Key to Sphex flavipennis group in northwest Africa

For definition of S. flavipennis group, see MENKE & PULAWSKI (2000). Distribution and characters only refer to North Africa.

Key to females

1 Petiole wider than long, 2/3 as long as hindtarsomere III. [Abdomen black or first tergites red. Wings dark brownish with yellowish shimmer. Mesonotum with erect dense brownish setae. A very large and broad species]. 25-35 mm. Morocco to Libya ........ ................................................................................................................ S. afer LEPELETIER

- Petiole at least 1.5x as long as wide.. ..................................................................................2

2 Abdomen black. Wings darkly infumate, apex as dark as remaining wing. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia ................................................................................ S. libycus de BEAUMONT

- First abdominal segments red (in S. flavipennis also black). Wings greyish or with yellow shimmer, apex of forewing darker than remaining wing. ........................................3

3 Legs all black, foretibia may be dark red. Erect setae of face yellowish-brown. Ouarzazate region in southern Morocco. .................... S. schlaeflei SCHMID- EGGER, nov.sp.

- All legs with red parts. Erect setae of face white.................................................................4

4 Pronotal collar and mesoscutum with adpressed white and golden setae (fig. 19). Wings yellowish with grey apical band. [First tergites red, abdomen may be all black in specimens from western Morocco]. 24-32 mm. Whole area. ......... S. flavipennis FABRICIUS

- Pronotal collar and mesoscutum without adpressed setae. Wings greyish darkened. Smaller species [T 1-3 red, T4 partly red or black]. 16-26 mm ...........................................5

5 Hindtibia all red. Colour of leg and abdomen orange reddish. Tunisia (can also be expected from other regions).................................................... S. funerarius GUSSAKOVSKIJ

- Hindtibia black, or with some dark red on underside. Colour of leg and abdomen darker red than in previous species. Southern Morocco. ... S. maroccanus SCHMID- EGGER, nov.sp.

Key to males

1 Abdomen black. ..................................................................................................................2

- First abdominal segments red..............................................................................................3

2 AS 7-8 with placoids (fig. 6). S7 with short erect pilosity, setae 0,5x-0.8 as long as hindocellar diameter. Petiole 1.7x as long as wide. 20-22 mm. Egypt, Libya, Tunisia. ........ ....................................................................................................... S. libycus de BEAUMONT

- AS 6-8 with placoids (placoids in direct comparison narrower than in S. libycus, fig. 5). S7 with long erect pilosity, setae 1.5-2x as long as hindocellar diameter. Petiole 1.0x as long as wide. [Petiole laterally with dense pilosity, longest setae longer than diameter of petiole, fig. 20]. 20-26 mm. Morocco to Libya ................................... S. afer LEPELETIER

3 AS without large placoids. AS 7-8 with narrow placoids, which are 0,3x as large as width of AS (fig. 2). [Wings yellowish apart from grey apex.]. 18-26 mm. Whole area....... ....................................................................................................... S. flavipennis FABRICIUS

- At least AS 6-8 with large placoids, nearly as large as width of AS ...................................4

4 AS 6-8 with placoids (fig. 8). T 1-4 red, apex of T4 sometimes black. Apex of S8 rounded, with medial point. Ouarzazate region in Southern Morocco .................................. .................................................................................... S. schlaeflei SCHMID- EGGER, nov.sp.

- At least AS 5-8 with placoids. T 1-3 red, T4 at least laterally red. Apex of S8 with clear angle....................................................................................................................................5

5 S8 with right angle apically (fig. 17). AS 5-10 with placoids (fig. 7). Southern Morocco. ................................................................ S. maroccanus SCHMID- EGGER, nov.sp.

- S8 with acute angle apically (fig. 13). AS 5-8 or 5-9 with placoids (fig. 4). Tunisia (can also be expected from other regions)........................................ S. funerarius GUSSAKOVSKIJ