Podalonia caucasica (MOCSÁRY)

Dollfuss, H., 2010, A Key to Wasps of the Genus Podalonia FERNALD 1927 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Sphecidae) of the Old World, Linzer biologische Beiträge 42 (2), pp. 1241-1291 : 1253

Podalonia caucasica (MOCSÁRY) Figs 24, 44, 69, 105

Psammophila caucasica MOCSÁRY 1883: 31 ,. Holotype or syntypes:, Georgia: Tiflis, now Tbilisi (TMB)

Sphex mahatma R. TURNER 1918 a: 88 ,, Syntype: Tibet: Gyangtse (BMNH). Syntype examined: New synonym.

R e c o g n i t i o n Podalonia caucasica has a glabrous propodeal enclosure, a small tooth on the claws near the base and a basally red gaster.

Most females differ from P. affinis in having a smooth, shiny and sparsely punctate scutum (punctures 2-3 diameters apart), but it is variable and not all specimens can clearly be separated from that species. The female of P. gobiensis is also similar and differs only by the criteria mentioned in the key.

The male of P. caucasica is similar to P. affinis and differs only by the shape of penis valve (figs 24, 44, 69 and 105).

G e o g r a p h i c d i s t r i b u t i o n: China, Mongolia, Central Asia, Russia (Eastern-Siberia), Bulgaria.

S p e c i m e n s e x a m i n e d 57, 48.