Podalonia fera (LEPELETIER de SAINT FARGEAU)

Dollfuss, H., 2010, A Key to Wasps of the Genus Podalonia FERNALD 1927 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Sphecidae) of the Old World, Linzer biologische Beiträge 42 (2), pp. 1241-1291 : 1255

Podalonia fera (LEPELETIER de SAINT FARGEAU) Figs 38, 63, 88, 100

Ammophila fera LEPELETIER de SAINT FARGEAU 1845: 365 ,. Holotype:, "Romélie", now

Bulgaria and European Turkey: no specific locality (MSNT). Ammophila abeillei MARQUET 1881: 177 , sex not idicated. Syntypes: France: Marseille(MZL). Psammophila polita MOCSÁRY 1883: 30 ,. Holotype or syntypes:, southern Russia or Cauca-

sus: no specific locality (TMB). Ammophila morawitzi Ed. ANDRÉ 1886: 83 . Substitute name for Ammophila polita ( MOCSÁRY

1883), nec Cresson 1865.

R e c o g n i t i o n Podalonia fera has a propodeal enclosure with erect setae.

In the female the scutum is polished with scattered punctation (punctures mostly 2-5 diameters apart, tiny punctures between larger ones), the mesopleuron anteriorly with large scattered punctation (punctures 1-3 diameters apart), posteriorly striate. In addition, the mesopleuron has no appressed silver setae, the free margin of clypeus is nearly always arcuate, the collar is nearly smooth and the free margin of clypeus nearly always arcuate, the petiole 0.66 hindtarsomere I. The mandible and free margin of clypeus are mostly dark reddish, in a few specimens all black. The color of the gaster varies from all reddish to all black. The similar species P. pungens differs only by the criteria given in the key.

In the male the scutum anteriorly has appressed silver setae and is distinctly micropunctate between large punctures, but posteriorly is sparsely punctate. In addition, flagellomere I is longer than II (20: 15) and the petiole is longer than hindtarsomere I (70: 60), but in stylopized specimens it may be shorter. The clypeus is a little produced and the free margin nearly straight. Penis valve: figs 38, 63, 88 and 100. The similar species P. tydei differs only by the criteria given in the key. Not all males of P. fera can be separated with certainty from P. tydei .

G e o g r a p h i c d i s t r i b u t i o n:CentralAsia,MediterraneanRegion.

S p e c i m e n s e x a m i n e d 82, 85.