Bembix cultrifera Arnold, 1929

Gess, Friedrich W. & Gess, Sarah K., 2014, Geographical distributions of Bembix (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Bembicinae) in southern Africa, with notes on biology, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 36, pp. 53-130 : 71-72

Bembix cultrifera Arnold Fig. 6e

Bembix cultrifera Arnold, 1929: 339, figs. 9, 9a-c, pl. 6, figs 4, 44, ♂, ♀ (Holotype, ♂, Southern Rhodesia [Zimbabwe], Bulawayo, in SAMC ex NMBZ) (in revision of southern African Sphecidae ); R. Bohart and Menke 1976: 546 (in checklist of world Sphecidae ); W.J. Pulawski 2013: 21 (in catalogue of world Sphecidae sensu lato).

Material examined.

ZIMBABWE: no locality, no date (M. Jeffreys) ♀; Bulawayo [20.07S, 28.32E], 24.xii.1924 (R.H.R. Stevenson), ♀, Xmas [Christmas], 1924 (R.H.R. Stevenson), ♀, 28.xii.1924 (R.H.R. Stevenson), Allotype ♀; Sanyati Valley [17.58S, 29.17E], ix-x.1925 (R.H.R. Stevenson), ♀; Sawmills [19.35S, 28.02E], 10.xii.1926 R.H.R. Stevenson), holotype, ♂; Turk Mine [19.44S, 28.48E], 18.xi.1957 (Nat. Museum S. Rhodesia), 2 ♂♂, 1.xii.1957 (Nat. Museum. S. Rhodesia) 1 ♂; Turk Mine Matabele’d, 23.xi.1959 (Nat. Museum S.R.), 1 ♀; Umtali [18.57S, 32.40E], i.1928 (R.H.R. Stevenson), 1 ♀; 29.xi.1930 (G. Arnold), 1 ♀; same date (Rhodesia Museum), 1 ♀ [all SAMC ex NMBZ]. NAMIBIA: Tsumeb [19.15S, 17.02E], i.1953 (N. Ward-Able). SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng: Buffelspoort Dam [25.47S, 27.29E], 1.xii.1968 (H. Empey), 1 ♀ [AMGS]; Limpopo, Hope (Ellisras) [now Lephalale] [23.40S, 27.45E], 23.xi.1968 (H. Empey), 1 ♂ [AMGS].

The specimen from Buffelspoort Dam agrees well with the characters indicated by Arnold (1929: 340) in his comparison with the female of Bembix speciosa Arnold (= Bembix regnata Parker) except that the mesonotal disc has well developed streaks (forming a U-shaped [yellow] mark, the lateral arms, however, not joining the basal part). Some females from Bulawayo and Umtali also show rudiments of the lateral arms of this mark. In Bembix regnata Parker this yellow mark seems to be variable in its size and development, so it is clear that it has no value as a taxonomic character to separate these two species.

Three specimens (determined by G. Arnold) are given in the database of SAMC, two from Victoria Falls [17.55S, 25.50E], and one from Bulawayo [20.07S, 28.32E], sex not given.

Geographical distribution.

Recorded from Zimbabwe, from north to south, from eastern Namibia and from Limpopo, northern South Africa ( Fig. 7e ).

Floral associations.

Unknown.

Nesting.

Unknown

Prey.

Unknown.

Figures

Figure 6. Bembix spp.: a Bembix bubalus, female, male b Bembix cameronis, female, male c Bembix capensis, female, male d Bembix capicola, female, male e Bembix cultrifera, female, male f Bembix denticauda. (approximate length of females: a 19.5 mm; b 18 mm; c 17 mm; d 18 mm; e 17 mm; f 18 mm)

Figure 7. Distributions of collection records of Bembix spp.: a Bembix bubalus b Bembix cameronis c Bembix capensis d Bembix capicola e Bembix cultrifera f Bembix denticauda.