Prionyx (Harpactopus) chobauti ( Roth, 1925 )

Odintsev, Yuriy N. Danilov Oleg A. & Kobets, Anastasia S., 2024, A taxonomic study on the genus Prionyx Vander Linden, 1827 (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae: Prionychini). Subgenus Harpactopus F. Smith, 1856, Zootaxa 5551 (2), pp. 263-298 : 267-268

Prionyx (Harpactopus) chobauti ( Roth, 1925)

( Figs 2b , 8a , 9a )

Sphex (Harpactopus) Chobauti Roth 1925:388 . Syntypes: ♀, ♂, “Aïn-Sefra” [ Algeria: Naâma Province: Ain Sefra], “Sidibou-Rziguine” [ Morocco: Kenitra Province: Sidi Bou Rziguine], “Dar-Salem” [ Morocco: Kenitra Province: Dar-Salem] (MNHN).— Berland 1926:200; de Beaumont 1951:268; Leclercq 1955:26; de Beaumont 1956:181.— As Priononyx chobauti : de Beaumont 1968:150.— As Prionyx chobauti : R. Bohart & Menke 1976:133; Danilov 2019:78; Danilov & Odintsev 2023:432; Pulawski 2024: 4.

Diagnosis. Both sexes of P. chobauti closely resemble P. macula and P. funebris in having the labial palpomeres 2–4 short, and the male in having F3–F6 with broad placoids, S6 angularly convex posterolaterally, but differ in having the vertex, pronotum and the scutum without dense, appressed, silvery setae ( P. macula and P. funebris has the scutum with dense, appressed, silvery setae).

Both sexes of P. chobauti resemble P. persicus , and P. radoszkowskyi in habitus, and the male in having F3–F6 with broad placoids. They differ from P. persicus , and P. radoszkowskyi in having the labial palpomeres 2–4 short, conspicuous, and the arolia present ( P. persicus and P. radoszkowskyi have the labial palpomeres 2–4 extremely short, club-shaped, and the arolia absent). Unlike P. stschurowskii and P. persicus the female of P. chobauti has the scutum with no appressed, silvery setae.

Description. Head. Labrum trapeziform; labial palpomeres 2–4 short, conspicuous. Clypeus laterally and posteriorly, paraocular area anteriorly with semiappressed, brownish setae, not concealing integument; frons, vertex, occiput and gena slightly shiny, microsculptured, with black erect setae. Mesosoma . Pronotum and scutum rugose, with sparse, semiappressed, brownish setae, not concealing integument, and with black erect setae. Scutellum longitudinally depressed, punctate and rugose. Metanotum tuberculate and longitudinally depressed dorsally. Mesopleuron, metapleuron, and propodeum coarsely areolate-rugose, with black erect setae. Wings intensely dark; veins black; recurrent vein II of forewing interstitial with 1 st intersubmarginal vein or received by submarginal cell III at its basal angle. Legs. Claws with two ventral teeth; arolia present.

Male. Body length 20–25 mm. Head. F3–F6 with broad, flat placoids. Metasoma. S6 angularly convex posterolaterally, without teeth.

Female. Body length 24–28 mm. Head. Clypeus slightly emarginate anteriorly; clypeal disk moderately convex, with transverse oval depression anteriorly. Legs. Tarsal rake of foreleg with long and some short, stout, bladelike setae.

Material examined. MOROCCO. Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen: Kenitra [34°15’N, 6°35’W], 23.V.1947, J. de Beaumont (1 ♀, ZISP) .

Distribution. Parts of North African arid and semi-arid areas ( Algeria, Libya and Morocco).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Female clypeus: a: Prionyx globosus (F. Smith), b: P. chobauti (Roth), c: P. funebris (Berland), d: P. macula (Fabricius).

FIGURE 8. Female mesosoma and head in dorsal view: a: Prionyx chobauti (Roth), b: P. funebris (Berland), c: P. macula (Fabricius), d: P. crudelis (F. Smith), e: P. melanotus (F. Morawitz), f: Prionyx persicus (Mocsáry), g: P. radoszkowskyi (Kohl), h: P. stschurowskii (Radoszkowski), i: P. subfuscatus (Dahlbom).

FIGURE 9. Collecting localities (red circles) and literature data (blue circles); a: Prionyx chobauti (Roth), b: P. crudelis (F. Smith), c: P. funebris (Berland), d: P. globosus (F. Smith), e: P. indus (Linnaeus), f: P. judaeus (de Beaumont), g: P. macula (Fabricius), h: P. melanotus (F. Morawitz).