Sphex victoria, 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 : 80-83

Sphex victoria sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DDA85F4D-70BE-49E5-BA6E-5F9A97D64760

Figs 71 (blue), 73–74

Differential diagnosis

Females of S. haemorrhoidalis ( Fig. 69 ) and S. victoria sp. nov. ( Fig. 73 ) cannot always be distinguished satisfactorily. Especially in specimens from central Africa, where their populations overlap, it is often difficult to decide what color the luster of the appressed paraocular and clypeal setae is, which is one of the only useful diagnostics. The coloration of the legs can also be somewhat helpful, but is variable as well. Thus, the character states mentioned represent the more distinct manifestations that occur mostly in eastern and western Africa for S. victoria sp. nov. and S. haemorrhoidalis , respectively.

In the female of S. haemorrhoidalis , the appressed setae laterally on the clypeus and on the paraocular area have a ferruginous luster ( Fig. 34 ). In contrast, it has a silvery luster in S. victoria sp. nov. ( Fig. 35 ). Furthermore, S. victoria sp. nov. has at least the apical half of the hindfemora ferruginous, whereas in S. haemorrhoidalis the hindfemora are predominantly black. Females of S. mweruensis are distinguishable through having the erect setae at the posterior propodeal margin silvery ( Fig. 64 ), while those of S. umtalicus have the clypeus ( Fig. 33 ) and most of the body black ( Fig. 72 ), and both sexes of S. caeruleanus can be recognized though their very distinctly green wing iridescence ( Fig. 63 ).

Males ( Fig. 74 ) are identifiable through the combination of having uniformly black setae on the thoracical dorsum, the mandibular base brightly ferruginous and the hindtibia at least partially ferruginous. Those of S. haemorrhoidalis ( Fig. 70 ) and S. mweruensis ( Fig. 65 ) have a substantial number of erect mesanotal setae silvery, and S. umtalicus has the legs uniformly black.

Etymology

This species was named after Lake Victoria, as most of the material was collected in its vicinity.

Material examined

Holotype UGANDA – Central Region • ♀; Kampala, [0°18ʹ58ʺ N, 32°34ʹ55ʺ E]; 17 Apr. 1913; C.C. Gowdey leg.; BMNH.

Paratypes AFRICA • 1 ♀; “ British East Africa ”; 1906; Maurice de Rothschild leg.; MNHN .

BENIN – Atakora Department • 1 ♀; Tiakalakou, Natitingou ; [10°18ʹ N, 1°22ʹ E]; 16 Jul. 1969; J. Hamon leg.; MNHN .

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC – Ouham-Pendé • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Bozoum ; [6°19ʹ02ʺ N, 16°22ʹ42ʺ E]; 1–10 Jun. 1914; G. Tessmann leg.; ZMB • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 11–20 Jun. 1914; ZMB .

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO – Haut-Katanga • 1 ♀; “ Basse Pande ”; 15 Apr. 1944; IRSN • 1 ♀; 4 mi. S of Sampwe; [9°23ʹ54ʺ S, 27°24ʹ17ʺ E]; 20 Jan. 1958; E.S. Ross and R.E. Leech leg.; CAS • 1 ♀; Elisabethville [now Lubumbashi] ; [11°40ʹ S, 27°29ʹ E]; Dec. 1925; Van Saceghem leg.; MRAC • 1 ♀; Kakontwe ; [10°59ʹ S, 26°40ʹ E]; 6 Jun. 1965; Coussement leg.; DEI • 1 ♀; Kambove ; [10°52ʹ S, 26°38ʹ E]; 13 Feb. 1907; BMNH . – Haut-Uele • 1 ♂; Garamba National Park ; 4°10ʹ N, 29°40ʹ E; Jun.–Jul. 1912; Lang and Chapin leg.; AMNH • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but Jul. 1912; AMNH . – Kongo Central • 1 ♀; Boma ; 6°00ʹ S, 13°00ʹ E; 17 Jun. 1915; Lang and Chapin leg.; AMNH . – North Kivu • 1 ♂; Beni ; [0°29ʹ N, 29°28ʹ E]; Feb. 1931; L. Lebrun leg.; MRAC . – South Kivu • 1 ♀; Kadjudju ; [2°09ʹ S, 28°54ʹ E]; 1931; G. Babault leg.; MNHN .

