Sceliphron asiaticum (Linnaeus, 1758)

Buys, Sandor Christiano, 2013, Morphology of the last instar larvae of Sceliphron asiaticum (Linnaeus, 1758) and S. fistularium (Dahlbom, 1843), with a review on larval characters in Sceliphrinae (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), Journal of Natural History 48 (7 - 8), pp. 375-386 : 376-378

Sceliphron asiaticum (Linnaeus, 1758)

Last instar larva Figures (1–2)

Head capsule. Height 1.8 mm; width 1.9 mm. Parietal bands pigmented; about 500 µm long. Antennal orbits light brown; oval; 93 µm long and 118 µm wide. Coronal concavity distinct; frontal and antennal concavities developed, not pigmented; clypeal concavities shallower, brown. Coronal area strongly rugose; with punctures (about 8 µm in diameter); setae absent. Frontal area with about 35 punctures (5–8 µm in diameter); setae absent. Genal areas with 52 / 30 punctures (about 5–8 µm in diameter) and 3 / 4 setae (15–27 µm long, about 2 µm wide). Epistomal suture ill defined. Clypeal area with 21 punctures (7–9 µm in diameter) and two setae (18–23 µm long; about 2 µm wide). Anterior tentorial arms, pleurostoma and hypostoma light brown.

Mouthparts. Labrum strongly bilobed; 265 µm in height and 550 µm wide; with about 45 punctures (8 µm in maximum diameter) and about 15 setae (up to 25 µm long, about 2.5 µm wide); 15 sensilla with about 5 µm in diameter; margin with eight sensorial cones (13 µm long, 18 µm wide). Epipharynx covered with spines (up to 12 µm long, but mostly shorter than 5 µm); spines on lateral portions oriented toward margin; spines on the margin oriented toward midline; spines on median portion

(between microscope slides); (5) portion head, lateral view, mandible highlighted; (6) portion head, frontal view, mandible highlighted.

denser, oriented toward base; sensory areas with two basiconic sensilla on brown cones and about 18 basiconic sensilla; superior margin pigmented. Mandible dark brown, 640 µm long; second mandibular teeth larger and apical; basal portion with four punctures (about 7 µm in diameter). Maxilla with setae (up to 25 µm long, about 2 µm wide); flattened papillae with dentate margins present in the internal base; maxillary palpus 93 µm long and 60 µm wide; galea 103 µm long and 78 µm wide; lacinial area with minute spines. Labium with 10 setae in ventral portion (15–22 µm long, about 2.5 wide); laterobasal portions and dorsal margin brown; dorsal portion slightly papillose; labial palpi 50 µm long and 45 µm wide.

Body. Intense yellow. Dorsoventrally flattened; curved. Length 10.5 mm; width 4 mm. Prothorax with two unpigmented callosities. Intersegmental lines well developed. Dorsal annulets developed; ill defined on abdomen. Pleural lobes rounded, prominent, joined laterally, but not forming a continuous band. Integument partially covered with small spines; prothoracic callosities without spines, but with a few setae. Tenth abdominal segment with two prominences on pre-anal lobe. Spiracles brown; all same size; 125 µm in diameter; spiracular depression absent.