The wasp genus Sphex in Sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
Author
Dörfel, Thorleif H.
11B5C093-23D5-417C-AB64-65764FC2AF05
Museum für Naturkunde, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
thorleif.doerfel@mfn.berlin
Author
Ohl, Michael
878259F2-C3C6-4264-B04A-C397E01E5C8E
Museum für Naturkunde, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.
michael.ohl@mfn.berlin
text
European Journal of Taxonomy
2022
2022-02-23
796
1
1
170
http://dx.doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.796.1665
journal article
10.5852/ejt.2022.796.1665
9c3fa32d-4320-4170-83e3-a5c045a4ba68
2118-9773
6299440
76C5C9C4-C6C1-4EDC-8FF8-9828A6EF2040
Sphex incomptus
Gerstaecker, 1871
Figs 85, 91
(red)
Sphex incomptus
Gerstaecker, 1871: 352
,
♂
.
Chlorion nyanzae
R.
Turner, 1918: 358
,
♀
,
♂
. Synonymized with
Chlorion incomptum
by
Arnold 1928: 368
.
Differential diagnosis
The members of this species are recognizable through having the majority of the propodeal setae silvery (
Fig. 85
). Excepting the unmistakable
S. ahasverus
, which possesses rich golden vestiture, the other females in the
nigrohirtus
group have predominantly black erect propodeal setae (
Figs 83–84
,
86
). Males of
S. pulawskii
sp. nov.
have some of the propodeal setae silvery, but are differentiated through their conspicuous purple wing iridescence (
Fig. 87
).
Material examined
Holotype
or syntype
TANZANIA
–
Tanga Region
•
1 ♂
;
Wanga
; [
5°12ʹ S
,
39°04ʹ E
];
v. d. Deck
leg.;
ZMB
.
Other material
AFRICA •
1 ♀
;
26 Mar. 1912
;
C.A. Wiggins
leg.;
OUMNH
.
ANGOLA
•
1 ♀
;
Welwilsch
leg.;
BMNH
. –
Huíla Province
•
1 ♀
; 1886;
Campana
leg.;
MNHN
.
CAMEROON
–
Southwest Region
•
1 ♀
;
Malende Mukuya
,
S of Kumba
; [
4°21ʹ25ʺ N
,
9°25ʹ58ʺ E
];
17 May 2006
;
J. Oehlke
leg.; coll.
Jacobs.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
•
2 ♀♀
; “
Sankuru
”; 1910;
Abrassart
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
;
Lomami
,
Kabwe
;
Jul.–Aug. 1931
;
P. Quarré
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Bas-Uele
•
1 ♀
;
Bambesa
; [
3°28ʹ N
,
25°43ʹ E
];
10 Oct. 1933
;
J.V. Leroy
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
;
Poko
;
3°10ʹ N
,
26°50ʹ E
;
Aug. 1913
;
Lang
and
Chapin
leg.;
AMNH
. –
Haut-Katanga
•
1 ♀
;
Moera
,
primary forest
; [
11°21ʹ47ʺ S
,
26°42ʹ20ʺ E
]; 1910;
Grauer
leg.;
NHMW
. –
Ituri Province
•
1 ♀
;
Bunia
; [
1°34ʹ N
,
30°15ʹ E
]; 1938;
P. Lefèvre
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
; same locality as for preceding;
1 Feb. 1934
;
J.V. Leroy
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Kasaï
•
1 ♀
;
Ikeke
; [
4°19ʹ S
,
21°15ʹ E
];
8 May 1946
;
V. Lagae
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
;
Ngombe
; [
6°35ʹ S
,
20°42ʹ E
];
16 Nov. 1921
;
H. Schouteden
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Kongo Central
•
1 ♀
;
Mangembo
; [
4°35ʹ04ʺ S
,
14°16ʹ20ʺ E
]; 1932;
Zwolakowski
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
;
Moanda
; [
5°56ʹ S
,
12°21ʹ E
