Astata canariensis PULAWSKI , 1974

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 : 97-98

Astata canariensis PULAWSKI, 1974 stat.nov.

Astata boops canariensis PULAWSKI, 1974 , ♀: 299 Holotype ♀, Spain, Canary Islands, Gran Canaria, Maspalomas (CAS).

M a t e r i a l e x a m i n e d: CANARY ISLANDS: Gran Canaria , 2 km W Tasartico, 27°56'N 15°59'W 28.02.2002, 1 3, Schmid-Egger (JA) ; Gran Canaria , Malpalomas, Dünen, 18.04.1976, 9 33, 6 ♀♀, Wolf, det. Wolf ( SE) ; Gran Canaria , San Augustin, 27- 08.04.1970, 1 ♀, Wolf ( BOL). MOROCCO: Ait Baha ESE, 30-40 km N Tafraoute, 30°00'N 9°02'W, 12.03.1997, 1 3, S. M. Blank, det. Pulawski as A. cobosi (SE) ; Aouluz 40 km E Taroudant, 17.05.1997, 1 3, J. Halada ( BOL) ; Assa 15 km S, 15- 18.04.1995, 1 ♀, Ma. Halada ( BOL) ; Bouarfa 10 km S, 20.05.1996, 1 3, Ma. Halada ( BOL) ; Bouzakame 100 km E Icht, 04.05.1995, 1 ♀, Ma. Halada ( BOL) ; Guelmin 10 km E, 15- 16.04.1995, 1 3, Ma. Halada ( BOL) ; Guelmin SE of, 09.05.2003, 1 3, M. Halada ( BOL) ; Guercif 40 km S, 15- 17.05.1995, 8 ♀♀, Mi. Halada ( BOL) ; Er Rhashidia-Goulmina , rdN10, 28.04.2017, 1 3, M. Snižek ( BOL) ; Quaouzagour 30 km E Agdz, 30°41'N 6°08'W, 15.04.1996, 1 ♀, M. Schwarz ( BOL) ; Quarzazate , 30°47'N 6°43'W, 10.04.1996, 1 ♀, M. Schwarz ( BOL) ; Rich 10 km N, 23.05.1995, 2 ♀♀, Mi. Halada ( BOL) ; Rich 10 km S, 22.05.1995, 1 ♀, Ma. Halada ( BOL) ; Tata , 30 km SWW, Imitek, 29.656°N 8.260°W, 13.04.2015, 1 3, Schmid-Egger ( SE) ; Zagora-Mahmid , 600 m, 30°01'N 5°34'E, 04.05.2015, 1 3, Deneš ( BOL) .

D e s c r i p t i o n: J. 8-11 mm. Head and mesosoma black. Metasoma: Segment I red with black basal spot, tergum II red, sternum II red with black spot, segment III red with black posterior margins, remaining segments black. Legs black, tarsi sometimes brownish. Face with appressed white setae. Clypeus and frons densely punctate. Middle clypeal lobe distinctly protruding beyond lateral lobe, anterior margin straight. Mandible black with more or less reddish middle. Antennomeres I-II with white setae, III about 4.0-5.0× as long as apically wide, about 1.5-1.6× as long as IV; V-X concave in profile, maximal diameter apically; tyloids carinate, basal tubercle enlarged, distinctly larger than distal tubercle (Fig. 49). Pronotal collar densely punctate, with fine oblique striae. Mesoscutum dull, densely punctate. Mesoscutellum smooth and shiny, laterally and posteriorly densely punctate. Mesopleuron dull, densely punctate (Fig. 53). Propodeal dorsum reticulate; lateral surface and declivity dull, densely punctate-rugose. Mesosoma except dorsal surface of propodeum, legs and metasoma with white setae. Central setae of metasomal hairbrush very short, about one fifth as long as lateral setae, the latter longer than those of sternum II (Fig. 51). Mid- and hindcoxae and hindtrochanter unmodified. Forewing with brownish tinge. Marginal cell about 3.5× as long as wide.

♀. 8-11 mm. Head, mesosoma, antenna and legs black; metasomal segments I-III red, IV black or red with black posterior margin; remaining segments black. Frons and gena with white setae. Face, frons and area between posterior ocelli densely punctate. Vertex and gena smooth and shiny, with scattered punctures. Antennomeres I-II on inner side with brown bristles. Antennomere III about 3.0× long as apically wide, about 1.2-1.5× as IV. Pronotal collar and anterior surface of mesoscutum densely punctate. Mesopleuron densely punctate, sometimes anterior surface with distinctly isolate punctures, posteriorly often confluent punctures into striae ( Fig. 111 ). Epimeron with longitudinal striae, sometimes with smooth and shiny area. Mesoscutellum smooth and shiny. Thorax with white setae. Propodeal dorsum dull, glabrous, irregularly reticulate. Declivity rugose, lateral surface anteriorly smooth and shiny, posteriorly with longitudinal carinae, both with long white setae. Stigmal area of propodeum slightly convex. Forebasitarsus with four rake spines; ventrally with 9-10 undulating spines, fine setae between basal spines extending to half of tarsomere length. Midbasitarsus straight, ventrally with undulating spines. Forewing brownish darkened, marginal cell about 2.7-3.0× as long as wide.

R e m a r k s: PULAWSKI (1974) described Astata boops canariensis from Gran Canaria. In the same paper he raised Astata boops graeca BEAUMONT, 1965 because of similar characteristics to species rank. In the present material are specimens of A. boops canariensis as well as A. boops boops from Morocco. A single male was recorded from Tunisia. Due to the distinct morphological separation without transitions (see key) and the sympatric distribution, two separate species must be assumed to exist. The separation between A. canariensis and A. graeca is much more difficult. The males of A. canariensis are characterized by longer lateral setae of metasomal hairbrush (Fig. 79) and more scattered punctation of mesopleuron (Fig. 80); the females cannot be separated morphologically with certainty. However, these species are clearly separated by distribution pattern.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Europe: Canary Islands. Maghreb: Morocco, Tunisia.

Figures

Figs 107-112. Figs 107-109: frons ♀: (107) A. mongolica nov.sp., (108) A. boops, (109) A. arabica nov.sp. Figs 110-112 mesopleuron ♀: (110) A. mongolica nov.sp., (111) A. canariensis, (112) A. graeca.