Tachytes indifferens Arnold

Pulawski, Wojciech J., 2019, A Review of the Wasp Genus Tachytes Panzer, 1806 of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 66 (7), pp. 117-135 : 127-128

Tachytes indifferens Arnold

Figures 21–24 .

Tachytes indifferens Arnold, 1945:110 , ♀, ♂. Syntypes: Madagascar: Behara, Bekily (MNHN). – Leclercq, 1960:99 ( Madagascar: locality records), 1961:111 ( Madagascar: locality records); R. Bohart and Menke, 1976:265 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); Leclercq, 1990:118 ( Madagascar: locality records); Madl, 1997:820 ( Madagascar: Nosy Boraha Island), 821 (in checklist of Nosy Boraha Sphecidae ); Pulawski, 2003:798 (in checklist of Malagasy Sphecidae ); Madl, 2014:986 (in catalog of Ampulicidae , Crabronidae , and Sphecidae of Madagascar, with synonymy and locality records).

RECOGNITION.— The female of T. indifferens is characterized by the uniform, minute punctures of the postocellar area, all black antenna, and ferruginous mid- and hind femora and all tibiae. In all other species the postocellar punctures are of two distinct sizes (the small punctures are absent in T. picticorni s), and the femora (except some T. argyropis ) are all or largely black.

The male is unique among its Madagascan congeners in having preapical fringes of loose setae on sterna III-VI ( Fig. 23 ); it can also be recognized by the all black antenna combined with the uniform, minute postocellar punctures. It differs from T. copiosus by much smaller scutal punctures

( Fig. 22 ). RECORDS ( Fig. 24 ).— Antsiranana (= Diego Suarez) Province: Forêt d’Orangéa at 12º15’32’’S

49º22’29’’E (1 ♂, CAS), 7 km N Joffreville at 12º20’S 49º15’E (1 ♀, CAS), Parc National Montagne d’Ambre at 12º30’52’’S 49º10’53’’E (4 ♀, 5 ♂, CAS), 12º31’13’’S 49º10’45’’E (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS), and 12º31’S 49º11’E (1 ♀, CAS), 1 km W Sakalava Beach at 12º15’59’’S 49º23’42’’E (2 ♀, 2 ♂, CAS), 3 km W Sakalava Beach at 12º17’10’’S 49º22’00’’E (2 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS). Fianarantsoa Province: Ambinany 7 km W Manombo (1 ♀, CAS), Forêt d’Ampitavananima at 23º7.79’S 47º43.02’E (4 ♀, CAS), Ihosy (Leclercq, 1990), Isalo National Park at 22º36’S 45º10’E (4 ♀, 14 ♂, CAS), near Isalo National Park at 22º37.60’S 45º21.49’E (3 ♂, CAS), 2 km SW Manakara at 22.168ºS 48.00°E (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS. Majunga Province: Ambato-Boena (Madl, 2014), Amborovy 8 km NE Majunga at 15º40’S 46º20’E (3 ♂, CAS), Ambovomamy Belambo at 15º27.07’S 47º36.80’E (16 ♀, 6 ♂, CAS), 10 km E Majunga at 15º43’S 46º25’E (1 ♀, 5 ♂, CAS). Toamasina Province: Island of Nosy Boraha (Madl, 2014), Mahavelona (Madl, 2014), near entrance to Parc National d’Andasibe at 18º55’58’’S 48º24’47’’E (1 ♀, CAS), Toamasina at 18º07’S 49º24’E (1 ♂, CAS). Toliara Province: 22 km E Ampanihy at 24º41’S 44º46’E (1 ♂, CAS), Behara ( Arnold, 1945), Bekily ( Arnold, 1945), 2 km N Betioky at 23º21’S 44º20’E (2 ♂, CAS), Beza Mahfaly Reserve at 23º41.19’S 44º35.46’E (1 ♀, 1 ♂, CAS), Parc National d’Andohahela at 24º56.21’S 46°37.60’E (2 ♀, CAS), Réserve Privée Berenty at 24º57’25’’S 46º16’17’’E (1 ♀, CAS), 25º00’S 46º18’E (12 ♂, CAS), 25º00’40’’S 46º18’20’’E (5 ♀, CAS), 38 km E Sakaraha at 22º46’S 44º51’E (3 ♂, CAS), Taolagnaro ( Leclercq, 1960, 1990, as Fort Dauphin), Toliara (Leclercq, 1990, as Tuléar), 10 km NE Toliara at 23º18’S 43º45’E (13 ♂, CAS), and 12 km SE Toliara at 23º25’S 43º45’E (2 ♀, 21 ♂, CAS).

Figures

FIGURES 21–23. Tachytes indifferens Arnold. (21) Pos- tocellar area; (22) Scutal punctures of male; (23) Male gaster in profile showing erect sternal setae.

FIGURE 24. Collecting localities of Tachytes indifferens Arnold.