Sphecodopsis parvula sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 240C5434-6628-4C8B-86D8-4704639F7620

Figs 73–74

Diagnosis

The female of S. parvula sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch six times as long as its apical width, more or less spatulate, shape as shown in Fig. 74C; body length 3.5–5.8 mm; metasoma partially red (Fig. 73B); fore tibia and tarsi usually black, sometimes with small reddish spots (Fig. 73A); T6 covered with only thin golden hair (Fig. 74B); head and mesosoma with light hair (Fig. 73C–D); propodeum very sparsely covered with short white hair (Fig. 74A); T6 rounded apically with inconspicuous fringes, hair laterally about as long as medially (Fig. 74B). The male is unknown.

Etymology

The species is named for its small size.

Type material (2 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; 8 km WNW of Leliefontein, Fynbos, roadside; 30°15′58′′ S, 18°03′17′′ E; 1190 m a.s.l.; 14 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; SAMC.

Paratype

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville, Wild flower reserve, dolerite hills; 31°22′10′′ S, 19°08′50′′ E; 770 m a.s.l.; 19 Aug. 2007; KT leg.; RCMK .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 3.8–4.0 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with short, yellowish-white hair. Face with dense (i =0.25–0.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, supraclypeal area more dispersed (Fig. 73C). Surface between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula reddish-brown. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i=0.5–1 d) and finely but deeply punctate (Fig. 73D). Propodeum with dense (i =0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt (Fig. 74A). Mesoscutum, metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous (Figs 73D, 74A). Mesepisternum covered with short, white hair. Mesoscutellum covered with long, yellowish-white hair (Fig. 73D).

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown (Fig. 73A). LEGS. Integument black, except tibia apically light red and on fore legs tarsi light red. Coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsi covered with short, white hair (Fig. 73A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T2 red, T3–6 to a variable extent red, from T3 basal half red to T4 apical half black. T5 and T6 black. T1 and T2 with few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair (Fig. 73B). T5 marginal zone covered with short, white hairs. T6 slightly rounded apically with a hair fringe, densely covered with short, white and golden hair (Fig. 74B). Shape of S6 (Fig. 74C) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the Kamiesberg Mts and the Nieuwoudtville area.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

August–September.