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 55605 10.5852/ejt.2022.796.1665 9c3fa32d-4320-4170-83e3-a5c045a4ba68 2118-9773 6299440 76C5C9C4-C6C1-4EDC-8FF8-9828A6EF2040 Key A: Species of the Sphex argentatus group 1. Erect propodeal setae brown or black............................................................................................2 – Erect propodeal setae silvery or golden..........................................................................................5 2. Cellular wing area with yellow or ferruginous tinge; wing base not notably infuscate ( Figs 58– 59 ). Madagascar and surrounding islands only..............................................................................3 – Cellular wing area without yellow tinge; wing base markedly fuscous ( Figs 49, 52 ). Widespread..........................................................................................................................................................4 3. Female: apical margin of fore- and hindwing completely fuscous ( Fig. 58 ). Male: erect clypeal and paraocular setae uniformly black ......................................................... S. torridus F. Smith, 1873 – Female: apical margin of forewing only anteriorly with fuscous spot, apex of hindwing hyaline. Male: erect clypeal setae silvery intermixed with black ones; erect paraocular setae uniformly silvery-golden ............................................................................................. S. voeltzkowii Kohl, 1909 4. Erect clypeal setae entirely or largely silvery ( Fig. 53 ) ....................... S. fumicatus Christ, 1791 – Erect clypeal setae black ( Fig. 54 ) ................................................ S. taschenbergi Magretti, 1884 5. Appressed and erect setae on face and propodeum rich golden, sometimes silvery. Hindfemur and most of hindtibia brightly ferruginous ( Fig. 57 ) ............................... S. tomentosus Fabricius, 1787 – Erect setae on face silvery or silvery-golden, sometimes intermixed with black ones; erect setae on propodeum silvery ( Figs 41–44 , 50–51 ). Hindleg darker............................................................6 6. Erect clypeal setae at least partially black. Seychelles .............................. S. rufinervis Pérez, 1895 – Erect clypeal setae uniformly silvery...............................................................................................7 7. Female: wings with yellow tinge ( Fig. 41 ); petiole length less than 1.7 × its medial width. Male: very broad placoids (nearly width of segment) covering flagellomeres III–VI .............................. .............................................................................................................. S. erythrinus ( Guiglia, 1939 ) – Female: wings without yellow tinge ( Figs 43 , 50 ); petiole length more than 1.7× its medial width. Male: placoid(s) more narrow (at most half as wide as segment), covering flagellomeres III–V or only V.................................................................................................................................................8 8. Female: lower part of clypeus brightly ferruginous; propodeal enclosure not obscured by vestiture, with 7–10 distinct transversal ridges ( Fig. 43 ). Male: setae laterally on gonostyles hyaline ( Fig. 46 ); mid- and hindlegs completely black; placoids covering entire length of flagellomeres III–V ......... .............................................................................................................................. S. feijeni nom. nov. – Female: clypeus black; propodeal enclosure without any distinct ridges, posterior half obscured by appressed setae ( Fig. 50 ). Male: gonostyles laterally with stout black setae (compare Fig. 45 ); mid- and hindlegs partially ferruginous; single placoid on proximal half of flagellomere V .......... .................................................................................................................... S. lanatus Mocsáry, 1883