Astata prosii SCHMID- EGGER, 2014

Hans-J, 2025, Astata LATREILLE, 1796 (Hymenoptera, Astatidae) from the Palearctic region with descriptions of nine new taxa and a key to species, Linzer biologische Beiträge 57 (1), pp. 71-168 : 135-136

Astata prosii SCHMID- EGGER, 2014

Astata prosii SCHMID-EGGER, 2014: 525 , ♀, 3. Holotype 3, United Arab Emirates, Um-al-Quwain at 25.51°N 55.51°E (SE).

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: OMAN: Oman, Dhofar, 13 km N Mirbat, Jb Samhan , 17.111°N 54.711°E, 04.09.2019, 13, Schmid-Egger ( SE) ; Bosher, Bosher Sand , 23,559°N 58,405°E, 27.03.2019, 1♀, A. Al-Jadhami ( SE) . UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Holotype: United Arab Emirates, Um al Qaywayn , 25.51°N 55.51°E, 19.03.2009, 13, Schmid-Egger ( SE) ; Paratypes: Um al Qaywayn , 25.51°N 55.51°E, 11- 19.03.2009, 433, 3♀♀, Schmid-Egger ( SE) ; 7 km S al-Jazirat al Hamra , 25.17°N 55.42°E, 01.12.2004, 233, van Harten ( SE) ; North of Ajman, 25.43°N 55.48°E, 30.04.2008, 13, 1♀ Van Harten, 19.03.2009, 1♀ Schmid-Egger ( SE) ; Abu Dhabi, Al Wathba , 24.248°N 54.742°E, 15.01.2015, 2♀♀, Saji & van Harten ( SE, JA) ; Al Bida'a Protected Area , 23.608°N 53.972°E, 29.10.2018, 1♀, van Harten ( SE) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: 3. 8-10 mm. Head and mesosoma black, tegula brown. Mandible black, lower margin simple. Metasoma red, sternum II with large black spot. Coxae, trochanters black, femora black with red apex, tibiae and tarsi red. Clypeus, face and frons with conspicuously dense setation masking the surface. Middle clypeal lobe distinctly protruding beyond lateral lobe, anterior margin straight. Gena behind eyes smooth and glabrous, remaining surface densely punctate, with long setae. Head strongly narrowed behind eyes. Antennomeres I-II on inner side with white setae, III about 3.6× as long as apically wide, IV-XI with inconspicuous black carinate tyloids; VI-X mesally concave in profile with widest diameter basally and apically. Mesoscutum dull, densely punctate. Mesoscutellum densely punctate with smooth anteromedian spot. Mesopleuron dull, rugose. Mesosoma except propodeal dorsum with long white setation. Propodeal dorsum reticulate, glabrous; declivity and lateral surface rugose, sculpture covered by thick and dense pubescence. Metasomal terga with microsculpture and white setae. Hairbrush beginning on tergum IV, central setae very dense and short, about a quarter as long as lateral ones, the latter as long or somewhat longer than setae of sternum II. Sternum III posteromedian with tuft of long white setae. Coxae, trochanters and femora with white setae. Midcoxa on inner side concave, with weak round extension apically. Hindcoxa unmodified, hindtrochanter apically round or oval. Forewing hyaline, veins light brown marginal cell about as 3× as long as wide.

♀. 8-10 mm. Head and mesosoma black. Mandible yellow with black base and tip. Metasoma red, sometimes brownish darkened. Coxae, trochanters, fore- and midfemur basally black; hindfemur, tibiae and tarsi red. Forewing hyaline in the area of veins, apically with conspicuous brown spot. Tegula and veins brown, subcosta and pterostigma yellowish. Clypeus densely punctate, anterior margin of lamella straight. Frons densely punctate basally, shiny and with more scattered punctures in front of anterior ocellus, covered with dense and long setation more or less masking the sculpture. Gena behind the eyes smooth and glabrous, remaining surface densely punctate and with long setae. Antenna black, antennomeres I-II with black bristles, III about 2.6-3.2× as long as apically wide; one specimen from United Arab Emirates with extremely short antennomere III, 2.0 as long as apically wide. Mesoscutum densely punctate, posteromedian with smooth and shiny spot. Mesoscutellum smooth and shiny, with some punctures laterally and distally. Mesopleuron rugose-punctate. Propodeal dorsum glabrous, reticulate, sometimes with oblique longitudinal carinae, declivity and lateral surface of propodeum rugose-punctate. Stigmal area of propodeal dorsum straight. Mesosoma except dorsal surface of propodeum with with long and dense pubescence, widely masking the sculpture. Metasomal terga smooth, with fine microsculpture, tergum I and sterna with white setae. Coxae, trochanters and femora with long white setae, longest ventral setae of hindfemur about 1.5× as long as maximal femur diameter. Forebasitarsus with four rake spines; ventrally with six or seven spines, successively longer to the apex of spine row, with fine setae over the entire length. Midbasitarsus straight, ventrally with evenly prolonged spines to the apex. Marginal cell of forewing about 1.6-2.0× as long as wide.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Middle East: Oman, United Arab Emirates.