Austroscolia ruficeps (Smith, 1855)

Figs 4A–B, 7E, 11E, 15E, 19E, 23E, 27E, 31E, 35E

Scolia capitata Guérin-Méneville, 1838: 248 ( holotype MNHN, ♂, type locality uncertain [reported as either “Indes orientales” or Senegal]; preoccupied by Scolia capitata Fabricius, 1804).

Scolia ruficeps Smith, 1855: 111 ( syntypes NHMUK, ♀, ♂, type locality = Philippines).

Scolia westermanni de Saussure, 1858: 212 ( holotype ♀, type locality = Java).

Triscolia nigropilosa Micha, 1927: 100 ( holotype ZMB, ♂, type locality = Sikkim).

Triscolia tenggerana Micha, 1927: 100 ( holotype ZMB, ♂, type locality = Tenggeran, Java).

Triscolia viridiaenea Micha, 1927: 100 ( holotype ZMB, ♂, type locality = Batu Batu, Aceh Province, Indonesia ).

Triscolia ruficeps impressifrons Micha, 1927: 100 (holotype ZMB, ♂, type locality = Tenasserim, Myanmar).

Scolia (Triscolia) capitata – de Saussure & Sichel 1864: 47.

Triscolia ruficeps – Micha 1927: 96.

Scolia (Austroscolia) ruficeps – Betrem 1927b: xcviii.

Austroscolia ruficeps – Bradley & Betrem 1967: 319.

Material examined

CHINA – Hong Kong • 1♀; Kwan Tei; 22°30′40″ N, 114°09′33″ E; alt. 15 m; 24Aug. 2007; C. Barthélémy leg.; hand net, ref.: 0279.U.Hy.4; CBC • 1 ♀; Mai Po Nature Reserve; 22°29′11″ N, 114°02′14″ E; alt. 1 m; 20 Sep.–18 Oct. 2014; C. Barthélémy leg.; Malaise trap, ref.: MPNR-M025.G.Hy.8; CBC .

Description

Female

STANDARD RATIOS (n = 2). L: 22.7–22.9 mm (mean = 22.80 mm); CR: 1.06–1.07 (mean = 1.06); OOR: 0.75–0.76 (mean = 0.76); CLR: 0.48; MER: 1.39–1.40 (mean = 1.39); OMR: 1.04–1.05 (mean = 1.04); FRR: 1.76–1.88 (mean = 1.82); MSR: 0.79–0.83 (mean = 0.81); TER: 1.53–1.73 (mean = 1.63).

HEAD. Head mostly sparsely punctate except for frontal spatium, along a transverse furrow running between eyes behind posterior ocelli, and on declivous portion of vertex (Figs 15E, 19E); frontal spatium not defined posteriorly, frontal fissura present on frontal spatium only (Fig. 15E).

MESOSOMA. Dorsum of mesosoma mostly densely and strongly punctate except for posteromedially on mesoscutum and anteriorly on dorsolateral panel of pronotum (Fig. 23E). Mesopleuron densely punctate except near anterior margin and posteriorly; upper panel of metapleuron densely punctate dorsally, impunctate ventrally; lower panel of metapleuron mostly densely punctate; lateral panel of propodeum densely punctate. Scutellum and metanotum without median longitudinal carina (Fig. 27E). Dorsomedian area of propodeum without distinct tubercule medially (Fig. 27E).

METASOMA. Metasoma with strong angle between anterior and ventral faces of S 2 in lateral view; tergites mostly densely punctate, becoming more so posterolaterally (Figs 31E, 35E). T1 with small tubercule at angle between anterior and dorsal faces (Fig. 35E) T2 with basal elevation weekly developed (gradulus) (Fig. 35E).

WINGS. Fore wing with three submarginal cells and one recurrent vein, first submarginal cells with numerous short setae

COLOUR AND VESTITURE. Head, including antennae, entirely red except mandible with black margins (Fig. 15E), labium and maxilla red; remainder of body black (Figs 7E, 11E). Vestiture red on head (Fig. 15E), black on mesosoma and metasoma (Figs 27E, 31E). Wings dark brown with bronze reflections.

Distribution (Fig. 4A–B)

China (Anhui, * Hong Kong, Hunan, Jiangsu, Yunnan); Indonesia (Java, Sulawesi, Flores, Lombok, Sumatra, Sumba); Philippines (Luzon, Panay); Myanmar; Malaysia (Malaka); India (Karnataka, Manipur, Sikkim, West Bengal,), Vietnam. [Smith 1855; Bingham 1897; Betrem 1928, 1941; Baltazar 1966; Wang 1992; Liu et al. 2021b].

Notes

The male of this species closely resembles the female (Betrem 1941; Gupta & Jonathan 2003). Austroscolia ruficeps can readily be distinguished from other scoliids in Hong Kong by its distinctive coloration with an entirely red head but black mesosoma and metasoma.