Cerceris ptah DOLLFUSS, 2023

Dollfuss, Hermann & M, Mt., 2023, New species of the genus Cerceris LATREILLE, 1802 from Sub-Saharan Africa Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Crabronidae Part I, Linzer biologische Beiträge 55 (1), pp. 307-349 : 333-334

Cerceris ptah DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ( Fig. 20 )

H o l o t y p e: ♀, Kenya, Eastern Province, near Ewaso Ngiro River opposite Archer's Post, 0°31.1N 37°40.4'E, 19.-20.XII.2002, leg. M.A.Prentice (CAS).

E t y m o l o g y: Ptah is an egyptian god.

R e c o g n i t i o n: The female of Cerceris ptah is characterized by having the coxa III without longitudinal carina, the apical margin of clypeus is median slightly emarginate with two teeth lateral, the median area of clypeus has a nasiform process erected in the middle ( Fig. 20a ), the prosternum is punctate with few transverse rugae, the propodeal enclosure is shallowly micropunctate and lateral punctate and nearly without lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrows. Additionally, the terga II-IV are produced apico-laterally (as in chromatica), the sternum II has a medio-longitudinal carina, the pygidial plate is slightly narrower basal than apical, the mandible is edentate internally, sternum VI has four long teeth and the legs are ferruginous and yellow. The female of C. fitzgeraldi shares with C. ptah the nasiform process but differs in having the mandible with tooth internally, the mesopleuron with two teeth and the propodeal enclosure is dull and finely coriaceous.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀, 11.5 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus median slightly emarginate and with two teeth lateral ( Fig. 20a ); median area of clypeus with nasiform process distinctly erected ( Fig. 20b ); mandible edentate internally; prosternum with few transverse rugae; pronotum lateral with few carinae; pronotal collar rounded laterally; propodeal enclosure dull and sparsely irregularly punctured, lateral- and mediolongitudinal furrows nearly lacking; petiolus as long as wide ( Fig. 20e ); terga II-IV apico-lateral produced; sternum II with medio-longitudinal carina, lateral slightly concave; sternum VI with four long teeth; coxa III without longitudinal carina; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron without crest; flagellum ( Fig. 20c ); pygidial plate basally narrowed ( Fig. 20d ). Puncturation: clypeus and frons dull and punctate; vertex densely punctate (except near ocelly); prosternum shining and sparsely punctate; pronotal collare dull and sparsely punctate; scutum shining and irregularly punctate; (punctures 0-1 diameter apart); scutellum dull, more sparsely punctate; metanotum dull, finely punctate; propodeal sides dull and irregular sparsely punctate (punctures 0-1 diameter apart); terga densely punctate; pygidial plate coarsely irregularly punctate; sterna laterally punctate; mesopleuron and epimeron densely punctate. Pilosity: clypeal sides with short appressed setae; gena, mesopleuron and propodeal sides with long erect setae; rest of body with sparse erect setae. Coloration: black; following parts yellow: clypeus and frons (except anterior margin), interantennal carina, scapus anterior half, spots on vertex and gena, pronotal collar lateral, tegula partly, mandible (except apex), scutellum lateral, metanotum, propodeum lateral, spot on mesopleuron and epimeron, terga I, II, III and V apical, sterna II and III lateral; legs ferruginous and yellow; apical margin of clypeus ferruginous-brown; flagellum ferruginous and brown; wings hyaline, except apex.

♁ unknown.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Kenya.

Figures

Fig. 20: Cerceris ptah DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♀: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) pygidial plate; (e) petiolus.