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 Sphex ( Menkeella ) paulinierii Guérin-Méneville, 1843 Figs 39–40 , 47 (blue) Sphex paulinierii Guérin-Méneville, 1843: 8 , ♀ ( holotype : ♀ , Senegal , M. Paulinier leg., RMNH, not examined). Sphex eximius Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845: 360 , ♂ ( holotype or syntype : ♂ , Senegal (depository?), not examined). Synonymized with Chlorion paulinieri by R. Turner 1919: 397 . Table 3 (continued on next page). Table for quick-identification of males based on placoid configuration. Each flagellomere is represented by three symbols, each of which describes the form of the placoid in the respective approximate third of the segment. If all subspecies have identical placoid configurations, they are combined as sensu lato (‘s. lat.’). Notable, but unnamed variations are listed below the respective taxon as ‘var.’. The presence of an arrow indicates that different specimens can vary between the states shown, with intermediate forms occurring. The names of new species are highlighted in bold. Legend: ‘-’ = placoid absent; ‘o’ = placoid narrow; ‘O’ = placoid broad

Group	Species	1	2	3	Flagellomere 4 5		6	7
argentatus	erythrinus	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
feijeni	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---	---
fumicatus	---	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	---
fumicatus var.	---	---	---	---  ooo	Ooo	ooo	---
lanatus	---	---	---	---	oo-	---	---
rufinervis	---	---	---	---	Ooo	ooo	---
taschenbergi	---	---/OO-	OOO	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
tomentosus	---	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	---
torridus	---	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	---
voeltzkowii	---	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	---
bohemanni	abyssinicus	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
abbotti s. lat.	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
bohemanni	---	---	---	ooo	Ooo	ooo	---
bohemanni var.	---	---	---	ooo	Ooo	---  o--	---
pseudopraedator	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
pseudopraedator var.	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	OOO
schoutedeni s. lat.	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
stadelmanni s. lat.	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
nigrohirtus	ahasverus	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
camerunicus	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	OOO
incomptus	---	---	---	---	oo-	---	---
nigrohirtus	---	---	---	---	o-o	---	---
nigrohirtus var.	---	---	---	--- ooo/oo-		---	---
pulawskii	---	---	---	---	oo-	---	---
pulawskii var.	---	---	---	---	ooo	-oo	---
umtalicus	caeruleanus	---	---	---	OOO/---	OOO	OOO	---
caeruleanus var.	---	---	---	---	ooo	ooo	---
hades	---	---	---	---	oOo	o--  oOo	---
haemorrhoidalis	---	---	---	---	oo-	o--	---
haemorrhoidalis var.	---	---	---	---	oo-	---	---
mweruensis	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
umtalicus	---	---	---	---	oOo	oOo	---
umtalicus var.	---	---	---	---	oOo	---  o--	---
victoria	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
victoria var.	---	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	---

Table 3 (continued).

Group	Species	1	2	Flagellomere 3 4 5			6	7
meridionalis	meridionalis	---	---	---	---	ooo	---	---
nefrens	---	---	---	---	ooo	---	---
occidentalis	---	---	---	---	ooo	---	---
gaullei	decipiens	---	---	---  ooo	ooo/o-o	---  ooo	---	---
gaullei	---	---	ooo/o-o	ooo	---	---	---
jansei	---	---	o-o	ooo	---	---	---
pruinosus	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
schmideggeri	---	---	ooo	ooo	---	---	---
satanas	pseudosatanas	---	---	---	o--	o--	o--	---
rufoclypeatus	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
satanas	---	---	---	o--	o--	o--	---
satanas var.	---	---	---	o--	o--	---	---
socotrensis	---	---	---	oo-	oo-	oo-	---
malagassus	comorensis	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	O--	---
malagassus	---	---	---	OOO	OOO	OOO	---
incerta sedis	cinerascens	---	---	---	o-o	ooo	ooo	---
paulinierii	--o	OOO	OOO	OOO	OOO	OOO	---

