Bembecinus acanthomerus (MORICE, 1911)

Schmid, Christian, 2024, Description of nine species of the genus Bembecinus A. COSTA, 1859 and revision of the B. acanthomerus species group (Hymenoptera, Spheciformes), Linzer biologische Beiträge 56 (1), pp. 313-336 : 314-315

Key to the males of the Bembecinus acanthomerus lineage

1 Hindtibia basally distinctly narrowed, emargination abrupt (fig. 3). [T7 apically pointed, deeply emarginated. Spine of inner hindfemur longer than hindocellear diameter]. Northwest Africa............................................. B. acanthomerus (MORICE, 1911)

- Hindtibia basally indistinctly emarginated, emargination gradually, inner margin of hindtibia in dorsal view straight (figs 13, 33). ....................................................................2

2 Mesopleuron and propodeum laterally with large yellow spots. .........................................3

- Mesopleuron and propodeum black, or one of them with small yellow spot (only Asian species)................................................................................................................................5

3 Legs including coxae all yellow (fig. 17). S1-4 all yellow. Spine of inner hindfemur minute, 0,3x as long as hindocellar diameter. [Hindfemur slightly thickened towards the apex, the widest point is in the apical quarter, shortly before the apex. Yellow color pale]. Southern Iran. ....................................................... B. dentipes (GUSSAKOVSKIJ, 1933)

- Femora partly black (fig. 47). S1-4 predominantly black, with yellow margins. Spine of inner hindfemur 0,5x-1x as long as hindocellar diameter....................................................4

4 Hindfemur slender, medially as wide as hindtibia apically, above with a brownish small basal stripe. Color lemmon yellow. [The narrow hindfemur with parallel sides distinghuishes the species also from B. dentipes with thickened hindfemur, together with a denser punctation of terga]. Larger, 11-13mm. Turkey.............................................. .......................................................................................... B. henseni SCHMID-EGGER, 2004

- Hindfemur wide, medially 1,4x as wide as hindtibia apically, above with a long black stripe (2/3 as long as femur) (fig. 47). Color pale yellow. Smaller, 7-10 mm. Mali, Mauritania............................................................................................. B. maliensis nov.sp.

5 Lateral outline of T7 rejuvenated (apically distinctly narrowed and pointed) (figs 7, 12). Propodeum with erect setae (best seen laterally, in dorsal view) .................................6

- Lateral outline of T7 straight, general shape of T7 rounded and broad (figs 34, 66). Propodeum with appressed setae. .......................................................................................7

6 Mandible black. Spine on inner side of hindfemur minute, at most 0,5x as long as hindocellar diameter. Inner side of tibiae and hindbasitarsus black. Pale color yellowwhitish. Iran, Turkmenistan................................................................... B. bamensis nov.sp.

- Mandible yellow. Spine of inner side of hindfemur 0,8x-1x as long as hindocellar diameter. Tibiae and hindbasitarsus yellow. Pale color lemmon yellow. Israel.................... ............................................................................................................ B. aravaensis nov.sp.

7 T6 black or with short medial band. Bands of T4-6 not reaching lateral margin (fig. 24). Algeria.......................................................................... B. fertoni (HANDLIRSCH, 1908)

- T4-7 with long yellow bands reaching lateral margins (figs 32, 65, 66). ............................8

8 Lateral edge of propodeum (dorsal view) with short and more or less appressed setae. Setae at most as long as hindocellar diameter. Yellow spots on scutellum larger than medial black space between, spots often connected by an apical band. Mesopleuron with one or two small yellow spots. UAE, Oman......................... B. jebelhafitensis nov.sp.

- Lateral edge of propodeum (dorsal view) with longer setae, most setae erect, 1.5-2x as long as hindocellar diameter. Yellow spots on scutellum smaller than medial black space between. Mesopleuron black. Turkey, Armenia. .............. B. nemrutdagiensis nov.sp.