Bembecinus marekhaladai, Schmid, 2024

Schmid, Christian, 2024, Description of nine species of the genus Bembecinus A. COSTA, 1859 and revision of the B. acanthomerus species group (Hymenoptera, Spheciformes), Linzer biologische Beiträge 56 (1), pp. 313-336 : 322-323

Bembecinus marekhaladai SCHMID- EGGER nov.sp. (figs 50-54)

Holotype: OMAN: ♁, 09.x.2021 4 km W Thalkut 16,699 N 53,223 E (leg. M. Halada, coll. CSE) . Paratypes: OMAN: 1♁, 2♀♀, 09.x.2021 4 km W Thalkut 16,699 N 53,223 E ; 1♁, 1♀, 04.x.2021 55 km W Salalah 16,818 N 53,620 E ; 1♁, 1♀, 17.ix.2023 16,818 N 53,620 E; 2♁♁, 26.ix.2023 16,818 N 53,620 E; 1♀, 30.ix.2023 6 km NW Thalkut 16.751 N 53.204 E ; 1♀, 12.x.2021 80 km SW Salalah 16,840 N 53,311 E (leg. M. Halada, coll CSE and OLL) ; 1♀, 15.x.2018 Dhofar, way to Mughseel 16,95 N 53,86 E (leg. & coll AJ) .

D i a g n o s i s Bembecinus marekhaladai belongs to the B. peregrinus species group sensu SCHMID- EGGER (2004). The male keys out with B. cyprius DE BEAUMONT, 1954 in the key of SCHMID- EGGER (2004). It differs from the later by a reduced extend of yellow color. The males of this lineage are characterised by an apically wide hindfemur, with rectangular apex (fig. 52), and with a single inner spine. Hindfemur is narrower apically than medially with more rounded apex compared to B. acanthomerus lineage. Another character of B. marekhaladai are long erect setae at the edge of pronotum laterally (seen in dorsal view), which are shorter and appressed in the B. acanthomerus group, e.g. in B. jebelhafitensis from northern Arabian Peninsula. Scutellum is black, which distinguishes the species from most related species and also from all representatives of the B. acanthomerus lineage with yellow spots on scutellum (fig. 50).

The female is characterized by a black clypeal base (size varying), a black space above clypeus with lateral band at eye margin (fig. 54), and by and by a very slight yellow coloration on the mesosoma (fig. 53). It keys out at couplet 41 in the key of SCHMIDEGGER (2004) and can be distinghuished from the related species by a smaller size (8.5- 10.0 mm) in combination with complete tergal bands. Propodeum has laterally some erect setae, which lack in the species of the B. acanthomerus lineage.

D e s c r i p t i o n m a l e: Body length 9.0 mm (paratypes up to 10.0 mm). Color: Black, with the following parts pale yellow: labrum, clypeus, space above clypeus, inner eye margin, scape and flagellomeres ventrally, narrow medial band on pronotum, pronotal lobe, very small spot on mesoscutum apicolaterally, narrow bands on T 1-6 and S2-6. Legs yellow, femora with black band in basal half dorsally. Mesosoma with long erect pale setae, as long as 2x hindocellar diameter. Morphology: Spine of inner hindfemur 0,5x as long as hindocellar diameter. Propodeum emarginated in apico-lateral corner (seen in dorsal view). Hindtibia apically rectangular (fig. 52). T 7 apically with small emargination, laterally straight (fig. 51). Spines of S8 long and slender.

D e s c r i p t i o n f e m a l e: Body length 8.5-10.0 mm. Color: Black, with the following parts lemmon yellow: labrum, clypeus (apex black in most specimens), scape and flagellomeres ventrally, band in inner eye margin. Mesosoma all black (extreme dark form) or yellow: band on pronotum, pronotal lobe, latero-apical corner of mesoscutum, lateral triangular spots on scutellum (extreme pale form). T 1-5 and S2-5 with narrow and double indented bands. Femora black, fore- and midfemora yellow ventrally, tibiae and tarsi yellow. Clypeus and space above is yellow in one female. Face fig. 54.

E t y m o l o g y: The species is dedicated in honour to MAREK HALADA, a Czech entomologist, who collected the type specimens.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Dhofar province in southern Oman.