Miscophus, Jurine, 1807

Schmid-Egger, Christian & Straka, Jakub, 2019, Miscophus Jurine, 1807 (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) in Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe, Zootaxa 4571 (3), pp. 334-346 : 335-337

Key to species of Miscophus of Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe

The key includes all species from Central, Eastern and Northern Europe. Hungary and Switzerland represent the southern border of the treated area; European Russia (except the extreme South) represents the eastern border. In some species additional descriptive characteristics are listed in square brackets [...] following the key characters.

Females

1. ACM continuous, without indentations (fig. 1).............................................. M. insolitus Andrade

- ACM divided into three parts (fig. 2)...................................................................... 2

2. At least lower half of gena with erect whitish pilosity (fig. 3). Forebasitarsus with three spines, apical spine as long as (or longer than) second tarsal segment (fig. 4). [Propodeal dorsum finely microsculptured, with median keel. Frons with fine apressed pilosity. Abdomen black or red basally]. Larger species, 5.5–7.5 mm ............................... M. helveticus Kohl

- Gena without erect pilosity, at most with some short appressed pilosity. Forebasitarsus with shorter spines, or with two spines, or spines absent (fig. 11, 20). Smaller species, usually less than 5 mm ............................................ 3

3. Propodeal dorsum and side grainlike microsculptured, without shiny interspaces and without or only with a few striae, often with short pilosity (figs. 6, 8). [Forebasitarsus with two spines, or without spines. Scape yellow, or brownish ventrally.].... 4

- Propodeal dorsum and side markedly striated or with honey-comb like sculpture, with shiny interspaces and without pilosity (figs. 7, 10). [Forebasitarsus with two or three spines. Scape in most species black.]................................ 6

4. AS III at most 1.5 as long as AS II (fig. 5), AS III–IV as long as wide. Face finely grainlike microsculptured. Forebasitarsus without spines. Propodeal dorsum finely and densely microsculptured, densely setose, setae directed anteriorly. Body length less than 4 mm ........................................................................ M. minutus Andrade

- AS III at least 2 as long as AS II, AS III–IV 2 xas long as wide. Face in most species with punctures, or coarsely microsculptured. Forebasitarsus with two spines. Propodeal dorsum different. Most specimens larger than 4 mm ................... 5

5. Gaster base red. Propodeal dorsum as long as its apical width, with some longitudinal striae subparallel to median keel (fig. 8)................................................................................... M. postumus Bischoff

- Gaster black. Propodeal dorsum shorter than its apical width, without striae, but with longitudinal punctures (fig. 9)..................................................................................... M. cappadocicus de Beaumont

6. At least tergum I red................................................................................... 7

- Terga black.......................................................................................... 8

7. Episcrobal area of mesopleuron with dense and well-defined punctation, punctures less than a diameter apart (fig. 12).............................................................................................. M. bicolor Jurine

- Episcrobal area of mesopleuron sparsely punctured with minute punctures or shiny and impunctated (fig. 13)................................................................................................. M. concolor Dahlbom

8. Forebasitarsal spines shorter than half of tarsal diameter (fig. 11). Foretibia red, at least ventrally. [Mandible all red. Propodeal dorsum finely microsculptured, its lateral parts with fine and dense diagonal striation.].............. M. albufeirae Andrade

- Forebasitarsal spines longer than tarsal diameter, or about the same length ( M. johni ) (fig. 20). Foretibia all black......... 9

9. Frons markedly convex (similar to M. albufeirae ) (fig. 29). Mesopleuron shiny, only sparsely punctured in lower half. Episcrobal area of mesopleuron impunctate, barely separated from lower half of mesopleuron (fig 14). Propodeal dorsum shiny, with marked diagonal striae laterally (fig. 10). Apical spine of forebasistarsus at most as long as half length of tarsal segment II (fig. 20). [Mandible light red. Tergum II coarsely punctured, its apical depression very sparsely and finely punctured]........................................................................................... M. johni Mokrousov

