Pseudepipona tricarinata (Kokujev, 1913)

(Figs 19–21, 28, 53–56)

Odynerus herrichii var. tricarinatus Kokujev, 1913: 4, ♀; type locality: “ Caucasus (Geok-tapa)” [Azerbaijan].

Pseudepipona tricarinata: Blüthgen, 1939: 242 .

Material examined. RUSSIA. Volgograd Province: Sarepta, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. A.K. Becker [ZISP] . Astrakhan Province: 13 km S Liman, 46.67245°N, 47.240633°E, 25.VII.2015, 1 ♀, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V.M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CFUS]; ibid., 25.VII.2015, 1 ♂, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V.M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; 35 km NNW Astrakhan, vicinity of Volzhskoye, 46.628°N, 47.845517°E, 26.VII.2015, 1 ♀, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V.M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M.Yu. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; Akhtubinsk District, Bogdo-Baskunchak Nature Reserve, 48.15°, 46.88°, 10.VII.2014, 1 ♀, leg. K.A. Grebennikov [ CAFK] (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/64049225); Akhtubinsk District, Ilmen, 3. VI.2007, 1 ♂, leg. O.N. Kalinina [CFUS]; Astrachan [= Astrakhan], 1 ♀, 2 ♂ [ZISP]; Yenotayevka District, vicinity of Volzhskiy, 46.965°N, 47.53°E, 8.VII.2017, 1 ♀, leg. M. V. Mokrousov [CFUS]; ibid., 46.965°N, 47.53°E, 10.VII.2017, 1 ♀, leg. M. V. Mokrousov [CFUS]; ibid., 46.965°N, 47.53°E, 16.VIII.2017, 1 ♀, leg. M. V . Mokrousov [CFUS]; ibid., 46.965°N, 47.53°E, 2.X.2016, 1 ♀, leg. M. V . Mokrousov [CFUS] . Kalmykia: 10 km NNE Lagan, Babinskoye Lake, 45.476367°N, 47.4077°E, 24.VII.2015, 1 ♀, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V.M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; 17 km SWW Artezian, Kuma River, 44.9343°N, 46.455083°E, 20.VII.2015, 1 ♂, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V.M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CFUS]; 22 km E Yashkul, 46.152233°N, 45.646117°E, 17.VII.2015, 1 ♂, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V.M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [ CAFK]. Stavropol Territory: Zimnyaya Stavka, 15.VII.1911, 1 ♀, leg. B. Uvarov [ZISP] . Dagestan: 13 km NE Kochubey, 44.442994°N, 46.691969°E, 18. VI .2018, 2 ♂, leg. Yu. V . Astafurova, K.I. Fadeev, V . M. Loktionov, M. V . Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; 23 km N Kochubey, 44.601125°N, 46.580994°E, 17. VI .2018, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. Yu. V . Astafurova, K.I. Fadeev, V . M. Loktionov, M. V . Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; 3 km SW Novoterechnoye, 43.995614°N, 47.326328°E, 20. VI .2018, 2 ♂, leg. Yu. V . Astafurova, K.I. Fadeev, V .M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; 7 km NW Staroterechnoye, 43.904303°N, 47.397925°E, 20. VI .2018, 1 ♂, leg. Yu. V . Astafurova, K.I. Fadeev, V . M. Loktionov, M. V . Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; 9 km SSE Kochubey, 44.321383°N, 46.6012°E, 21.VII.2015, 3 ♀, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V .M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CFUS]; ibid., 22.VII.2015, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V.M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CAFK]; ibid., 22.VII.2015, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. S.A. Belokobylskij, V.M. Loktionov, M. V. Mokrousov & M. Yu. Proshchalykin [CFUS]; Biryuzyak, 14. VI.1962, 1 ♀ [FSCV] (Giordani Soika 1970a, reported as “ Tuprozsk ” but it was actually written in cyrillic as “БирЮЗяк”); Kamyshchay River valley, 41.908°N, 48.233°E, 10. VI.2017, 2 ♀, 2 ♂, leg. M. V. Mokrousov [CFUS]; ibid., 11. VI.2017, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. M. V. Mokrousov [CFUS]; ibid., 12. VI.2017, 1 ♀, leg. M. V. Mokrousov [CFUS]; ibid., 12. VI.2017, 1 ♂, leg. V. Gromenko [CFUS]; ibid., 13. VI .2017, 1 ♂, leg. M. V . Mokrousov [CFUS]; ibid., 14. VI .2017, 3 ♂, leg. M. V . Mokrousov [CFUS]; ibid., 13. VI .2018, 1 ♀, 1 ♂, leg. A. V . Fateryga [CAFK]; ibid., on Tamarix hohenackeri, 13. VI .2018, 3 ♂, leg. A. V . Fateryga [CAFK]; ibid., on Suaeda microphylla, 16. VI .2018, 2 ♂, leg. A. V . Fateryga [CAFK]; ibid., on S. microphylla, 17. VI .2018, 1 ♀, leg. A. V . Fateryga [CAFK]; ibid., 29. VI .2018, 2 ♂, leg. M. V . Mokrousov & K.I. Fadeev [CAFK]; ibid., 30. V .2019, 1 ♂, leg. A. V . Fateryga [CAFK]; ibid., on T. hohenackeri, 30. V .2019, 1 ♂, leg. A. V . Fateryga [CAFK]; Rubas River valley, 41°52′45″N, 48°16′14″E, 2. VI .2019, 2 ♂, leg. M.Yu. Proshchalykin & V . M. Loktionov [CAFK]; Tarumovka District, bank of Kuma River, 44.933°N, 46.489°E, 3. VI .2016, 1 ♂, leg. M. V . Mokrousov [CFUS] . GEORGIA: Borshom [= Borjomi], 1 ♀, leg. Christoph [ZISP] . ARMENIA: Eriwan [= Yerevan], 1 ♂ [ZISP]. AZERBAIJAN: Lenkoran, Damakh (Novogolovka), 30. VI –1.VII.1909, 1 ♂, leg. A. Kiritchenko [ZISP]; Salyan Uezd, Dzhafarkhan, 2.X.1927, 1 ♀, leg. Bocharnikov [ZISP] . KAZAKHSTAN. Mangystau Province: Transcaspian Province, Fort Aleksandriyskiy, 5.VII.1909, 1 ♀, leg. N. Nasonov [ZISP] .

