Holotachysphex iraniensis Schmid-Egger & Fallahzadeh

Schmid-Egger, Christian, Fallahzadeh, Majid, Khosroabadi, Mahdi & Ljubomirov, Toshko, 2016, A new species of Holotachysphex de Beaumont, 1940 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Crabronidae) from Iran with identification key to species, Zootaxa 4169 (1), pp. 187-193 : 189

Holotachysphex iraniensis Schmid-Egger & Fallahzadeh sp. nov.

(figs 1–4)

Holotype: IRAN, 1 female 19.vii.2012 Fars Province, Darab , 1126 m, 28°42’N 54°34’E leg. A. Haghigi (CSE). — Paratypes: IRAN 1 female, 4.vi.2010 Kerman Province, Raziabad 1160 m 28°52’N 57°42’E, leg. M. Halada (OLL) . 1 female 25.iv.2013 Fars Province, Jahrom 28°30'04"N 53°35'16"E 1053m NN, B. Majnon Jahromi leg. — 5 females 1.vii.2013, 9.vii.2013, 16.vi.2013, 16.vi.2013, 18.vi.2013, 1 male 9.VII.2013 Hormozgan Province, Sar Kahnan 27º24'N 57º07'E,T.Tavakoli leg., (CSE, Jahrom Branch, Islamic Azad University).

Diagnosis. H. iraniensis is characterized by the triangular and narrow clypeal process apically pointed in 60° angle, in combination with depressions on terga I–III ivory-white. Otherwise it closely resembles H. holognathus by erect setae on the frons and tergum I, by the form of the apical portion of the clypeal lobe and by a simple mandible, without notch or emargination. It differs from the remaining species also by a sparser punctation with large impunctate interspaces on the scutellum and the hypoepimeral area. The clypeal lobe is narrower than in the remaining species. Annother difference is the hindtibial pubescens, short and sparse in H. iraniensis , and much longer and denser in H. holognatus (fig. 4 versus fig. 7)

Description of female, holotype: Body length 8.5 mm. Colour: Black, with dark red to yellowish red on are: apical half of mandible except black apex, spot on scape apically below, apex of femora, outer surface of tibiae (mainly basally), tarsi. Tegula and wing base yellowish-transparent; wing venation yellowish except dark costa and brown in apical part of wing. Wing transparent. Apical depressions of terga I–III ivory-white, as long as 0.25–0.33 × tergal length, medially longer than laterally. Terga IV and V with transparent, somewhat pale apical portion. Pilosity silvery white: lower face with long and dense pilosity, setae as long as flagellar diameter, directed downwards. Vertex with erect setae, less dense but as long as or somewhat shorter than setae on lower face. Area around and below ocelli with sparser erect setae only. Mesosoma with more or less dense pilosity, similar to that of lower face. Legs with a few erect setae, mostly on femora below. Inner surface of tibae with fine and very short, velvet-like pubescence. Tergum I basolaterally with erect long pilosity, base of terga II–III and sternum II with denser pilosity, remaining abdominal segments with scattered and short setae. Morphology: Lower margin of mandible medially with obtuse angle. Clypeal process narrow, apex at about 60°. Frons with large and dense punctation, and some larger interspaces (punctures 1–2 diameters apart). Swelling between hindocellus and midocellus impunctate, space inbetween with small and dense punctation. All interspaces shiny. Vertex with dense punctation. Mesoscutum, scutellum and mesopleuron with same large punctation as frons, interspaces irregular (most punctures contiguous, some interspaces on mesoscutum and most interspaces on scutellum larger). Lower half of hypoepimeral area impunctate, with fine microsculpture. Propodeal dorsum reticulate, propodeum laterally with coarse horizontal ridges. Metasomal terga I–V with the same punctation as frons, punctures 0.2–2.0 × diameter apart. Apical tergal portions impunctate (half length of yellow band). Tergum VI smooth and shiny, impunctate. Foretarsal segments with short apical spines, shorter than tarsus width. Legs shiny and impunctate, only outer surface of mid- and hindtibiae with short and sparse spinulation. Paratypes agree with the holotype.

Male. Body length 7.5 mm. Similar to female and differs by the following characters (other than sexual features): sterna II–VI entirely concave and with yellowish, short and velvet-like pubescence. Sternum VIII apically truncate, with lateral tooth, surface with triangular impression.

Distribution. Southern Iran: Fars, Hormozgan and Kerman Provinces.

Etymology. The name is derived from the country of origin, Iran.