Bembecinus gariepensis F. Gess and Pulawski, 2015

Gess, Friedrich W., Pulawski, Wojciech J. & Gess, Sarah K., 2015, A Revision of the rhopalocerus Species Group of Bembecinus Costa (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Bembicinae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (7), pp. 207-256 : 219-220

Bembecinus gariepensis F. Gess and Pulawski , sp. nov.

Figures 3b , 7a, b.

NAME DERIVATION. — The name, a newly coined Neolatin adjective, is derived from Gariep, the Khoi name for the Orange River, on the raised southern bank of which, at Upington, the majority of the specimens were collected.

RECOGNITION.— Bembecinus gariepensis is similar to rhopaloceroides . See that species for differences.

STATUS OF THE SPECIES.— Bembecinus gariepensis and rhopaloceroides differ only by the shape of the male foretibia (as discussed under the latter species), whereas the females are indistinguishable morphologically. We have considered the possibility of the two being just individual or geographic variants of one species. We have rejected this hypothesis, because we have found no intermediate males, and because identical females occur in a number of species within the genus.

DESCRIPTION. — Head black with the following yellow: mandible except apex, labrum, clypeus, face below antennae and narrowly up to midheight along orbit, gena along orbit narrowly dorsally and widely ventrally, stipes laterally, scape (except black dorsally), pedicel and flagellomere I ventrally (rest of antenna ferruginous), in female also sublateral spot on each side immediately below level of anterior ocellus and transverse spot behind each posterior ocellus. Thorax black with the following yellow: pronotal collar, pronotal lobe, and pronotum ventrally of lobe, propleuron with small spot posterolaterally and a pair of small, transverse spots adjacent to posterior margin, adlateral streak and in many specimens pair of admedian streaks on scutum, large part of tegula, triangular lateral spot on scutellum, metanotum (except basally), most of mesopleuron. Propodeum black, with yellow posterolateral margin and yellow spot on lateral surface anteriorly extending top to bottom in female, slightly above midcoxal base in male, in female also with pair of spots toward apex of enclosure. Gaster ferruginous, terga I-V with pale yellow apical fascia, female tergum VI pale yellow except laterally, male terga VI and VII pale yellow (except tergum

VII mesally), and following is black: basal declivity of tergum I and narrow median streak extending through most of its dorsal surface. Legs pale yellow except posterior surface of femora largely black, foretibial venter with black streak, and mid- and hindtibial venters with ferruginous streaks. Wings hyaline, Sc+R black, other veins brown.

♀: Length 11.2–11.7 mm. Ocular index = 2.25–2.52. Minimum interocular distance equal to 2.1–2.2 × that between antennal scrobe and base of clypeus. Distance between posterior ocelli 1.3–1.5 × ocellocular distance. Width of clypeus at mandibular insertion 1.69–1.70 × its median length.

♂: Length 10.2–12.3 mm. Ocular index 2.22–2.47 (average of 17 = 2.36). Minimum interocular distance equal to 1.8–2.1 × that between margin of antennal scrobe and baseof clypeus (average of 17 = 2.0); distance between posterior ocelli 1.3–1.7 × ocellocular distance (average of 17 = 1.5). Width of clypeus (measured near mandibular insertion) 1.56–1.70 × midlength (average of 17 = 1.63). Foretibia incrassate (Fig. 7).

MATERIAL EXAMINED.— HOLOTYPE: ♀, SOUTH FIGURE 7. Bembecinus gariepensis : a – male fore- AFRICA: Northern Cape Province: Richtersveld tibia in profile, b – male foretibia dorsally. 2816 BB at Road Khubus-Ochta, near Vyfsusters Mountain, 7.x.1987, M. Struck, on flowers of Psilocaulon subnodosum (Berger) N.E.Br. , Mesembryanthemaceae ( Aizoaceae ) ( AMGS). PARATYPES: NAMIBIA:! Karas Region: Aus, 11.ii.1990, W.J. Pulawski (1 ♀, CAS); Aus at 26°40′S 16°15′E, 3.iii.2000, F.W. and S.K. Gess (2 ♀, AMGS); Klinghardtberge, 20.x.1974, R.A. Watmough (1 ♂, PPRI); road 727 80 km S Aus, 8.xii.1994, M. Kuhlmann (1 ♂, ZMB); 16 km S Rosh Pinah at 28°04′S 16°51′E, F.W. and S.K. Gess, 13.x.2000 (2 ♂, AMGS), one visiting flowers of Mesembryanthemaceae , 14.x.2000 (1 ♀, AMGS), visiting flowers of Mesembryanthemaceae , 15.x.2000 (1 ♂, AMGS). SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape Province: Richtersveld 2816 BB [Degree Refeence System (Leistner and Morris 1976) = 28°45′–49′S 16°01′–15′E] at Road Khubus-Ochta, near Vyfsusters Mountain, 7.x.1987, M. Struck (2 ♂, AMGS), on flowers of Psilocaulon subnodosum (Berger) N.E.Br. , Mesembryanthemaceae [ Aizoaceae ]; 60 km N Port Nolloth 28°47′S 16°38′E, 27.ix.1997, F.W. and S.K. Gess (1 ♀, 1 ♂, AMGS); Upington, 10–12.x.1966, F.W. and W.H.R. Gess (14 ♂, SAMC).

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.— Known from the winter rainfall Succulent Karoo of southern Namibia and the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. ( Fig. 24b ).

FLORAL ASSOCIATIONS.— Visiting flowers of Aizoaceae (Mesembryanthema, Psilocaulon subnodosum (Berger) N.E.Br. ) (label data, see Material Examined).

NESTING.— Unknown.

PREY.— Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Bembecinus spp.: a – damarensis, female, male, b – gariepensis, female, male, c – gilvus, female, male, d – helicicola, female; e – hyperocrus, female, male, f – inexpectatus, female, male. (approximate lengths of females: a. 12 mm, b. 11.5 mm, 9 mm, d. 10 mm, e. 10 mm, f. 9.2 mm).

FIGURE 24. Collecting records of Bembecinus spp.: a – damarensis, b – gariepensis, c – gilvus, d – helicicola, e – hyperocrus, f – inexpectatus.