Ageniella (Ageniella) violaceipes ( Cresson, 1865 )

Waichert, Cecilia, Rodriguez, Juanita, Von Dohlen, Carol D. & Pitts, James P., 2012, Spider wasps (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) of the Dominican Republic, Zootaxa 3353 (1), pp. 1-47 : 10-11

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3353.1.1
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5253381
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/A9185567-9B0E-FFAE-92FE-F93A4DAA1F6D
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Ageniella (Ageniella) violaceipes ( Cresson, 1865 )
status

Treatment

Ageniella (Ageniella) violaceipes ( Cresson, 1865) View in CoL

( Fig. 4I View FIGURE 4 )

Pompilus violaceipes Cresson, 1865 View in CoL , Entomological Society of Philadelphia , vol. 4, p. 129 [Holotype: ♀, CUBA (ANSP)].

Diagnosis. This species can be separated from other Ageniella species in the Dominican Republic by having the integument black on the head and pleura, orange on the dorsum of mesosoma and metasoma, and purplish reflections on the legs and pronotum ( Fig. 4I View FIGURE 4 ). Additionally, the antenna is brown with purplish reflections on the first segments; the pubescence on the body is short and reddish, with sparse long setae; the clypeus is trapezoidal; the first metasomal segment is not carinate; the dorsal face of hind tibia has small spines; the mid tibia has spines; and the fore and hind wings are darkened with slight purple reflections. The male of this species remains unknown.

Material examined. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: 1 ♀, Pedernales, La Abeja , 38 km NNW Cabo Rojo, (18–09N, 71–38W), 1250 m, J Rawlins and R. Davidson col., 15.VII.1987 ( CMNH) .

Distribution. Cuba, Dominican Republic.

Host. Unknown.

Remarks. This is the first record of A. violaceipes being collected from other than the type locality of Cuba. This is a rare species ( Alayo 1969), easily identified by the orange-reddish integument with purple iridescence. Although males are unknown, it is possible that A. purpuripes Banks is a junior synonym of A. violaceipes , as first discussed by Alayo (1969). Only males of A. purpuripes are known, and this species, as currently known, is restricted to Cuba. Further studies are needed to associate the sexes of these species. The specimen we studied here differs from Cuban specimens in being not as stout.