Gastrosericus albidaaensis Schmid-Egger, 2022

Schmid-Egger, Christian & Harten, Antonius Van, 2022, Additions to the digger wasps (Hymenoptera, Spheciformes) of the United Arab Emirates with description of ten new species, Zootaxa 5219 (6), pp. 543-575 : 549

Gastrosericus albidaaensis Schmid-Egger , sp. nov.

( Figs 9–14 )

Holotype. ♀, United Arab Emirates, 15.x.2015, Abu Dhabi, Al Wathba Wetland Reserve , 24.248°N 54.742°E, leg. A.S & AvH, in Malaise trap ( CSE) . Paratypes: 30 km SEE of Ruwais, Houbara Protected Area 1 ♀, 30.vi.2018. Al Wathba Wetland Reserve; 1 ♀, 15.ix.2013. 1 ♀, 15.v.2015. 1 ♀, 15.vi.2015. 2 ♀, 15.vii.2015. 2 ♀, 15.viii.2015. 2 ♀, 15.x.2015. Al Bida’a Protected Area , 1 ♀, 16.viii.2018. Umm al Qaywayn, 1 ♁, 12.v.2009. Wadi Wurayah , 1 ♁, 16.vii.2009; 1 ♀ 30.06.2019, 1 ♀ 15.07.2019, Barqa al-Saqoor. 2 ♁ 10.09.2019 all leg. A.S & AvH, in malaise trap ( CSE) .

Discussion. See discussion at G. pulawskii about male/female relation.

Diagnosis. Gastrosericus albidaaensis is a member of the G. moricei species group (characterized by appressed setae on gena, by bristle-like appressed setae on pygidial plate and by a patch of long setae on some sterna in males). The female can be recognized by a special character combination: clypeus with medial emargination, its apical clypeal margin only slightly prominent medially (distinctly prominent in G. thoth Pulawski from Egypt), and hindtarsomere V as long as hindtarsomere II. Hindtarsomere V is shorter in the similar G. sanctus Pulawski , and the clypeus is partly yellow in the latter and black in G. albidaaensis . The species also differ from related species by its larger body size (see description). The male is characterized by a pointed tooth on apical clypeal margin, and by large patches of long white appressed pubescence on sterna III and IV. Sternum VII is rounded apically.

Description of female, holotype. Body length 9.2 mm. Colour: black, the following parts bright red: mandible except black apex, clypeus (may be yellow in paratypes), scape below apically, pronotum, pronotal lobe (the latter more yellow than red, also hidden below pubescence), abdomen, legs including coxae, tegula and wing venation. Lower parts of propodeum with some red. Face and mesosoma covered with dense, silver appressed pubescence, long on clypeus. Propodeal dorsum partly asetose. Terga I–V red, apically with white apical band, and with a yellowish transition zone before apical band. Apical band covered with fine pubescence. Legs covered with fine silver pubescence, pubescence on upperside not as dense as on underside. Morphology: Clypeus lobe markedly prominent mesally and markedly concave near corner. Propodeal dorsum finely grainlike sculptured. Pygidial plate triangular, with well-definded lateral carina, and short, thick appressed setae on surface. Foreleg with long spinulation. Fore basitarsus with 7 long pale spines, apical spine reaches end of fore tarsomere III. Hindtarsomere V as long as hindtarsomere II. Variation in female paratypes: Body length 8.5–9.5 mm. Otherwise agree with holotype, apart from small differences in colour pattern (changes between red-orange to darker orange, mainly on abdomen).

Description of male paratype. Body length 8.2 mm. Agrees in main aspects of colour and pubescence with female, abdomen and legs all red. Apical clypeal margin with large, acute tooth. Sterna I–IV with long white appressed setae, directed backwards, on sterna III–IV dense and patchlike, covering most parts of sternum. Distance between basal margin of sternum and patch as long as 2/3 length of scape. Scape yellow below. Tergum VII truncate apically with emarginate apex. Sternum VIII evenly rounded and brown. Fore basitarsus with 5 pale spines, apical spine as long as fore tarsomere II.

Distribution. Coastal plain of the United Arab Emirates.

Etymology. The species is named after Al Bida’a Protected Area near Abu Dhabi, with a high diversity of wasp species. Some paratypes of the new species were collected there.

Figures

FIGURES 9–16. 9–14. Gastrosericus albidaaensis; 9. ♀ holotype, lateral view, 10. ♀ holotype, clypeus. 11. ♁ lateral view. 12. ♁ clypeus. 13. ♁ apex of abdomen. 14. ♁ sterna. 15–16. Gastrosericus alwathbaensis ♁ holotype; 15. lateral view., 16. face.