Tachysphex erythropus ( Spinola, 1839 )

Gadallah, Neveen S., Abu El-Ghiet, Usama M. & Edmardash, Yusuf A., 2021, New data on the crabronid fauna of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea (Spheciformes): Crabronidae) from Jazan Province, with the description of three new species and the hitherto unknown male of Miscophus chrysis Kohl, 1894, Journal of Natural History 55 (27 - 28), pp. 1697-1748 : 1722-1725

Tachysphex erythropus ( Spinola, 1839)

( Figure 13 a-d) Lyropes erythropus Spinola, 1839: 479 , ‘ ♀ ’ = ♂.

Diagnosis

Body entirely black, tibiae partly red; radial cell of fore wing less truncated apically ( Figure 13 (a)); vein cu-a of hind wing oblique in a way that makes the cubital vein nearer to wing base than anal vein ( Figure 13 (b)); gastral S1 with a sharp longitudinal carina more distinct posteriorly ( Figure 13 (c)); pygideal plate weakly or not bordered laterally, delineated with some fine setae, shiny, sparsely punctate ( Figure 13 (d)).

Records from Saudi Arabia

Jeddah, Riyadh, wadi Nisah (Shaib Luha near Al Ha’ir) ( Pulawski 2007), Jazan (present study)

General distribution

Widely distributed in Africa, southern Europe to Central Asia, India, China, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.

Comments

Characters of this species agree with those of Tachysphex mantivora de Beaumont (1940) and as T. mantivorus of de Beaumont (1947) (see second part of couplet 21 of females key in de Beaumont 1940, and couplet 22 of females in, de Beaumont 1947). It also agrees well with the recognition characters mentioned in Pulawski (2007, p. 266).

Material examined

1 ♀, Jazan (Damad), 17º08 ʹ 05.1 ʺ N 42º45 ʺ 58.8 ʺ E, 23.xii.2020, on Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) [Malaise trap], leg. Usama Abu El-Ghiet.

Figures

Figure 13. Tachysphex erythropus (Spinola) (female): (a) Fore wing; (b) Hind wing (oblique cu-a indicated); (c) Latero-ventral view of S1 (longitudinal carina indicated); (d) Epipygium.