Scolia (Discolia) laeviceps Smith, 1855

Taylor, Christopher & Barthélémy, Christophe, 2021, A review of the digger wasps (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Scoliidae) of Hong Kong, with description of one new species and a key to known species, European Journal of Taxonomy 786 (1), pp. 1-92 : 35-36

Scolia (Discolia) laeviceps Smith, 1855

3A–B, 10E, 14E, 18E, 22E, 26E, 30E, 34E, 38E

Scolia laeviceps Smith, 1855: 91 (holotype NHMUK, ♀, type locality = Hong Kong).

Scolia (Discolia) laeviceps – de Saussure & Sichel 1864: 118.

Scolia leviceps – Dalla Torre 1897: 167 (unnecessary emendation of S. laeviceps ).

Scolia (Scolia) laeviceps – Betrem 1928: 265.

Material examined.

CHINA – Hong Kong • 1 ♂; Lau Fau Shan ; Jun. 1970; A. Sommerville leg; HKBM .

Description

Male

STANDARD RATIOS (n = 1). L: 13.5 mm; CR: 1.03; OOR: 0.74; CLR: 0.61; MER: 1.31; OMR: 0.98; FRR: 2.04; MSR: 0.78; TER: 1.64.

HEAD. Head largely sparsely punctate to impunctate except frontal spatium densely punctate ( Figs 18E , 22E ); frontal spatium well defined posteriorly; frontal fissura present from anterior of frontal spatium to anterior ocellus.

MESOSOMA. Dorsum of mesosoma mostly densely punctate ( Fig. 26E ) except dorsolateral area of propodeum broadly impunctate anteriorly ( Fig. 30E ). Mesopleuron densely punctate medially, broadly impunctate anteriorly and posteriorly; metapleuron largely impunctate; lateral panel of propodeum moderately punctate. Metasoma with weak division between anterior and ventral faces of S 2 in lateral view ( Fig. 34E ); tergites densely punctate ( Fig. 38E ). Scutellum and metanotum without median longitudinal carina ( Fig. 30E ). Dorso-median area of propodeum without distinct tubercule medially ( Fig. 30E ).

METASOMA. Metasoma with moderately strong angle between anterior and ventral faces of S 2 in lateral view ( Fig. 38E ); tergites uniformely punctate, punctures separated by a little more than their own diameter. T2 without basal elevation (gradulus) ( Fig. 38E ).

WINGS. Fore wing with two submarginal cells and one recurrent vein. Anterior half of fore wings with short setae.

COLOUR AND VESTITURE. Integument entirely black ( Figs 10E , 14E ). Vestiture on head white; on mesosoma and metasoma black. Wings dark brown with purple reflections.

GENITALIA. Not dissected, collection specimen (HKBM).

Distribution ( Fig. 3A–B )

China (Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong); India (Sikkim); Myanmar (Tenasserim); Thailand. [ Smith 1855; Betrem 1928; Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Liu et al. 2021b].

Notes

We have not seen a female of this species but a description is provided by Gupta & Jonathan (2003); it is very similar in appearance to the male but has dense white setae on the scapulae. To date, this small species is the only entirely black scoliid ( Scolia ) known from Hong Kong.

Figures

Fig. 18. Males, face. A. Carinoscolia junnanensis (Betrem, 1928). B. Liacos erythrosoma (Burmeister, 1854). C. Megascolia azurea (Christ, 1791). D. Scolia binotata Fabricius, 1804. E. Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855. F. Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov., paratype (CBC). G. Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864.

Fig. 22. Males, vertex.A. Carinoscolia junnanensis (Betrem, 1928). B. Liacos erythrosoma(Burmeister, 1854). C. Megascolia azurea (Christ, 1791). D. Scolia binotata Fabricius, 1804. E. Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855. F. Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov., paratype (CBC). G. Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864.

Fig. 26. Males, mesoscutum. A. Carinoscolia junnanensis. B. Liacos erythrosoma (Burmeister, 1854). C. Megascolia azurea (Christ, 1791). D. Scolia binotata Fabricius, 1804. E. Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855. F. Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov., paratype (CBC). G. Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864.

Fig. 30. Males, propodeum. A. Carinoscolia junnanensis (Betrem, 1928).. B. Liacos erythrosoma (Burmeister, 1854). C. Megascolia azurea (Christ, 1791). D. Scolia binotata Fabricius, 1804. E. Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855. F. Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov., paratype (CBC). G. Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864.

Fig. 34. Males, T1–T3, lateral view. A. Carinoscolia junnanensis (Betrem, 1928). B. Liacos erythrosoma (Burmeister, 1854). C. Megascolia azurea (Christ, 1791). D. Scolia binotata Fabricius, 1804. E. Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855. F. Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov., paratype (CBC). G. Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864.

Fig. 38. Males, T1–T3, dorsal view. A. Carinoscolia junnanensis (Betrem, 1928). B. Liacos erythrosoma (Burmeister, 1854). C. Megascolia azurea (Christ, 1791). D. Scolia binotata Fabricius, 1804. E. Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855. F. Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov., paratype (CBC). G. Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864.

Fig. 10. Males, lateral habitus. A. Carinoscolia junnanensis (Betrem, 1928). B. Liacos erythrosoma (Burmeister, 1854). C. Megascolia azurea (Christ, 1791). D. Scolia binotata Fabricius, 1804. E. Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855. F. Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov., paratype (CBC). G. Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864.

Fig. 14. Males, dorsal habitus. A. Carinoscolia junnanensis (Betrem, 1928). B. Liacos erythrosoma (Burmeister, 1854). C. Megascolia azurea (Christ, 1791). D. Scolia binotata Fabricius, 1804. E. Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855. F. Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov., paratype (CBC). G. Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864.

Fig. 3. Distribution of five species of Scolia Fabricius, 1775: Sc. binotata Fabricius, 1804, Sc. clypeata pseudovollenhoveni Betrem, 1933, Sc. laeviceps Smith, 1855, Sc. pakshaoensis sp. nov. and Sc. superciliaris de Saussure & Sichel, 1864. A. World distribution. B. Hong Kong distribution.