Meliturgula, Friese, 1903

Patiny, Sébastien, 2004, Descriptions of the males of two recently described South African Panurginae (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), with updated keys to the African species of Melitturga and Meliturgula, Zootaxa 669 (1), pp. 1-12 : 7-8

Key to the Ethiopian species of Meliturgula

Females

1. Large species (> 7mm). Cuticle generally strongly sculptured. Facial foveae well developed, irregular in shape. First submarginal cell right. Second submarginal cell wide and subtrapezoidal. ......................................... Subgenus Meliturgula FRIESE — 2

­ Smaller species (<6,5mm). Cuticle sculpture weaker. Facial foveae lesser depressed, regularly elliptic. First submarginal cell lightly curved. Second submarginal cell strongly narrowed anteriorly, subtrapezoidal to subtriangular........................................ .............................................................................Subgenus Poecilomelitta FRIESE — 6

2 Notably large species (> 9,4mm). Face ventral half yellow. Mesonotum and scutellum punctuation fine and variably dense. Terga with large sparse punctures. Metasoma superficially sculptured, partly reddish..................................... Southern Africa 3

­ Smaller species (<9mm). Only the clypeus with yellow marks. Mesonotum and scutellum punctures wide and deep. Metasoma punctuation fine and very dense; cuticle generally dark (one species with T1­2(3) reddish). Southern Africa, one species endemic in Madagascar, one species distributed all along Eastern Africa ................... 4

3. Large species (ca. 10mm). Mesonotum and scutellum densely punctured and micropunctured. Scutellum entirely dark. Terga entirely dark, finely sculptured and generally weakly shiny. South­African species. ......................... Meliturgula braunsi FRIESE

­ Smaller species (<10mm). Mesonotum and scutellum finer and weaker punctured. T1­2(3) partly reddish (more extended in some specimens). Terga finely sculptured, strongly shiny. South­African species. ................... Meliturgula wilmattae COCKERELL

4. Clypeus yellow, generally with 2 medio­lateral and longitudinal dark marks. A3 short nearly as long as pedicellus. T1­2(3) at least partly reddish. Tergal apical fringes nearly complete constituted of white hairs. South­African and Namibian species ........ ........................................................................... Meliturgula haematospila COCKERELL

­ Clypeus without (or smaller) dark marks. A3 longer. Terga entirely dark. Terga apical fringes generally yellowish...................................................................................... 5

5. Clypeus entirely yellow; punctuation rather sparse. Tergal cuticle unpunctured, entirely matte. Antennal apex orangish. Glossa rather long. Pilosity rare. Species endemic in Madagascar. ................................................. Meliturgula insularis BENOIST

­ Clypeus yellow, the medio­apical part dark; punctuation dense. Terga densely punctured; cuticle strongly shiny between punctures. Ventral face of the antennae flagellum orangish. Glossa distinctly shorter. Terga with dense apical hair fringes. Species distributed along Eastern Africa, from South­Africa to Egypt and Saudi­Arabia .......... ................................................................................. Meliturgula scriptifrons (WALKER)

6. Cuticle entirely yellow with black marks (wasp­like). Mesonotum finely and very densely punctured, with 4 typical longitudinal yellow marks. Pilosity rare, whitish. Namibian species, also found in Transvaal ....................... Meliturgula flavida (FRIESE)

­ Cuticle not wasp­like. Mesonotum black, more weakly punctured. Pilosity whitish, generally more abundant ............................................................................................... 7

7. Facial cuticle sparsely punctured; the ventral half reddish. Clypeus median part with a short yellow mark. Postscutellum and anterior part of scutellum yellow. Metasoma reddish. Namibian species. ............................................... Meliturgula rozeni EARDLEY

­ Face rather sparsely and weakly punctured, the cuticle black or brownish black. Clypeus without yellow marks. Thorax entirely black or brownish­black (like face). Metasoma dark, like previously black or brownish­black ............................................ 8

8. Cuticle entirely black. Clypeus protruding. Clypeus and face lateral parts weakly but distinctly punctured. Facial foveae long and regularly elliptic. Mesonotum and scutellum sparsely punctured and micropunctured. T2­4 with nearly continuous white hair fringes. South­African and Namibian species .... Melitturgula eardleyana PATINY

­ Cuticle reddish. Clypeus not protruding. Clypeus and face lateral parts regularly punctured; clypeus median part smoother. Facial foveae drop­shaped. Mesonotum and scutellum abundantly punctured and micropunctured. T2­4 apex with few pilosity, not organized into hair fringes. Namibian species .. Meliturgula fuliginosa FRIESE

Males

1. Small species (<5mm). Eyes normal or slightly enlarged. Ocelli small and usually positioned. A3 shorter than pedicellus or A4. One species with a long strong tooth on gena. Second submarginal cell strongly narrowed anteriorly. S8 short, not carinate; the apical margin straight or convex, not emarginate (medially).................................... .............................................................................. Subgenus Poecilomelitta FRIESE – 2

­ Large species (> 5mm). Eyes large. Ocelli large and grouped facially (close to the antennae sockets). A3 longer than pedicellus or A4. Genae not modified. Second submarginal cell wide anteriorly. S8 apical margin straight; medially emarginatein some species. ............................................................. Subgenus Meliturgula FRIESE – 5

2. Larger species. Face with numerous yellow marks. Gena with a strong tooth directed backward, inserted on the mandibular articulation. Cuticle mainly black with some yellow marks; sculpture reduced. Legs yellow beyondfemoral apex. S8 cradle­like; apex short and angular; face ventrally convex with a small median carina. Gonostyli rather long. Namibian species, also present in Transvaal Meliturgula flavida (FRIESE)

­ Smaller species. Yellow marks restricted to clypeus. Gena without tooth. Cuticle generally dark, often lightly discoloured, then reddish. Legs not so coloured. S8 apex different; ventral face not depressed or carinate. Gonostyli variably extended ........... 3

3. Eyes not enlarged. Clypeus flat to lightly depressed medially; medio­proximal part with a small pale yellow mark. Antennae dark. Meso­ and metasoma brownish­black S8 apex rounded. Gonostyli rather long. Namibian species ........................................ ...................................................................................... Meliturgula fuliginosa (FRIESE)