Gonaporus simulator Wahis & I. Zonstein, sp. nov.

(Figs 27, 34, 97, 108, 119, 129, 140, 151, 162, 173, 184, 194)

Diagnosis. The female of G. simulator sp. nov. has shorter F1 than most species of Gonaporus (except of G. maureanus) (Table 1). Similar to G. israelicus and G. setitarsus sp. nov., it has pubescence on the metapostnotum, but in G. simulator sp. nov. the pubescence is very sparse (Fig. 34).

Description. Female. Body length 6.0– 8.2 mm. Structure: see Table 1. Coloration: Head mostly black sometimes with narrow yellow stripe on inner orbit; clypeus mostly orange, narrowly black basally; mandible mostly orangeyellow, dark brown-orange on apical 0.33–0.4; scape brown dorsally and orange ventrally to entirely orange; pedicel orange-brown; flagellum mostly brown dorsally; basal flagellomeres orange-brown ventrally. Mesosoma mostly black; pronotum mostly black and orange laterally to mostly orange; propodeum usually mostly black and orange posteriorly or entirely black; tegula light orange. Legs: Coxae, trochanters, femora, tibiae orange; tarsi dark brown; spur of fore leg orange basally, dark brown apically, other spurs dark brown; spines of tarsal comb orange or slightly brown apically; spines on tibiae and femora orange-brown; tarsi with brown spines. Metasoma orange. Pygidium orange-brown and shiny. Metapostnotum with sparse pubescence (Fig. 34). Setae: Frons and vertex with short brown setae; clypeus with long reddish setae; occiput and propleuron with long fine whitish setae. Protarsomere 1 with 3 long spines posteriorly and 2 short spines anteroventrally (Figs 27, 140).

Male. Body length 4.5–5.6 mm. Structure see Table 2. Subgenital plate and genitalia not studied. Coloration: Head mostly black; clypeus mostly orange, narrowly black basally; mandible yellowish orange basally, yellow medially, orange-brown on apical 0.25; scape and pedicel dark brown dorsally and orange ventrally; flagellum dark brown dorsally and orange-brown ventrally. Mesosoma: Pronotum mostly black, orange posteriorly and laterally; scutum and scutellum black; episternum mostly black, orange posteriorly; propodeum black dorsally, orange everywhere else; tegula light yellow. Legs, except of blackish-brown tarsi, mostly orange-brown; spurs of protibia yellowish-orange apically; spurs of meso- and metatibia dark orange-brown; leg spines dark reddish-black. Metasoma: Segments 1–2(3) orange; segments 4–7 almost entirely black. Metapostnotum with sparse pubescence. Setae: Occiput and propleuron with short fine whitish setae.

Etymology. Latin adjective, because, at first sight, this species is very similar (mimics) in size and coloration to israelicus .

Material examined. Holotype, ♀: S. ARABIA: Hofuf, 145m, 21–6 [sic]. vi.1980, K.M. Guichard (BMNH). Paratypes: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Liwa, 8.v.1987, I.L. Hamer, 1♀ (BMNH); Israel: Arava Valley, Kibbutz Ketura, Malaise trap nr. water treatment shed, 30°58'30''N 35°03'52''E, - 114 m, 15–31.iv.1995, M.E. Irwin, 1♀ (CRW); EGYPT: Assiut, 9.v.1981, KMS 1♀ (BMNH). Other material. MAURITANIA: Nouakchott, iv.1991, F. Borgato, 1♀ (CRW); Nouakchott, iv.1991, F. Borgato, 2♂ (CRW).

Distribution. Mauritania, Egypt, Israel; Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (Fig. 217).

Habitat. Unknown.

Biology. Unknown.