Sceliphron Klug, 1801

Anagha, S., Kumar, P. Girish, Binoy, C., Mazumdar, P. C. & Sureshan, P. M., 2021, A review of the mud-dauber wasps of genus Sceliphron Klug (Hymenoptera Sphecidae) from India, Zootaxa 4969 (1), pp. 61-85 : 62-63

Genus Sceliphron Klug, 1801

Sceliphron Klug 1801: 561 . Type species: Sphex (= Sceliphron) spirifex Linnaeus, 1758 , designated by Bingham 1897: 235. Pulawski (2021) gives a list of the synonymy, which is not repeated here.

Diagnosis. Propodeum with U-shaped dorsal enclosure; both recurrent veins of fore wing received by second submarginal cell; spiracular groove absent; female without fore tarsal rake; tarsi with plantulae; body usually with yellow markings ( Bohart & Menke 1976); clypeus of female apico-medially incised, with or without deep/shallow lateral incisions, followed by sublateral lobes ( Figs 2 , 11 , 16 , 21 , 26 , 33 , 43 , 52 ); clypeus of male apico-medially emarginate, with or without blunt lobes laterally ( Figs 8 , 31 , 38 , 49 ).

Distribution. Widely distributed in temperate and tropical regions throughout the world ( Pulawski 2021).

Prey. Spiders belonging to the families Anyphaenidae , Araneidae , Argiopidae , Clubionidae , Heteropodidae , Loxoscelidae , Mimetidae , Miturgidae , Oxyopidae , Philodromidae , Pholcidae , Salticidae , Selenopidae , Scytodidae , Theridiidae and Thomisidae ( Camillo 2002; Fateryga & Kovblyuk 2014).

Key to Indian species and subspecies of Sceliphron Klug

(Adopted from van der Vecht & van Breugel (1968) and Hensen (1987))

(Indian species S. neobilineatum Jha & Farooqi , S. paraintrudens Jha & Farooqui , and S. isaaci Jha & Farooqi are excluded due to lack of details in the descriptions; our efforts to locate the type material proved unsuccessful)

1. Last metasomal sternum of female with longitudinal carina as long as half length of sternum ( Fig. 7 ); lower half of inner eye margin sub-parallel ( Fig. 2 ); last metasomal tergum of male with pygostyle ( Fig. 9 ); second submarginal cell of fore wing wider than third anteriorly ( Fig. 3 ); mandibles without tooth on inner side............................................. 2

- Last metasomal sternum of female slightly convex, rarely with short longitudinal carina on apical third ( Fig. 48 ); lower half of inner eye margin distinctly converging towards clypeus ( Fig. 43 ); last metasomal tergum of male without pygostyle ( Fig. 50 ); second submarginal cell of fore wing not wider than third anteriorly, if wider than third, then female mandible with distinct tooth on inner side.................................................................................... 8

2. Petiole in lateral view nearly straight, yellow, usually longer than hind tibia........................ S. rectum Kohl ... 3

- Petiole in lateral view distinctly curved ( Figs 1 , 15 ), usually shorter than hind tibia................................. 4

3. Metanotum with yellow band; propodeum with extensive yellow markings; first tergum usually with yellow band; hind tibia black.................................................................. S. rectum pulchellam Gussakovskij

- Metanotum, propodeum and first tergum black; hind tibia yellow on outer side.................. S. rectum rectum Kohl

4. Mesoscutum dull, ruguloso-striate ( Fig. 12 )................................................................ 5

- Mesoscutum comparatively shiny, regularly striate ( Figs 4 & 17 )............................................... 6

5. Interocular distance at vertex distinctly longer than first flagellomere.......................... S. curvatum (F. Smith)

- Interocular distance shorter.................................................. S. formosum formosum (F. Smith)

6. Petiole yellow to yellowish brown, rest of metasoma black; mesosoma usually entirely black (except on prontal collar) ( Fig. 4 )........................................................................ S. coromandelicum (Lepeletier)

- Petiole entirely or mostly black; mesosoma usually with extensive yellow areas............... S. deforme (F. Smith) ... 7

7. Yellow bands on first and second terga complete; post antennal tubercle with yellow spot.... S. deforme deforme (F. Smith)

- First and second terga mostly reddish brown to deep brown, paler on the posterior margin of remaining terga ( Fig. 19 ); post antennal tubercle black.......................................................... S. deforme tibiale Cameron

8. Hind coxa normal or somewhat swollen, rounded on outer side ( Fig. 44 ); inner side of mandible with more or less distinct tooth; propodeal side less sharply and coarsely striate............................... S. madraspatanum species group ... 9

