Bembecinus helicicola Pulawski, 2015

Gess, Friedrich W., Pulawski, Wojciech J. & Gess, Sarah K., 2015, A Revision of the rhopalocerus Species Group of Bembecinus Costa (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Bembicinae), Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 62 (7), pp. 207-256 : 222-223

Bembecinus helicicola Pulawski , sp. nov.

Figures 3d , 9 .

Bembecinus sp. of rhopalocerus species group: F. Gess and S. Gess, 1999:147.

NAME DERIVATION. — The name helicicola is derived from two Latin words: helica, a snail shell, and the suffix - cola, a dweller; with reference to this species habit of seeking shelter in the empty shells of the snail Trigonephrus sp. , Dorcasiidae .

RECOGNITION.— Like rhopaloceroides and gariepensis , helicicola has the gastral terga ferruginous, with pale yellow apical fasciae (tergum I black basally). It differs from these two species in having the claws of the mid- and hindtarsi slightly curving inward at base, and in having the hindtarsal arolium about as long as 0.5 × inner claw. In the other two species, the mid- and hindtibial claws are straight, and the hindtarsal arolium is about as long as 0.25 × inner claw.

DESCRIPTION.— Head black, with the following pale yellow: mandible except apex, labrum (black basomedially in holotype), clypeus, face below antenna, narrow stripe along eye orbit up to level of midocellus, gena narrowly along orbit, scape and pedicel ventrally; flagellum brownish yellow ventrally, dark brown dorsally; palpi brown. Thorax black with the following yellow: pronotal collar, pronotal lobe, narrow adlateral streak on scutum, tegula anteriorly (ferruginous posteriorly), triangular lateral spot on scutellum, posterior half of metanotum, and spot of varying size on mesopleuron. Propodeum black, with the following yellow: enclosure posteriorly, posterolateral margin mesally, and small spot on lateral surface anteroventrally. Gaster ferruginous, with pale yellow apical bands on terga; anterior declivity of tergum I black. Legs yellow, femora black dorsally (except apex). Wings hyaline, vein Sc+R dark brown, other veins light brown.

♀: Length 9.4–10. 5 mm. Ocular index 2.20–2.30. Minimum interocular distance equal to 2.2–2.5 × that between antennal scrobe and base of clypeus. Distance between posterior ocelli 1.6–1.8 × distance between posterior ocellus and eye margin. Clypeus evenly arcuate in profile, its width at insertion of mandibles 1.6 × its midline. Labrum roundly triangular, its greatest width about 1.2 × midlength. Hindtarsal arolium about as long as 0.5 × of inner claw.

♂: Unknown.

MATERIAL EXAMINED.— HOLOTYPE: ♀, SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape Province: Richtersveld W Brandkaros at 28°29′S 16°40′E, 15.ix.1996, F.W. Gess, S.K. Gess, and R.W. Gess ( AMGS) . PARATYPES: same data as holotype (1 ♀, CAS); 60 km N Port Nolloth at 28°47′S 16°38′E, 27.ix.1996, F.W. Gess and S.K. Gess (1 ♀, AMGS)

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.— Known from two adjacent localities in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa ( Fig. 24d ).

SNAIL SHELL ASSOCIATION.— All three specimens were collected from empty shells of the snail Trigonephrus sp. , Dorcasiidae , in which they were found sheltering. In windswept desertic areas snail shells provide shelter for various species of aculeates. Furthermore, some species use shells, sand-filled or empty, as secure nesting sites (F. Gess and S. Gess 1999; S. Gess and F. Gess 2008).

FLORAL ASSOCIATIONS.— Unknown.

NESTING.— Unknown.

PREY.— Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Bembecinus spp.: a – damarensis, female, male, b – gariepensis, female, male, c – gilvus, female, male, d – helicicola, female; e – hyperocrus, female, male, f – inexpectatus, female, male. (approximate lengths of females: a. 12 mm, b. 11.5 mm, 9 mm, d. 10 mm, e. 10 mm, f. 9.2 mm).

FIGURE 9. Bembecinus helicicola: apical hindtar- somere.

FIGURE 24. Collecting records of Bembecinus spp.: a – damarensis, b – gariepensis, c – gilvus, d – helicicola, e – hyperocrus, f – inexpectatus.