Chalybion gracile Hensen, 1988

Anagha, S., Girish Kumar, Puthuvayi & Hegde, Vishwanath Dattatray, 2023, A study of the genus Chalybion Dahlbom, 1843 (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) in India, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 9 (1), pp. 59-66 : 60-61

Chalybion gracile Hensen, 1988 ( Figs 1–9)

Chalybion gracile Hensen, 1998:28 , ♀. Holotype: ♀, Sri Lanka: Ratnapura District : Sinharaja Forest (USNM).

Diagnosis. Female. Frons strongly rugose reticulate ( Fig. 2); clypeus with three teeth ( Fig. 3); supra-antennal plate strongly protruding and ventrally delimited by carina which runs along and between antennal sockets, ventral margin forms about quarter of a circle ( Figs 2 & 3); pronotal collar medially indented with distinct punctures; mesoscutum transversely strigose with shallow punctuation between striae; scutellum and metanotum with distinct punctures; propodeum transversely strigose, posterior part of propodeum with well differentiated median furrow ( Fig. 4); mesepisternum with distinct punctures ( Fig. 5); first metasomal tergite slender, pubescence of metasoma silvery white ( Fig. 9); cellular wing area clearly hyaline ( Fig. 7).

Material examined. INDIA: Karnataka, Udupi, Golihole , 1 ♀, 17.vi.2022, Coll. V.D. Hegde & Party, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/I.R.–INV. 21313 . Kerala, Idukki district, Kulamavu, 1♀, November 2019, Coll. Tessy Rajan, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/I.R.–INV. 18066; Wayanad district , Ponkuzhi, 1♀, 7.ii.2021, Coll. K.A. Subramanian & party, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/I.R.–INV. 18067; Palakkad district , Silent Valley , 1♀, 12.iii.2021, Coll. S. Anagha, ZSIK Regd. No. ZSI/WGRC/I.R.–INV. 18175 .

Distribution in India (new record). Karnataka, Kerala. Elsewhere: Sri Lanka ( Pulawski, 2022).