Sphex meridionalis (Arnold, 1947) Ruspolia

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 : 152

Species of the meridionalis group

The meridionalis group contains the following three species: Sphex meridionalis , S. nefrens sp. nov. and S. occidentalis sp. nov.

Members are characterized through their black, more or less perpendicularly-oriented erect propodeal setae which are slightly curved towards the anterior ( Figs 3–4 ), and therefore closely resemble some species of the umtalicus group. Nonetheless, several characters unequivocally separate the two groups. Firstly, females of the meridionalis group ( Fig. 8 ) lack the coarse scutellar vestiture present in those of the umtalicus group ( Figs 3–4 ). As this can be difficult to assess without practice, a useful indicator is the presence or absence of long erect setae, of similar quality to those on the metanotum, near the scutellar center. Females of the meridionalis group only have long erect scutellar setae near the posterolateral margin of the scutellum, whereas those of the umtalicus group usually also have some near the center. Secondly, male specimens of the umtalicus group always have a conspicuous tooth-like process that emerges from below the free clypeal margin ( Fig. 27 ). This structure is absent in members of the meridionalis group.

Figures

Figs 1–6. 1–3. Dorsal view of propodeal setae in different orientation. 4. Lateral view of thoracic dorsum. 5–6. Lateral view of scutellum and metanotum. 1. Sphex pseudopraedator sp. nov., ♀. 2. S. jansei Cameron, 1910, ♂. 3–4. S. umtalicus Strand, 1916, ♀. 5. S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov., ♀. 6. S. gaullei Berland, 1927, ♀.

Figs 7–12. 7–8. Dorsal view of scutellum and metanotum. 9–10. Lateral view of upper metapleural area (anterior = left). 11. Dorsal view of petiole. 12. Basitarsal rake. 7. Sphex tomentosus Fabricius, 1787, ♂. 8. S. meridionalis (Arnold, 1947), ♀. 9. S. torridus F. Smith, 1873, ♂. 10. S. nigrohirtus Kohl, 1895, ♀. 11. S. haemorrhoidalis Fabricius, 1781, ♀. 12. S. decipiens Kohl, 1895, ♀. α: defined as petiole length; β: defined as length of outer side of tarsomere I; arrow: antepenultimate spine.

Figs 25–32. 25–26. Ventral and lateral view of sternum VIII and genitalia in male of Sphex abyssinicus (Arnold, 1928). 27–28. Frontal view of free clypeal margin in males. 29–32. Dorsal view of fore- and hindwing in males and females of thegaullei group. 27. S. umtalicus Strand, 1916. 28. S. decipiens Kohl, 1895. 29. S. jansei Cameron, 1910, ♀. 30. S. jansei, ♂. 31. S. gaullei Berland, 1927, ♀. 32. S. gaullei, ♂.