Miscophus pseudolusitanicus, Schmid & Al & J, 2022

Schmid, Christian, Al, Ali & J, A -, 2022, The genus Miscophus JURINE, 1807 in Arabian Peninsula and southern Israel with description of seven new species (Hymenoptera, Spheciformes), Linzer biologische Beiträge 54 (1), pp. 319-340 : 325-326

Miscophus pseudolusitanicus SCHMID- EGGER, nov.sp. (figs 1-3)

Holotype: Yemen: 1♀ 15.iii..2000 Al Kadan [15.25N 43.25E] (unknown collector, coll. CSE).

D i a g n o s i s Miscophus pseudolusitanicus nov.sp. is very close to M. lusitanicus DE ANDRADE, 1952 , from the mediterranean area and Central Asia. It differs from the latter mainly by smaller body size (5.1 mm versus 6.0- 6.5 mm in M. lusitanicus ), by a larger and more distinct punctation on mesoscutum and by a shiny and impunctate lower mesopleuron (finely punctures and sculptured in M. lusitanicus ). The abdomen is all red in M. pseudolusitanicus nov.sp., and at most apically black (or all black) in M. lusitanicus . The punctation of frons consists on separate punctures, with (narrow and small) shiny interspaces, whereas the punctation in M. lusitanicus is dense and grainlike, without shiny interspaces. M. lusitanicus belongs to the M. bicolor species group sensu ANDRADE (1960), however propodeal dorsum has a comparatively fine striation and some pubescence and therefore the species show some transitions to other species groups. The same goes for M. pseudolusitanicus nov.sp. The latter is otherwise easily recognizable among the Arabian species of the M. bicolor species group by the red abdomen.

D e s c r i p t i o n o f f e m a l e: Body length 5,1 mm. Colour: Black, red are: mandible except apex and lower margin, clypeus apicomedially, AS 1 below, some AS below (reming AS reddish-brown), pronotal lobe, apex of tegula, abdomen. Fore and midtibiae and -tarsi reddish, remaining legs dark with reddish shimmer. Wing venation brown, wings evenly infuscate, apical zone somwhat darker than remaining wing. Morphology: Apical clypeal margin distinctly rounded, medial part somewhat advanced. Lower half of frons with sparse pubescence, upper half densely and finely punctured, with very small shiny interspaces. OOL = 2.0x hindocellar diameter, POL 2.5x this diameter. Punctation of mesoscutum and scutellum larger, interspaces 0.5-2 puncture diameters, shiny. Upper mesopleuron densely and median third sparsely punctured, lower third impunctate and shiny. Propodeal dorsum with distinct medial keel, laterally with indistinct and fine diagonal striae, some striae subparallel to median keel, laterally with some fine pubescence. Propodeal declivity and propodeum laterally shiny, with distinct transverse rugae. Terga finely punctured, shiny. Fore basitarsus with three spines, apical spine somewhat longer than half tarsal segment 2.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Yemen.

E t y m o l o g y: The species name refers the close relationsship of the species to Miscophus lusitanicus .