Taxonomic study on the spider wasp genus Ceropales Latreille, 1796 (Pompilidae: Ceropalinae) with description of two new species from India Author Anju, K. 0000-0003-3312-7721 P. G. & Research Department of Zoology, Government College Madappally, Vatakara, Kozhikode, Kerala- 673102, India, Affiliated to University of Calicut. & anjukappu 91 @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 3312 - 7721 anjukappu91@gmail.com Author Thejass, P. P. G. & Research Department of Zoology, Government College Madappally, Vatakara, Kozhikode, Kerala- 673102, India, Affiliated to University of Calicut. Author Binoy, C. 0000-0003-4309-5460 Department of Zoology, Sree Narayana Guru College, Chelannur, Kozhikode, Kerala- 673616, India, Affiliated to University of Calicut. binoy _ doz @ uoc. ac. in; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 4309 - 5460 binoy_doz@uoc.ac.in Author Kumar, P. Girish 0000-0003-2121-0165 Western Ghats Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Eranhipalam, Kozhikode, Kerala- 673006, India. kpgiris @ gmail. com; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 2121 - 0165 kpgiris@gmail.com text Zootaxa 2023 2023-04-12 5264 1 119 128 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5264.1.8 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.5264.1.8 1175-5326 7836278 49FCE66C-0EEE-46A1-B170-F1DDA1837107 Ceropales ( Ceropales ) keralaensis Anju, Binoy & Thejass , sp. nov. Figs 11–23 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 75D143C2-00DB-4B6B-8490-7D9471E0C066 Type material. Holotype , ♀ , India : Kerala , Kozhikode district , Viyyur ( 11º28′57′′N , 75º41′06′′E ), 16.i.2020 , Coll. C. Binoy , [ ZSIK ] ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV. 22059. Paratypes . Karnataka : 1♀ , Udupi district , Mookambika WLS, Areshiroor ( 13º51′50′′N , 74º48′34′′E ), 18.vi. 2022 , Coll. V . D. Hegde & Party , [ ZSIK ] ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV.22064 ; Kerala : 3J, Kozhikode district, Payanthong ( 11º41′12′′N , 75º40′26′′E ), 30.vi.2019 , Coll. K.P. Hanima Raveendran , [ ZSIK ] ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV.22060 – 22062 ; Tamil Nadu : 1♀ , Coimbatore district , Anaikatti ( 11º06′27′′N , 76º45′58′′E ), 4.i.2019 , Coll. P. Girish Kumar , [ ZSIK ] ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/ WGRC /IR/INV.22063 . Diagnosis. This new species closely resembles the Chinese species Ceropales ( C .) longisulcata Lu & Li, 2019 in the key to the species of the subgenus Ceropales Latreille from China ( Lu et al. 2019 ). The two species are similar in having flat propodeum with lateral side rather shallowly impressed and with deep medial longitudinal groove; frons remarkably flat anterior to antennal sockets and bent in obtuse-angle on 2/3 away from antennal sockets; ocelli forming acute triangle; and the scutellum and postscutellum remarkably raised, higher than mesonotum in lateral view. However, the new species differs from C. longisulcata in having fore wing with upper margin of SMC2 and SMC3 equal in length (in longisulcata , upper margin of SMC3 shorter than SMC2); frons and vertex with combination of small punctures mixed with large punctures (in longisulcata , deeper and densely set punctures on frons and vertex); frons black without any marking in the middle (in longisulcata , frons with a yellow spot medially); numerous long yellowish brown semi erect setae on frons and vertex (in longisulcata , such setae absent); and non-confluent ivory patch on face with completely pale yellow clypeus and labrum (in longisulcata , ivory patch confluent on face with clypeus and labrum having median dark patch). Ceropales keralaensis sp. nov. is also similar to the other species described here Ceropales anaghae sp. nov. in general appearance and coloration. However, it differs from C. anaghae sp. nov. in having numerous long yellowish brown semi erect setae on frons and vertex (in anaghae such setae absent); non-confluent ivory patch on face (in anaghae , ivory patch confluent on face); clypeus completely pale yellow without any black marking (in anaghae , median black spot on ivory coloured clypeus); medial emargination of compound eye not deep (in anaghae , compound eye with deep medial emargination); head coarsely pitted with numerous large punctures (in anaghae , head coarsely pitted with very few large punctures and not as prominent); antenna pale yellowish ventrally, brownish black dorsally (in anaghae , antenna entirely brownish black); and mandible black with apex reddish brown (in anaghae , basal 2/3 rd of mandible pale yellowish with apex reddish brown). Description. Female. ( 11–20 ). Body length 4.83 mm ; length of fore wing 4.07 mm . Colour . Overall colour black with antenna brownish black dorsally, pale yellowish ventrally; frons between antennal sockets and adjacent to the medial emargination of compound eyes pale yellow; lower frons below antenna black; bands on outer margin of compound eyes pale yellow; clypeus and labrum pale yellow; mandible black with apex reddish brown; pronotum black with band on posterior margin and posterolateral angle pale yellowish; mesonotum entirely black; metanotum black with medial patch pale yellow; tegula pale yellow; propodeum black with posterolateral corner pale