Vechtia rugosa rugosa (F. Smith, 1858 )

Girish Kumar, Puthuvayi, Hanima, Raveendran K. P., Amal, Sreedharan & Hegde, Vishwanath D., 2023, New record of Vechtia rugosa (F. Smith, 1858) (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae, Crabroninae) from India, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 9 (4), pp. 687-693 : 688-689

Vechtia rugosa rugosa (F. Smith, 1858) ( Figs 2 & 3A–3J)

Crabro rugosus Smith, 1858:106 , ♂, junior primary homonym of Crabro rugosus Herrich-Schaeffer, 1841 (which is a junior synonym of Crossocerus leucostoma (Linnaeus, 1758)) . Holotype or syntypes: ♂, Malaysia: Sarawak: no specific locality (OXUM); Crabro bucephalus Smith, 1865:86 , ♀ (as Bucephalus , incorrect original termination), junior primary homonym of Crabro bucephalus Smith, 1856 . Holotype or syntypes: ♀, Indonesia: Moluccas: Island of Morty, now Morotai (NHMUK). Synonymized with Vechtia rugosa by Leclercq, 1957:107; Crabro spinifrons Bingham, 1897:327 , ♀, ♂. Syntypes: Burma (now Myanmar): Tenasserim (NHMUK). Synonymized with Vechtia rugosa by Leclercq, 1957:106, 107.

Material examined. India: Karnataka, Udupi district, Areshiroor (13°49'34.428"N, 74°44'56.202"E, 87 m a.s.l.), 1♂, 18.vi.2022, Coll. V.D. Hegde & Party, Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV.23911 .

Diagnosis Male. Mandible bidentate ( Fig. 3C); dorsal carina of scapal basin expanded medially into a downcurved, triangular lamella ( Fig. 3A); median carina extending from anterior ocellus reaching to dorsal carina of scapal basin ( Fig. 3B); ocelli in equilateral triangle ( Fig. 3B); OOL as long as POL ( Fig. 3B); head ( Figs 3A, 3B) and metasoma ( Fig. 3J) smooth and shining with somewhat dense and strong setigerous punctures; mesoscutum not punctate, but with longitudinal striations ( Fig. 3F); scutellum with longitudinal striations ( Fig. 3F); dorsal surface of propodeum with irregular striations developed as rugose punctures ( Fig. 3F); posterior surface of propodeum with deep median groove and surface polished ( Fig. 3H); dorsolateral and posterolateral margins of propodeum carinate; sternaulus present ( Fig. 3G); mid femora thickened and with tufts of long hairs ( Fig. 3I).

Colour. Body black with following white to pale yellow markings: labial palpus, maxillary palpus, antennal scape ( Fig. 3D), medially interrupted band on pronotum and scutellum ( Fig. 3F), pronotal tubercle ( Fig. 3G), metanotum ( Fig. 3F), T1–T3 with somewhat oval-shaped spots ( Fig. 3J), T4 with laterally elongated spots ( Fig. 3J), T5 with a transverse band at base ( Fig. 3J), apical third of fore femur, extreme base and apex of fore and mid tibiae, basal third of hind tibia, hind tibial spurs, basitarsus of all legs, ventral side of remaining tarsal segments. The following are brown to ferruginous: Mandible (except base) ( Fig. 3C), antenna (except scape) ( Fig. 3D), tegula ( Fig. 3F), dorsal surface of tarsal segments (except basitarsus). Pubescence silvery. Wings hyaline.