Sphecodopsis chaotica, Pöllein & Kuhlmann, 2025

Sphecodopsis chaotica sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:

Figs 15–16 View Fig View Fig

Diagnosis

The female of S. chaotica sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch two times as long as its apical width ( Fig. 16C View Fig ); metasoma completely black ( Fig. 15B View Fig ); T6 sparsely covered with short white hair ( Fig. 16B View Fig ). The male is unknown.

Etymology

This taxonomically difficult species is named for the initially chaotic process of clarifying its true identity.

Type material ( 6 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; Betty’s Bay Botanical Gardens ; 34°21′ S, 18°55′ E; 29. Sep. 2001; CE leg.; SANC. GoogleMaps

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Cape Town ; [ 33°57′ S, 18°27′ E]; 1913; GP leg.; SANC GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; W Cape, Kleinmond , coast; [ 34°20′ S, 19°02′ E]; 6. Nov. 1999; MH leg.; RCMS GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; W Cape, 25 km S of Bredasdorp , coast; [ 34°40′ S, 20°02′ E]; 23. Oct. 1999; MSn leg.; RCMS GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; RCMK GoogleMaps .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 6.0– 7.5 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles reddish-brown. Face covered with short, white hair. Face with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area with denser (i =0–0.25 d), finer, shallow punctation ( Fig. 15C View Fig ). Surface between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula reddish-brown. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and metanotum densely (i=0.25–0.5 d) and coarsely but shallowly punctate ( Fig. 15D View Fig ). Propodeum with dense (i =0.25–1 d) and coarse but shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 16A View Fig ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum, propodeum and mesepisternum covered with long, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Figs 15D View Fig , 16A View Fig ).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown ( Fig. 15A View Fig ).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with short, white hair. Tibia and tarsus densely covered with short, white hair ( Fig. 15A View Fig ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T6 completely black. T1 and T2 with few short, white hair, from T3 with longer, white hair ( Fig. 15B View Fig ). T6 broad and rounded apically, covered with short, white hair ( Fig. 16B View Fig ). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 16C View Fig ) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

So far only known from the SW coast of South Africa from Cape Town to Bredasdorp.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

September–November.