];
Nov. 1934
;
P. Henrard
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Mai-Ndombe Province
•
1 ♀
;
Tua
; [
3°38ʹ S
,
16°38ʹ E
];
6 Jun. 1913
;
J. Maes
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Maniema
•
1 ♂
,
1 ♀
;
Lubutu
; [
0°44ʹ S
,
26°35ʹ E
];
22 Jan. 1915
;
J. Bequaert
leg.;
MRAC
. –
North Kivu
•
1 ♀
;
Irangi
,
Luhoha River
; [
1°50ʹ S
,
28°26ʹ E
];
10 Sep. 1957
;
CAS
•
2 ♀♀
;
Parc National de Virungas
,
Oycha region
;
Apr.–May 1950
;
J. de Wilde
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
;
Ukaika
; [
0°30ʹ N
,
29°00ʹ E
];
Dec. 1910
;
Grauer
leg.;
NHMW
. –
Province of Équateur
•
1 ♂
;
Eala
; [
0°02ʹ30ʺ N
,
18°20ʹ06ʺ E
];
6 Oct. 1931
;
H.J. Brédo
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
; same collection data as for preceding but
19 Oct. 1931
;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
Nov. 1931
;
MRAC
•
2 ♂♂
; same collection data as for preceding but
22 Nov. 1931
;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
; same collection data as for preceding but
Mar. 1932
;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
; same collection data as for preceding but
May 1932
;
MRAC
•
2 ♂♂
; same locality as for preceding;
Jun. 1932
;
A. Corbisier
leg.;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
7 Jul. 1932
;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
; same collection data as for preceding but
Nov. 1932
;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
Dec. 1932
;
MRAC
•
1 ♂
; same collection data as for preceding but
14 Mar. 1933
;
MRAC
•
2 ♂♂
,
1 ♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
Apr. 1933
;
MRAC
•
1 ♀
; same locality as for preceding;
May 1935
;
J. Ghesquière
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Sankuru
•
1 ♀
;
Kondue
; [
4°58ʹ S
,
23°16ʹ E
];
Leonhard
leg.;
MRAC
. –
Tshopo
•
1 ♀
;
Stanleyville [now Kisangani]
;
0°30ʹ N
,
25°10ʹ E
;
10 Apr. 1915
;
Lang
and
Chapin
leg.;
AMNH
•
1 ♀
;
Stanleyville [now Kisangani]
;
0°30ʹ N
,
25°10ʹ E
;
11 Apr. 1915
;
Lang
and
Chapin
leg.;
AMNH
. –
Tshuapa
•
1 ♀
;
Bokuma
; [
0°06ʹ S
,
18°41ʹ E
];
Jul. 1952
;
R.P. Lootens
leg.;
MRAC
.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
–
Centro Sur
•
2 ♂♂
;
Uelleburg
; [
1°49ʹ N
,
10°36ʹ E
];
1–14 Feb. 1907
;
G. Tessmann
leg.;
ZMB
.
GABON
–
Estuaire Province
•
1 ♂
;
Crystal Mountains
,
Muni
; [
0°49ʹ45.6ʺ N
,
10°08ʹ5.7ʺ E
];
15–31 Oct. 1969
;
A. Villiers
leg.;
MNHN
•
1 ♀
;
Libreville
; [
0°23ʹ24.36ʺ N
,
9°27ʹ15.84ʺ E
];
MNHN
.
REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
–
Brazzaville Department
•
1 ♀
;
Djoumouna
,
Yaka-Yaka
; [
4°22ʹ34ʺ S
,
15°09ʹ36ʺ E
];
3 Feb. 1977
;
S. Kellner-Pillaut
leg.;
MNHN
. –
Kouilou Department
•
1 ♀
;
Dimonika
; [
4°11ʹ55.8ʺ S
,
12°21ʹ19.7ʺ E
];
Jan. 1964
;
A. Descarpentries
and
A.Villiers
leg.;
MNHN
•
1♀
; same locality as for preceding;
18 May 1977
;
J.-P. Grillot
and
C. Morin
leg.;
MNHN
. –
Lékoumou Department
•
1 ♀
;
Ogooué River
; [
2°26ʹ40.7ʺ S
,
13°41ʹ29.4ʺ E
]; 1911;
F. Faure
leg.;
MNHN
.
