Miscophus alhashmii, Schmid & Al & J, 2022

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 : 328

Miscophus alhashmii SCHMID- EGGER & AL- JAHDHAMI, nov.sp. (figs 4-8)

Holotype: OMAN, Dhofar province; 1♀ 12.x.2021 80 km SSW Salalah 16,857 N 53,420 E (leg. M. Halada, coll. CSE) . Paratypes: OMAN, Dhofar province: 1♀ 01.x.2019 18 km W Raysut, Ayn Ishat 16,997 N 53,821 E ( AJ) ; 1♁ 1♀ 05.x.2019 13 km N Mirbat, Samhan mountain 17,111N 54,711E ( AJ) ; 1♀ 04.x.2021; 1♀ 60 km W Salalah 16,818 N 53,620 E ; 24♁♁ 12♀♀ 12.x.2021 80 km SSW Salalah 16,857 N 53,420 E (leg. M. Halada, coll. CSE) ; 1♀ 1♁ 2.x.2020 Ain Hamran, Taqah 17.098 N 54.283 E ( AJ) ; OMAN, Adakhlyiah province: 2♀♀ 15.iv.2020 Al Akdher mountain , 23.100 N 57.674 E ( AJ) .

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: JORDAN: 1♀ 27.iv.1996 Jordan, Valey, Mubalath (partly destroyed by Anthrenus, not designated as paratype).

D i a g n o s i s: The species is closely related to M. qaboosi nov.sp., described from northern Oman and Israel. Both species are characterized by an all smooth, shiny and impunctate mesosoma and abdomen, with the exception of the finely microsculptured mesopleuron with fine pubescence. M. alhashmii differs from M. qaboosi by an all black body, whereas the latter has an all red abdomen and clypeus (in males is only abdominal base red). Head and mesoscutum is impunctate in M. alhashmii , and with some fine punctation in M. qaboosi .

D e s c r i p t i o n o f f e m a l e: Body length 6.5 mm. Colour: Black with the following parts yellowish-red: mandible medially, AS 1 below, apex of clypeus, parts of tibiae, hindfemora below on apex, S1-2 partly. Frons and propodeum with indistinct metallic shimmer. Mesopleuron with fine silver pubescence, in upper half less dense compared to lower half. Wing venation black, wing transparent and white, with infumate band near apex and a milky white apical zone. Morphology: medial part of ACM barley advanced, straight. Head, mesosoma and abdomen smooth, shiny, impunctate, apart from a fine microsculpture on mesopleuron (hidden below pubescence). Propodeal declivity and propodeum laterally with a few indistinct striae. Frons with fine longitudinal impressed line, crossing foreocellus. Fore basitarsus with 3 spines, apical spine somewhat shorter than second tarsal segment. Angle between propodeal dorsum and propodeal declivity about 140 o (lateral view).

Variation in females paratypes: Body length 5.1-6.5 mm.

D e s c r i t i o n o f m a l e: Body length 4.5-5.0 mm. Agree in all aspects with the female. Forebarsitarus only with one short apical spine.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Jordan. AP: Oman.

E t y m o l o g y: The species is named in honour to the Omani ecologist Khalid Salim Al-Hashmi of Sultan Qaboos University.