Ceropales Latreille

Lu, Hai-Xia, Bashir, Nawaz Haider, Li, Qiang & Ma, Li, 2019, Two new species of Ceropales (Ceropales) Latreille (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae), with a key to species from China, Zootaxa 4551 (2), pp. 211-220 : 218

Key to species of the subgenus Ceropales Latreille from China

1. Propodeum conspicuously flat, rarely convex at its entire length viewed from the side, and with deep longitudinal groove medially; frons usually remarkably flat anterior to antennal sockets and bent in obtuse-angle on 2/3 away from antennal sockets; ocelli forming acute triangle, or at most a right-angled triangle; scutellum and postscutellum remarkably raised, much higher than mesonotum in lateral view..................................................................... 2

- Propodeum more or less convex basally and flat or only moderately convex in declivous part; longitudinal furrow at most short or only impressed medially; frons usually convex; ocelli forming obtuse triangle; scutellum and postscutellum moderately raised, only slightly higher than mesonotum in lateral view..................................................... 4

2. Lateral side of propodeum with a conspicuous, deep oblique suture medially....................................... 3

- Lateral side of propodeum without a conspicuous oblique suture medially, only rather shallowly impressed............................................................................... Ceropales (C.) longisulcata Lu & Li , sp. nov.

3. Temple distinctly broader than one third of greatest width of eye (6:15); orbital groove undeveloped and short, along outer orbit at most by its lower 1/3 length (♀)............................................. Ceropales (C.) ligea Bingham

- Temple narrower than one third of greatest width of eye (13:40); orbital groove remarkably developed, broad, and at least half length of outer eye margin (♀ ♂)...................................... Ceropales (C.) yunnanensis Lu & Li , sp. nov.

4. Postnotum with nearly parallel margins; head and mesosoma matte, coriaceous-granulated; second joint of mid tarsus about thrice as long as wide...................................................... Ceropales (C.) variegata (Fabricius)

- Anterior and posterior margins of postnotum not parallel; head and mesosoma usually not matte, at least weakly shining; second joint of mid tarsus about twice as long as wide........................................................... 5

5. Last gastral segment pointed apically (♀); frons with larger and conspicuous punctures; body much more extensively yellow: frons largely, whole pronotum, scutellum, metanotum largely, two large spots on propodeum, terga I–II with yellow broader than their half, coxae, etc..................................................... Ceropales (C.) altaicus Morawitz

- Last gastral segment broadly truncate apically (♀); frons matte, with dense small contiguous punctures and without conspicu- ous, larger punctures, latter present only between ocelli and eye, rarely frons also with larger punctures ( C. trjapitzini ♀ ♂, C. magnifica ♂); body with much less yellow color............................................................. 6

6. Frons with dense, small punctures and few large punctures only between ocelli and eye; punctures of mesopleuron 2 × diameters apart; tarsal joints of ♂ sometimes remarkably shortened................................................... 7

- Frons with dense, small punctures and scattered larger punctures; punctures of mesopleuron 1 × diameter apart below tegulae; tarsal joints of ♂ normal, not shortened.................................................................... 8

7. Propodeum with longitudinal furrow medially, with transverse furrow basally, posterolateral angle rounded; gastral tergum III entirely black, usually tergum I with ivory or yellowish white spots laterally, tergum II mostly with a continuous band apically, terga IV–V often with a medial spot; fore tarsi remarkably dilated (♂)......... Ceropales (C.) maculata maculata Fabricius

- Propodeum without longitudinal furrow medially, relatively smooth basally, posterolateral angle trapezoidal shaped; gastral tergum III, also terga II–VI (VII) with apical ivory bands, tergum I with continuous or narrowly interrupted broad band (♀) or with lateral spots (♂); fore tarsi never broadened (♂)........................ Ceropales (C.) erythropoda Gussakovskij

8. Propodeum with coarse carinae, especially distinct on propodeal enclosure; frons relatively rather deeply punctured; lateral margin of pronotum yellowish-brown, translucent; gastral tergum III black, without yellow spot (♂).................... 9

- Sculpture of propodeum fine, not coarsely rugose; frons matte (♀) or sparsely punctured (♂); lateral margin of pronotum black; gastral tergum III black, with trace of a small yellow spot apically (♂)..................................... 10

9. Gastral sternum VI conspicuously long, ventral margin sinuate in lateral view (♀) ( Fig 4. g ); clypeus without punctures; meta- pleuron without large puncture......................................... Ceropales (C.) longabdominalis Jiang et Li

- Gastral sternum VI normal, ventral margin flat in lateral view (♀); clypeus with scattered punctures; metapleuron with dense, large, punctures medially................................................ Ceropales (C.) magnifica Gussakovskij

10. Propodeum at most with microscopically fine, transverse rugulosity basally; frons with dense, small, contiguous punctures, except male also with a few large punctures; gastral tergum I with interrupted, large yellow band medially....................................................................................... Ceropales (C.) solskii Radoszkowski

- Sculpture of propodeum irregular and coarser rugose basally; frons with dense, small, contiguous punctures mixed with some distinct larger ones (♀ ♂); broad yellow band of gastral tergum I, continuous medially..... Ceropales (C.) trjapitzini Moczar

Figures

FIGURE 4. Ceropales species. a–f. Ceropales (C.) yunnanensis Lu & Li, sp. nov., ♂. a. Head, lateral view. b. Fore tarsus II–V and inner claw. c. Gastral sternum IX, dorsal view. d. Sternum IX, lateral view. e. Genitalia, ventral view. f. Genitalia, dorsal view. g. Ceropales (C.) longabdominalis Jiang et Li, ♀. Metasoma, lateral view. Scale bar: a = 1 mm; b = 0.27 mm; c–d = 0.31 mm; e–f = 0.33 mm; g = 3.04 mm.