Sphecodopsis regina sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 217A8B44-1ADC-40E3-ADA5-15F62C11CA25

Figs 109–112

Diagnosis

The female of S. regina sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch about as long as its apical width (Fig. 110C); metasoma partially red (Fig. 109B); fore tibia and tarsi completely or largely red (Fig. 109A); head wider than long, vertex flat (Fig. 109C); T5 apically without hair fringe (Fig. 110B); head and mesoscutum with short golden hair (Fig. 109C–D); propodeum sparsely covered with golden hair (Fig. 110A). The male can be separated from that of all other species by the combination of the following characters: body length 4.9 mm; metasoma at least partially red (Fig. 111B); fore tibia and tarsi completely red (Fig. 111A); metapostnotum glabrous and shiny (Fig. 111E); Head and mesosoma with relatively short golden and white hair (Fig. 111C–D); wings slightly yellowish, almost clear (Fig. 111A).

Etymology

The species looks like a queen (Latin: ‘ regina ’) because of the golden ‘crown’ hairs on the female vertex. Noun in apposition.

Type material (9 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; Gemsbokrivier-Pad, 4.5 km NE of Grootdrif, roadside; 31°25′54″ S, 18°55′16″ E; 170 m a.s.l.; 17 Aug. 2010; MK leg.; SAMC.

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Leliefontein, plain; 30°14′ S, 18°09′ E; 23 Sep. 2003; CM leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; Remhoogte, slope; 30°14′ S, 18°10′ E; 14 Sep. 2003; CM leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; Hantam Mts, river bank, 32 km N of Calvinia, S of Klipwerf Farm; 31°12′09″ S, 19°50′04″ E; 870 m a.s.l.; 30 Aug. 2010; MK leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; W Cape, Knersvlakte, Sukkulent Karoo, 30 km N of Vanrhynsdorp; 31°22′23″ S, 18°42′37″ E; 146 m a.s.l.; 5–6 Sep. 2003; KT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; W Cape, Knersvlakte, Farm Kaapse Drif; 31°26′01″ S, 18°47′34″ E; 22 Sep. 1999; MK leg.; RCMK .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.0– 5.2 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with short, white hair, mixed with short, gold hair. Face with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), fairly fine and shallow punctation, supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i =0.5–1 d) punctation (Fig. 109C). Surface between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna reddish-brown to brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula yellow. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i =0.25–0.5 d), finely and shallowly punctate (Fig. 109D). Propodeum with sparse (i=1–2 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum shiny (Fig. 110A). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with short, white hair mixed with short, gold hair(Fig.109D).Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered short, white hair mixed with short, gold hair, metapostnotum glabrous (Figs 109D, 110A).

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown (Fig. 109A).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter dark reddish-brown to black, femur tibia and tarsus of variable color. Femur basal half black and femur apical half, tibia and tarsi light red, red or dark reddish-brown. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with short, white hair. Tibia and tarsi covered with short, white hair (Fig. 109A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 red, T4–T6 to a variable extent red, from completely red to completely black. T1 and T2 with few short, white hairs, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair (Fig. 109B). T6 covered with short, white hair, narrow and rounded apically (Fig. 110B). Shape of S6 (Fig. 110C) as illustrated.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.9 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with short, white hair, mixed with short, gold hair. Face with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), fairly fine and shallow punctation, supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i =0.5–1 d) punctation (Fig. 111C). Surface between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna reddish-brown to brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula yellow. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i =0.25–0.5 d), finely and shallowly punctate (Fig. 111D). Propodeum with sparse (i=1–2 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum shiny (Fig. 111E). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with short, white hair mixed with short, gold hair (Fig. 111D). Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, white hair mixed with short, gold hair, metapostnotum glabrous (Fig. 111D–E).

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown (Fig. 111A).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter dark reddish-brown to black, femur tibia and tarsus of variable color. Femur basal half black and femur apical half, tibia and tarsi light red, red or dark reddish-brown. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with short, white hair. Tibia and tarsi covered with short, white hair (Fig. 111A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 red, T4–T7 to a variable extent red, from completely red to completely black. T1 and T2 with few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair (Fig. 111B). T7 narrow and rounded apically, covered with short, white hair (Fig. 111F).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia (Fig. 112C), S7 (Fig. 112A) and terminal plate of S8 (Fig. 112B) as illustrated.

Distribution

Found in different parts of Namaqualand.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

August–September.