Cerceris sidamoensis DOLLFUSS, 2023

Dollfuss, Hermann & M, Mt., 2023, New species of the genus Cerceris LATREILLE, 1802 from Sub-Saharan Africa Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Crabronidae Part I, Linzer biologische Beiträge 55 (1), pp. 307-349 : 337-339

Cerceris sidamoensis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ( Figs 23 , 24 )

H o l o t y p e: ♀, Ethiopia-S. Sidamo province , 20 km SE Konsa, 855 m, 18. IV.2007, leg. J. Halada ( OÖLM). P a r a t y p e s: Ethiopia: 3♁♁, Sidamo province, near Bitata, 1480 m, 27. IV.2007, leg. J. Halada ( OÖLM) ; Kenya: 11♁♁, Voi (Tsavo) env. 22.XI.-2.XII.1996, leg. Mi. Halada ( OÖLM) ; 2♁♁, Voi (Tsavo), 22.XI.-2.XII.1996, leg. M. Snižek ( OÖLM) ; 4♁♁, Rift Valley Province , Marich Pass Field Studies Centre, 1°32.2'N 35°27.4'E, 14.-17. V.2000, leg. Lee & Pulawski ( CAS) ; 1♁, Coast Province , 14 km SW Voi, 3°28.2'S 38°28.3'E, 21. V.2000, leg. Lee & Pulawski ( CAS) .

E t y m o l o g y: The holotype was collected in Sidamo Province, Ethiopia.

R e c o g n i t i o n: The female of Cerceris sidamoensis is characterized by the coxa III without a longitudinal carina, the apical margin of the clypeus is slightly emarginate and with two lateral teeth, the median area has a process free down to its base which is in the level of the tentorial pits ( Fig. 23a,b ), the process is a little broader than long and the sides are convergent apically in dorsal view, the lateral carina of the pronotum is ending in a distinct point and the mandible has a small emargination and a distinct tooth internally. Additionally, the propodeal enclosure is coarsely obliquely rugose, the mesopleuron has a small tubercle, the scutum, the scutellum, the metanotum and the propodeal sides are densely coarsely punctate and the legs are all ferruginous (sempre?). The female of C. flavonasuta differs from C. sidamoensis by the clypeal process transversely convex and distinctly so lengthwise, shining and broadly carinate medio-longitudinally, the propodeal enclosure is closely obliquely rugulose and finely punctures between the rugae and the head ist black and ferruginous. The large female (14 mm) of C. pseudoproteles differs from C. sidamoensis by having a ferruginous gaster and fuscous wings, the mandible is edentate internally and the terga are dorsally impunctate. Additionally, the apical margin of the clypeus has two large teeth and is deeply emarginate between them, the clypeal process is slightly emarginate apically in dorsal view and the sterna IV and V have golden setae apical. The female of C. erythrosoma differs from C. sidamoensis by having the apical margin of clypeus with two large teeth laterally and a deep emargination between them, the clypeal process is wider than long, the scutum is shining and longitudinally rugose with distinct punctures, the thorax is all black, the gaster (except petiolus) is ferruginous. Additionally, the wings are dark-brown fuscous, the sterna IV and V more or less with golden setae and the mandible edentate internally. The large female (19- 15 mm) of C. solitaria differs from C. sidamoensis by having the apical margin of clypeus semilunarly emarginate with two teeth laterally and sprouting conspicuous bristles, the mandible has two large teeth internally, the propodeal enclosure is transversely microstriate, body predominantly ferruginous and the wings are fuscous. The female of C. schalleri differs from C. sidamoensis by having the apical margin of clypeus with one tooth median, the clypeal process is highly rised and semicircularly emarginated, the propodeal enclosure is smooth and shining and only with a trace of a medio-longitudinal furrow. Additionally, the terga II-IV are produced apico-lateral.