- Frons slightly convex. Lower part of mesopleuron punctured or microsculptured. Episcrobal area of mesopleuron in most specimens at least anteriorly with some punctures and separated from lower part of mesopleuron by distinct swelling. Propodeal dorsum different, in most specimens less shiny and with more irregular striation. Apical spine of forebasitarsus about as long as 0.5–1.0 of tarsal segment II...................................................................... 11

11. Mandible light reddish. Scutum with fine and dense punctation, punctures slightly impressed, forming a fine comb-like network (fig. 16). Frons with cupreous shimmer.................................................. M. ater Lepeletier

- Mandible black at least on basal half, except in some M. niger from southeastern Europe. Scutum with separated punctures, interspaces visible (fig. 15), except in M. eatoni . Frons without cupreous shimmer................................. 12

12. Terga markedly shiny, with scattered punctation, punctures larger than in following species, about 1.0–1.5 diameters apart; punctation sparser toward apical margin; apical depressions with only a few punctures and with small apical impunctate area (fig. 17). Scutum sparsely punctured, punctures large but ill defined, interspaces finely microsculptured. Apical forebasitarsal spine in most specimens about as long as of tarsomere II. Silvery apical tergal bands ill defined........ M. spurius Dahlbom

- Tergal punctures smaller and denser, 0.5–1.0 diameters apart, or punctures barely visible; apical depressions of terga I–V with same dense punctation as remaining terga. Scutum densely punctured, punctures deep and well defined, interspaces nearly unsculptured. Forebasitarsal spines about half as long as tarsomere II. Silvery apical tergal bands distinct.............. 13

13. Face punctato-reticulate, somewhat wrinkled between punctures (fig. 22). Propodeal dorsum in basal third with diagonal striae, in apical two thirds with transverse striae (fig. 18). Mandible black, only medially with some red....................................................................................................... M. eatoni Saunders

- Face finely and coarsely punctured. Propodeal dorsum with diagonal-longitudinal striae in entire length, sometimes irregular (fig. 15). Mandible in specimens from Central Europe basally black, in those from southeastern Europe often basally reddish....................................................................................... M. niger Dahlbom

Males

1. At least lower half of gena with erect whitish pilosity (fig. 3). Sternum VIII apically bidentate (fig. 23). Propodeal dorsum finely microsculptured with median keel. Frons with fine appressed pilosity in lower half. Abdomen black or red basally. Larger species, 5–7 mm ................................................................... M. helveticus Kohl

- Gena without erect pilosity, at most with some short appressed pilosity. Sternum VIII with four teeth apically, or with medial bifurcated point, or with a row of small teeth (fig. 24–28). Smaller species, usually less than 5 mm ..................... 2

2. Propodeal dorsum and side grain-like microsculptured, without shiny interspaces and without or only with a few striae, often with short pilosity (figs. 6, 8). Scape ventrally yellow or brownish............................................... 3 - Propodeal dorsum and side markedly striated or with a honey-comblike sculpture, with shiny interspaces and without pilosity (except in M. insolitus ) (figs. 7, 10). Scape in most species black................................................ 5

3. AS III at most 1.5 as long as AS II (fig. 5), AS III–IV as long as wide. Face finely grain-like microsculptured. Forebasitarsus without spines. Body length less than 4 mm ................................................. M. minutus Andrade

- AS III at least 2 as long as AS II, AS III–IV 2 as long as wide. Face in most species with punctures, or coarsely microsculptured. Forebasitarsus with two spines. Most species larger than 4 mm ............................................. 4

4. Gaster base red. Propodeal dorsum as long as wide apically, with some longitudinal striae subparallel to median keel (fig. 8).................................................................................... M. postumus Bischoff

- Gaster black. Propodeal dorsum shorter than wide apically, without striae, but with longitudinal punctures (fig. 9)...................................................................................... M. cappadocicus de Beaumont

5. Sternum VII with tuft of long setae apically or laterally, as long as pedicel or slightly shorter (fig. 30)................... 6

- Sternum VII at most with a few short setae, not longer than those on previous sterna................................ 7

