Chilosphex pseudargyrius (Roth in de Beaumont, 1967)

(Figs 1, 2b, d, 3b, d, f, 4b, d, f)

Sphex pseudargyrius Roth in de Beaumont 1967: 369, ♀, ♂. Holotype: ♀, Turkey: Mersin: Mut (J. Gusenleitner collection, Linz, Austria), examined.— As Chilosphex pseudargyrius: Bohart & Menke 1976:128; Dollfuss 2008:1400; Ljubomirov & Yildirim 2008:22; Yildirim 2014:29; Koçak & Kemal 2015:278; Danilov 2019:77; Pulawski 2022:2.

Diagnosis. Both sexes of Ch. pseudargyrius differ from Ch. argyrius in having the episternal sulcus extending to anteroventral margin of pleuron (the episternal sulcus ending at level of scrobe in Ch. pseudargyrius). The female of Ch. pseudargyrius differs from Ch. argyrius in having the scutum moderately shiny, finely, sparsely micropunctate with scattered punctures ( Ch. argyrius has the scutum moderately shiny, but coarsely, densely micropunctate with scattered punctures). The male differs from Ch. argyrius by the shape of S8, whose medial emargination is narrow: 1.5 × as wide as the lateral tooth (the medial emargination of S8 is broad: 3.5 × as wide as the lateral tooth in Ch. argyrius).

Description. Mesosoma . Pronotum and mesoscutum microsculptured, with scattered punctures and fine, sparse, inconspicuous, appressed, pale setae. Pronotal collar and metanotum with appressed, silvery setae. Episternal sulcus extending to anteroventral margin of pleuron (Fig. 3d). Propodeal enclosure with fine, inconspicuous, pale setae.

MALE (Fig. 4d). Body length 16 mm. Mesosoma . Pronotal lobe, mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum with sparse appressed, silvery setae partly concealing integument. Metasoma black with following red: T1, T2 anterolaterally, and S1 apically, S2. Medial emargination of S8 narrow: 1.5 × as wide as lateral tooth (Fig. 3f). FEMALE (Fig. 4b, f). Body length 16–24 mm. Head. Medial clypeal lobe distinctly longer than lateral one, narrow, not broader than lateral one, distinctly emarginate; lateral emargination moderately defined (Fig. 2b). Mesosoma . Scutum moderately shiny, finely, sparsely micropunctate with scattered punctures (Fig. 3b). Pronotal lobe, mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum with appressed, silvery setae moderately concealing integument. Metasoma black with following red: T1–T2, T3 anterolaterally, and S1 apically, S2, S3.

Material examined (Fig. 1). Type material. Holotype of Sphex pseudargyrius Roth in de Beaumont 1967: ♀, Turkey, Mersin Province: Mut [36°38′45.0″N 33°26′15.0″E], 9–13.VI.1965, leg. J. Gusenleitner [MCZL]. Paratype of Sphex pseudargyrius Roth in de Beaumont 1967: ♂, the same place, 13.VI.1965, leg. M. Schwarz [MCZL]. Other material. IRAN. Sistan and Baluchestan: N foothills of Kuh-e Taftan [28°36′15.5″N 61°07′54.6″E], 25.V.1955, D. Steinberg (1 ♀, ZISP). TURKEY. Antalya Province: Akseki, Murtiçi [36°52′59.5″N 31°45′49.8″E], 3.VI.1996, leg. M. Snižek (1 ♂, 1 ♀, OLBL); Mardin Province: Mardin [37°19′00.0″N 40°44′16.0″E], 21.VI.1997, leg. M. Halada (1 ♀, OLBL).

Distribution. Turkey, * Iran.