Sphex pseudosatanas, Dörfel & Ohl, 2022

Dörfel, Thorleif H. & Ohl, Michael, 2022, The wasp genus Sphex in Sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 796 (1), pp. 1-170 : 137-139

Sphex pseudosatanas sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:71C639FE-C171-457B-86DA-757EE7CFC5BF

Figs 109 , 118 (red)

Differential diagnosis

Females of this species are easy to recognize within the satanas group. In contrast to those of S. satanas s. lat. ( Figs 113–114 ) and S. socotrensis sp. nov. ( Fig. 116 ), they have both the scutellum and the metanotum uniformly ferruginous ( Figs 109 ), a character which they share with female S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 110 ). However, S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. has the clypeus and the anterior half of the scutum ferruginous, whereas the upper half of the clypeus and the entire scutum are black in S. pseudosatanas sp. nov.

Identification of males is more difficult.While male S. socotrensis sp. nov. stand out due to their ferruginous legs ( Fig. 117 ), S. satanas satanas ( Fig. 115 ), S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. and S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 111 ) all have a black integument and silvery setae. The most reliable characters to distinguish them are a combination of wing infuscation and placoid pattern. The male of S. satanas satanas has uniformly fuscous forewings and largely fuscous hindwings, whereas in S. pseudosatanas sp. nov., only the apex of the forewing is fuscous. Sphex rufoclypeatus sp. nov. has slightly infuscate forewings and hyaline hindwings. Sphex satanas satanas and S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. share the pattern of narrow placoids on the proximal half or third of flagellomeres IV–VI, whereas S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. has broad placoids covering the entire length of flagellomeres III–VI.

Etymology

‘Pseudo-’ is a prefix derived from the Greek adjective ‘pseudḗs’ meaning false; ‘ pseudosatanas ’ thus refers to the fact that this species can be confused with the similar S. satanas .

Material examined

Holotype KENYA – Laikipia County • ♀; Laikipia, Mpala Research Centre ; [0°17ʹ33ʺ N, 36°53ʹ53ʺ E]; 20 Jan. 2005; P. Lenguya leg.; THD-029-BMNH ; Genbank CO1 gene: MW538569 ; GenBank EF-1α gene: MW558238 ; GenBank LWR gene: MW582278 ; BMNH.

Paratypes ETHIOPIA – Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region • 1 ♀; Arba Minch ; 6°00ʹ N, 37°33ʹ E; Nov. 2011; M. Ströhle leg.; OÖLM .

KENYA • 1 ♂; 1912; R.J. Stordy leg.; BMNH. – Isiolo County • 5 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Buffalo Springs National Reserve ; [0°31ʹ17.32ʺ N, 37°37ʹ2.53ʺ E]; 15–18 Jul. 1987; H.R. Feijen leg.; RMNH. – Kajiado County • 1 ♂; Olorgesailie National Monument ; 1.57930° S, 36.44566° E; 30 Oct.–13 Nov. 2011 ; R. Copeland leg.; ICIPE. – Kitui County • 1 ♂; E of Mwingi; [0°56ʹ S, 38°03ʹ E]; 14 May 2007; M. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♂; near Mwingi; [0°56ʹ S, 38°03ʹ E]; 7 Apr. 2007; M. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 6 ♂♂; Mwingi, Kangonde vadi ; [0°56ʹ S, 38°03ʹ E]; 18 Apr. 2007; M. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♂; Shrubland near Kwandula Hill, Simsi area ; 2.01477° S, 38.32618° E; 1–4 Dec. 2013; J. Bukhebi and R. Copeland leg.; ICIPE. – Kwale County • 1 ♀; Shimoni ; [4°39ʹ S, 39°23ʹ E]; Dec. 1911; Ch. Alluaud and Jeannel leg.; MNHN . – Laikipia County • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype but 2 Feb. 2005; BMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; BMNH. – Makueni County • 1 ♀; Makindu ; [2°16ʹ41ʺ S, 37°49ʹ07ʺ E]; 5–7 Apr. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 3 ♀♀; Mtito Andei ; [2°41ʹ23ʺ S, 38°10ʹ E]; 26– 28 Mar. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH. – Samburu County • 1 ♂; 11 mi. S of Mukawa; [1°02ʹ28ʺ N, 36°40ʹ25ʺ E]; 2 Sep. 1957; CAS. – Taita-Taveta County • 1 ♀; Mt Kasigau , bottom of forest ; 3.82080° S, 38.64178° E; 16–30 Jun. 2011; R. Copeland leg.; ICIPE • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 27 Jul.–10 Aug. 2011; ICIPE • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 10 –24 Aug. 2011; ICIPE • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but 5–19 Oct. 2011; ICIPE • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding but 19 Oct.–2 Nov. 2011; ICIPE • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Voi ; [3°23ʹ26ʺ S, 38°34ʹ37ʺ E]; 16 May 2007; M. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♂; same locality as for preceding; 3°24ʹ S, 38°33.2ʹ E; 21–22 May 2000; V.F. Lee and W.J. Pulawski leg.; CAS • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; near Voi (Tsavo); [3°23ʹ26ʺ S, 38°34ʹ37ʺ E]; 8–18 Nov. 1996; Mi. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but 22 Nov.–2 Dec. 1996; OÖLM • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same locality as for preceding; 23 Mar.– 4 Apr.1997; Ma. Halada leg.; OÖLM .