The male of Cerceris sidamoensis is characterized by having no longitudinal carina on coxa III, the pronotum has below collar a marked lateral carina ending in a point, the ganitalia are characteristically shaped ( Fig. 24e ), the apical margin of clypeus is ferruginous and distinctly tridentate ( Fig. 24a ) and the propodeal enclosure is obliquely rugose. Additionally, the scutum is shining densely coarsely punctate, the petiolus is ferruginous and wider than long, the pygidial plate is broad ( Fig. 24d ) and the legs are ferruginous and yellow. The male of C. querula shares with C. sidamoensis the lateral carina of pronotum ending in a point but differs in having the propodeal enclosure smooth, the pygidial plater is smaller, the genitalia are differently shaped and the legs are black and yellow.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀, 11 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus slightly emarginate with two small teeth lateral ( Fig. 23a ); clypeal process in level of tentorial pits free down to its base ( Fig. 23b ); mandible with small emargination and distinct tooth internally; lateral carina of pronotum ending in distinct point; prosternum with oblique rugae lateral; pronotal collar rounded lateral; mesopleuron with small tubercle; epimeron with trace of crest; pronotal enclosure anteriorly obliquely rugose, posteriorly tranversely rugose and nearly without lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrows; petiolus wider than long ( Fig. 23e ); coxa III without longitudinal carina; sternum II without basal plate; flagellum ( Fig. 23c ); pygidial plate ( Fig. 23d ). Puncturation: clypeus beneath process impunctate; clypeal sides micropunctate; clypeal process sparsely finely punctate; frons dull and punctate; vertex shining anterior ocelli densely longitudinally punctate, posterior ocelli densely punctate; prosternum densely punctate and lateral rugose; scutum, scutellum metanotum and propodeal sides shining and densely punctate; mesopleuron and mesopleuron venter densely reticulate-punctate; terga II-VI irregularly punctate; sterna lateral punctate; pygidial plate irregularly structured. Pilosity: few long setae on anterior margin of clypeus; clypeal sides and frons covered with appressed setae; gena, mesopleuron and sterna V and VI covered with sparse long setae; rest of body covered with irregular setae. Coloration: black, following parts yellow: clypeus, frons, mandible basal half, spot on gena, pronotal collar lateral, tegula anterior half, terga II-V apico-lateral; following parts ferruginous: flagellum (dorsal fuscous), tegula posterior half, petiolus pygidial plate, sterna and legs.

♁, 8-9 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus tridentate ( Fig. 24a ); lateral carina of pronotum ending in point; beneeth this carina with oblique rugae; prosternum lateral with few small rugae; pronotal collar rounded laterally; epimeron with trace of crest; mandibles edentate internally; propodeal enclosure anteriorly obliquely rugose, posteriorly transversely rugose, lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrows shallow developed; petiolus wider than long; coxa III without longitudinal carina; pygidial plate broad ( Fig. 24d ); sternum II without basal plate; genitalia characteristically shaped ( Fig. 24e ). Puncturation: median part of clypeus densely punctate; clypeal sides micropunctate; frons micropunctate and punctate; vertex anterior ocelli longitudinally rugose, posterior ocelli densely punctate; prosternum densely punctate; pronotal collar densely punctate; scutum, scutellum and metanotum densely punctate; mesopleuron and propodeal sides densely coarsely punctate; terga nearly densely punctate; sterna shining and apico-lateral punctate; pygidial plate coarsely densely punctate. Pilosity: clypeal sides and frons covered with short appressed setae; rest of body covered with sparse erect setae. Coloration: black, following parts yellow: clypeus frons, interantennal carina, spots on gena, pronotal collar, anterior half of tegula, terga II-V apico-lateral (variably) and tibiae partly; following parts ferruginous: apical margin of clypeus; mandible (except apex), flagellum basal half, tegula posterior half, femora and clypeal brush; wings hyaline, apical fuscous.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Ethiopia, Kenya.

Figures

Fig. 23: Cerceris sidamoensis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♀: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) pygidial plate; (e) petiolus.

Fig. 24: Cerceris sidamoensis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♁: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) pygidial plate; (e) genitalia dorsal and gonostylus in lateral view.