Ammophila erminea KOHL, 1901

Dollfuss, H., 2013, Revision of the Wasps Genus Ammophila KIRBY 1798 (Hymenoptera Apoidea Sphecidae) of the Palearctic Region and India, Linzer biologische Beiträge 45 (1), pp. 383-564 : 428-429

Ammophila erminea KOHL ( Figs 40 , 381 , 451 , 515 , 569 )

Ammophila erminea KOHL 1901: 157 , ♀, 3. Lectotype: ♀, Egypt: no specific locality (NHMW), examined, present designation.

Ammophila dantoni ROTH in NADIG 1933: 101, 3 only. Syntype: 3, Morocco: Marrakech (Zürich), examined, new synonym.

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: Lectotype ♀ ( NHMW), 43♀♀, 1533 ( OÖLM), 37♀♀, 2833 ( NHMW), 2♀♀, 13 ( BMNH), 10♀♀, 833 (coll. Schmid-Egger).

N o t e: The male described by ROTH (in NADIG 1933: 101) as Ammophila dantoni is

conspecific with A. erminea and the female of A. dantoni is conspecific with A. rubripes .

R e c o g n i t i o n A. erminea has the gastral apex black without a metallic shine and slightly pruinose, the pronotal collar and the scutum not transversely striate and the mesothoracic venter not prominent. Additionally, the episternal sulcus extends to the anteroventral margin of the pleuron. The dense appressed silvery setae on the head, the thorax and the propodeum obscure most of the underlying sculpture. The female of A. erminea is similar to A. rubripes but differs in having the scutum with absent or vestigial transverse striae and in most specimens the appressed silvery setae cover the underlying sculpture on thorax and propodeum ( A. rubripes has a scutum with transverse striae). The female of A. horni differs from A. erminea in having a transversely striate scutum. The female of A. heydeni differs from A. erminea in having the metapleuron not or inconspicuously covered with appressed silvery setae and the scutum distinctly transversely striate and punctate. The male of A. erminea is similar to A. rubripes but differs in having a scutum punctate and the penisvalve in apical view is evenly rounded ( Fig. 569 ), not distinctly narrowed basally as in A. rubripes ( Fig. 567 ). The male of A. guichardi differs from A. erminea in having a more elongate clypeus ( Fig. 221 ) and a characteristically shaped penis valve ( Figs 450 , 514 ). The male of A. heydeni differs from A. erminea in having the scutum transversely striate and punctate, the metapleuron not or inconspicuously covered with appressed silvery setae and the clypeal lobe medially slightly emarginated ( Fig. 218 ).

D e s c r i p t i o n: Gastral apex black, without metallic shine and slightly pruinose, pronotal collar and scutum not transversely striate and mesothoracic venter not prominent. Episternal sulcus extending to anteroventral margin of pleuron, arolia well developed and claws without basal tooth. Dense appressed silvery setae on head, thorax and propodeum obscure most of underlying sculpture, erect setae silvery-white and supra-antennal lamellate projection absent.

♀: 14-21 mm. Black, with following red: mandible (except apex), clypeus next to free margin, spot anteriorly on apical half of scape, tegula, fore- and midlegs (except coxa), hindlegs (except coxa, trochanter, basal third of femur and spot on tibia apically), petiole (partly or all), tergum I and gastral segments II-IV (in many specimens dorsally black). Clypeus elongate ( Fig. 40 ), ventral third not covered with appressed silvery setae, disk convex. Scutellum longitudinally striate and medially with longitudinal furrow. Propodeal enclosure transversely striate and covered with more or less sparse appressed silvery setae and white erect setae. Flagellomere I: I=1.6-1.9; length of petiole = hindtarsomeres I+II to I+II+0.5×III.

3: 14.5-17 mm. Black, with following red: mandible (except apex), scape (as in ♀), tegula, fore- and midlegs (except coxae), hindlegs (as in ♀), petiole, tergum I (except dorsal black stripe), terga II-IV (in some specimens partly darkened) and sterna II-V. Clypeus elongate, median lobe of clypeus straight, disk on ventral half flat, on dorsal half slightly convex. Gonostyle laterally: Fig. 381 ; penis valve laterally: Fig. 451 , ventrally: Fig. 515 , apically: Fig. 569 . Flagellomere I: II=1.5-1.9; length of petiole = hindtarsomeres I+II+0.5×III to I+II+III.

G e o g r a p h i c a l d i s t r i b u t i o n Jordan, Israel, Egypt, Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, Western Sahara.

Figures

Figs 36-43: clypeus of female.

Figs 374-389: male genitalia: gonostyle in lateral view.

Figs 444-460: male genitalia: penis valve in lateral view.

Figs 509-526: male genitalia: penis valve in ventral view.

Figs 563-596: male genitalia: penis valve in apical view.

Figs 216-226: male clypeus.