Laphyragogus ajjer DE BEAUMONT, 1958

Schmid, Christian, 2022, A revision of Laphyragogus KOHL, 1889, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Spheciformes), Linzer biologische Beiträge 54 (1), pp. 303-318 : 306-308

Laphyragogus ajjer DE BEAUMONT, 1958 (figs 1-2)

Laphyragogus ajjer DE BEAUMONT, 1958: 63 , ♁, Algeria: Tassili des Ajjer: reg between oueds Sersouf and Issandilène (MNHN). – DE BEAUMONT 1959: 732 (in revision of Laphyragogus ). M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Morocco: 1♀ 20.v.1995 30 km S Zagora (CSE).

D i s c u s s i o n. The female of L. ajjer was not described yet. The species was only known by males from the inner Sahara. I could examine a female of the L. ajjer species group from southern Morocco which represent most probable the female of L. ajjer . It agrees with the male description, but Laphyragogus males and females differ markedly in colour, so the male-female association is provisional. Annother hint gives the zoogeografic distribution pattern: the finding location of the female in the extrem south of Morocco close to the Algerian border belongs to the "inner Saharian" distribution pattern. Other species with a similar distribution, as Bembecinus mhamidus SCHMIDEGGER, 2004, described close from the present finding place of L. ajjer in Mhamid, as well as from Mauritania and Mali (SCHMID- EGGER 2004) also occur in this area. So, such a distribution pattern (Tassili des Ajjer – Zagora area) is not unlikely, also taken the large distance of about 1400 kilometers between the type area and Zagora into account.

D i a g n o s i s L. ajjer belongs to the L. ajjer species group. The lateral spine of S6 of males is shorter in L ajjer compared with L. orientalis , and similar to that of L. gessi . Yellow colour of mesosoma is more extended in L. ajjer compared with L. gessi . Females can only be recognized by colour pattern, see description and key.

D e s c r i p t i o n o f f e m a l e: Body length 8.1 mm. Colour: Black, light yellow are: clypeus, large spots of lower inner eye margin, space between clypeus and antennal sockets, mandible except reddish apex, AS 1-2, pronotum except black transverse medial band, two large longitudinal spots on mesoscutum, scutellum except medial black spot, metapleural flange (sensu BOHART & MENKE 1976: 11), metanotum (colour withishyellow), two spots on propodeal dorsum laterally behind, propodeum laterally, small spot on mesopleuron anteriorly, legs (with some darker yellow parts). Abdomen reddish, with large apical whitish bands on T1 and T5, and some indistinct pale spots on following tergites. T6 reddish-yellowish. Face and propodeum covered with long, silver pilosity, on face appressed, on propodeum semi-erect. Tegula, wing base and wing venation yellow, wings transparent. Morphology: Mandible basally with pointed tooth short before midpoint. Head very large, 1,4x as wide as long. Apical process of foremetatarsus 1.6x as long as remaining tarsus, tarsal segments II and III apically with small process. Mesopleuron without any punctation, more or less smooth. Mesonotum smooth, with some large punctures laterally, and some smaller punctures mediolaterally, medially with longitudinal emargination and rugose sculpture. Scutellum and metanotum with fine, scattered punctation, punctures 1-5 diameters apart. Propodeal dorsum grainlike sculptured. T1-4 with very fine and dense grainlike sculpture, T5-6 shiny, with a few large and scattered punctures. Sternites shiny, laterally with dense punctation, medially punctless. T6 laterally concave, apically truncate-rounded. Basal triangular platform of T6 with shiny and rugulose surface.

D e s c r i p t i o n o f m a l e:See DE BEAUMONT (1958, 1959).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Algeria, Morocco.