Ammophila sabulosa (LINNAEUS)

Dollfuss, H., 2013, Revision of the Wasps Genus Ammophila KIRBY 1798 (Hymenoptera Apoidea Sphecidae) of the Palearctic Region and India, Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (1), pp. 383-564 : 481-483

Ammophila sabulosa (LINNAEUS) (Figs 20, 62, 155, 227, 387, 473, 531, 589)

Sphex sabulosa LINNAEUS 1758: 569 , sex not indicated. Lectotype: 3, Europe: no specific locality (Zool. Society London), designated by DAY 1979: 72, not examined.

Sphex hortensis PODA 1761: 106 . Not available.

Ichneumon frischii GEOFFROY in FOURCROY 1785: 415, sex not indicated. Holotype or syntypes: France: Paris (lost). Synonymized with Ammophila sabulosa by KOHL 1906: 336.

Sphex dimidiatus CHRIST 1791: 313 . Junior primary homonym of Sphex dimidiatus DE GEER 1773 . Synonymized with Ammophila sabulosa by KOHL 1906: 336.

Ammophila vulgaris W. KIRBY 1798: 202 , ♀. Syntypes: ♀, Great Britain: SUFFOLK and NORFOLK (deposit). Not available: published as junior synonym of Sphex sabulosa LINNAEUS 1758 . Synonymized with Ammophila sabulosa by LEPELETIER DE SAINT FARGEAU 1845: 377.

Ammophila pulvillata SOWERBY 1805: 67 , 3. Holotype or syntypes: Great Britain: Berkshsire County: Reading (depository?). Synonymized with Ammophila sabulosa by MENKE in BOHART & MENKE 1976: 153.

Sphex mucronatus JURINE 1807: 128 and pl.8, Fig. 5 , ♀. Holotype or syntypes: ♀, Europe , probably Switzerland (MHNG), not examined. Synonymized with Ammophila sabulosa by FREI- GESSNER, KOHL & KRIECHBAUMER 1882: 393.

Ammophila cyanescens DAHLBOM 1845: 430 , sex not indicated: Holotype: 3, Germany: Glogau , now Poland: Głogów (Lund), not examined. Synonymized with Ammophila sabulosa by DE BEAUMONT 1953: 194.

Ammophila vischu CAMERON 1889: 98 , ♀, 3. Syntypes: India: Uttar Pradesh: Mussoorie and Pakistan: North-west Province: no specific locality (OXUM). A questionable synonym of Ammophila sabulosa (BOHART & MENKE 1976: 153) .

Ammophila sabulosa kamtschatica GUSSAKOVSKIJ 1932: 4, ♀. Syntypes: ♀, Russia: Kamchatka: Elisovo (Stockholm), not examined. Synonymized with Ammophila sabulosa by NEMKOV in NEMKOV, KAZENAS, BUDRYS & ANTROPOV 1995: 388.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: 119♀♀, 26533 (OÖLM), 4♀♀ (BMNH), 433 (ZMHU), 2♀♀, 1433 (coll. Schmid-Egger).

R e c o g n i t i o n Ammophila sabulosa has the gastral apex with a dark-blue or darkgreen metallic shine (in some specimens hard to see), the supra-antennal lamellate projection slightly developed (Fig. 20), the mesothoracic venter not prominent anteriorly and the episternal sulcus extending to the anteroventral margin of the pleuron. Additionally, the scutum is dull, irregularly punctate and the propodeal enclosure is all covered with erect setae. The scutellum is longitudinally ridged and the petiole is black. The female of A. sickmanni differs from A. sabulosa in having the supra-antennal lamellate projection well developed (Fig. 19), the gastral apex without a metallic shine, the scutum distinctly transversely ridged and punctate and the propodeal enclosure broadly rugose and coverd with erect setae along the midline, transversely ridged and glabrous laterally. The Indian females of A. brevipennis differ from A. sabulosa in having a gastral apex without a metallic shine, the free margin of the clypeus without median lobe ( Fig. 56 ), the scutellum punctate on anterior half, longitudinally striate on posterior half, a red gastral petiole and the propodeal enclosure glabrous laterally. Both sexes of A. assimilis differ from A. sabulosa in having the gastral apex without metallic shine, the pronotal collar smooth and shiny and the scutum shiny with distinct, transverse striae. The female of A. modesta is similar to A. sabulosa but differs in having the gastral apex without metallic shine. The Indian females of A. punctata differ from A. sabulosa in having the gastral apex without a metallic shine and the scutum densely, coarsely punctate (punctures 0-1 diameter apart). Both sexes of A. infesta are similar to A. sabulosa but differ in having a more developed supra-antennal lamellate projection (more than the diameter of midocellus) and the propodeal enclosure obliquely ridged, covered with white, erect setae medially and glabrous laterally. The male of A. sabulosa differs from A. modesta in having the gastral apex with a metallic shine, in the shape of the penis valve ( Fig. 473 ) and in the shape of the clypeus ( Fig. 227 ). The male of A. sickmanni differs from A. sabulosa in having the gastral apex without metallic shine, the supra-antennal lamellate projection more developed (Fig. 19) and in the shape of the clypeus ( Fig. 214 ), additionally, the propodeal enclosure irregularly rugose and covered with erect setae along the midline and obliquely rugose and glabrous laterally.

