Sphecodes perplexus Nurse, 1903

Figs 14, 15 A–D

Sphecodes perplexus Nurse, 1903: 540, ♀.

Sphecodes perplexus – Saini & Rathor 2012: 163. — Ascher & Pickering 2020: map.

Diagnosis

The female of this species is similar to that of S. tantalus Nurse, 1903 owing to a similar structure, sculpture and coloration of the body, but it differs from this species by having a more densely punctate mesoscutum, with the punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters (vs 2–5), and the pygidial plate as wide as the metabasitarsus (vs 0.8). Both these species are close to S. crassus Thomson, 1870 by the strongly enlarged metafemur, but it differs by the entirely red metasoma.

Material examined

Syntypes INDIA • 1 ♀; “syntype: <red circle>”, “Kashmir 5–6000 ft. 5.01”, “ Col. C. G. Nurse Collection, 1920- 72”, “ Sphecodes perplexus Nurse ”, “B.M. TYPE HYM. 17.a.586”; NHMUK • 1 ♀; “ Kashmir 5–6000 ft. 5.01”, “ Sphecodes perplexus Friese det.”, “ Coll. Friese ”, “Typus”; ZMHB (label photo Fig. 14) .

Descriptive notes

Wings hyaline, without darkening; hind wing with the angle between basal (M) and cubital (Cu) veins ca 80°, costal margin with five hamuli.

Female

Total body length 6.5 mm (Fig. 14). Head (Fig. 15A) strongly transverse, ca 1.3 times as wide as long; vertex weakly elevated as seen in frontal view (distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus at most a lateral ocellar diameter), but wide as seen in dorsal view (approximately three ocellar diameters); F1 and F2 strongly transverse, ca 0.6 times as long as wide, F3 weakly transverse, 0.8 times as long as wide; labrum semi-oval, 0.6 times as long as wide; clypeus and ocello-ocular area with dense punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameter; paraocular and supracypeal areas with dense plumose pubescence, but not obscuring integument. Mesoscutum (Fig. 15 C–D) with sparse punctures (20–25μm) separated by one or two puncture diameters; hypoepimeral area reticulate; metafemur strongly enlarged in proximal half, maximum width 0.5 times its length; tibia and tarsi red-yellowish. Metasomal T1 impunctate (Fig. 15B), T2 on an anterior half with fine and relatively dense punctures; marginal zones impunctate; pygidial plate as wide as metabasitarsus; T1–T5 red.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Himalayas: India (Jammu and Kashmir).