Laphyragogus strakai, Schmid-Egger, 2011

Schmid, Christian, 2022, A revision of Laphyragogus KOHL, 1889, with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Spheciformes), Linzer biologische Beiträge 54 (1), pp. 303-318 : 315

Laphyragogus strakai SCHMID- EGGER, 2011 (figs 28-33)

Laphyragogus strakai SCHMID- EGGER, 2011: 543, ♁. Holotype: United Arab Emirates: Um alQuwain ( CSE). Examined.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: United Arab Emirates: 2♁♁ 19.ii.2009 Um al-Quwain at 25°32'N 55°32'E (holotype and paratype, CSE); 1♁ 19.iii.2015 Biatah 25‘26’N 55‘44E (Straka). Iran: 1♀ 2.iv.1972 Bandar Abbas, Col river ( CSE) .

D i s c u s s i o n: L. strakai was described by two males from northern UAE. In the meantime, I could examine a female from southern Iran which may be the matching female. It shares a strongly reduced yellow colour pattern (head, mesosoma, and in case of female also abdomen are nearly all black) and the shiny interspaces on mesonotum with the male. The assignment is provisional as in other species (see above), until males and females from one location only can confirm the affiliation of both sexes. The distance between Bandar Abbas in Iran (finding place of the female) and the type area in UAE is only about 100 kilometers, and the smallest diameter of the Persian Gulf between both countries is about 60 kilometers, what makes a species spread to both regions possible. The fauna of southern Iran includes also some other similarities to that of UAE (pers. observation). See also L. orientalis with a similar distribution pattern.

D i a g n o s i s: L. strakai belongs to the L. kohlii species group. The male of L. strakai is unique by an apically elevated keel of S7 and by the prolonged tip of T2. The female can be recognized by the nearly complete black body (see description) and by larger size.

D e s c r i p t i o n o f f e m a l e: Body length 11 mm. Colour: Black with the following parts yellow: mandible except dark red apex, clypeus, AS 1-2, pronotal lobe, scape, unclear spot on mesopleuron below scape and on propodeum apico-laterally, femora, tibiae and tarsi with some brownish parts. Wing venation basally yellow, apically brown. Apex of tergites and sternites yellowish, T6 reddish-brown. Lower face laterally with large silver spots of semi-appressed silver pilosity, covers some parts of clypeus laterally. Remaining head and mesosoma with some erect setae. Morphology: Clypeus and face shiny, clypeus with scattered (1-4 diameters apart), face with very dense punctation (0.2-0.5 diameters apart). Frons above ocelli with punctless shiny area, as large as foreocellus. Mesonotum shiny, anteriorly with dense, posteriorly with scattered punctation, scutellum and mesonotum also with scattered punctation. Metapleuron and propodeum with fine net-like sculpture, interspaces dull and grainlike. T1-5 with very dense and fine micropunctation. T6 shiny, with some rugae and puncture. Apical process of foremetatarsus somewhat shorter than remaining metatarsus, tarsal segments 2-4 apcially also prolonged. Hindbasitarsus somewhat curved downwards.

D e s c r i p t i o n o f m a l e:SeeSCHMID- EGGER (2011).

D i s t r i b u t i o n: United Arab Emirates, southern Iran.