SOUTH SUDAN – Bahr el Ghazal Region • 1 ♀; “ M’Bokou ”; 1912; Gailland leg.; MNHN .

TANZANIA – Dodoma Region • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; 35 km N of Dodoma; 5°54ʹ S, 35°45ʹ E; 14 Dec. 2006; J. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♂; 70 km N of Dodoma; 5°40ʹ S, 35°48ʹ E; 16 Dec. 2006; J. Halada leg.; OÖLM . – Morogoro Region • 2 ♂♂; 43 km E of Morogoro; 6°39.1ʹ S, 38°1.5ʹ E; 14 Jun. 2001; M.H. Bourbin and W.J. Pulawski leg.; CAS . – Tanga Region • 1 ♂; 73 km NW of Korogwe; 4°40.8ʹ S, 38°6.4ʹ E; 18 Jul. 2001; O.S. Haji and W.J. Pulawski leg.; CAS .

Description

Female

SIZE. 17.0– 21.6 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, lower half of clypeus, scape, pedicel, flagellomeres I–IV, collar, pronotal lobe, prepectus, tegula, legs from coxa onward except inner margin of claw, scutellum, metanotum, metasomal segment I laterally and ventrally, and metasomal segments V and VI. Apical margin of forewing with fuscous spot, cellular area of forewing and entire hindwing hyaline.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect setae on clypeus silvery-golden, on paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented anteriorly. Clypeus without glabrous spot. Scutellum densely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin gently notched medially, not stepped above. Clypeus without indentation or carina. Scutellum flat. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure with 4–5 transversal ridges. Foretarsomere I 1.65–1.95 × length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.70– 1.85 × its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 12.7–18.2 mm.

COLOR. Black except for ferruginous stripe in center of mandible. Wings hyaline, apical margin of forewing fuscous.

VESTITURE. Appressed and erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented anteriorly. Clypeus without glabrous spot. Scutellum densely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple, not stepped medially. Scutellum flat. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins submarginal cell II medially. Propodeal enclosure with a few extremely indistinct transversal ridges. Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII convex. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII triangular. Penis valvae without conspicuous modifications. Petiole length 2.0–2.2× its medial width. Flagellomeres IV–VI with narrow placoids covering their proximal halves.

Variation

Unknown.

Distribution

Eastern Africa.

Figures

Figs 106–112. 106–107. Sphex jansei Cameron, 1910. 108. S. schmideggeri sp. nov. 109. S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. 110–111. S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. 106, 108–110. Habitus of ♀. 107, 111. Habitus of ♂. 112. Geographic distribution of S. decipiens Kohl, 1895 (red), S. pruinosus Germar, 1817 (blue), S. gaullei Berland, 1927 (yellow), S. jansei (purple) and S. schmideggeri sp. nov. (green).

Figs 113–118. 113–114, 116. Habitus of ♀. 115, 117. Habitus of ♂. 113, 115. Sphex satanas satanas Kohl, 1898. 114. S. satanas memnon subsp. nov. 116–117. S. socotrensis sp. nov. 118. Geographic distribution of S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. (red), S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. (blue), S. s. satanas (yellow) and S. socotrensis sp. nov. (purple).