Additional literature records. RUSSIA: Astrakhan Province: Astrachan [= Astrakhan] (Blüthgen 1939). TURKEY: Kars, Idgir, 2400 piedi (Giordani Soika 1970a).

Diagnosis. Females of this species can be distinguished from other members of the P. herrichii -group by the following combination of characters: clypeus approximately 1.15× as wide as long, with relatively deeply emarginated apical margin, yellow with a longitudinal black spot in its distal half; scutum without two comma-like spots; scutellum with a thick apical band taking more than a half of its area; propodeum with a weakly developed transverse carina between the shelf and concavity forming laterally rather right angles; propodeal valvula bluntly angled posteriorly; T1 with three small longitudinal carinae, in dorsal view approximately 1.55× as maximal wide as long. In the males, the clypeus is approximately 1.10× as wide as long; cuspis with a relatively small dorsal process which is not shorter than its width at the base; base of the digitus attached below the top of the cuspis apex so that the latter is protruding as a relatively long free acute spine; aedeagus with a median expansion; ventral lobe of the aedeagus rather angled in lateral view; aedeagus in dorsal view narrow.

Distribution. Russia (Volgograd Province, Astrakhan Province, Kalmykia, Stavropol Territory, Dagestan), Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan (Mangystau Province) (Fig. 28). The records from China (Kurzenko 1977) refer to P. tingjingliae sp. nov.

Remarks. This species is closely related to P. kozhevnikovi but can be distinguished from it by a deeper emargination of the apical margin of the clypeus and the absence of the comma-like spots on the scutum in the female as well as by a different structure of the genitalia in the male.

Bionomics. Adult feeding was recorded in Dagestan on flowers of Suaeda microphylla Pall. (Chenopodiaceae) and Tamarix hohenackeri Bunge (Tamaricaceae) (see Material examined).