Tachysphex bohemicus, Straka, Jakub, 2016

Straka, Jakub, 2016, Tachysphexaustriacus Kohl, 1892 and T. pompiliformis (Panzer, 1804) (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) are a complex of fourteen species in Europe and Turkey, ZooKeys 577, pp. 63-123 : 71-75

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Crabronidae

Tachysphex bohemicus sp. n. Figs 2, 15, 29, 59, 63, 70, 80, 87, 93, 106

Type material.

Holotype: ♂, Czech Republic: "CZ; Boh. bor., / 7.-19.vii.2013 / Okna, Doksy env. / J. Straka lgt., EtOH 96% // BC ZSM / HYM 24253". Holotype in NMPC. Paratype: 1 ♀, same locality as holotype, with label BC ZSM, HYM 24597.

Diagnosis.

Tachysphex bohemicus sp. n. is most similar to Tachysphex jokischianus in having nearly impunctate apex of tergum V and wide pigydium with shiny surface. It also resamble Tachysphex dimidiatus in the overall sparsely micropunctate metasoma, which makes the appearance of metasomal sculptures more shiny than in other compared species from the Tachysphex pompiliformis species subgroup. The apex of the male volsella of the new species is sparsely setose and may resemble volsella of males from the Tachysphex austriacus species subgroup. Both sexes of Tachysphex bohemicus sp. n. are easily recognizable by a slightly prominent supraantennal tubercles, which are separated by punctate area; the tubercle is distinctly punctate on the top and nearly at all sides. This character is unique in the Tachysphex pompiliformis species subgroup. Like Tachysphex jokischianus , the apical depression of tergum V is nearly impunctate medially, but the terga are finely and sparsely punctate and the pygidium is basally microsculptured; the metasoma thus resembles that of Tachysphex dimidiatus , except for the apical depressions of all terga, which are very sparsely punctate and well impressed. Tachysphex bohemicus sp. n. possess an unusual combination of characters: the propodeum lack longitudinal ridges dorsally and laterally, the female clypeus is distinctly arcuate at apex and uniformly convex dorsally, and the male forefemoral notch is black, positioned more anteriorly than in the other species of the subgroup and its proximal margin is rounded and elevated over the distal margin.

Description of male (holotype).

Body length: 7.3 mm.

Head. Clypeus uniformly convex, distinctly elevated in midlength; basomedian area large, densely, distinctly punctate; bevel small, decreasing toward clypeal lip, shiny, sparsely punctate; lip uniformly, distinctly arcuate, not longer medially than laterally, with distinct lateral corner, lip separated from bevel by a groove; WML:LCL = 1.5, WCL:WML = 2.2. Supraclypeal area flat, distinctly punctate, punctures well defined, interspaces between punctures slightly shiny. Supraantennal tubercle small, rounded, distinctly punctate on top, nearly at all sides; area between the tubercles is also distinctly punctate, interspaces dull. Antenna relatively short, LA3:WA3 = 1.6, LA5:WA5 = 2.0. Frons uniformly punctate, punctures well defined, less than one diameter apart, interspaces variable in size, shiny; frontal median line inconspicuous, not impressed. Vertex sparsely punctate, punctures well defined, less than half to two diameters apart, interspaces slightly microsculptured, slightly shiny to dull. Vertex setae semierect medially, nearly erect close to inner eye margin, almost 1 × MOD long, postocellar impression large, and deep, but with ill defined margins, open widely U-shaped, sparsely punctate, punctures relatively large; vertex, WV:LV = 1.7. Gena dorsally well developed.

Mesosoma. Scutum without distinct anterior impression; scutum and scutellum densely punctate, punctures well defined, most punctures less than half diameter apart, interspaces distinct, anteriorly microsculptured, slightly shiny to dull, setae less than 1.0 × MOD long. Mesopleuron sparsely punctate anteriorly, posteriorly impunctate, interspaces microsculptured, dull; hypoepimeral area coarsely microsculptured, without distinct punctures, dull; ventral part of mesopleuron with small ill-defined punctures, interspaces finely microsculptured, slightly shiny. Propodeal dorsum coarsely, irregularly sculptured, longitudinally ridged only basally, irregularly ridged medially; propodeal side microsculptured, without longitudinal ridges, slightly shiny; posteromedial margin of dorsum inconspicuously elevated, marginal ridges inconspicuous, slightly ventromedially directed toward groove. Legs densely punctate, punctures small; forefemoral notch small, well developed, but not deep, positioned slightly anteriorly, shorter than distance that separates it from forefemoral base; proximal margin elevated over distal margin, but widely rounded; anterior and posterior side lined by well developed ledge, notch surface without distinct setae, slightly microsculptured, dull. Wings distinctly infumate, but not dark, with brown veins.