yellow; large spot on outer face of all coxae pale yellow, remainder black; trochanter of fore and mid leg brownish black, that of hind leg black; all femora and tibia honey brown; fore and mid tarsus light honey brown, hind tarsus dark brown; hind tibial spur pale yellow; posterior yellowish white band on T1–T5; T6 with large yellowish white spot; wings hyaline; apical region of fore wing with light brown infumation; veins and pterostigma dark brown. Pubescence . Body covered with white pubescence on head and mesosoma, metasoma bare; lower frons densely pubescent; head with numerous yellowish brown setae concentrated on upper frons and vertex ( Fig. 13 ); clypeus and labrum having pubescence moderately; small sensillae present mainly along the ventral side of antennal segments ( Fig. 13 ); pronotum with moderately dense yellowish brown setae ( Fig. 17 ); pubescence on mesosoma concentrated along the lateral margins; pubescence on propodeum moderate, midline somewhat bare. FIGURES 11–20. Ceropales ( Ceropales ) keralaensis Anju, Binoy & Thejass , sp. nov. , holotype, ♀. 11, habitus, lateral view; 12, habitus, dorsal view; 13, head, lateral view; 14, head, frontal view; 15, head, dorsal view; 16, mesosoma, dorsal view; 17, mesosoma, lateral view; 18, wings; 19, metasoma, lateral view; 20, metasoma, dorsal view. Scale bar: 11–2 mm; 12, 13, 17, 18, 20–1 mm; 14, 15, 16, 19–0.5 mm. Head . Head oblong in frontal view, 1.2× as wide as long ( Fig. 14 ); frons occupying the interantennal area conspicuously elevated; a shallow median frontal line seen from anterior ocellus to interantennal space ( Fig. 14 ); frons and vertex coarsely pitted throughout, large punctures more prominent between pitted surface; compound eyes reniform, inner margins distinctly sinuate, strongly convergent below; UID as long as MID, LID 0.5× UID and MID ( Fig. 14 ); ocellar area slightly raised, ocelli in acute triangle, OOD 1.95× POD ( Fig. 15 ); clypeus slightly convex in lateral view, more than twice as broad as long, anterior margin slightly emarginated medially ( Fig. 14 ); labrum highly exposed beneath the clypeus ( Fig. 14 ); mandible bidentate, malar space reduced; antenna thick, scape 1.4× as long as wide and 2.3× pedicel in profile, flagellomeres almost twice as long as broad, F1–F5 almost of equal length ( Fig. 13 ). Mesosoma . Pronotum 0.5× as long as wide, densely pitted with large punctures scattered irregularly in between; anterolateral angle acute, posterolateral angle rounded ( Fig. 17 ); posterior margin nearly straight; mesoscutum 1.2× as wide as long, densely pitted along with irregularly scattered large punctures ( Fig. 16 ); parapsidal furrow present through the lateral sides of mesoscutum longitudinally, reaching close to anterior margin ( Fig. 16 ); mesoscutellum with conspicuous prescutellar sulcus ( Fig. 16 ); middle portion raised in profile; punctuations clearly visible in middle portion than on lateral regions ( Fig. 16 ); mesopleuron with scattered punctures ( Fig. 17 ); metanotum conspicuously elevated and convex in profile ( Fig. 17 ); surface moderately micropunctured; metapostnotum very much reduced and narrow with few transverse rugae; metapleuron with fine, sparse punctures; propodeum medium sized, 1.21× as wide as long along the middle, conspicuously flat ( Fig. 17 ); surface with microscopically fine, transverse rugulose sculpturing ( Fig. 16 ); median sulcus reaching nearly half length of propodeum; posterior margin nearly straight, posterolateral angle rounded; lateral sides with shallow impression medially. Legs . Tarsal claws normal, bent apically; short, erect and acute subapical tooth present; hind tibial spur long, 0.7× hind basitarsus. Wings . Fore wing with upper margin of SMC2 and SMC3 equal in length, lower margin of SMC3 longer than that of SMC2; SMC2 receiving crossvein 1m-cu medially, SMC3 receiving crossvein 2m-cu medially; length of SMC3 less than its distance from the wing apex; vein A and crossvein cu-a of hind wing forming obtuse angle. Metasoma . Fusiform; as broad and long as mesosoma; smooth ( Fig. 19 ); T1 sessile, parallel sided; lower margin of S6 flat in lateral view, pointed apically. Male. ( Figs 21–23 ) Resembles female in most characters. Hypopygium and genitalia as in Figs 22 & 23 . FIGURES 21–23. Ceropales ( Ceropales ) keralaensis Anju, Binoy & Thejass , sp. nov. , paratype, J. 21, habitus, lateral view; 22, hypopygium; 23, genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bar: 21–2 mm; 22, 23–0.5 mm. Etymology. The species name refers to the Indian state of Kerala , where the holotype was collected. Variation. Relative density of pubescence varies from moderately to densely setose in paratypes along with variations in intensity of body coloration. Distribution. India ( Kerala , Karnataka , Tamil Nadu ). Sex differentiation. Females of C. keralaensis sp. nov. resemble males in almost all characters except for the typical genital and antennal sex differentiation. Additionally, females are distinguishable by the presence of bicoloured frons (medial area black flanked by yellow on either sides) whereas, in males, the medial part of the frons is pale yellow; in females, the mesoscutellum is completely black, while in males, the mesoscutellum is black with a pale-yellow spot.