Sphecodopsis semirufa (Cockerell, 1933)

Figs 91–94

Morgania semirufa Cockerell, 1933a: 380–381, holotype ♀ (type locality: Worcester, South Africa) (NHML), examined.

Diagnosis

The female of S. semirufa can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch about one and a half times as long as its apical width (Fig. 92C); metasoma partially red (Fig. 91B); fore tibia and tarsi completely or largely red (Fig. 91A); head wider than long, vertex flat (Fig. 91C); T5 apically without fringe (Fig. 92B); head and mesoscutum with black hair, interspersed with lighter hair (Fig. 91C–D); mesoscutum shiny, sparsely and shallowly punctate (Fig. 91D); 2 nd antennal segment approx. twice as long as 3 rd segment (Fig. 91C); metapostnotum approx. as high as wide, superficially shagreened and more shiny (Fig. 92A). The male can be separated from that of all other species by the combination of the following characters: metasoma at least partially red (Fig. 93B); fore tibia and tarsi completely red or light red (Fig. 93A); metapostnotum glabrous and shiny (Fig. 93E); head and mesosoma with long, black hair mixed with short, white hair (Fig. 93C–D); wings fuscous (Fig. 93A).

Additional material examined (56 specimens)

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; W Cape, Kamiesberg; 30°10′31″ S, 18°00′53″ E; 15 Sep. 2012; CE leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; Remhoogte, slope, white trap; 30°14′ S, 18°10′ E; 11 Sep. 2003; CM leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; N Cape Prov., Studer’s Pass near Garies; 30°26′ S, 17°03′ E; 16 Sep. 2007; CE leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East; 31°21′56″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 6 Sep. 2002; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 11 Sep. 2002; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 7 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; RCMK; on Oxalis sp.; RCMK • 1 ♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East; 31°21′56″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; RCMK • 6 ♀♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 12 Aug. 2004; RCMK • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 13 Aug. 2004; RCMK • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 19 Aug. 2004; RCMK • 10 ♀♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve, Rondell, Car Park East; 31°22′18″ S, 19°08′58″ E; 730 m a.s.l.; 4 Oct. 2006; MK leg.; RCMK • 7 ♀♀; Nieuwoudtville, Wild Flower Reserve, Car Park East; 31°22′18″ S, 19°08′58″ E; 730 m a.s.l.; 20 Aug. 2007; KT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 14 Aug. 2010; MK leg.; RCMK • 3 ♀♀, 10 ♂♂; Nieuwoudtville, pad to Farm Glen Lyon, slope; 31°23′25″ S, 19°08′28″ E; 737 m a.s.l.; 19 Aug. 2007; KT leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; Nieuwoudtville, Hantam Bot. Gard., Kamel Koppie; 31°24′48″ S, 19°09′23″ E; 760 m a.s.l.; 12 Sep. 2008; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; 18 km S of Calvinia, Nooiensrivier Pad, dolerite; 31°37′16″ S, 19°46′20″ E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 31 Aug. 2016; MK leg.; RCMK .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 6.0–8.0 mm.

HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair. Face with sparse (i =0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i=0.5–2.5 d) punctation (Fig. 91C). Surface between punctures shiny. Antenna reddish-brown to dark brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum sparsely (i=1–3 d), finely and shallowly punctate (Fig. 91D). Propodeum densely (i= 0.25–0.5 d), finely and deeply punctate, metapostnotum shiny (Fig. 92A). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, yellowish-white hair (Fig. 91D). Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous (Figs 91D, 92A).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown (Fig. 91A).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter reddish-brown to black, trochanter apically, tibia and tarsi entirely red. Coxa, trochanter and femur covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, white hair. Tibia and tarsus very sparsely covered with long, black hair and covered with shorter, white hair; very loose patches of white pubescence apically on the tibia, except anterior leg (Fig. 91A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 red, T2 and T3 to a variable extent red, from T2 basal half red to T3 basal quarter red; T4–T6 black. T1 and T2 sparsely covered with short, white and black hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer black hair (Fig. 91B). T6 narrow and almost straight apically, with long, black hair. Apical margin with fairly short, dense, golden hair (Fig. 92B). Shape of S6 (Fig. 92C) as illustrated.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 6.5–8.0 mm.

HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair. Face with sparse (i= 0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i =0.5–2.5 d) punctation (Fig. 93C). Surface between punctures shiny. Antenna reddish-brown to dark brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange, partially translucent. Mesoscutum shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum sparsely (i =1–3 d), finely and shallowly punctate (Fig. 93D). Propodeum densely (i =1–3 d), finely and deeply punctate, metapostnotum shiny (Fig. 93E). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, yellowish-white hair (Fig. 93D). Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous (Fig. 93D–E).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown and stigma dark brown to black (Fig. 93A).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter reddish-brown to black, trochanter apically, tibia and tarsi entirely red. Coxa, trochanter and femur covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, white hair. Tibia and tarsus very sparsely covered with long, black hair and covered with shorter, white hair; very loose patches of white pubescence apically on the tibia, except anterior leg (Fig. 93A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 red, T2 and T3 to a variable extent red, from T2 basal half red toT3 basal quarter red; T4–T7 black. T1 and T2 sparsely covered with short, white and black hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer black hair (Fig. 93B). T7 covered with long, black hair and shorter, white hair underneath (Fig. 93F).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia (Fig. 94C–D), S7 (Fig. 94A) and terminal plate of S8 (Fig. 94B) as illustrated.

Distribution

Found throughout western South Africa. Specimens from the easternmost localities (Willowmore, Grahamstown) mentioned by Eardley & Brothers (1997) could not be examined.

Host bees

Confirmed host is Patellapis doleritica Timmermann in Timmermann & Kuhlmann, 2009 add to references (= sp. 1) (Timmermann & Kuhlmann 2008).

Seasonal activity

August–September.