Metasoma. Silvery apical fasciae developed faintly on terga I-IV. Apical depressions of terga distinct, sparsely micropunctate, nearly like more anterior parts. Terga I-IV sparsely micropunctate, punctures ill defined, interspaces coarsely microsculptured, slightly shiny to dull; sculpture of terga IV-VII slightly more conspicuous than that of other terga, also densely punctate. Sterna uniformly punctate, nearly like terga. Volsella light brown, ventral setae pointing in various directions in medial part, but almost in one direction at apical process; apical process relatively sparsely setose; dorsal process large, wider than corpus; corpus lined with distinct ledge along base of setae on inner side of corpus.

Coloration. Apical part of mandibles, distal tarsomeres and terga I-III red. Forefemoral notch black. Tegulae reddish translucent. Apical parts of all terga slightly translucent. Remaining body parts black.

Description of female.

Body length: 10.3 mm.

Head. Clypeus distinctly convex, top at clypeal midlength; basomedian area relatively large, more sparsely punctate and punctures larger than on lateral section, interspaces between punctures well developed, shiny, larger medially than laterally, punctures mostly less than one diameter apart; bevel large, distinctly convex, medially longer than basomedian area, laterally much shorter, obtusely triangular, with numerous large, sparse punctures, not reaching base of clypeus, shiny; lip distinctly arcuate, with small lateral incisions, without medial emargination, separate from bevel by punctate groove, WML:LCL = 1.6, WCL:WML = 1.9. Supraclypeal area flat, distinctly punctate, punctures well-defined, interspaces shiny. Supraantennal tubercle small, rounded, distinctly punctate on top, nearly at all sides; area between the tubercles is also distinctly punctate, interspaces dull. Antenna relatively short, LA3:WA3 = 2.3, LA5:WA5 = 2.6. Frons uniformly punctate, punctures well defined, about half diameter apart or less; frontal median line distinct, well impressed in lower frons. Vertex punctate, punctures well defined, less than half to one diameter apart, laterally finer and denser than medially, interspaces microsculptured, shiny. Vertex setae semierect mesally, nearly erect close to inner eye margin, shorter than 1 × MOD; postocellar impression deep, widely opened, V-shaped; vertex moderately wider than long; WV:LV = 1.4. Gena dorsally well developed.

Mesosoma. Scutum without distinct anterior impression; scutum and scutellum densely punctate, punctures well defined, most punctures less than half diameter apart, interspaces distinct, slightly shiny to shiny, setae less than 1.0 × MOD long. Mesopleuron distinctly punctate anteriorly, posteriorly impunctate, interspaces coarsely microsculptured, dull; hypoepimeral area coarsely microsculptured, without distinct punctures, dull; ventral part of mesopleuron with ill-defined punctures, interspaces finely microsculptured, slightly shiny. Propodeal dorsum coarsely irregularly sculptured medially, with few short longitudinal ridges basally, uniformly microsculptured, slightly shiny area developed posteromedially; propodeal side uniformly coarsely microsculptured, without longitudinal ridges, slightly shiny; posteromedial margin of dorsum inconspicuously elevated, marginal ridges inconspicuous, slightly ventromedially directed toward groove. Legs densely punctate, punctures small; forebasitarsal rake reddish, with two apical spines, one preapical spine, and two additional spines. Wings slightly infumate with brown veins.

Metasoma. Terga I-III with slightly developed but distinct silvery apical fasciae. Apical depressions of all terga well developed, very sparsely micropunctate. Terga I-III sparsely micropunctate, punctures ill-defined but distinct, interspaces microsculptured, slightly shiny; sculpture of tergum IV-V distinctly coarser than on previous terga, also slightly more densely punctate. Pygidium sparsely punctate, punctures variable, some ill defined, some well defined, but shallow, interspaces microsculptured medially, unsculptured laterally, slightly shiny to shiny. Central part of sternum II with several larger punctures, interspaces microsculptured, shiny; lateral part slightly shiny, densely micropunctate; remaining sterna with uniform sculpture similar to that on sternum II, but more or less reduced laterally.

Coloration. Central part of mandibles, distal tarsomeres, terga and sterna I-III red. Tegulae brown translucent. Apical parts of terga I-III slightly translucent. Remaining body parts black.

Geographic distribution.

Known only from Czech Republic.

Name derivation.

The species is named after the Bohemian part of the Czech Republic, where the type specimens were collected.