Differential diagnosis Among the African Sphex , this species is very easy to recognize due to its short erect setae on the propodeal enclosure, the two swellings on each propodeal side ( Fig. 40 ), and the conspicuous coloration ( Fig. 39 ) and large body size. Etymology Menkeella is named in honor of Dr Arnold S. Menke. Material examined AFRICA • 1 ♂ ; “ Congo ”; MNHN . BURKINA FASO – Houet Province • 1 ♂ ; Bobo-Dioulasso ; [ 11°11ʹ N , 4°17ʹ W ]; 30 Sep. 1967 ; J. Hamon leg.; USNM . CHAD – Logone Oriental • 1 ♀ ; Bébédjia , 400 m from Moundou ; [ 8°41ʹ N , 16°34ʹ E ]; 4 Oct. 1970 ; J.H. and M. Lourens leg.; RMNH . – Ouaddaï • 1 ♀ ; near Abecher [Abéché] ; [ 13°49ʹ45ʺ N , 20°49ʹ56ʺ E ]; H. Franz leg.; NHMW . ETHIOPIA • 1 ♂ ; BMNH . GAMBIA • 1 ♂ ; BMNH . – Banjul • 1 ♂ ; Banjul ; [ 13°27ʹ09ʺ N , 16°34ʹ40ʺ W ]; 10–23 Nov. 1983 ; K.M. Guichard leg.; BMNH . GHANA – Savannah Region • 4 ♂♂ , 2 ♀♀ ; Yapi [Yapei] ; [ 9°09ʹ08ʺ N , 1°08ʹ52ʺ W ]; J.J. Simpson leg.; BMNH . MALI – Mopti Region • 2 ♂♂ , 1 ♀ ; near Sofara ; [ 14°01ʹ N , 4°14ʹ W ]; 3 Sep. 1944 ; K.M. Guichard leg.; BMNH . SENEGAL • 2 ♀♀ ; 1831; Audouin leg.; MNHN • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ ; Heudelot leg.; MNHN • 1 ♀ ; Lompoul ; [ 15°24ʹ32.9ʺ N , 16°40ʹ17.6ʺ W ]; 24 Oct. 1961 ; A. Villiers leg.; MNHN . – Diourbel Region • 1 ♀ ; M’Bambey [Bambey] ; [ 14°43ʹ12ʺ N , 16°36ʹ41ʺ W ]; 28 Oct.–6 Nov. 1939 ; M. Risbec leg.; MRAC . UGANDA – Eastern Region • 1 ♂ ; Mbale–Kumi Road, 3700 ft S of Lake Salisbury ; [ 1°33ʹ33ʺ N , 33°57ʹ15ʺ E ]; BMNH . Description Female SIZE. 34.1–42.5 mm . COLOR. Black or dark brown except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, clypeus, scape, pedicel, flagellomeres I–VI, neck, collar, tegula, scutum except anterior margin and medial longitudinal stripe, scutellum, propodeum, petiole dorsally, metasomal segment I, metasomal segment II except posterior margin and legs from coxa onward excluding claw. Cellular wing area yellowish, apex including marginal cell and submarginal cell III of forewing fuscous. VESTITURE. Appressed and erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure rich or pale golden. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly. Lower center of clypeus with glabrous spot. Scutellum finely and densely pubescent. STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple, stepped medially. Clypeus without indentation and carina. Scutellum flat. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins slightly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure with 15–20 distinct ridges. Foretarsomere I 2.5–2.6× length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 2.1–2.2× its medial width. Male SIZE. 26.7–32.0 mm. COLOR. Black or dark brown, except for the following which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, clypeus, scape, pedicel, flagellomeres I–VI dorsally, neck and collar dorsally, tegula, scutum, scutellum, propodeal enclosure, petiole, metasomal segment I, metasomal tergum II except posterior margin, apical segment of metasoma and legs from coxa onward excluding claw. Cellular wing area yellowish, apical margin fuscous. VESTITURE. Appressed and erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar and scutum golden, on propodeal enclosure silvery. Erect setae on propodeal margin golden. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly. Lower center of clypeus with glabrous spot. Scutellum finely and densely pubescent. STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple. Scutellum convex. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein joins slightly proximal from interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure with 15–20 distinct ridges. Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII convex. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII concavely emarginate. Penis valvae without conspicuous modifications. Petiole length 2.4–2.5× its medial width. Flagellomere I with broad placoid covering distal half, flagellomeres II–VI with broad placoids covering their entire length. Variation Unknown. Figs 33–40. 33–37 . Frontal view of faces in females of the umtalicus and meridionalis group. 33 . Sphex umtalicus Strand, 1916 . 34 . S. haemorrhoidalis Fabricius, 1781 . 35 . S. victoria sp. nov. 36 . S. meridionalis ( Arnold, 1947 ) . 37 . S. nefrens sp. nov. 38 . S. cinerascens Dahlbom, 1843 habitus of ♂. 39–40 . S. paulinierii Guérin-Méneville, 1843 , ♂. 39 . Habitus. 40 . Mesosomal side (anterior = left). Distribution Western and eastern Africa. Remarks This species differs from the other Sphex s. str. through its absence of a complete spiracular groove. Instead, it possesses a sulcus that connects the lower metapleural pit with the anteroventral pit ( Fig. 40 ). Similar to members of the argentatus group ( Fig. 9 ), S. paulinierii also has a swelling anteroventrally of the spiracle, although it has an additional swelling posteriorly to it, laterally on the propodeal enclosure. This posterior swelling is unique, and S. paulinierii lacks the distinctly impressed, bituberculate metanotum that is characteristic for the argentatus group. Furthermore, its very short erect propodeal setae are unusual for Sphex , and no longitudinal carina is present on the female labrum. For these reasons, with particular emphasis on a complete spiracular groove being an extremely important defining character for the subgenus Sphex ( Bohart & Menke 1976 ) and the lack of distinctive characteristics for species group assignment, we have decided to place S. paulinierii in a separate subgenus.