6. Sternum VII only laterally with tuft of a few long setae (fig. 30). Lateral parts of propodeal dorsum with marked striae, interspaces large and shiny (fig. 19). Sternum VIII with four teeth (fig 24). Foretibia all black. [Tergum I red, or at least with red shimmer, sometimes all black. Mesopleuron shiny, episcrobal area of mesopleuron impunctate, at most with a few minute impressions. Propodeal dorsum shorter than wide apically.]................................... M. concolor Dahlbom

- Apical part of sternum VII with tuft of dense setae. Lateral parts of propodeal dorsum with fine and dense, diagonal striation (fig. 21). Sternum VIII with a row of fine teeth (fig 25). Foretibia reddish, at least ventrally. [Terga all black. Medial part of ACM widely rounded, foremargin nearly straight. Head in lateral view convex, frons protruding eyes about width of antennae medially. Gonostyle (dorsal view) with long lateral setae.].................................... M. albufeirae Andrade

7. Propodeal dorsum with scattered pilosity and fine lateral diagonal striation, finer than medial longitudinal carina; striation dense, with very narrow interspaces in-between. Sternum VIII with bidentate point apically (fig. 26). [Mandible all orange-red. All terga with apical bands of silver pilosity, covering whole apical margin.]....................... M. insolitus Andrade

- Propodeal dorsum asetose and with coarser striation, striae similar to medial longitudinal carina, interspaces shiny. Sternum VIII with four apical tooth, more or less similar in size (figs. 24, 27, 28)........................................... 8

8. Episcrobal area of mesopleuron with dense and disinct punctation, punctures less than a diameter apart (fig. 12). At least tergum I red............................................................................... M. bicolor Jurine

- Episcrobal area with sparse, minute punctures, or shiny and impunctate (fig. 13, 14). Terga black...................... 9

9. Mesopleuron nearly impunctate, shiny; episcrobal area of mesopleuron not separated from lower half of mesopleuron (fig. 14). Apical depressions of terga II–IV sparsely and finely punctured (similar as in M. spurius ). Length 3.0– 3.5 mm. [Mandible light red, except lower basal margin. Scutum and propodeum markedly shiny, propodeal dorsum on each side with 3–6 diagonal striae, interspaces shiny.]............................................................... M. johni Mokrousov

- Lower half of mesopleuron with punctation or striation different from that of episcrobal area. Episcrobal area finely punctured in most specimens, distinctly separated from lower half of mesopleuron by swelling. Apical depressions of terga II–IV densely, finely punctured except M. spurius . Most specimens larger than 4 mm .......................................... 10

10. Mandible all light reddish. Scutum with fine and dense punctation, punctures ill defined, interspaces less than one diameter apart in most specimens (in small specimens interspaces can be slightly larger) (fig. 16). Frons with cupreous shimmer............................................................................................ M. ater Lepeletier

- Mandible black basally, reddish apically. Scutum variably punctured, punctures half to more than one diameter apart, most interspaces well developed. Frons without cupreous shimmer.................................................. 11

11. Apical tergal margins without punctures, impunctate area on tergum II and III as large as half of midocellus diameter (fig. 17). Terga shiny, with scattered punctation, punctures larger than in following species, about 1–1.5 diameters apart. Scutum sparsely punctured, punctures large, but ill defined, finely microsculptured between punctures......... M. spurius Dahlbom

- Punctation of terga reaches apical margin. Terga less shiny, with denser punctation. Scutum densely punctured, punctures deep and well defined, interspaces nearly unsculptured........................................................... 12

12. Face punctato-reticulated, somewhat wrinkled between punctures, punctures give impression of a fine raised comb-like network (interspaces medially visible in some specimens, however punctation is coarser than in M. niger ) (fig. 22). Propodeal dorsum in basal half with diagonal striae, in apical half with transverse striae (fig. 18)................. M. eatoni Saunders

- Face coarsely microsculptured, with indistinct punctures. Propodeal dorsum with diagonal striation, or striation irregular on the whole (fig. 15)....................................................................... M. niger Dahlbom