Miscophus, JURINE, 1807

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 : 321-325

Identification key to Miscophus from Arabian Peninsula and southern Israel

In the key, only distribution in Arabian Peninsula and related areas is given.

Key to females

1 Body completely metallic green or blue (figs 12, 15) ................. M. chrysis species group 6

- Body black, red or yellow. ..................................................................................................2

2 Anterior margin of clypeus continuous, without indentations ............................................... ............................................................................................... M. mimeticus species group 7

- Anterior margin of clypeus divided into three parts. ...........................................................3

3 Propodeal surface smooth and markedly shiny, at most whith some barely visible transverse striae near median carina; without any pilosity (figs 4, 6, 9). Mesonotum and frons shiny, with sparse punctation. Angle between surface and back of propodeum obtuse (fig. 9). .......................................................................... M. bytinskii species group 8

- Propodeal surface dull with microsculpture or shiny with striation or honey-comb like sculpture, in some species with pilosity. Mesonotum and frons in most species microsculptured ore densely punctured (interspaces at most 2 diameters). Angle between surface and back of propodeum about 90-100 degree (right angled).....................4

4 At least lower half of temples (behind eyes, seen in dorsal view) with erect whitish pilosity. Foretarsal spines well developed, last spine of fore basitarsus as long as or longer than second tarsal segment. Larger species, mostly longer than 5 mm. ..................... ............................................................................................. M. helveticus species group 13

- Temples without (or with very short) pilosity. Spines of fore basitarsus in most species less developed or absent. Smaller species, rarely longer than 6 mm. ..................................5

5 Propodeal surface and sides grainlike microsculptured or punctured, dull without shiny interspaces and without or only with few ridges. AS 1 yellow below. AS 3 short, 1-1.5x as long as AS 2. (Abdomen black. Body length less than 4 mm). Israel, UAE. ..................... ............................................. M. aenigma HONORÉ (belongs to the M. nevesi species group

- Propodeal surface and sides striate or honey-comb like sculptured, with shiny interspaces (fig. 2). Scapus in most species black. AS 3 2x as long as AS 2. [ M. pseudolusitanicus nov.sp. has finer striae on propodeal dorsum, abdomen is all red in this species]. ............................................................................ M. bicolor species group 11

M. chrysis species group

6 Metallic colour of body predominantly blue (fig. 12). Coarsely reticulated zone of frons reaching midocellus or ending short below (cf. fig. 13). Pronotum evenly striate laterally. Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Israel. ...................................................... M. chrysis KOHL

- Metallic colour of body predominantly green (cf. fig. 15). Coarsely reticulated zone of frons ending in upper half of frons (cf. fig. 16). Pronotum laterally only with a few irregular striae. Israel....................................................... M. pseudochrysis SIMON THOMAS

M. mimeticus species group

7 Mesopleuron below episcrobal area densely punctuate, punctures large, interspaces as large as puncture diameter. Episcrobal area with a few, scattered punctures. Lower mesopleuron in some specimens with horizontal wrinkles. Oman, UAE, Yemen................. .......................................................................................................... M. mimeticus HONORÉ

- Punctation of mesopleuron less dense, interspaces larger than punctures. Episcrobal area without punctures, shiny, or with a few scattered punctures. UAE................................ ............................................................................................................. M. affinis PULAWSKI

M. bytinskii species group

8 Fore basitarsus without spines. [Red are: mandible, AS 1 below, first AS, foretibia. Mesopleuron with pubescence. Very small species, 4 mm]. Israel. ...................................... .......................................................................................................... M. bytinskii VERHOEFF

- Fore basitarsus at least with three long spines. ...................................................................9

9 Mesopleuron and clypeus without any pubescence. Femora black. Propodeum smooth, without striation. [Body black except mandible, antenna, apical clypeal margin, tibiae and tarsi]. Oman, UAE. ........................................................ M. paolorosai SCHMID- EGGER

- Mespleuron and clypeus with dense pubescence, hidding integument (fig. 4, 9). Femora red. Propodeum with fine, transverse striation (fig. 6). ....................................................10

10 Abdomen completely orange red (fig. 9). Face and mesonotum with fine and dense punctation ( Fig. 10 ). Oman /northern provinces, Israel.......................................................... ........................................................... M. qaboosi SCHMID- EGGER & AL- JAHDHAMI nov.sp.

- Abdomen black (fig. 4). Face and mesonotum impunctate (fig. 7). Oman / Dhofar, Jordan. ............................................ M. alhashmii SCHMID- EGGER & AL- JAHDHAMI nov.sp.

M. bicolor species group

11 Abdomen all red (fig. 1). Propodeal dorsum with sparse pubescence (fig. 2). Lower mesopleuron impuncate or with a few punctures, interspaces distinctly shiny. [Apical clypeal margin widely rounded (fig. 3). Propodeal dorsum with distinct median line, laterally with indistinct diagnonal striae (fig. 2)]. Yemen..................................................... ...................................................................... M. pseudolusitanicus SCHMID- EGGER nov.sp.

