Sphex malagassus de Saussure, 1890

Figs 120–122, 123 (blue)

Sphex malagassus de Saussure, 1890: pl. 18 fig. 38, ♀.

Differential diagnosis

Males of this species (Fig. 120) can be distinguished from those of S. comorensis sp. nov. (Fig. 119) through their entirely ferruginous clypeus, whereas S. comorensis sp. nov. has it black excepting the free margin. Sphex malagassus also has the penis valvae modified in a unique way (Figs 121–122). In females of S. malagassus, the appressed clypeal, paraocular and mesosomal setae are inconspicuously pale, while they are brightly golden in those of S. comorensis sp. nov. In addition, most specimens of S. malagassus (but not all) have a broad ferruginous stripe of varying extension laterally on the mesosoma that is absent in S. comorensis sp. nov.

Material examined

MADAGASCAR • 1 ♀; Hildebrandt leg.; ZMB • 1 ♂; Staudinger leg.; ZMB. – Alaotra-Mangoro • 1 ♂; Didy; [18°07ʹ S, 48°32ʹ E]; 16 Apr. 1992; A. Pauly leg.; MRAC • 1 ♀; Périnet (Analamazaotra Special Reserve); 18°56ʹ S, 46°16ʹ E; alt. 950 m; 10 May 1984; R. Hensen and A. Aptroot leg.; RMNH. – Analamanga • 1 ♂; Ambohimanga; 18°45ʹ S, 47°38ʹ E; alt. 1600 m; 17 Apr. 1984; R. Hensen and A. Aptroot leg.; THD-022-RMNH; GenBank CO1 gene: MW538555; GenBank LWR gene: MW582285; RMNH • 15 ♂♂, 10 ♀♀; Antananarivo; [18°56ʹ S, 47°31ʹ E]; Ch. Lamberton leg.; MRAC • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; Sikora leg.; ZMB. – Analanjirofo • 1 ♀; Fampanambo; [15°22ʹ31ʺ S, 49°37ʹ17ʺ E]; Jun. 1960; J. Vadon leg.; MRAC • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding but Mar. 1961; MRAC. – Atsinanana • 1 ♂; Manakambahiny near Vavatène; 17°38ʹ S, 48°58ʹ E; Feb. 1995; A. Pauly leg.; MRAC. – Betsiboka • 1 ♀; 25 km W of Morarano-Chrome, forest; 17°45ʹ S, 47°59ʹ E; 25 Apr. 1991; A. Pauly leg.; MRAC .

Description

Female

SIZE. 22.5–27.9 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, clypeus, scape, pedicel, outer parts of paraocular area, postgena, neck, collar laterally, tegula and variable lateral stripe from pronotum up to propodeum. Wings hyaline, cellular area with yellow tinge, apex slightly infuscate.

VESTITURE. Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery-golden. Erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar and scutum black or ferruginous-brown, on propodeal enclosure silvery-golden. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly or anteriorly. Clypeus without glabrous spot. Scutellum densely and finely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin medially notched, not stepped above. Clypeus without indentation and carina. Scutellum convex. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein nearly joins interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Foretarsomere I 2.4–2.5× length of antepenultimate spine. Petiole length 1.6–2.1× its medial width.

Male

SIZE. 21.5–24.5 mm.

COLOR. Black except for the following, which are ferruginous: basal half of mandible, clypeus, scape and variable lateral stripe from pronotum up to propodeum. Wings hyaline, cellular area with yellow tinge.

VESTITURE.Appressed setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silverygolden. Erect setae on clypeus, paraocular area, collar, scutum and propodeal enclosure silvery-golden, occasionally intermixed with black ones. Erect propodeal setae oriented perpendicularly or anteriorly. Clypeus without glabrous spot. Scutellum densely and coarsely pubescent.

STRUCTURE. Free clypeal margin simple. Scutellum convex. Metanotum not raised, not bituberculate. 2 nd recurrent vein nearly joins interstitium between submarginal cells II and III. Propodeal enclosure without any notable ridges. Posterior margin of metasomal tergum VII convex. Posterior margin of metasomal sternum VII simple, of metasomal sternum VIII semicircular and slightly pointed. Penis valvae fused, dorsoventrally S-shaped, apically flattened and broadened. Petiole length 1.7–2.1 × its medial width. Flagellomeres IV–VI with broad placoids covering entire their length.

Variation

Laterally on the mesosoma, the extent of the ferruginous coloration varies.

Distribution

Madagascar. Several individuals of this species owned by the MRAC were allegedly collected on São Tomé Island, as part of a collecting series by Henri De Saeger from 1932. This locality information appears spurious, since all other records of S. malagassus known to us are from Madagascar. It seems unlikely that the species would occur on both these islands when it has never been found anywhere in the area between them. Therefore, we choose to ignore the locality data from the respective specimens.