Smicromyrme (Smicromyrme) rufipes (J.C.Fabricius, 1787)

Schmid-Egger, Christian & Schmidt, Stefan, 2021, Unexpected diversity in Central European Vespoidea (Hymenoptera, Mutillidae, Myrmosidae, Sapygidae, Scoliidae, Tiphiidae, Thynnidae, Vespidae), with description of two species of Smicromyrme Thomson, 1870, ZooKeys 1062, pp. 49-72 : 49

Smicromyrme (Smicromyrme) rufipes

Figures 1-7 , 23

Mutilla rufipes Fabricius, 1877: 313 "Habitat Halae Saxonum Dom. Hybner".

Type material.

lost ( Petersen 1988).

Neotype.

(here designated) Germany • female; Brandenburg, Bad Freienwalde, Gabower Hänge; 52.826°N, 14.080°E; 15 Aug. 2001; Schmid-Egger leg.; coll. ZSM, BC ZSM HYM 10552.

Additional material examined.

Apart from the material shown in the list of specimens analysed by DNA barcoding (Suppl. material 1), an additional 78 females from several locations across Germany were examined morphologically, including the German states of Brandenburg, Berlin, Hamburg, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Sachsen-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern .

Remarks.

To allow accurate identification of the taxon, a female specimen with full barcode sequence was selected as a neotype. The species was originally described from Halle in Sachsen-Anhalt, about 200 km south-west of the locality from where the neotype was collected. The species agrees with the descriptions of Petersen (1988) and Lelej and Schmid-Egger (2005). For diagnosis and identification see the key to males and females below but note that males cannot be distinguished by morphology from S. burgeri sp. nov.

Male colour variation.

The males of S. rufipes occur in two colour variants without transitional forms ( Petersen 1988). We examined 88 males from eastern Germany and Hamburg, which we expected to belong to S. rufipes , because no records of S. burgeri sp. nov. females are known from these areas. Of those, 52 (59%) are all black and 36 (41%) have at least collare, mesoscutum, and scutellum red. The collare is medially black, and the metanotum and upper mesopleuron are partly red in a few specimens. An additional 46 males of the red form from south-western Germany were also examined, with three specimens each belonging to S. rufipes and S. burgeri sp. nov., based on their barcode sequences showing that specimens from south Germany cannot be identified to species level. Five specimens from this area without DNA sequences were all black. Considering the distribution of collected females, most males are suspected to belong to S. rufipes , and the male black form is much rarer in southern Germany compared to northern and eastern Germany.

Distribution.

According to Petersen (1988), S. rufipes is widespread in central and northern Europe, eastwards to China and Japan, and also occurring in northern Spain, France, northern and central Italy, Croatia (Krk island) and Serbia (near Belgrade). Specimens mentioned in Petersen (1988) from northern and central Italy, Croatia and Serbia may in fact belong to S. lombardensis sp. nov., and specimens from France and Spain to S. burgeri sp. nov.

Figures

Figures 1 - 7. Smicromyrme rufipes 1 - 5 female neotype 1 habitus in dorsal view 2 habitus in lateral view 3 head frontal 4 propodeum 5 tergite S 6 6, 7 male 6 male with red mesosoma in dorsal view 7 male with black mesosoma in dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm for all images.

Figures 23 - 26. Genitalia, males 23 Smicromyrme rufipes 24 Smicromyrme burgeri sp. nov. 25 Smicromyrme langobardensis sp. nov. 26 Dolichovespula pacifica.