D e s c r i p t i o n: Gastral apex with dark-blue or dark-green metallic shine (in some specimens hard to see), supra-antennal lamellate projection slightly developed (Fig. 20), mesothoracic venter not prominent anteriorly, episternal sulcus extending to anteroventral margin of pleuron, arolia well developed, claws without basal tooth.

♀: 14-24.5 mm. Black except tergum I (except basally), gastral segment II, sternum II and anterior half of tergum III red (in some specimens tergum III all red). Pronotal lobe, broad band along mesopleural suture and propodeum posterolaterally covered with appressed silvery setae. In some specimens clypeus and frons also covered with appressed silvery setae or mesopleuron has none; erect setae brown or grey. Clypeus slightly elongate, median lobe delimited laterally by more or less developed tooth ( Fig. 62 ), disk convex, dull and sparsely punctate. Vertex dull and sparsely punctate. Pronotal collar finely, sparsely punctatedorsally ( Fig. 155 ), pronotum laterally transversely striate. Scutum dull, irregularly, slightly punctate, laterally finely transversely striate, admedian line well defined; scutellum longitudinally ridged. Mesopleuron dull, punctate, in some specimens slightly transversely rugose and propodeum punctato-rugose laterally. The propodeal enclosure is obliquely striate and all covered with erect setae. Flagellomer I: II=1.5-1.7; length of petiole = hindtarsomeres I+0.5×II to I+0.75×II.

3: 15-20.5 mm. Black except tergum I, gastral segment II (both in most specimens with dorsal black stripe) and basal half of segment III red. Clypeus, frons and pronotall lobe covered with appressed, silvery setae; in some specimens mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum laterally sparsely covered with short, appressed, silvery setae. Clypeus slightly elongate, free margin slightly emarginate ( Fig. 227 ), disk nearly flat. Vertex dull, sparsely punctate. Pronotal collar dull, sparsely punctate, anterior surface in some specimens slightly transversely striate, and pronotum laterally transversely striate. Scutum dull, irregularly punctate, in some specimens transversely punctato-rugose and scutellum and metanotum longitudinally ridged. Propodeal enclosure irregularly obliquely ridged, all covered with erect setae. Mesopleuron, metapleuron and propodeum laterally punctato-rugose. Gonostyle laterally: Fig. 387 ; penis valve laterally: Fig. 473 , ventrally: Fig. 531 , apically: Fig. 589 . Flagellomere I: II=1.3-1.5; length of petiole = hindtarsomeres I+0.5×II to I+II+0.25×III.

G e o g r a p h i c a l d i s t r i b u t i o n Europe, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, Mongolia.

Figures

Figs 1-10: (1) Eremnophila and (2) Ammophila: lateral view of anterior half of thorax (es = episternal sulcus); (3) Podalonia: gastral segments I-II lateral and ventral; (4) Ammophila: gastral segments I-II lateral and ventral; (5) Parapsammophila and (6) Eremochares: posterior view of petiole socket, hindcoxa, and propodeal sternite (solid black); (7) lateral view of hindtarsal claw with basal tooth; (8) Hoplammophila: male genitalia; (9) Parapsammophila: foretarsomere I of female; (10) Hoplammophila: foretarsomere I of female; (BOHART & MENKE 1976).

Figs 55-65: clypeus of female.

Figs 471-490: male genitalia: penis valve in lateral view.

Figs 227-239: male clypeus.

Figs 206-215: male clypeus.

Figs 149-160: pronotal collar of female in lateral view.

Figs 374-389: male genitalia: gonostyle in lateral view.

Figs 527-545: male genitalia: penis valve in ventral view.

Figs 563-596: male genitalia: penis valve in apical view.