Sphex rufoclypeatus, 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 : 139-141

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2022.796.1665
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:76C5C9C4-C6C1-4EDC-8FF8-9828A6EF2040
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6535914
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/5DBDFA5B-EA8C-45D3-8F41-D6CE0973DF9F
taxon LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:act:5DBDFA5B-EA8C-45D3-8F41-D6CE0973DF9F
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Sphex rufoclypeatus
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Sphex rufoclypeatus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:5DBDFA5B-EA8C-45D3-8F41-D6CE0973DF9F

Figs 110–111 View Figs 106–112. 106–107 , 118 View Figs 113–118. 113–114, 116 (blue)

Differential diagnosis

Females of this species ( Fig. 110 View Figs 106–112. 106–107 ) are easy to recognize within the satanas group. In contrast to those of S. satanas s. lat. ( Figs 113–114 View Figs 113–118. 113–114, 116 ) and S. socotrensis sp. nov. ( Fig. 116 View Figs 113–118. 113–114, 116 ), they have both the scutellum and the metanotum uniformly ferruginous, a character which they share with female S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. ( Fig. 109 View Figs 106–112. 106–107 ). However, S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. has the upper half of the clypeus and the entirety of the scutum black, whereas the clypeus and the anterior half of the scutum are ferruginous in S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov.

Identification of males is more difficult.While male S. socotrensis sp. nov. stand out due to their ferruginous legs ( Fig. 117 View Figs 113–118. 113–114, 116 ), S. satanas satanas ( Fig. 115 View Figs 113–118. 113–114, 116 ), S. pseudosatanas sp. nov. and S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. ( Fig. 111 View Figs 106–112. 106–107 ) 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

‘ Rufoclypeatus ’ is a Latin participle meaning ‘armed with a red shield,’ referring to the ferruginous color of the female clypeus.

Material examined

Holotype CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – Bamingui-Bangoran • ♀; Koukourou Bamingui Reserve ; 7°15ʹ N, 20°03ʹ E; 20 Apr. 2010; J. Halada leg.; THD-012-OOLM ; GenBank CO1 gene: MW538570 View Materials ; OÖLM. GoogleMaps

Paratypes BENIN • 1 ♀; “ Cercle de Djougou-Kouandé ”; [10°03ʹ45.5ʺ N, 1°40ʹ40.9ʺ E]; 1908; Brot leg.; MNHN GoogleMaps .

BURKINA FASO – Hauts-Bassins Region • 1 ♀; Samandéni ; [11°27ʹ09ʺ N, 4°27ʹ27ʺ W]; 8 Jun. 1968; J. Hamon leg.; MNHN GoogleMaps .

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – Ouham-Pendé • 1 ♀; Bozoum ; [6°19ʹ02ʺ N, 16°22ʹ42ʺ E]; 1–10 May 1914; G. Tessmann leg.; ZMB GoogleMaps .

GHANA – Northern Region • 1 ♀; Malawe [Maluwe] ; [8°40ʹ17ʺ N, 2°17ʹ40ʺ W]; 20 May 1913; J.J. Simpson leg.; BMNH GoogleMaps .

NIGERIA – Bauchi State • 1 ♀; Azare ; [11°40ʹ29ʺ N, 10°11ʹ26ʺ E]; 1924; Ll. Lloyd leg.; BMNH GoogleMaps . – Niger State • 1 ♂; Zungeru ; [9°48ʹ26ʺ N, 6°09ʹ08ʺ E]; Nov. 1911; J.W. Scott Macfie leg.; BMNH GoogleMaps .

SENEGAL • 1 ♀; between Tambacounda and Kaffrine; 27–30 Dec. 1967; M. Coruet leg.; MNHN .

Description

Female

SIZE. 17.0– 21.6 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, clypeus, scape, pedicel, flagellomeres I–V, collar, pronotum, prepectus, mesopleuron, tegula, legs from coxa onward except inner margin of claw, anterior half of scutum, scutellum, metanotum and apical metasomal segment. Cellular area of forewing increasingly fuscous toward apex, with violet iridescence. Apical margin of fore- and hindwing fuscous. Hindwing hyaline.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect setae on clypeus and paraocular area golden-ferruginous, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae short, sparse, oriented anteriorly. Lower center of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum sparsely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple, stepped medially. Clypeus with slight indentation in lower center, without 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 1.55–1.65 × length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.8× its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 15.7 mm.

COLOR. Black except for ferruginous stripe in center of mandible. Forewing and apical margin of hindwing slightly infuscate.

VESTITURE. Appressed and erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented anteriorly. Free clypeal margin glabrous. Scutellum densely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE.Free clypeal margin folded medially. 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 four 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 1.8 × its medial width. Flagellomeres III–VI with broad placoids covering their entire length.

Variation

Unknown.

Distribution

Western to central Africa.