Cerceris tefnut 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 : 341-345

Cerceris tefnut DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ( Fig. 26 )

H o l o t y p e: ♁, Ethiopia, 40 km W Konso, 05°19'N 37°04'E, 600 m, 14.V.2015, leg. J. Halada (OÖLM). P a r a t y p e s: 3♁♁, Rift Valley Province, Marich Pass Field Studies Centre, 1°32.2N 35°27.4'E, 20.-21.XI.2002, leg. W.J. Pulawski (CAS).

E t y m o l o g y: Tefnut is an egyptian god.

R e c o g n i t i o n: The male of Cerceris tefnut is characterized by having no transverse carina on coxa III, the apical margin of clypeus is tridentate Fig. 26a ), the mandible edentate internally, propodeal enclosure smooth and shining latero- and medio-longitudinal furrows shallow and the penis valves longer than gonostyle ( Fig. 26f ). Additionally, the scutum is shining and sparsely punctate (punctures 1-3 diameters apart), the prosternum has transverse rugae and the sterna III-VII have more or less developed erect setae which not obscure the underlying sculpture. The male of gomphocarpi is similar to C. tefnut but differs in having different male genitalia.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♁, 10 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus tridentate ( Fig. 26a ); mandible edentate internally; gena obtuse angled in lateral view; prosternum with lateral rugae; proponotal enclosure smooth and shining, lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrows shallowly developed; petiolus wider than long ( Fig. 26d ); coxa III without longitudinal carina; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron without crest; sternum II without basal plate; flagellomere XI as long as X, distinctly bent and without tyloidea ( Fig. 26c ); pygidial plate ( Fig. 26e ); genitalia have penis valves longer than gonostyle ( Fig. 26f ). Puncturation: clypeus and frons sparsely punctate; vertex densely punctate; pronotal collar anterior half sparsely punctate, posterior half impunctate; tegula impunctate; scutum shining and irregularly sparsely finely punctate (punctures 1-3 diameters apart); scutellum similarly punctated; metanotum sparsely finely punctate; propodeal sides irregularly sparsely punctate (punctures 0-2 diameters apart); mesopleuron densely coarsely punctate; terga irregularly punctate (punctures 0-1 diameter apart); pygidial plate sparsely punctate. Pilosity: clypeal brush broad; sterna II-VIII more or less covered with erect setae which not obscure underlying sculpture; rest of body sparsely covered with more or less long setae. Coloration: black, follwowing parts yellow: clypeus, frons, spot on gena, pronotal collar lateral, tegula, epimeron, scutellum lateral, metanotum, petiolus lateral, terga II-VI with apical band, sterna II-IV lateral, mandible basal half, fore- and midlegs, hindleg (except femur and tibia apical); flagellum ferruginous apical half dorsal fuscous; in some specimens propodeal sides yellow and sterna ferruginous; wings hyaline and apical fuscous.

♀ unknown.

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

Cerceris tsavoensis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ( Figs 27 , 28 ) H o l o t y p e: ♀, Kenya, Voi (Tsavo) env., 8.-18.XI.1996, leg. Mi. Halada (ÖOLM).

P a r a t y p e s: 2♁♁, same data as holotype ( JHC) ; Ethiopia: 1♀, 1♁, Sidamo province near Bitata , 1480 m, 27. IV.2007, leg. J. Halada ( JHC) ; 1♀, Arba Minch , 05°60'N 37°33'E, 1380 m, XI.2011, leg. M. Ströhle ( JHC) ; Kenya: 1♀, E Mwingi , 14. V.2007, leg. M. Halada ; 5♁♁, Voi ( Tsavo ) env., 22.XI.-2.XII.1996, leg. Mi. Halada ( JHC) ; 1♁, Voi , 10.XII.1999, leg. M. Snižek ( JHC) ; 1♁, Voi ( Tsavo ), 23. III.-4. IV.1997, leg. Ma. Halada ( JHC) ; 1♁, Coast Province, 2 km S Voi , 3°24.7'S 38°32.3'E, 16.XII.2002, leg. Prentice ( CAS) ; 3♁♁, Coast Province, about 1 km SW Voi , 3°24.5'S 38°33.7'E, 16.XII.2002, leg. Pulawski ( CAS) ; 1♁, Rift Valley Province, 4 km ENE Namanga , 2°31.4'S 36°49.8'E, 5. V.2000, leg. Bourbin, Lee & Pulawski ( CAS) ; 1♁, Rift Valley Province, Marich Pass Field Studies Centre , 1°32.2'N 35°37.4'E. 4. VI.2000, Bourbin, Lee & Pulawski ( CAS) ; 1♁, Eastern Province, 94 km E Thika , 1°06.6'N 37°42.1'E, 10.-11.XII.2002, leg. Pulawski ( CAS) ; Tanzania: 1♀, Tanga region, 2 km NE Mkomazi , 4°37.8'S 38°05.5'E, 29.XII.2002, leg. Prentice ( CAS) ; 1♀, E Kiberashi , kit wel plain, 16. III.2002, leg. Snižek ( JHC) .

E t y m o l o g y: The holotype was collected in Tsavo National Park, Kenya.

