Sphex resplendens Kohl, 1885

Doerfel, Thorleif H. & Ohl, Michael, 2015, A revision of the Australian digger wasps in the genus Sphex (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae), ZooKeys 521, pp. 1-104 : 37-39

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Sphecidae

Sphex resplendens Kohl, 1885

Sphex nitidiventris F. Smith, 1859: 158, ♀, junior primary homonym of Smith nitidiventris Spinola, 1853. Holotype or syntypes: ♀, Indonesia: Maluku: Aru Island (OXUM). Synonymized with Sphex gratiosissimus by Turner (1910: 346), and with Sphex refulgens by Turner (1919: 238). Not examined.

Sphex resplendens Kohl, 1885: 200. Substitute name for Sphex nitidiventris F. Smith.

Material examined.

[COUNTRY UNKNOWN]:[state unknown]: [no specific locality], 1♀, 09.01.1952 (AMS), 2♂ (ANIC). AUSTRALIA:NSW: 50 km NW of Taree, Doyles River, 31°31'S, 152°14'E, 1♀, 10.03.2010, D. Bray (AMS), Rosebank, 1♀, 10.11.1990, N. W. Rodd (AMS); QLD: "North Queensland", 1♀ (BMNH), [no specific locality], 1♂ (ZMB); Bulburin State Forest via Many Peaks, 1♂, 02.-05.04.1972, S. R. Monteith (ANIC); Capricorn Group, NW Islet, 4♂, Dec 1925, A. Musgrave (AMS); Cooktown, 1♂, 18.07.1982, N. W. Rodd (AMS); Mackay, 1♀, 1947, A. Marriage (AMS), 4♂ (BMNH); Meringa, 1♂, 14.02.1926, A. N. Burns (ANIC); Mid Claudie River, Iron Range, 1♀, 25.09.1974, G. Daniels (AMS); Rockhampton, 1♀ (ZMB); TAS: Key Island, 1♀, 1♂, Rolle (ZMB). PAPUA NEW GUINEA:[province unknown]: [no specific locality], 1♀, Jan-Feb 1910, Neuhauss (ZMB), 1♀, Bürgers (ZMB).

The collecting localities are shown in Fig. 23B.

Diagnosis.

Sphex resplendens differs from all other examined species in having completely fuscous both fore- and hindwings, a black metasoma that often has a metallic blue lustre, and dark setae on the propodeal enclosure. Sphex gilberti is similar, but has bright yellowish wings.

Description.

Body black, legs dark maroon. Metasoma often with blue lustre. Wing membrane uniformly dark, with violet lustre. Wing veins black. Erect setae on clypeus black. Pubescence on collar silvery, with erect black setae. Scutum with silvery pubescence that is denser laterally, anteriorly interspersed with black setae. Propodeal enclosure covered with erect black setae, not concealing sculpture. Length of petiole nearly equal to flagellomere II.

Female: Body length 22.1-26.9 mm. Forebasitarsal rake with eight long spines. Free clypeal margin with two incosnpicuous lobes medially, bulging above; distance between lobes less than 1/8 length of flagellomere II. Appressed pubescence on clypeus and frons sparse, thin and silvery. Clypeus medially with large glabrous area. Distance between hind- ocelli 0.9 × their shortest distance to compound eyes. Scutellum and metanotum with sparse, erect black setae. Tomentum sparse on metasomal tergum I and II.

Male: Body length 20.5-25.4 mm. Free clypeal margin truncate, concave towards center. Appressed pubescence on clypeus and frons dense and golden. Clypeus with medial glabrous stripe, most of ventral clypeal area glabrous. Distance between hind- ocelli 0.8 × their shortest distance to compound eyes. Scutellum and metanotum with sparse, erect silvery setae, laterally with erect black setae. Tomentum moderately dense on metasomal tergum I and II. Metasomal terga V and VI with few black bristles. Metasomal sterna II and III mostly glabrous, sterna IV–VII with brassy pubescence and long black setae at apical margin, densest on sternum VI. Metasomal sternum VIII entire, with few short silvery setae posteriorly, its lateral margin slightly concave there.

Notes on type material.

The types of Sphex resplendens and its synonyms were not examined because the character combination in the original description (black pubescence on propodeum, fuscous wings) is sufficient to unambiguously identifiy this species.