Cerceris schalleri DOLLFUSS, 2020

Dollfuss, Hermann, 2020, The Sphecid wasps of the genus Cerceris LATREILLE, 1802 of the " Biologiezentrum Linz " - Collection in Linz, Austria, from Subsaharan Africa and Madagascar, with description of five new species (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Crabronidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 52 (1), pp. 93-118 : 111-112

Cerceris schalleri DOLLFUSS nov.sp. ( Figs 16, 17, 18, 19 )

R e c o r d s: Holotype: ♀, Mali, 30 km N Bamako, 29.VII.1991, leg. Max Schwarz (OÖLM). Paratype: ♀, Mali, 100 km NE San, 21.VIII.1991, leg. Max Schwarz.

E t y m o l o g y: In rememberance of Univ.-Prof. Dr. Friedrich Schaller, University of

Vienna, Austria.

R e c o g n i t i o n: The female of Cerceris schalleri is characterized by having the terga I – V with small apomedian fossa and the hindcoxa has no longitudinal carina. The clypeal process is highly erected, semicircularly emarginate and separated at the sides from the lateral sclerites ( Figs 16, 17 ). The tergum I is broader than long and the prosternum has no carina. The mesopleuron is tuberculate and the epimerum is produced into a horizontal carina (crest). The propodeal enclosure is smooth with a fine longitudinal median groove. The sternum II has no raised area and the terga II – IV are produced laterally. The female of Cerceris saengeri also has an emarginate clypeal process, but it is wider and the anterior margin is wide ( Fig. 13 ).The epimeron of the mesopleuron is not produced into a horizontal crest. Additionally, the body is predominantely ferruginous only with few yellow spots. (The female of C. schalleri has a semicircularly emarginated clypeal process and an acute anterior margin ( Fig. 16 ). The epimeron is produced into a horizontal crest and the body is black with many yellow spots). The female of Cerceris multipicta F. SMITH, 1873 , also has a broadly emarginate clypeal process, but it is not separated at the sides from the lateral sclerites and this species is much longer (20 – 21 mm). (The female of C. schalleri has the clypeal process not so broadly emarginate ( Fig.16 ) and it is separated at the sides from the lateral sclerites. The species is smaller (9 mm )).

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀, 9 mm. Black, following parts yellow:clypeal process (anterior margin black), lateral spots on frons, scape, lateral spots on pronotal collar, anterior half of tegula, metanotum, small apical bands on terga I – IV, fore- and midtibia, apical half of fore- and midfemora, hindleg partly. Mandible basal half yellowish-brown, flagellomeres dorsally brown, ventrally yellowish-brown. Wing hyalin, apically fuscous. Clypeus and frons dull, closely and finely punctate. Vertex, pronotal collar, scutum propodeum lateral, terga I – V densely punctate. Scutellum sparsely punctate, tegula smooth. Propodeal enclosure smooth, only with trace of median groove. Mesopleuron coarsely punctate, with small tubercle, epimerum of mesopleuron produced into horizontal crest. Sterna II – V laterally punctate. Clypeal process highly raised and semicircularly emarginate, separated at the sides from lateral sclerites. Anterior margin of clypeus median with distinct tooth ( Fig. 16 ). Pronotal collar laterally rounded. Propleuron without carina. Terga I – V with small apomedian fossa. Tergum I broader than long. Terga II – IV produced laterally (as in palearctic chromatica- group). Hindcoxa without longitudinal carina and sternum II without raised area. Flagellum ( Fig. 18 ). Pygidial area oval, basally as broad as apically ( Fig. 19 ).

♂ unknown.

G e o g r a p h i c d i s t r i b u t i o n: Mali.

Figures

Figs 16-23: Cerceris schalleri ♀ (16) clypeus, (17) clypeus lateral view, (18) flagellum, (19) pygidial area. Cerceris schwarzi ♀, (20) clypeus. (21) clypeus lateral view, (22) flagellum, (23) pygidial area.

Figs 7-15: Cerceris pseudowaltoni ♀ (7) clypeus, (8) flagellum, (9) pygidial area. Cerceris pseudowaltoni Ƌ (10) clypeus, (11) flagellum, (12) pygidial area. Cerceris saengeri ♀ (13) clypeus, (14) flagellum, (15) pygidial area.