- Abdomen black. Propodeal dorsum without pubescence. Lower mesopleuron densely punctured or reticulate. .....................................................................................................12

12 Frons markedly reticulated and wrinkled. Lower half of frons with 5-7 strong horizontal striae, upper half irregular striate. Striae of propodeal dorsum more or less subparallel to central line. Propodeal dorsum apically with lamelliforme edge in whole width, separating horizontal and vertical part of propodeum. Israel, UAE [here also M. eatoni E. SAUNDERS, 1903 , from Israel, with less coarse face sculpture. The species is not included in the present contribution]............................... M. reticulatus SCHMID- EGGER

- Frons punctured with shiny interspaces or at most finely sculptured. Propodeal dorsum otherwise wrinkled, without marked lamelliforme ege. [Propodeal surface and sides markedly striate or honey-comb like sculptured, with shiny interspaces. Scapus in most species black. Israel, Yemen, Oman, UAE...................................... M. pharaonis ANDRADE

M. helveticus species group

13 Spines of fore basitarsus long, thick, strongly spatulate apically. Apical spine of fore basitarsus at least as long as 2., 3. and half of 4. tarsal segment united.............................14 Spines of fore basitarsus not spatulate, evenly pointed apically, in most species shorter than in M. ctenopus and M. sericeus (figs 20, 24, 27, 32). ................................................15

14 Tegula and praecostal plate yellow. Wing venation yellow. Apical dark part of forewing markedly contrasting from transparent part. Eye as large as half face. 5-6 mm. UAE, Oman. ......................................................................... M. sericeus RADOSZKOWSKI

- Tegula and/or praecostal plate with dark spot. Wing venation dark. Apical dark part of forewing with greyish transition zone versus transparent part. Eye larger than half face. 7-8 mm. Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Yemen. ........................................ M. ctenopus KOHL

15 Apex of forewing hyalin and colorless (fig. 25). [Whole face or at least in lower part with dense pilosity covering the integument]....................................................................16

- Apex of forewing beyond the venation zone darkened (figs 18, 22, 29).. .........................18

16 Only lower half of face with pilosity, upper half hairless and shiny. Distinct furrow in front of midocellus. Femora predominantly black, remaining parts dark red. [Fore basitarsis with 4 spines. Abdomen dark red or black] (some specimens of M. mochii also may have pilosity in whole face. They can be recognized by dark tegula and predomininantly black femora). Israel, Yemen. ..................................... M. mochii ARNOLD

- Whole face covered with dense pilosity, Frons without furrow. Femora in most specimens light red with yellow parts, or all yellow. [Tegulae light yellow] ....................17

17 Fore basitarsus with 3 spines. Lower half of clypeus yellow. Abdomen red [Tibiae with yellow stripe above, forefemora often with yellow parts.]. 6-7 mm. Israel. ......................... ...................................................................................................... M. flavopictus PULWASKI

- Fore basitarsus with 4 spines (fig. 27). Clypeus dark (fig. 26). Abdomen with large yellow parts (fig. 25). Israel, Oman. 7-8 mm. ...................................................................... ........................................................................ M. luteoabdominalis Schmid-Egger nov.sp.

18 Inner eye margin convergent, eyes distinctly approached above, OOL 0,5x hindocellar diameter (fig. 19, 23). .......................................................................................................19

- Eyes less approached, OOL at least 1.0x hindocellar diameter (fig. 30). .........................21

19 Mesosoma and legs completely black. Forewing distinctly infuscate, with darker apex, the latter with metallic shimmer (fig. 18). [Fore basitarsus with 3 spines (fig. 20). Abdomen all red, hindfemora in specimens from Yemen with some red]. 7-8 mm. Oman / Dhofar, Yemen. ............................................... M. fuscoales SCHMID- EGGER nov.sp.

- At least part of the legs red (fig. 22). Forewing weakly infuscate, darker apex without metallic shimmer. .............................................................................................................20

20 Fore basitarsus with 4-5 spines. Femora red, at most with some black above. Clypeus apically distinctly red. 6-8 mm. Israel. .................................. M. dispersus ANDRADE, 1954

- Fore basitarsus with 3 spines (fig. 24). Femora mostly black. Clypeus black, with some red on apex only (fig. 23). Israel. ..................................... M. irwni SCHMID- EGGER nov.sp.

21 Fore basitarsus with 4-5 spines (including a small basal spine)........... M. papyrus ANDRADE

- Fore basitarsus with 3 spines.............................................................................................22

22 Tegula all yellow, sometimes with dark basal spot, its outer egde translucent. Praecostal plate and upper costal vein yellow. [Face and thorax with long, silver-whitish pilosity]. 5,5-6,8 mm. Israel, UAE, Oman................................................................ M. imitans GINER

- Tegula, praecostal plate and upper costal vein not even yellow, tegula basally or medially brown. Pilosity of face otherwise. ......................................................................23

23 Apex of forewing behind dark zone with hyaline zone (fig. 31). Terga black, apart from some parts laterally, sterna red. Legs dark, foretibia with red band above (fig. 29). Upper facxe without pilosity. Yemen...................... M. yemenensis SCHMID- EGGER nov.sp.