R e c o g n i t i o n: The female of C. tsavoensis is characterized by having the coxa III without longitudinal carina, the median area of clypeus has a triangular carina near the apical margin ( Fig. 27a ), the scutum and the scutellum are longitudinally rugose and punctate. Additionally, the mandible has a blunt tooth internally, the propodeal enclosure is transversely striate, the mesopleuron has a small tubercle, the petiolus is slightly wider than long and the body is predominantly ferruginous. The female of C. schultzei differs from C. tsavoensis by having the peopodeal enclosure densely punctate and with erect setae and the median area of clypeus with a slightly covex process near apical margin. The female of C. ethiopia differs from C. tsavoensis by having the propodeal enclosure irregularly punctate, the apical margin of the clypeus with two teeth on each side, a short transverse carina just above it and the scutum is sparsely punctate with short longitudinal striae posteriorly. The female of C. podagrosa differs from C. tsavoensis by having the propodeal enclosure densely punctate, the scutum is finely and densely punctate. Additionally, the terga III and IV are dull and nearly impunctate, the clypeus is nearly straight with a short transverse carina just above the apical margin and the mandible are edentate internally. The female of C. erythroura differs from C. tsavoensis by the apical margin of clypeus forming a triangular lamina with teeth laterally, the scutellum is longitudinally rugose and punctured, the propodeal enclosure dull irregularly obliquely rugose and the wings are fuscous.

The male of C. tsavoensis is characterized by the coxa III without a longitudinal carina, the apical margin of the clypeus is yellowich-brown and shallowly tridentate ( Fig. 28a ), the clypeal brush is broad, the mandible has a distinct tooth internally, and the scutum is longitudinally rugose and punctate between the ruage. Additionally, the propodeal enclosure is shallowly transversely rugose, the petiolus is slightly longer than wide, the sternum VI has a lamellate tooth apico-laterally, the gonostylus is characteristically shaped in lateral view and the body is predominantly ferruginous.

The male of C. anubis is similar to C. tsavoensis but differs by having no ferruginous color on the body, the scutum is punctate (punctures 0-1 diameter apart), the propodeal enclosure is irregularly obliquely rugose and isolated punctate and sternum VI has no distinct tooth it is only slightly produced. The male of C. pseudoanubis is also similar to C. tsavoensis but differs by having the scutum shining and sparsely punctate (punctures 1-2 diameters apart) and posteriorly with short longitudinal rugae, the sternum II with more or less developed longitudinal carina and the body is predominantly yellow without ferruginous color. The male of C. iniqua is similar to C. tsavoensis but differs in having no feruginous color on body, the scutum is nearly densely punctate and the prosternum is obliquely rugose and the scutellum is in most specimens slightly rised laterally.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀, 14-16 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus straight with small tooth lateral; median part of clypeus with triangular carina near apical margin ( Fig. 27a ); mandible with blunt tooth internally; prosternum without transverse carina; interantennal carina broad; pronotal colar rounded lateral; mesopleuron with small tubercle; epimeron without crest; propodeal enclosure transversely ruguos, lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrows not crenulate; coxa II without longitudinal carina; sternum II without basal plate; flagellum ( Fig. 27c ); pygidial plate ( Fig. 27d ). Puncturation: clypeus micropunctate; frons micropunctate and punctate; vertex densely punctate; prosternum micropunctate; pronotal collar dull and impunctate; scutum and scutellum longitudinally rugose and punctate; metanotum impunctate; mesopleuron densely reticulate-punctate; propodeal sides and petiolus densely punctate; terga II-IV dull and densely punctate, VI more sparsely; pygidial plate densely irregularly structured; sterna shining and apico-lateral punctured. Pilosity: clypeal sides covered with short dense appressed setae; rest of body covered with sparse more or less erect setae. Coloration: black; following parts yellow: clypeus, frons, interantennal carina; mandible basal half, pronotal collar, scutellum, metanotum, petiolus lateral, terga II-IV apical, propodeal sides (varyably); following parts ferruginous: flagellum, apical margin of clypeus, vertex, gena, prosternum, scutum, mesopleuron, mesopleural venter, propodeal sides, terga and sterna predominantly, pygidial plate and legs.

♁, 10-11 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus produced and tridentate ( Fig. 28a ); mandible with acute tooth internally; prosternum without transverse carina; pronotal collar rounded laterally; propodeal enclosure transversely or slightly arcuaterly rugose, lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrows shallow developed; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron without crest; coxa III without longitudinal carina; sternum II without basal plate; sternum VI with distinct lamellate tooth apico-lateral; pygidial plate rectangular ( Fig. 28d ); flagellum ( Fig. 28c ); petiolus slightly longer than wide ( Fig. 28e ); genitalia ( Fig. 28f ). Puncturation: clypeus and frons densely punctate; vertex densely punctate; pronotal collar sparsely punctate; tegula impunctate; scutum and scutellum longitudinally rugose and punctured beween rugae; metanotum impunctate; propodeal sides densely punctate; terga densely punctate; mesopleuron densely reticulate-punctate; pygidial plate flatly punctate; sterna apico-lateral punctate. Pilosity: clypeal brush broad ( Fig. 28a ); rest of body covered with sparse erect setae. Coloration: black; following parts yelloow: clypeus, frons, interantennal carina, mandible basal half, pronotal collar posteriorly, scutellum lateral, metanotum, propodeum sides partly, mesopleuron, petiolus apicolateral, terga II-V apical; following parts ferruginous: vertex gena, tegula, scutum, scutellum partly, metanotum, propodeal sides partly, terga I and II partly, tergum VI, pygidial plate, sterna predominantly and legs partly; wings hyaline and apical fuscous; apical margin of clypeus yellowich-brown.

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

Figures

Fig. 26: Cerceris tefnut DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♁: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) petious; (e) pygidial plate; (f) genitalia dorsal and gonostyle in lateral view.

Fig. 27: Cerceris tsavoensis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♀: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) pygidial plate.

Fig. 28: Cerceris tsavoensis DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ♁: (a) clypeus; (b) clypeus lateral view; (c) flagellum; (d) pygidial plate; (e) petiolus; (f) genitalia dorsal and gonostylus in lateral view.