Cerceris tangaensis 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 : 340

Cerceris tangaensis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ( Fig. 25 )

H o l o t y p e: ♁, Tanzania, Tanga Region, 2 km NE Mkomazi, 4°37.8'S 38°05.5'E, 29.- 31.XII.2002, leg. W.J. Pulawski (CAS).

E t y m o l o g y: The holotype was collected in Tanga Region, Tanzania.

R e c o g n i t i o n: Te large male (21 mm) of Cerceris tangaensis is characterized by having the coxa III without a longitudinal carina, the apical margin of the clypeus is brown and edentate ( Fig. 25a ), the propodeal enclosure is transversely microstriate with shallow medio-longitudinal furrow, the scutum and the metapleuron are dull and densely finely punctate, the mandible is edentate internally and the flagellomere XI is distinctly longer than X and bent ( Fig. 25c ) and the petiolus is wider than long ( Fig. 25e ). Additionally the terga II-VI are nearly all yellow and the wings are fuscous. The similar large male of spectrum differs from C. tangaensis in having the apical margin of clypeus tridentate, the propodeal enclosure is smooth and yellow, the flagellomere XI is as long as X, the sterna II-VI are covered with dense erect setae and the rest of the body is covered with sparse erect setae at least so long as three times the diameter of anterior ocellus. Additionally, the wings are not all fuscous. The male of C. multipicta differs from C. tangsensis in having the apical margin of clypeus tridentate, the propodeal enclosure is smooth, the flagellomeres VI-X have flat tyloidea and XI is as long as X. Additionally, the petiolus is distinctly longer than wide and the wings are not all fuscous.

D e s c r i p t i o n: 21 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus edentate and median area with brown spot medially ( Fig. 25a ); mandible edentate internally; flagellomere XI longer than X, distinctly bent and pointed below ( Fig. 25c ); prosternum without transverse carina; pronotal collar lateral nearly rectangular elevated; tegula on lateral half smooth; propodeal enclosure transversely microstriate (dull), lateral-and medio-longitudinal furrows shallow; petiolus wider than long ( Fig. 25e ); coxa III without longitudinal carina; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron without crest; sternum II without basal plate; pygidial plate apically rounded ( Fig. 25d ); genitalia ( Fig. 25f ). Puncturation: median part of clypeus on anterior half shining and impunctate, on posterior half micropunctate and irregular punctate; latero-clypeal parts and frons micropunctate and punctate; vertex densely punctate; pronotal collar densely punctate; pronotum lateral with short rugae; scutum micropunctate and densely finely punctate; scutellum shining and more sparsely punctate; mesopleuron and mesopleuron venter densely reticulate-punctate; propodeal sides simular punctate as on mesopleuron; terga dull and densely punctate, towards last terga more sparsely; sterna shining and lateral punctate; pygidial plate punctate. Pilosity: Clypeal brush small ( Fig. 25a ); latero-clypeal areas covered with dense erect setae; clypeus glabrous; rest of body more or less covered with sparse erect setae as long as two times of diameter of anterior ocellus. Coloration: black; following parts yellow: clypeus, frons, interantennal carina, mandible except apex, spot on gena, scapulae, pronotal collar lateral, tegula, lateral spots on scutellum, metanotum, terga II-VII apical half or near all, sterna IIV apico-lateral small spot; legs ferruginous and yellow, hindleg partly black; flagellum basal half ferruginous; wings fusco-ferruginous and with violet shine; clypeus anterior margin brown.

♀ unknown.

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

Figures

Fig. 25: Cerceris tangaensis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♁: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) pygidial plate; (e) petiolus; (f) genitalia dorsal and gonostyle in lateral view.