Homonotus sanguinolentus (Fabricius, 1793)

Schmid-Egger, Christian, 2018, A review of the genus Homonotus D, 1843 in the West Palaearctic region with description of a new species (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 50 (1), pp. 809-824 : 816-817

Homonotus sanguinolentus (FABRICIUS, 1793), figs 13-15

Sphex sanguinolenta FABRICIUS, 1793. Ent. syst. II: 211 n. 54.

Wesmaelinius caucasicus RADOSZKOWSKI, 1888, 472, female, Caucasus. Examined, designated as Holotype. New synonym.

Wesmaelinius costae TOURNIER, 1889: XXIV, male, female. Syracuse. Not examined, description refer to a female of Homonotus sanguinolentus . Synonymy of WAHIS (1986) confirmed.

Pompilus affinis STEIN, 1859: 63. Male, female, male designated as lectotype by Ohlke (unpubl.), Mehadia, southern Hungary (Berlin). Examined. New synonym.

Pompilus laesus MOCSÁRY, 1878. Description and treatment of HAUPT (1962) refer to Homonotus sanguinolentus . Not examined. Synonymy confirmed.

Homonotus turanicus GUSSAKOVSKIJ, 1952, 211, male, Stalinabad (now Duschanbe in Tadjikistan). Not examined. New synonym.

Homonotus balcanicus luctuosus NOVEL & RIBAUT, 1958. Synonymised with H. sanguinolentus by WAHIS (2006).

R e c o r d s: males are only listed, when associated with females: Austria: 7 females Oberweiden ; Neusiedlersee / Winden, Neusiedl, Seefeld /Niederösterreich 1 female 8.vii.2014 Niederöstereich, Seefeld ( OLL). Bulgaria: 1 female 14.viii.1993 Vlahi ( OLL). Germany: 1 female 10.vii.2011 Sachsen-Anhalt, Hecklingen ; 1 male 1.viii.2002 Brandenburg, Zossen TÜP Wünsdorf (Saure). 2 females 2.viii.2015 Thüringen, Günstedt (N Sömmerda) ( CSE). Iran: 1 female 11.vi.1977 W Eisar SSE Novshar ; female 25.vii.1977 Elburs, 75 km S Chalus, 2400 m NN ( OLL). Italy: 1 female 16.vii.1995 Pisa ( CSE). Kazsachstan : 1 male, 1 female 31.v.2001 Charyn Valley W Chunza ( CSE). Netherlands: some specimens from different locations ( Leiden ). Romania: 1 female 1.viii.1998 Transsilvania , Fizer ( OLL). Russia: 1 female 22.vi.1949 Tuva Sosnova ( CSE). Slovakia: 3 females Sturovo ; 1 female Moldava ( OLL). Spain: 1 male 1 female 19.vii.1963 Pyrenees (location unreadable) ( OLL). Tschech Republic : 2 females Moravia, Cejo ( OLL). Tunisia: 1 female 14.v.2001 Monastir ( CSE). Ukraine: 1 female July 2000 Crimea, Anatra ( OLL) .

D i s c u s s i o n: For treatment of the red and black form of H. sanguinolentus s.lat.

see discussion at H. niger . Three synonyms are discussed here:

. Wesmaelinius caucasicus RADOSZKOWSKI, 1888: A female from Berlin Museum has an old handwritten label " caucasicus " and a printed red typ label. I designated it as holotype of Wesmaelinius caucasicus, now in Homonotus . It is a small female of H. sanguinolentus with all red mesosoma. H. caucasicus is a junior synonym of H. sanguinolentu s. New synonym.

. Pompilus affinis STEIN, 1859 also refers clearly to H. sanguinolentus and is therefore a new synonym. The examined type series includes very small specimens (males and females between 6-6,5 mm, one female with 8 mm).

. Homonotus turanicus GUSSAKOVSKIJ, 1952: The description (in Russian language) refers clearly to a male of H. sanguinolentus . GUSSAKOVSKIJ (1952) mentiones the special tergal pubescence and the less impressed metanotum. For that reason, the taxon is a junior synonym of H. sanguinolentus . New synonym.

D i a g n o s i s: The female of H. sanguinolentus s. str. is characterized by a partly or all red mesosoma. The form and extension of tergal pubescent bands is also distinctive: tergite I has apically a weak, tergite II has each basally and apically a large continuous band, tergite III has a narrow apical band. Tergal band III is medially narrowed. However, pubescence is not always visible, especially when specimen is worn. Apical clypeal margin is straight with a median impression. The similar H. transcaspicus can be recognized by a black mesosoma apart from red pronotum (mesoscutum and scutellum is red in one specimen from Israel). See also diagnosis at H. transcaspicus .

The male of H. sanguinolentus is all black and therefore similar to H. niger . See diagnosis at H. niger for recognition.

F e m a l e: Body length 7-9 mm. Colour: Black, red are the outer margin of clypeus, whole mesosoma except of black mesoscutum, scutellum and metanotum in most specimens from Europe. Some specimens (e.g. type specimens of H. affinis from Hungary) have mesosoma all red, without black parts. Morphology: Similar to that of H. niger , with the exception of tergal pubescence.

M a l e: Body length 7-9 mm. All black, mandible partly reddish, tibial spurs white, wings infuscate. Agree in general with the male of H. niger , with the following exception: white pubescence forming a band on: apex of tergite I (lack in some specimens), base and apex of tergite II. Basal band as large as 0,3x length of tergite, apical band narrower, as large as width of hindmetatarsus. Pubescence may be worn off. Tergal puncture dense, most interspaces 0,2-0,5x puncture diameter.

V a r i a t i o n: Females from Tunisia and Italy (Pisa) have only pronotum and propodeum red, remaining mesosoma is black.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: The overall distribution of H. sanguinolentus is still unknown, because the species was confused with H. niger , and most publications do not refer to the colour of females. The present records show a Central Asian, eastern and southern European distribution. In the west, the species reaches East Germany and Italy. However, there are also some records from the Netherlands which may represent an isolated outpost. The easternmost findings originate from Kazachstan and from Russia. A single record comes from Northwest Africa.