Lestica, Billberg, 1820

Yue, Dan, Li, Qiang & Ma, Li, 2022, Descriptions of two new species of Lestica Billberg (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Crabronidae) from China, with a key to the Chinese Lestica species, Zootaxa 5099 (3), pp. 391-400 : 397-398

Key to the species of Lestica of China

Females (Pygidial plate present. Unknown for L. alacris (Bingham, 1896) , L. breviantennata Yue & Li , sp. nov. and L. quadriceps ( Bingham, 1897))

1 Gastral terga constricted; pygidial plate markedly narrowed and gutterlike........................................ 2

- Gastral terga not constricted; pygidial plate either markedly narrowed and gutterlike or rather flat and subtriangular....... 5

2 Middle lobe of clypeus deeply notched at apex, with one tooth at base; hind tibia with 3-4 conspicuous teeth at its apical half, each tooth consisting of two teeth fused together, with apex bifurcate..................... Lestica fulvipes Tsuneki, 1977

- Middle lobe of clypeus slightly emarginated or deeply notched at apex, without tooth at base; hind tibia at its lower half with or without teeth...................................................................................... 3

3 OOD: OCD = 1:3; fore femur produced into short basal tooth as seen from behind....... Lestica formosana Tsuneki, 1977

- OOD: OCD = 1:2; fore femur without basal tooth........................................................... 4

4 Flagellomeres I-III subequal, IV-VI slightly shorter; clypeus with silvery pubescence; metanotum yellow; mid femur apically ferruginous......................................................... .. Lestica collaris maculata Tsuneki, 1977

- Flagellomeres I-VI equal; clypeus with golden pubescence; metanotum black; mid femur apically yellow........................................................................................ Lestica constricta Krombein, 1949

5 Pygidial plate conspicuously narrowed and gutterlike ......................................................... 6

- Pygidial plate rather flat and subtriangular................................................................. 8

6 Pronotal collar without lateral spine or only with very small tooth; ratio of scape length: IODm = 2:1.......................................................................................... .. Lestica camelus (Eversmann, 1849)

- Pronotal collar strongly acute laterally; ratio of scape length: IODm = 3:2........................................ 7

7 Mesosternum with dense, coarse punctures, interspaces between punctures hardly visible; outer surface of hind tibia with spines, spines borne on relatively small processes, processes separated and not linked; gastral terga I-III with large lateral spots, terga IV-V with stripes....................................................... Lestica clypeata (Schreber, 1759)

- Mesosternum with very sparse, deep punctures submedially, interspaces far more than puncture diameter, both sides with deep, huge punctures, punctures contiguous or not; outer surface of hind tibia with sturdy spines, spines borne on conspicuous tubercular processes, processes connected; gastral terga I-V with small lateral spots... Lestica robustispinosa Yue & Ma , sp. nov.

8 Flagellomere I 3.3-3.5 × as long as wide; gaster completely rusty red; middle lobe of clypeus at apex with slightly sharp tooth on each side................................................................ Lestica aurantiaca ( Kohl, 1915)

- Flagellomere I no more than 3 × as long as wide; gaster completely black, or rusty red or light brown-yellow at base; middle lobe of clypeus at apex without tooth on each side......................................................... ... 9

9 Scape yellow; mesopleuron with dense, coarse punctures, interspaces between punctures hardly visible; fore basitarsus 1.1 × combined length of remaining articles.............................................. Lestica alata (Panzer, 1797)

- Scape with black or reddish brown spot on inner side; mesopleuron with sparse, coarse punctures, interspaces more than puncture diameter; fore basitarsus 1.4-1.5 × combined length of remaining articles.................................... 10

10 Middle lobe of clypeus with sharp, deep notch flanked by large tooth on each side; gastral terga black, with white spots on sides........................................................... .. Lestica subterranea subterranea (Fabricius, 1775)

- Middle lobe of clypeus with small, flat notch, with very small denticle on each side; gastral terga I-II entirely light brown-yellow, remainder black, with white spots or stripes..................... Lestica subterranea ochotica (A. Morawitz, 1866)

Males (Pygidial plate absent. Unknown for L. collaris maculata Tsuneki, 1977 and L. robustispinosa Yue & Ma , sp. nov.)

1 Head (dorsal view) narrowed behind eyes.................................................................. 2

- Head (dorsal view) normal shape, not narrowed behind eyes................................................... 5

2 Gastral terga constricted; flagellomere I wider than long; fore trochanter with round sturdy lamellate extension; mid basitarsus concave at midlength of outer side, widened towards apex..................................................... 3

- Gastral terga not constricted; flagellomere I 1.5-3.5 × as long as wide; fore trochanter without or with inconspicuous lamellate extension; mid basitarsus different ........................................................................ 4

3 Gastral tergum VII with shallow, longitudinal depression in middle; flagellomeres I-VI equal in length; lateral surface of propodeum with a few close punctures posteriorly................................... Lestica constricta Krombein, 1949

- Gastral tergum VII without longitudinal depression in middle; flagellomere I shortest of flagellomeres I-VI; lateral surface of propodeum without punctures posteriorly.................................. Lestica breviantennata Yue & Li , sp. nov.

4 Fore basitarsus wider than long; hind trochanter with conspicuous tooth; ratio of scape length: IODm = 15:10; flagellomere X not widened apically........................................................ Lestica clypeata (Schreber, 1759)

- Width of fore basitarsus clearly less than length; hind trochanter without tooth; ratio of scape length: IODm = 25:10; flagellomere X widened apically .................................................. Lestica camelus (Eversmann, 1849)

5 Fore basitarsus widened, lamelliform; mesopleuron with dense, coarse punctures, interspaces between punctures hardly visible......................................................................... .. Lestica alata (Panzer, 1797)

- Fore basitarsus not widened, with edges parallel; mesopleuron with sparse, coarse punctures, interspaces clearly visible.... .. ................................................................................................... 6

6 Occipital carina in lateral view in form of only slightly protruding plate; gastral terga I-II black, with yellow lateral spots .............................................................. .. Lestica subterranea subterranea (Fabricius, 1775)

- Occipital carina in lateral view in form of rather high plate; gastral tergum I entirely yellow, tergum II light brown with white lateral spots ................................................... Lestica subterranea ochotica (A. Morawitz, 1866)