Cerceris pseudocurvitarsis DOLLFUSS, 2023

Dollfuss, Hermann & M, Mt., 2023, New species of the genus Cerceris LATREILLE, 1802 from Sub-Saharan Africa Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Crabronidae Part I, Linzer biologische Beiträge 55 (1), pp. 307-349 : 328-330

Cerceris pseudocurvitarsis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ( Figs 17 , 18 )

H o l o t y p e: ♁, Burkina Faso: 1 km S Gorom Gorom, 14°27.3'N 0°13.1'W, 29.VII.2004, leg. Sidiki Komaté & Pulawski (CAS). P a r a t y p e: ♀, Burkina Faso: Oursi, 14°40.5'N 0°27.2'W, 31.VII.2004, Sikidi Komaté & Pulawski (CAS).

E t y m o l o g y: The holotype is similar to Cerceris curvitarsis .

R e c o g n i t i o n: The female of C. pseudocurvitarsis is characterized by having the coxa III without a longitudinal carina, the median area of the clypeus has no distinct process but a small transverse carina near apical margin ( Fig. 17a,b ), the mesopleuron has two tubercles and the propodeal enclosure is punctate with oblique rugae. Additionally, the mandible has a blunt tooth internally, the prosternum has shallow transverse rugae lateral, the scutum is irregularly punctate (punctures 0-1 diameter apart) and the whole female is ferruginous and black without any yellow. The female of C. curvitarsis is similar to C. pseudocurvitarsis but differs in having the scutum shining, more sparsely punctate (punctures 2-4 diameters apart) and the propodeal enclosure is smooth, shining and lateral sparsely punctate. The female of C. podagrosa is similar to C. pseudocurvitarsis but differs in having the scutum and scutellum finely densely punctate, the propodeal enclosure is densely punctate and lateral finely transversely striate. Additionally, the terga III and IV are dull and nearly impunctate ( C. pseudocurvitarsis has all terga shining and nearly densely punctate). The female of C. ethiopia has the same sculpture as C. pseudocurvitarsis but differs in having also yellow color on the body.

The male of C. pseudocurvitarsis is characterized by having the coxa III without longitudinal carina, the metatarsus of the midleg is distinctly curved ( Fig. 18d ), the propodeal enclosure is densely punctate and near the medio-longitudinal furrow smooth, the apical margin of the clypeus is brown and edentate, the clypeal brush is very broad ( Fig. 18a ) and the flagellomere XI is distinctly bent ( Fig. 18c ). Additionally, the sterna II-IV are covered with long erect setae, the scutum is shining and irregularly punctate (punctures 0-1 diameter apart) and the body is nearly all yellow and ferruginous. The male of C. curvitarsis is similar to C. pseudocurvitatsis but differs in having the propodeal enclosure smooth and shining, lateral with short rugae and some fine punctures, the scutum is shining and irregularly sparsely punctures (punctures 1-3 diameters apart), the genitalia are differently shaped and the head and thorax have more black color. The male of podagrosa is similar to to C. pseudocurvitarsis but differs in having a distinct tooth on the curved basitarsus of midleg and in differently shaped male genitalia. The male of uncifera differs from C. pseudocurvitarsis in having the basitarsus of midleg dilated medially, slightly curved and covered with very long setae, the basitarsus of hindleg is abruptly dilated at the apical third, the scutum is dull densely finely punctate and the flagellomere XI is bent and pointed.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀, 14 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus straight lateral with small tooth ( Fig. 17a ); median area of clypeus convex, near apical margin with slightly elevated transverse carina ( Fig. 17b ); mandible with blunt tooth and small emargination internally; prosternum shining and small transverse rugae lateral; propodeal collar slightly elevate lateral; mesopleuron with two tubercles; epimeron without crest; propodeal enclosure coarsely punctate and with oblique rugae, medio-longitudinal furrow shallow with transverse microstriae, lateral furrows indistinctly developed; petiolus nearly as wide as long ( Fig. 17e ); sternum II without basal plate; coxa III without longitudinal carina; pygidial segment with very small tooth apico-lateral; pygidial plate ( Fig. 17d ). Puncturation: median area of clypeus shining and sparsely punctured; clypeal sides dull; frons dull and sparsely punctate; vertex densely punctate; pronotal collar densely punctate; scutum shining and irregularly punctate; scutellum similar; metanotum densely punctate; mesopleuron densely punctate; mesopleuron venter nearly impunctate; propodeal sides densely punctate; terga densely punctate; sterna lateral punctate. Pilosity: clypeal sides with dense appressed setae; besides pygidial plate with long setae; sternum VI apico-lateral with small bundle of setae; rest of body with sparse setae. Coloration: head and flagellum ferruginous; mandible ferruginous (except apex); thorax ferruginous and black; propodeal enclosure black (sempre?); terga black (except VI apical); pygidial plate ferruginous; sterna ferrruginous and black; wings hyaline, radial cell of forewing fuscous; yellow color is lacking.

♁, 14 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus edentate ( Fig. 18a ); clypeal sides concave; mandible edentate internally; prosternum without transverse carina; pronotal collar lateral slightly elevated; propodeal enclosure punctate, along medio-longitudinal furrow smooth; petiolus as long as wide ( Fig. 18f ); basitarsus of midleg curved ( Fig. 18d ); flagellomere XI distinctly bent ( Fig. 18c ); coxa III without longitudinal carina; sternum II without basal plate; pygidial plate rectangular ( Fig. 18e ); genitalia are characteristically shaped ( Fig. 18g ). Puncturation: clypeus shining and sparsely punctate; frons punctate; vertex densely punctate; pronotal collar densely punctate (except lateral part); tegula nearly impunctate; scutum shining and irregularly punctate (punctures 0-1 diameter apart); scutellum sparsely punctate; metanotum densely punctate; mesopleuron, propodeal sides and petiolus densely punctate; terga II-IV densely punctate; terga V-VI more sparsely punctate; pygidial plate coarsely densely punctate. Pilosity: clypeal sides covered with erect setae; clypeal brush very broad ( Fig. 18a ); gena, mesopleuron venter and propodeal sides covered with erect setae; sterna II-VI covered with long dense partly appressed setae which not obscure the underlying sculpture. Coloration: body yellow and variably ferruginous (except hind tibia apically black); wings yellowich-brown, radial cell of forewing fuscous.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Burkina Faso.

Figures

Fig. 17: Cerceris pseudocurvitarsis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♀: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) pygidial plate; (e) petiolus.

Fig. 18: Cerceris pseudocurvitarsis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♁: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) basitarsus of midleg; (e) pygidial plate; (f) petiolus; (g) genitalia dorsal and gonostylus in lateral view.