- Apex of forewing all darkened. Abdomen dark with some red parts on terga and sternits apically. Legs dark, tarsi apically with some red. Pilosity reaches ocellar region. ................................................................................................... M. helveticus KOHL

Key to males

Unknown for males: M. pseudolusitanicus nov.sp., M. bytinskii . The males of the M. helveticus species group cannot be recognized properly and are not keyed here.

1 Body completely metallic green or blue (fig. cf. 12, 15). ........... M. chrysis species group 6

- Body black, red or yellow. .................................................................................................2

2 Propodeal surface smooth and markedly shiny, at most with some barely visible transverse striae near median carina; without any pilosity. Mesonotum and frons shiny, with sparse punctation. Angle between surface and back of propodeum obtuse (fig. 5). ...... ................................................................................................. M. bytinskii species group 7

- Propodeal surface dull with microsculpture or shiny with striation or honey-comb like sculpture, in some species with pilosity. Mesonotum and frons in most species microsculptured ore densely punctured (interspaces at most 2 diameters). Angle between surface and back of propodeum about 90-100 degree (right angled).....................3

3 At least lower half of temples (behind exes, seen in dorsal view) with erect whitish pilosity. S8 bidentate. Larger species, mostly longer than 5 mm. ......................................... ............................................................... M. helveticus species group, males not keyed here

- Temples without (or with very short) pilosity. S8 with four teeth. Smaller species, rarely longer than 6 mm. .....................................................................................................4

4 Propodeal dorsum shiny, without pubescence and with distinct striation. ............................ ................................................................................................... M. bicolor species group 9 Propodeal dorsum dull, with fine striation or punctation, or with pubescence ....................5

5 AS 3 short, as long as AS 2. Propodeal dorsum without striation. AS 1-4 white below. [Propodeal dorsum with fine pubescence. Body dull, finely sculptured, without punctation. Tegula and wing venation white]. 3.0- 3.5 mm. Israel, UAE............................... ................................................................... M. aenigma HONORÉ ( M. nevesi species group) AS 3 at least 1.5x as long as AS 2. Propodeal dorsum with fine striation. AS 1-4 orange or black. ............................................................................... M. mimeticus species group 10

M. chrysis species group

6 Gonostylus laterally with long and large hairbrush, apically curved backwards (fig. 14). Coarsely reticulated zone of frons reaching ocellar region. Fine punctation around ocelli sparse, most punctures 1-3 diameters apart. Face bluish-green (fig. 13). Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Israel. .................................................................................. M. chrysis KOHL

- Gonostylus laterally with short hairbrush, apically straight (fig. 17). Coarsely reticulated zone of frons ending in upper half of frons, frons in upper part only with some larger puncture. Fine punctation around ocelli dense, most punctures 0,5-1 diameters apart. Face green (fig. 126). Israel................... M. pseudochrysis SIMON THOMAS

M. bytinskii species group

7 Mesopleuron and clypeus without any pubescence. Femora black. Propodeum smooth, without striation. [Body black except mandible, antenna, apical clypeus margin, tibiae and tarsi]. Oman, UAE.......................................................... M. paolorosai SCHMID- EGGER

- Mespleuron and clypeus with dense pubescence, hidding integument. Femora red. Propodeum with very fine, crosswise striation. ..................................................................8

8 Abdominal base orange red (fig. 11). Face and mesonotum with fine and dense punctation. Oman /northern provinces, Israel......................................................................... ........................................................... M. qaboosi SCHMID- EGGER & AL- JAHDHAMI nov.sp.

- Abdomen black (fig. 5). Face and mesonotum impunctate. Oman / Dhofar, Jordan............... ........................................................ M. alhashmii SCHMID- EGGER & AL- JAHDHAMI nov.sp.

M. bicolor species group

9 Frons distinctly reticulate and wrinkled. Lower part of mesopleuron reticulate. Mesoscutum and scutellum with large punctures, larger than punctures on T2. [Here also M. eatoni E. SAUNDERS, 1903 , from Israel, with less coarse face sculpture. The species is not included in the present contribution]. Israel, UAE. ......................................... .............................................................................................. M. reticulatus SCHMID- EGGER

- Frons punctured with shiny interspaces or at most finely sculptured. Lower part of mesopleuron smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum and scutellum with fine and minute punctation, punctures smaller than punctures on T2. Israel, Yemen, Oman, UAE................ ........................................................................................................ M. pharaonis ANDRADE

M. mimeticus species group 10 Propodeal dorsum covered with dense pubescence. AS 1-5 orange below, brown above.

Tibae orange. UAE.............................................................................. M. affinis PULAWSKI - Propodeal dorsum without pubescene. AS 1-5 brown, with some indistinct orange spots below. Tibiae brown. Oman, UAE, Yemen....................................... M. mimeticus HONORÉ

Figures

Figs 9-16: (9) M. qaboosi, ♀ lateral; (10) M. qaboosi, ♀ face; (11) M. qaboosi, ♁ lateral; (12) M. chrysis, ♀ dorsal; (13) M. chrysis, ♁ face; (14) M. chrysis, ♁ genital; (15) M. pseudochrysis, ♁ lateral; (16) M. pseudochrysis, ♁ face.