TANZANIA
–
Kagera Region
•
1 ♀
, paratype of
Chlorion nyanzae
R.
Turner, 1918
;
Bukoba
; [
1°19ʹ54ʺ S
,
31°48ʹ44ʺ E
];
9–11 Jun. 1912
;
C.C. Gowdey
leg.;
BMNH
. –
Mjini Magharibi Region
•
1 ♂
,
1 ♀
;
Kizimbani
; [
9°03ʹ42.5ʺ S
,
39°19ʹ3.1ʺ E
];
15 Jun. 1985
;
G.G.M. Schulten
leg.;
RMNH
•
1 ♂
;
Zanzibar
; [
6°08ʹ S
,
39°20ʹ E
];
Hildebrandt
leg.;
NHMW
•
2 ♂♂
; same collection data as for preceding;
ZMB
•
1 ♀
; same locality as for preceding;
Raffray
leg.;
NHMW
. –
Unguja South Region
•
1 ♂
;
Zanzibar
,
Jambiani
; [
6°19ʹ S
,
39°33ʹ E
];
23 Mar. 1993
;
K.M. Guichard
leg.;
BMNH
•
2 ♂♂
;
Zanzibar
,
Mzingani Forest
; [
6°10ʹ S
,
39°18ʹ E
];
28 Mar. 1993
;
K.M. Guichard
leg.;
BMNH
.
UGANDA
–
Central Region
•
1 ♀
; “
Entebbe
,
Forest within
4 mi.
of Kitabi Hill
”;
Jan.–Feb. 1913
;
C.A. Wiggins
leg.;
OUMNH
•
1 ♂
;
Entebbe
; [
0°03ʹ N
,
32°27ʹ36ʺ E
];
Aug. 1911
;
C.C. Gowdey
leg.;
BMNH
•
1 ♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
14–25 May 1912
;
BMNH
•
1 ♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
1–4 Jun. 1912
;
BMNH
•
5 ♀♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
Aug. 1912
;
BMNH
•
1 ♀
; same collection data as for preceding but
Oct. 1912
;
BMNH
•
1 ♀
; same locality as for preceding;
12–20 Jan. 1912
;
S.A. Neave
leg.;
BMNH
•
1 ♂
, holotype of
Chlorion nyanzae
R.
Turner, 1918
; same collection data as for preceding;
BMNH
•
1 ♀
;
Mabira
; [
0°29ʹ03ʺ N
,
32°59ʹ05ʺ E
];
15 Sep. 1910
;
C.C. Gowdey
leg.;
BMNH
•
1 ♀
;
Northern Buddu
; [
0°25ʹ S
,
31°40ʹ E
];
16–18 Sep. 1911
;
S.A. Neave
leg.;
BMNH
•
1 ♂
;
NW Lake Victoria
,
Kerenge Island
; [
0°03ʹ49ʺ N
,
33°00ʹ14ʺ E
];
26 Jan. 1919
;
G.D. Hale Carpenter
leg.;
OUMNH
•
1 ♂
;
Tero Forest
; [
0°50ʹ S
,
31°40ʹ E
];
Jul. 1912
;
C.C. Gowdey
leg.;
BMNH
•
2 ♂♂
;
Tero Forest
,
SE of Buddo
; [
0°50ʹ S
,
31°40ʹ E
];
26–30 Sep. 1911
;
S.A. Neave
leg.;
BMNH
. –
Western Region
•
1 ♀
;
Kabarole Kibale
Forest National Park
,
Kanyawara (MUBFS)
;
0°33ʹ N
,
30°21ʹ E
;
23 Aug. 1997
;
C. Häuser
leg.;
ZMB
•
1 ♂
;
Kichwamba
,
Ankole
; [
0°13ʹ08.2ʺ S
,
30°05ʹ50.3ʺ E
];
1–5 May 1968
;
P.J. Spangler
leg.;
USNM
•
1 ♀
;
near Rwera, SW of Hoima
; [
1°02ʹ25ʺ S
,
30°18ʹ47ʺ E
];
30 Nov. 2001
;
M. Snižek
leg.;
OÖLM
.