KENYA • 3 ♀♀; Kakumga [Kakamega] Forest ; [0°17ʹ30ʺ N, 34°51ʹ22ʺ E]; 21–28 May 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; MNHN • 1 ♀; Kisima to Mumias Road; Aug. 1912; A.D. Milne leg.; MNHN • 1 ♀; Mogorr River ; May 1913; A.O. Luckman leg.; BMNH • 2 ♀♀; Upper Kuja Valley ; S of Kavirondo; alt. 4200 ft; 5–8 May 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 8 ♂♂, 13 ♀♀; Yala River , S edge of Kakumga [Kakamega] Forest; 21–28 May 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH. – Bungoma County • 3 ♀♀; S foot and slopes of Mt Elgon; [0°47ʹ46ʺ N, 34°35ʹ57ʺ E]; 8–13 Jun. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH. – Kakamega County • 10 ♀♀; Maramas Dist., Ilala , 14 mi. E of Mumias; [0°20ʹ13ʺ N, 34°41ʹ31ʺ E]; 18–21 Jun. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 2 ♀♀; Mumias ; [0°20ʹ05ʺ N, 34°29ʹ16ʺ E]; 15 Jun. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH. – Kisii County • 1 ♀; Kisii District, S Kavirondo; [0°40ʹ S, 34°45ʹ E]; 9–12 May 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH .

TANZANIA • 1 ♂; Kidichi-Zanzibar ; [6°05ʹ S, 39°14ʹ E]; Nov. 1960; B.H. Hyde-Wyatt leg.; BMNH. – Kagera Region • 2 ♀♀; Bukoba ; [1°19ʹ54ʺ S, 31°48ʹ44ʺ E]; 9–11 Jun. 1912; C.C. Gowdey leg.; BMNH .

UGANDA • 1 ♂; Banks of Nile near Kakindu; alt. 3400 ft; 24–25 Aug. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 2 ♀♀; Eastern Mbale District, S of Mt Elgon; 2–5 Aug. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Milgana; 30 Apr. 1911; C.C. Gowdey leg.; BMNH. – Central Region • 1 ♀; 3–4 mi. NE of Entebbe; [0°06ʹ14ʺ N, 32°30ʹ34ʺ E]; 25 Jun. 1912; C.A. Wiggins leg.; OUMNH • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; Bweya ; [0°11ʹ39ʺ N, 32°32ʹ59ʺ E]; 10 May 1913; C.C. Gowdey leg.; BMNH • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 17 May 1913; BMNH • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 22 May 1913; BMNH • 1 ♀; Entebbe ; [0°03ʹ N, 32°27ʹ36ʺ E]; 13 May 1909; C.C. Gowdey leg.; BMNH • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 14–25 May 1912; BMNH • 1 ♂, 7 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 30–31 May 1912; BMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 15–22 Jun. 1912; BMNH • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but Aug. 1912; BMNH • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 24–25 May 1913; BMNH • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but 30 May 1913; BMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 12 Jun. 1913; BMNH • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding but 17 Jun. 1913; BMNH • 1 ♀; same locality as for preceding; 29 May 1909; C.A. Wiggins leg.; OUMNH • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but 5 Jul.–7 Aug. 1909; OUMNH • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding but 6–13 May 1912; BMNH • 1 ♀; same locality as for preceding; May 1906; Maurice de Rothschild leg.; MNHN • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; BMNH • 3 ♀♀; Mabira Forest ; [0°29ʹ03ʺ N, 32°59ʹ05ʺ E]; 2 Jul. 1913; C.C. Gowdey leg.; BMNH • 1 ♀; Mabira Forest, Chagwe ; [0°29ʹ03ʺ N, 32°59ʹ05ʺ E]; 16–25 Jul. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 2 ♀♀; Msozi ; [0°51ʹ S, 31°42ʹ E]; Feb. 1903; D. Radcliffe leg.; BMNH • 1 ♀; Mwera; [0°27ʹ47ʺ N, 32°19ʹ56ʺ E]; 2 Aug. 1913; C.C. Gowdey leg.; BMNH. – Eastern Region • 4 ♀♀; Between Jinja and Busia or Mbwago’s E Busora (Some Forest); [0°15ʹ44ʺ N, 33°35ʹ17ʺ E]; 28 Jul.–1 Aug. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 1 ♀; Between Kumi and NE shore of Lake Kioga; [1°32ʹ09ʺ N, 33°49ʹ37ʺ E]; alt. 3400–3600 ft; 18–20 Aug. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Jinja; [0°26ʹ20ʺ N, 33°12ʹ11ʺ E]; Aug. 1928; V.G.L. van Someren leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Mbale–Kumi Road, 3700 ft S of Lake Salisbury; [1°33ʹ33ʺ N, 33°57ʹ15ʺ E]; 15–17 Aug. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 1 ♂; SE shore of Lake Kioga; [1°12ʹ43ʺ N, 33°26ʹ09ʺ E]; alt. 3400 ft; 21 Aug. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH. – Western Region • 1 ♀; Fort Portal Road, Mbarara, Southern Toro ; [0°36ʹ48ʺ S, 30°38ʹ54ʺ E]; 22–24 Oct. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; SE of Ankole; 4–8 Oct. 1911; S.A. Neave leg.; BMNH .

