Ammoplanus (Ammoplanus) transcaspicus, Gussakovskij, 1931

Boucïek, Zdenek, 2001, Palaearctic species of Ammoplanus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), Journal of Natural History 35, pp. 849-929 : 916

A. (Ammoplanus) transcaspicus Gussakovskij

Ammoplanus transcaspicus Gussakovskij, 1931: 454 ±455. Turkmenistan: Uch-Adzhi, SW of Chardzhou. Lectotype female, by subsequent designation ( Marshakov, 1976: 679); in ZMAS (not examined).

Addition to diagnostic features

Male. Marshakov described (1978: 368) the facial mask as`pale yellow’ but a male from Mongolia sent to me on loan from ZMAS has the mask white (as well as the mandibles in females); in an Israeli specimen pale yellowÐapparently an intraspeci®c variation. Clypeus very short (®gure 128), almost ¯at, without median tooth but in its place with a tiny arcuate swelling. Labrum almost twice as long as clypeus, with sides converging, at apex with two rounded lobes. Palpi slender, rather long. Occipital carina distinct but ®ne. Pronotal collar rounded, shiny. Hind basitarsus distinctly but only gradually expanded near middle (®gure 52). Distal half of sternite 4 and whole surface of sternites 5 and 6 with short pilosity, combed towards sides where becoming longer, in particular in hind corners, forming distinct though loose tufts on sternite 4 and less distinct ones on sternite 5; sternite 6 with longer and slightly denser hair on sides and at the slightly raised apex. For apex of aedeagal gonostyle see ®gure 53.

Female. Head slightly higher than broad, in lateral view twice as long as stout. Clypeus with very small median tooth in form of a black tubercle, lower than broad, not reaching base of labrum (in all examined females of same size). Mandibles very slightly widened in two-thirds of length, then inner margin slightly emarginate; base very broad (®gure 128). Underside of head in anterior half barely convex, with sparse short hairs; oral fossa almost U-shaped, margined by ®ne carina. Flagellar segments very slightly transverse, apical segment slightly asymmetric. Upper frons, and mesoscutum shiny, with weak but detectable microreticulation, on temples and upper mesepimeron with traces of striation; on frons punctures very small and sparse. Dorsal part of propodeum regularly moderately convex, usually more than two-thirds as long as broad in middle, with almost straight median carina and ®ne rugulose reticulation, sides with ®ne diagonal striation becoming vertical posteriorly. See also Marshakov (1978: 368).

Comment. Very similar to the west Mediterranean A. kohlii with which it is compared in the key above.

Material examined. Turkmenistan: Berzengi nr Ashkhabad, 1m, 28 April 1991 (Kazenas) . Kazakhstan (W.): 5 km SW of Tansyk at Tansyk River , 1m, 28 April 1986 (Kazenas); (S., Qizilqum): 50 km SW of settlement Bairkum, 11m, 14 May 1992 (Janokmen, det. Kazenas; most BMNH) . Mongolia ( Eastern Aimak ): River Numregin Gol 32 km SE of Salkhit, 1m, 8 April 1976 (Kozlov); (SuÈhbaatar Aymak): 25 km NW of Bayan-Delger, 1, 19 April 1975 (Kozlov; both Marshakov det., ZMAS) .

Distribution. Kazakhstan, Mongolia.