Sphecodopsis acuta, Pöllein & Kuhlmann, 2025

Sphecodopsis acuta sp. nov.

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Figs 17–18 View Fig View Fig

Diagnosis

The female of S. acuta sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, tips barely curved inward, apical notch with a small tip distally, shape as shown in Fig. 18C View Fig . Body length max. 5.3 mm; metasomal terga T1–T2 red ( Fig. 17B View Fig ); fore tibia and tarsi usually black ( Fig. 17A View Fig ); T6 covered with black hair ( Fig. 17B View Fig ); head and mesosoma with shorter black hair and more dispersed punctation ( Fig. 17C–D View Fig ); propodeum covered with short, white hair only ( Fig. 18A View Fig ); mesoscutum more finely and densely (i=0.25–0.5 d) punctate ( Fig. 17D View Fig ). The male is unknown.

Etymology

The name refers to the unusual thin and needle-like sharp tip of the female S6.

Type material (1 specimen)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, Renosterveld ; 31°24′42″ S, 19°09′00″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 25 Aug. 2006; KT leg.; SAMC. GoogleMaps

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.9 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair mixed with short, white hair. Face with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), fine and shallow punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i =0.5–1.5 d) punctation ( Fig. 17C View Fig ). Surface between punctures matt. Antenna reddish-brown to dark brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula reddish-brown, partially translucent.Mesoscutum matt.Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i= 0.25–0.5 d), very finely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 17D View Fig ). Propodeum with dense (i=0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 18A View Fig ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, white hair ( Fig. 17D View Fig ). Metanotum and propodeum very sparsely covered with short, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Figs 17D View Fig , 18A View Fig ).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation dark brown and stigma dark brown to black ( Fig. 17A View Fig ).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter white hair. Tibia and tarsi very sparsely covered with short, black hair mixed with short white hair ( Fig. 17A View Fig ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 black basally. T1 and T2 red and T3–T6 black. T1 and T2 with only few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more black hair ( Fig. 17B View Fig ). T5 marginal zone with few white, short hairs. T6 narrow and almost straight apically, covered with long, black hair ( Fig. 18B View Fig ). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 18C View Fig ) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality near Nieuwoudtville.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

August.