ZIMBABWE
–
Mashonaland Central
•
1 ♂
; Mavhuradonha Saf.,
15 km
SE of Muzarabani
; [
16°33ʹ33ʺ S
,
31°14ʹ22.8ʺ E
];
17 Dec. 1998
;
J. Halada
leg.;
THD-035-OOLM
; GenBank LWR gene:
MW582292
;
OÖLM
.
Description
Female
SIZE.
23.7–25.7 mm
.
COLOR. Black except for basal half of mandible and free clypeal margin, which are ferruginous.
FOREWING. Slightly fuscous, with violet iridescence. Basal half of hindwing hyaline, apical margin slightly infuscate.
VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar and propodeal enclosure silvery, on scutum laterally silvery, otherwise black. Erect setae on clypeus and paraocular area black, on collar silvery intermixed with black ones, on scutum black intermixed with silvery ones, on propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented posteriorly. Lower center of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.
STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin with broad, shovel-like process medially, not stepped above. Clypeus with slight indentation in lower center and longitudinal carina above. Scutellum convex. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2
nd
recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between
Figs 85–92. 85–86
. Habitus of ♀.
87–90
. habitus of ♂.
85
.
Sphex incomptus
Gerstaecker, 1871
.
86– 87
.
S. pulawskii
sp. nov.
88
.
S. abbotti abbotti
W.
Fox, 1891
.
89
.
S. abbotti nivarius
subsp. nov.
90
.
S. bohemanni
Dahlbom, 1845
.
91
. Geographic distribution of
S. incomptus
(red) and
S. pulawskii
sp. nov.
(blue).
92
. Geographic distribution of
S. a.
abbotti
(red),
S. a. nivarius
subsp. nov. (blue),
S. abyssinicus
(
Arnold, 1928
)
(yellow) and
S. bohemanni
(purple).
submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Foretarsomere I 2.8–3.0× length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.7–2.3 × its medial width.
Male
SIZE.
20.5 mm
.
COLOR. Black except for ferruinous stripe in center of mandible. Forewing slightly fuscous, with violet iridescence. Basal half of hindwing hyaline, apical margin slightly infuscate.
VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar and propodeal enclosure silvery, on scutum laterally silvery, otherwise black. Erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area and scutum black intermixed with silvery ones, on collar silvery intermixed with black ones and on propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect propodeal setae oriented posteriorly. Lower center of clypeus glabrous. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent. Metasomal sterna II–VI with increasingly dense fringes of black setae.
STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple. Scutellum convex. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2
nd
recurrent vein joins markedly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII gently notched. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII concavely emarginate. Penis valvae without conspicuous modifications. Petiole length 2.2–2.9 × its medial width. Flagellomere V with narrow placoid covering its proximal four-fifths and tapering distally.
Variation
Unknown.
Distribution
Central to eastern Africa.
Remarks
There seems to have been some confusion regarding the differentiation between this taxon and the closely related
S. nigrohirtus
, which we were able to clear up through the study of their
types
. When
Kohl (1895)
compared them with each other, he correctly stated that one of the few differences between the males of both species is the color of the clypeal and thoracical setae. In
S. incomptus
, the black erect setae on the clypeus, scutum, scutellum and metanotum are intermixed with silvery ones, while the erect setae on the collar and propodeum are exclusively silvery. In contrast,
S. nigrohirtus
has the erect setae in these areas almost uniformly black. Even though Arnold was apparently aware of this fact and mentioned it in the redescriptions of both species (1928), he nevertheless assigned several specimens with uniformly black vestiture to
S. incomptus
without actually citing any characters to disassociate them from
S. nigrohirtus
. Later,
Leclercq (1955)
would continue this path with his establishment of the subspecies
S. incomptus anonymus
for specimens with only black pilosity. Our study of the
types
showed that they are actually members of
S. nigrohirtus
. Subsequently, specimens of
S. nigrohirtus
were prone to be misidentified as belonging to
S. incomptus
, which is evident in the material examined by
Dollfuss (2008)
, where most of the locality records given for
S. incomptus
in reality correspond to
S. nigrohirtus
.