Miscophus helveticus KOHL, 1883

Schmid, Christian, Al, Ali & J, A -, 2022, The genus Miscophus JURINE, 1807 in Arabian Peninsula and southern Israel with description of seven new species (Hymenoptera, Spheciformes), Linzer biologische Beiträge 54 (1), pp. 319-340 : 334

Miscophus helveticus KOHL, 1883 , s.l.

Miscophus helveticus KOHL, 1883: 673 , ♀, Holotype or syntypes: ♀. Switzerland: Peney (MHNG). GADALLAH (2020), checklist for Arabian Peninsula. Schmid-Egger (2011, 2014), UAE.

Miscophus ceballosi DE ANDRADE, 1954: 67 , ♀ ♁. Holotype: ♀, Morocco: Tinerhir (MZL), belongs to the M. helveticus -lineage with uncertain species state. GADALLAH (2020), checklist for Arabian Peninsula.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d (only listed for Arabian Peninsula ): OMAN, northern province: 1♀ 03.iv.2013 Al Bathina prov., Al Lajal, 23,50 N 57,93 E (leg. Cerny, OLL) ; 1♀ 24.vi.2017 Al Mudhaibi, Samad Ashan, Aswareg 22,82 N 58,15 E ( AJ) .

R e m a r k Miscophus helveticus s.l. consists of several species and is therefore a species complex, widespread in the Palaearctic region. DE ANDRADE (1854) uses several names for it, which are partly valid and partly synonyms. The species complex requires revision. The species are difficult to recognize by morphology and the whole lineage expresses a high colour variability. The true identity of the Arabian specimens is not finally solved, and we summerized they here provisionally under " M. helveticus s.l. GUICHARD (1980) and others (see GADALLAH 2020) mention M. ceballosi from Oman and UAE. These records refers to the here mentioned M. helveticus s.l. However, the taxon name M. ceballosi is very unlikely for the Arabian specimens, because it was described from Morocco. Miscophus helveticus s.l. was also mentioned from the UAE by former authors (see GADALLAH (2020). The females are characterized by an all greyish abdomen, without red colour.

D i s t r i b u t i o n Miscophus helveticus s.l. is widespread in the mediterranean area to Central Asia. AP: Oman, UAE.