Atopopompilus Arnold, 1937

Yang, Tingmei, Li, Qiang & Ma, Li, 2023, Review of Atopopompilus (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) from China, with description of one new species and an updated key to the world species, Zoologia (e 23029) 40, pp. 1-10 : 2

Atopopompilus Arnold, 1937

Atopopompilus Arnold, 1937: 22 . Type-species: Pompilus venans Kohl, 1894 [= Pompilus carinatus Radoszkowski, 1881 ], by original designation.

Diagnosis. Both sexes: body black, some species with more or less reddish brown on head, thorax or legs; antennae sometimes reddish brown to orange; face, thorax, coxae and metasoma with more or less grey or white pubescence; metanotum and propodeum covered with dense, curved and silvery setae; labrum clearly exposed, apical margin not emarginated medially; malar space obvious, length smaller than half thickness of scape; postnotum short, slightly prominent from midline to sides. Males: antennae strongly crenulate; wings often hyaline, darker at apex; facial carina stout; gena narrow; posterior margin of pronotum more or less arcuate. Females: antennae normally elongate, but rarely with shorter, thicker antennae; wings smoky brown, darker at apex; lower frons between antennae with one tubercle, sometimes with one longitudinal faint carina; propodeum frequently well-defined with sloping posterior declivity, sometimes flattened also on lateral corners, declivity occasionally concave, sometimes with very fine aciculae centrally; apical metasoma sometimes laterally compressed ( Day 1974).

Distribution. Afrotropical Region: Algoa Bay, Madagascar, Rhodesia, Mozambique, Malawi, Angola, Zaire, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Cameroun, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan; Oriental region: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippine, Vietnam, Laos, Burma, India, Nepal and China.

Biology. Unknown. As these insects have no tarsal comb, they may utilize pre-existing nest-cavities ( Day 1974). From our observation and collection experience, we found individuals of this genus in various environments such as tropical rainforests, woodlands with lush vegetation and human habitats.