Sceliphron deforme tibiale Cameron, 1899

Anagha, S., Kumar, P. Girish, Binoy, C., Mazumdar, P. C. & Sureshan, P. M., 2021, A review of the mud-dauber wasps of genus Sceliphron Klug (Hymenoptera Sphecidae) from India, Zootaxa 4969 (1), pp. 61-85 : 69

b. Sceliphron deforme tibiale Cameron, 1899

( Figs 15–19 )

Sceliphron formosum Bingham, 1897: 239 (in revision of wasps and bees of British India), identification corrected to S. deforme tibiale by Hensen 1987: 234.

Sceliphron tibiale Cameron, 1899: 53 , sex not indicated. Lectotype: ♀, India: Assam [now Meghalaya]: Khasia Hills (OXUM), designated by Hensen 1987: 236. As Sceliphron deforme tibiale: Bohart and Menke, 1976: 106 (new status).

Sceliphron lineatipes Cameron, 1900: 36 , ♂. Lectotype: ♂, India: Assam [now Meghalaya]: Khasia (OXUM) designated by Hensen 1987: 236. Synonymized with Sceliphron deforme by Hensen, 1987: 236.

Diagnosis. Female. Frons distictly pilose, upper frons rugulose to weakly striate, sculpture on remaining frons not visible due to pilosity; clypeus apico-medially produced with median incision forming two lobes; pale yellowish brown macula on upper clypeal margin ( Fig. 16 ); pronotal collar dorsally with broad pale yellowish brown band, medially notched; mesoscutum transversely striate; scutellum with longitudinal oblong striations and punctures,broad pale yellowish patch antero–medially; metanotum faintly and transversely striate; propodeal enclosure transversely striate, with shallow depression in middle, basal propodeal spots (on each side), pair of small spots at apex of dorsal enclosure and large mark at posterior surface of propodeum pale yellowish brown ( Fig. 17 ); mesepisternum and propodeum side with fine striation, pale yellowish brown mark below tegula ( Fig. 18 ); metasoma with first and second tergum mostly reddish brown to deep brown, paler on posterior margin of remaining terga ( Fig. 19 ); petiole black.

Male. Not seen during the present study. Colouration similar to female or at most reduced: clypeus with pair of small yellow spots or completely black; yellow spots at base of propodeum small or absent; metasoma with narrow yellow bands on fourth to sixth tergum, those on second and third reduced or absent ( Hensen 1987).

Variability. The female specimens examined here differ in colour from the description of Bingham (1897). Macula on upper clypeal margin; band on pronotum; antero–median patch on scutellum; pair of spots at apex of dorsal enclosure and large mark on posterior surface of propodeum are pale yellowish brown in the specimens examined, while yellow according to Bingham.

Material Examined. India: Arunachal Pradesh: Papumpare Dist., Itanagar, Shanke Valley , 2♀, 08.vii.2002, Coll. P. T. Bhutia and Party, NZC Regd. Nos. 15555/H3–15556/H3; Papumpare Dist. , Tipi, 1♀, 03.v.1966, Coll. A.N. T. Joseph, NZC Regd. No. 15557/H3 . Assam: Kamrup Dist., Manas, Kahitama , 1♀, 24.iv.1986, S.S. Saha and Party, NZC Regd. No. 15558/H3 . Meghalaya: East Garo Hills Dist., Songsok, 5♀, 05.v.1979, Coll. J.K. Jonathan and Party, NZC Regd. Nos. 15559/H3–15563/H3; East Garo Hills Dist. , Dainadubi, 1♀, 08.v.1979, Coll. J.K. Jonathan and Party, NZC Regd. No. 15564/H3; East Garo Hills Dist. , Williamnagar, 1♀, 27.v.1990, Coll. M.S. Shisodia and Party, NZC Regd. No. 15567/H3; West Garo Hills Dist. , Bhaitbari, 1♀, 06.iv.1973, Coll. S. Biswas and Party, NZC Regd. No. 15568/H3; West Garo Hills Dist. , Anugiri, 1♀, 20.iv.1991, Coll. B.C Das and Party, NZC Regd. No. 15569/H3 . Manipur: Thoubal Dist., Thoubal , 1♀, 21.viii.1922, Coll. Unknown, NZC Regd. No. 15569/ H3 . Tripura: Unakoti Dist., Kailashahar , 1♀, 28.v.1978, Coll. J.K. Jonathan and Party, NZC Regd. No. 15571/H3 . West Bengal: Darjeeling Dist., Siliguri, 2♀, 06.iv.1973, Coll. N.S. Sharma and Party, NZC Regd. Nos. 15572/H3 and 15573/H3; Darjeeling Dist. , Singla, 2♀, Date of Collection. unknown, Coll. Lord Carmichael, NZC Regd. Nos. 15574/H3 and 15575/H3 .

Distribution. India: Arunachal Pradesh (new state record), Assam (new state record), Manipur (new state record), Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura (new state record), Uttarakhand, West Bengal. Elsewhere: Australia; Bangladesh; Myanmar; Tanzania ( Bingham 1897; Pulawski 2021).

Figures

FIGURES 15–19. Sceliphron deforme tibiale Cameron, ♀. 15. Habitus, lateral view; 16. Head, frontal view; 17. Mesosoma, dorsal view; 18. Mesosoma, lateral view; 19. Metasoma, dorsal view.