Sphex comorensis, Dörfel & Ohl, 2022

Dörfel, Thorleif H. & Ohl, Michael, 2022, The wasp genus Sphex in Sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 796 (1), pp. 1-170 : 148-149

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2022.796.1665

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:76C5C9C4-C6C1-4EDC-8FF8-9828A6EF2040

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6535928

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/79F4CFD2-FBBC-41BD-AD25-4C526C3D01C6

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:79F4CFD2-FBBC-41BD-AD25-4C526C3D01C6

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Sphex comorensis
status

sp. nov.

Sphex comorensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:79F4CFD2-FBBC-41BD-AD25-4C526C3D01C6

Figs 119, 123 View Figs 119–123. 119–120 (red)

Differential diagnosis

Both sexes of this species lack the conspicuous ferruginous stripe which is present laterally on the mesosoma in most specimens of S. malagassus . Additionally, males ( Fig. 119 View Figs 119–123. 119–120 ) are recognizable through having the clypeus almost completely black, in contrast to the entirely ferruginous clypeus of S. malagassus . Furthermore, S. malagassus has the penis valvae modified in a very conspicuous way ( Figs 121–122 View Figs 119–123. 119–120 ), while those of S. comorensis sp. nov. have the same shape as in most African species of Sphex .

In females of S. comorensis sp. nov., the appressed setae on the head and mesosoma are rich golden, whereas those of S. malagassus are pale silvery.

Etymology

‘ Comorensis ’ is a Latinization meaning ‘from the Comoros’, as this archipelago is the only known location where the species occurs.

Material examined

Holotype UNION OF THE COMOROS – Mohéli • ♂; Châlet St Antoine ; [12°16ʹ56ʺ S, 43°39ʹ48ʺ E]; 11 Jan. 2003; U. Dall’Asta leg.; THD-030-MRAC ; GenBank CO1 gene: MW538557 View Materials ; MRAC. GoogleMaps

Paratypes UNION OF THE COMOROS • 1 ♀; Anjouan; [12°15ʹ S, 44°25ʹ E]; 1922; R. Decary leg.; MNHN. – GoogleMaps Grande Comore • 1 ♀; La Grille ; [11°27ʹ S, 43°20ʹ E]; 23 Apr.–3 May 1991; K.M. Guichard leg.; BMNH GoogleMaps 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Mitsoudjé ; [11°49ʹ S, 43°16ʹ E]; Dec. 1970; J. Brunhes leg.; RMNH GoogleMaps 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; ZMB GoogleMaps .

Description

Female

SIZE. 16.7–22.3 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, labrum, lower half of clypeus, scape, pedicel ventrally, tegula, metasoma laterally, fore- and midfemur apically, fore- and midtibia, fore- and midtarsomeres I–IV and basal half of hindtibia. Wings slightly fuscous, basal half with inconspicuous brownish-yellow tinge, with violet iridescence.

VESTITURE.Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure golden. Erect setae on clypeus and paraocular area ferruginous, on scutum golden intermixed with black ones, on collar and propodeal enclosure golden. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly, slightly curved towards anterior. Clypeus medially with very narrow vertical glabrous stripe. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin with notched process medially, not stepped. Clypeus without indentation, with indistinct longitudinal carina in upper center. Scutellum flat. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Foretarsomere I 2.45× length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.7–2.0× its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 18.9–21.3 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, lower center of clypeus, scape, pedicel ventrally, tegula, fore- and midfemur apically, fore- and midtibia, and hindfemor and -tibia ventrally. Cellular wing area hyaline, basal half with inconspicuous brownish-yellow tinge, with violet iridescence, wing apices infuscate.

VESTITURE.Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silverygolden. Erect setae on clypeus ferruginous-brown, on paraocular area, collar and propodeal enclosure golden, on scutum golden intermixed with black ones. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly, slightly curved towards anterior. Clypeus without glabrous spot. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple. Scutellum flat. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges.Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII convex. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII triangular. Penis valvae without conspicuous modifications. Petiole length 2.5–2.8 × its medial width. Flagellomere IV with moderately broad placoid covering only small portions or up to its proximal four-fifths, flagellomere V with moderately broad placoid covering most of it, flagellomere VI with moderately broad placoid covering only small portions or up to its proximal four-fifths.

Variation

Unknown.

Distribution

Comoros.

MNHN

France, Paris, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle

BMNH

United Kingdom, London, The Natural History Museum [formerly British Museum (Natural History)]

RMNH

Netherlands, Leiden, Nationaal Natuurhistorische Museum ("Naturalis") [formerly Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie]

ZMB

Germany, Berlin, Museum fuer Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universitaet

MRAC

Musée Royal de l’Afrique Centrale

RMNH

National Museum of Natural History, Naturalis

ZMB

Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (Zoological Collections)

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Vespidae

Genus

Sphex

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