Evagetes liane, Egger, 2019

Schmid-Egger, Christian, 2019, Two new species of Spider Wasps (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae), Ctenagenia pagliano from Lebanon and Evagetes liane from Canary Islands, Linzer biologische Beiträge 51 (2), pp. 1205-1210 : 1207-1208

Evagetes liane SCHMID- EGGER nov.sp. ( figs 4-10 )

Holotype: 1♀ 28.iii.2019 Spain, Canary Islands, Fuerteventura, La Pared 28.217N, 14.220W leg. Schmid-Egger, collected in yellow pan traps (coll. Schmid-Egger ).

Paratype: 1♂ same data as holotype (coll. Schmid-Egger ).

Diagnosis: Evagetes liane nov.sp. is characterized by a dense, apressed silver pubescence, which covers mesosoma and other parts of the body. First tergites are red in female, SMC III is less than half in size of SMC II, gena is long, metapostnotum is narrow, and without pubescence, forebasitarsus with four long spines. Therefore, it belongs to the former genus Trichosyron HAUPT, 1930 (= Leuchimon HAUPT, 1930), now synonymious with Evagetes . For species group recognition see PRIESNER (1955).

The female of Evagetes liane resembles E. palmatus (HAUPT, 1930), described from Libya, widely distributed in the desert areas of North Africa, Arabia and Syria, and also occuring in Morocco (♀ Wadi Draa, Mahmid, 29.826N, 5.719W, coll. Schmid-Egger). The female of E. liane can be recognized by smaller size (4,9 mm versus 7-8 mm in E. palmatus ), a finer pubescence of body, and by an all black body apart from tergal base and femora below (pronotum and legs except tarsi are red in E. palmatus ). The male of E. liane (I could only compare with males of E. palmatus from the United Arab Emirates, see SCHMID- EGGER (2017)) differ by a dense pubescence of face and by long setae on apex of SGP (face without pubescence, and SGP with only very short hairs apically in E. palmatus ).

Description female: Body length 4.9 mm. Colour: Black, the following parts red or yellowish-red: mandible (apex dark red), tegula and basal part of venation of fore- and hindwing, T 1-2, basal half of T3, S1 and basal part of S2, apex of all femora below. The following parts are covered with dense silver pubescence, hidden integument: scape, head, mesosoma and abdomen, all legs from coxae to basitarsi (apex of basitarsi without pubescence, parts of foretarsal segment II). Pubescence of abdomen somewhat sparser than on mesosoma. metapostnotum without pubescence. Head below, mesosternum, tergites, coxa and femora with some erect white setae. Wings transparent, forewing apically black (black from end of marginl cell). Spines of foreleg ochre, spines of mid- and hindleg darker. Morphology: Forebasitarsus with 4 spines, basal spine short, remainig spines long and somewhat spatulate, apical spine as long as basitarsal segment II+III. Vertex (seen in dorsal view) short, ending short behind eye. Gena short, half as long as eye. Malar space as long as diameter of AS 5. Metapostnotum narrow, as large as half diameter of hindocellus. SMC III appr. 0,3x as large as SMC II. For remaining morphology see figs.

Description male: Body length 4.2 mm. Colour: Black, mandible in apical third yellow, apex dark red. Most tegula, basal sclerite and basal part of venation of forewing yellow, remaining venation dark. Apex of wing greyish (beginning at end of margin cell). Scape, head, mesosoma, abdomen and legs including basal half of basitarsi covered with dense, silver pubescence. However, pubescence is less dense as in female, integument is partly visible (vertex is nearly without pubescence). Morphology: S7 widely emarginated apically. SGP rooflike, apically rounded to pointed, apical margin with row of distinct brown bristles. Genitalia could not be prepared. For remaining morphology see figs.

Etymology: The species is dedicated to my partner Liane Danneberg, who supported this and many other collecting trips. The name is a noun in apposition.

Distribution: Fuerteventura.

Habiat and Life history: The species was collected in a large sandy area with sparse vegetation in southern Fuerteventura. It was found together with the possible host species Tachyagetes aemulans (HAUPT, 1928) and Tachyagetes lanzarotus WOLF, 1993.

Figures

Figs 4-10: (4) Evagetes liane holotype ♀, lateral view; (5) Evagetes liane holotype ♀, head and mesosoma dorsal view; (6) Evagetes liane holotype ♀, face; (7) Evagetes liane holotype ♀, forebasitarus; (8) Evagetes liane holotype ♀, forewing; (9) Evagetes liane paratype, ♂, lateral view; (10) Evagetes liane paratype, ♂, SGP, ventral view.