diagnosis.

Females of Sphex vestitus can be identified by the pubescence on the clypeus and the propodeal enclosure being golden combined with the wing membrane hyaline, without yellow tinge. A unique character differentiating this species from similar ones (like Sphex cognatus ) is a longitudinal median impression on the posterior half of the scutum (Fig. 42B). Males of Sphex vestitus can be identified by two longitudinal carinae on the metasomal sternum VIII which form a channel-like structure (Fig. 42C), and also by a single lobe in the center of the free clypeal margin.

Description.

Body black. Wing membrane hyaline, forewing with slight fuscous band at apex and light brown spot beyond marginal cell. Wing veins dark brown to black. Clypeus medioventrally with inconspicuous indentation. Appressed pubescence and erect setae on clypeus and frons golden. Pubescence on mesosoma golden, on scutum longer and denser laterally. Posterior half of scutum with longitudinal median impression. Scutellum convex, with medial impression. Pubescence on propodeal enclosure dense, completely concealing sculpture. Tomentum very dense on metasomal sternum I, dense on sternum II.

Female: Body length 26.3-30.0 mm. Forebasitarsal rake with ten long spines. Free clypeal margin with two small lobes medially, distance between them less than 1/8 length of flagellomere II. Clypeus medioventrally with triangular glabrous area. Distance between hind- ocelli almost equal to their shortest distance to compound eyes. Length of petiole 1.4 × length of flagellomere II.

Male: Body length 23.0-26.6 mm. Free clypeal margin broadly emarginated, with a broad triangular median lobe. Clypeus glabrous directly above margin. Distance between hind- ocelli 1.1 × their shortest distance to compound eyes. Length of petiole 1.5 × length of flagellomere II. Metasomal terga V and VI with few golden bristles. Metasomal sterna II–VIII with increasing number of erect golden setae laterally. Metasomal sternum VIII with two markedly raised longitudinal carinae forming a channel- like structure, and with distinct notch at apical margin. Lateral margin of metasomal sternum VIII straight.

Notes on type material.

The types of Sphex vestitus and its synonyms were not examined, because the character combination in the original description (black body, uniformly golden pubescence on clypeus and mesosoma, hyaline wing membrane) is sufficient to unambiguously identify this species.