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 Species of the satanas group The satanas group contains the following four species and one subspecies: Sphex pseudosatanas sp. nov. , S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov. , S. satanas , S. satanas memnon subsp. nov. and S. socotrensis sp. nov. Females of this group are easy to recognize, as all of them have a very flat scutellum ( Fig. 5 ). All other female Sphex from the Afrotropical region have a more convex scutellum ( Fig. 6 ), the sole exception being S. paulinierii . However, its enormous size, conspicuous coloration and very short propodeal setae make that species unmistakable. Males in the group are characterized by their uniformly black clypeus (excepting S. socotrensis sp. nov. , which has the free margin ferruginous) combined with uniformly silvery setae on their entire body. Members of the gaullei group, which share the anteriorly-oriented erect propodeal setae, have a significant amount of the clypeus ferruginously-colored, or their erect setae are not silvery-white. The one exception with a black clypeus and uniformly silvery setae, S. pruinosus , is easily recognized by its long petiole, the length of which is greater than 3 times the medial width (see Introduction). In comparison, that ratio is at most 2.5 in all members of the satanas group.