- Hind coxa swollen on outer side, dorso-basally angulate ( Fig. 27 ); mandible simple (except in S. arabs ); propodeal side in most species more sharply and coarsely striate.......................................... S. spirifex species group ... 14

9. Mesepisternum distinctly rugose between punctures, dull, not shinier than propodeal side; with yellow mark below tegula................................................................................. S. caementarium (Drury)

- Mesepisternum more or less coarsely punctate (interstices in some species with microscopically fine punctation, but not distinctly rugose), as a rule shiny and usually more so than striate propodeal side; with or without yellow mark below tegula. .................................................................................................. 10

10. Tegula brown or black............................................................... S. intrudens (F. Smith)

- Tegula marked with yellow............................................................................ 11

11. Mesepisternum black, sometimes with more or less reduced yellow mark below tegula; scutellum and propodeum typically without yellow markings.............................................................................. 12

- Mesepisternum with distinct yellow mark below tegula; scutellum and propodeum with or without yellow markings..... 13

12. Pronotum with narrowly interrupted yellow band; metanotum with yellow band ( Fig. 45 ).......................................................................................... S. madraspatanum madraspatanum (Fabricius)

- Pronotum and metanotum black ( Fig. 34 ).................................. S. madraspatanum andamanicum Kohl

13. Propodeum typically with yellow markings ( Fig. 53 )........................... S. madraspatanum pictum (F. Smith)

- Propodeum black ( Fig. 39 )........................................ S. madraspatanum formosanum van der Vecht

14. Tegula and usually metanotum marked with yellow or yellowish brown ( Fig. 22 ); metasomal petiole relatively short, about 0.8× length of hind tibia................................................................ S. destillatorium (Illiger)

- Tegula and metanotum black; metasomal petiole as long as hind tibia or little longer......... S. javanum (Lepeletier) ... 15

15. Hind tibia yellow ( Fig. 25 ).................................................... S. javanum nalandicum Strand

- Hind tibia black..................................................................................... 16

16. Hind femur yellow with usually ill-defined fuscous mark dorso-apically; if entirely fuscous to black, then dark part angularly produced on inner side of femur, and rarely covers more than apical third on outer side... S. javanum javanum (Lepeletier)

- Hind femur with at least apical third black, dark part rather sharply separated from basal yellow part.................................................................................................. S. javanum petiolare Kohl

Figures

FIGURES 1–9. Sceliphron coromandelicum (Lepeletier), 1–7 ♀. 1. Habitus, lateral view; 2. Head, frontal view; 3. Fore wing; 4. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 5. Mesosoma, lateral view; 6. Metasoma, dorsal view; 7. Apical metasomal sterna; 8–9 ♂. 8. Head, frontal view; 9. Metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 10–14. Sceliphron curvatum (F. Smith), ♀. 10. Habitus, lateral view; 11. Head, frontal view; 12. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 13. Mesosoma, lateral view; 14. Metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 15–19. Sceliphron deforme tibiale Cameron, ♀. 15. Habitus, lateral view; 16. Head, frontal view; 17. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 18. Mesosoma, lateral view; 19. Metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 20–24. Sceliphron destillatorium (Illiger), ♀. 20. Habitus, lateral view; 21. Head, frontal view; 22. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 23. Mesosoma, lateral view; 24. Metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 25–31. Sceliphron javanum nalandicum Strand, 25–30 ♀. 25. Habitus, lateral view; 26. Head, frontal view; 27. Hind coxa, dorsal view; 28. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 29. Mesosoma, lateral view; 30. Metasoma, dorsal view; 31 ♂. Head, frontal view.

FIGURES 32–36. Sceliphron madraspatanum andamanicum Kohl, ♀. 32. Habitus, lateral view; 33. Head, frontal view; 34. Mesosoma, drsal view; 35. Mesosoma, lateral view; 36. Metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 42–50. Sceliphron madraspatanum madraspatanum (Fabricius), 42–48 ♀. 42. Habitus, lateral view; 43. Head, frontal view; 44. Hind coxa, dorsal view; 45. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 46. Mesosoma, lateral view; 47. Metasoma, dorsal view; 48. Apical metasomal sterna; 49–50 ♂. 49. Head, frontal view; 50. Metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 51–55. Sceliphron madraspatanum pictum (F. Smith), ♀. 51. Habitus, lateral view; 52. Head, frontal view; 53. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 54. Mesosoma, lateral view; 55. Metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURES 37–41. Sceliphron madraspatanum formosanum van der Vecht, ♂. 37. Habitus, lateral view; 38. Head, frontal view; 39. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 40. Mesosoma, lateral view; 41. Metasoma, dorsal view.