Description

Female

SIZE. 23.0–25.0 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, clypeus, scape, pedicel and legs from apical half of femur onward, excluding apical half of claw. Wings fuscous, with cyan-violet iridescence.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus and paraocular area silvery, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect setae on clypeus ferruginous, black towards dorsal margin, on paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly, slightly curved towards anterior. Lower center of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin medially with broad, notched tooth, stepped above. Clypeus without indentation or carina. Scutellum convex. Metanotum slightly raised, not notably bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein nearly joins interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Foretarsomere I 2.7–3.2 × length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.6–2.2× its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 23.2–23.7 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible and hindleg from tibia onward, excepting apical half of claw. Wings fuscous, with cyan-violet iridescence.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus and paraocular area silvery, on collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure black. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly, slightly curved towards anterior. Lower center of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin medially concave, with tooth emerging from inner side. Scutellum convex. Metanotum slightly raised, not notably bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein nearly joins interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable 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 2.1–2.4 × its medial width. Flagellomeres IV–VI with broad placoids covering their entire length.

Variation

Unknown.

Distribution

Eastern to central Africa.

Figures

Figs 63–71. 63, 67. Sphex caeruleanus Drury, 1773. 64–65, 68. S. mweruensis (Arnold, 1947). 66. S. hades sp. nov. 69–70. S. haemorrhoidalis Fabricius, 1781. 63–64, 69. Habitus of ♀. 65–66, 70. Habitus of ♂. 67–68. Frontal view of ♀. 71. Geographic distribution of S. haemorrhoidalis (red) and S. victoria sp. nov. (blue).

Figs 72–78. 72. Sphex umtalicus Strand, 1916. 73–74. S. victoria sp. nov. 75–76. S. ahasverus Kohl, 1890, male genitalia. 72–73. Habitus of ♀. 74. Habitus of ♂. 75. Dorsal view. 76. Lateral view. 77. Geographic distribution of S. umtalicus (red) and S. ahasverus (blue). 78. Geographic distribution of S. camerunicus Strand, 1916 (red) and S. nigrohirtus Kohl, 1895 (blue).

Figs 33–40. 33–37. Frontal view of faces in females of the umtalicus and meridionalis group. 33. Sphex umtalicus Strand, 1916. 34. S. haemorrhoidalis Fabricius, 1781. 35. S. victoria sp. nov. 36. S. meridionalis (Arnold, 1947).37. S. nefrens sp. nov.38. S. cinerascens Dahlbom, 1843 habitus of ♂. 39–40. S. paulinierii Guérin-Méneville, 1843, ♂. 39. Habitus. 40. Mesosomal side (anterior = left).