Sphex rufinervis Pérez, 1895

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 : 47-48

Sphex rufinervis Pérez, 1895

Figs 51, 55 (blue)

Sphex rufinervis Perez, 1895: 209 , ♂, ♀.

Differential diagnosis

This species ( Fig. 51 ) is one of four within this group that have uniformly silvery propodeal setae. An easily visible character that distinguishes it from the other three, S. erythrinus ( Figs 41–42 ), S. feijeni nom. nov. ( Figs 43–44 ) and S. lanatus ( Fig. 50 ), are the largely or completely black erect clypeal setae in both sexes of S. rufinervis . The other species mentioned have them uniformly silvery.

Material examined

Lectotype REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES • 1 ♀; Mahé; [4°40ʹ S, 55°28ʹ E]; 1892; Ch. Alluaud leg.; MNHN (designated by Menke in Bohart & Menke 1976: 116).

Paralectotypes REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for lectotype; MNHN .

Other material

REPUBLIC OF SEYCHELLES • 2 ♂♂; 1907; P.R. Dupont leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂, 5 ♀♀; BMNH • 1 ♂; same collection data as for lectotype; MNHN • 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for lectotype but A. Merian leg.; ZMB. – Outer Islands • 1 ♂; North Island , Farquhar; [10°07ʹ23ʺ S, 51°10ʹ38ʺ E]; 16–17 Nov. 1952; E.S. Brown leg.; BMNH .

Description

Female SIZE. 23.4 mm.

COLOR. Black except for ferruginous stripe in center of mandible. Cellular wing area hyaline, apical margin of forewing fuscous.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect setae on clypeus black, on paraocular area black intermixed with silvery ones, on collar silvery intermixed with some black ones, on scutum and propodeal enclosure exclusively silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented anteriorly. Clypeus without glabrous stripe. Scutellum densely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin with two small teeth, not stepped medially. Clypeus without indentation or carina. Scutellum convex. Metanotum raised, slightly bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Foretarsomere I 2.0–2.3 × length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 2.0× its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 19.4–21.7 mm.

COLOR. Black, except for ferruginous stripe in center of mandible. Cellular wing area hyaline, forewing with fuscous spot beyond marginal cell.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect setae on clypeus black and usually intermixed with silvery ones, on paraocular area silvery and usually intermixed with some black ones, exclusively silvery on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure. Erect propodeal setae oriented anteriorly. Clypeus without glabrous stripe. Scutellum densely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple. Scutellum convex. Metanotum slightly raised, slightly bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII convex. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII concavely emarginate. Penis valvae without conspicuous modifications. Petiole length 2.4× its medial width. Flagellomere V with narrow placoid covering its proximal four-fifths.

Variation

Unknown.

Distribution

Seychelles.

Figures

Figs 49–56. 49. Sphex fumicatus Christ, 1791, habitus of ♀. 50. S. lanatus Mocsáry, 1883, habitus of ♀. 51. S. rufinervis Pérez, 1895, habitus of ♂. 52. S. taschenbergi Magretti, 1884, habitus of ♀. 53. S. fumicatus, frontal view of ♀. 54. S. taschenbergi, frontal view of ♀. 55. Geographic distribution of S. lanatus (red), S. rufinervis (blue) and S. taschenbergi (yellow). 56. Geographic distribution of S. tomentosus Fabricius, 1787 (red) and S. torridus F. Smith, 1873 (blue).

Figs 41–48. 41–42, 45. Sphex erythrinus (Guiglia, 1939). 43–44, 46. Sphex feijeni nom. nov. 41, 43. Habitus of ♀. 42, 44. Habitus of ♂. 45–46. Male genitalia. 47. Geographic distribution of S. cinerascens Dahlbom, 1843 (red), S. paulinierii Guérin-Méneville, 1843 (blue),S. erythrinus (yellow) and S. feijeni nom. nov. (purple). 48. Geographic distribution of S. fumicatus Christ, 1791.