Sphecodopsis capensis ( Friese, 1915 )

Sphecodopsis capensis ( Friese, 1915) View in CoL

Figs 5–8 View Fig View Fig View Fig View Fig

Omachtes capensis Friese, 1915: 296–297 , holotype ♀ (type locality: ‘Kapland’ (= Cape Colony), South Africa) (ZMHB), examined.

Diagnosis

The female of S. capensis can be separated from that of all other species of this species group by the combination of the following characters: S6 pointed posteriorly, matt on surface and rounded apically ( Fig. 6D View Fig ); T6 broad and rounded apically ( Fig. 6C View Fig ); punctation on mesoscutum slightly more dispersed (i =0.25–1 d) and coarser, individual punctures clearly separated ( Fig. 5D View Fig ). The male is here described for the first time and can be separated from that of all other species of this species group by the combination of the following characters: T2 completely, T1 and T3–T5 to a variable extent red ( Fig. 7B View Fig ); fore legs usually black ( Fig. 7A View Fig ); head and mesosoma with black hair ( Fig. 7C View Fig ); mesoscutum densely, coarsely and deeply punctate, matt or slightly shiny ( Fig. 7D View Fig ); propodeum covered with white hair mixed with at least a few black hairs ( Fig. 7E View Fig ); metapostnotum twice as wide as high ( Fig. 7E View Fig ); gonostylus longer than gonocoxa ( Fig. 8C–D View Fig ) and straight dorsally ( Fig. 8D View Fig ).

Additional material examined (49 specimens)

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; 8 km WNW of Leliefontein, Fynbos , roadside; 30°15′58″ S, 18°03′17″ E; 1190 m a.s.l.; 14 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 3 ♀♀; Kamiesberg Mts , 5 km SE of Leliefontein, roadside; 30°20′09″ S, 18°06′24″ E; 1400 m a.s.l.; 5 Oct. 2014; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 11 Sep. 2016; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; N Cape, Fynbos, 15 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Engelsepunt ; 31°14′31″ S, 18°59′08″ E; 830 m a.s.l.; 7 Oct. 2003; KT leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur, Fynbos ; 31°16′18″ S, 19°02′55″ E; 770 m a.s.l.; 1 Sep. 2009; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 24 Aug. 2012; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville, Hantam Botanical Garden, Renosterveld at entrance; 31°23′25″ S, 19°07′56″ E; 730 m a.s.l.; 2 Sep. 2010; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; 20 km S of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Papkuilsfontein, Fynbos ; 31°33′16″ S, 19°08′31″ E; 680 m a.s.l.; 27 Aug. 2010; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 20 Sep. 2014; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 30 Aug. 2018; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; 18 km S of Calvinia, Nooiensrivier Pad , dolerite; 31°37′16″ S, 19°46′20″ E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 31 Aug. 2016; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Keiski Mts , 3 km E of Farm M’Vera, shale; 31°45′29″ S, 19°54′13″ E; 1190 m a.s.l.; 15 Sep. 2016; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Keiski Mts , 5 km S of Farm Nooiensrivier, new burned area; 31°45′41″ S, 19°50′17″ E; 1270 m a.s.l.; 1 Oct. 2014; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Keiski Mts , 5 km S of Farm Nooiensrivier, burned area; 31°45′47″ S, 19°50′17″ E; 1275 m a.s.l.; 28 Sep. 2009; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 4 Oct. 2009; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 12 Sep. 2010; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Roggeveld Mts , 2 km S of Farm Perdekloof, rivier, dolerite; 31°47′35″ S, 19°58′16″ E; 1220 m a.s.l.; 2 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; Roggeveld Mts, 1.5 km S of Farm Allemansdam, Renosterveld ; 31°49′25″ S, 19°59′38″ E; 1285 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2018; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; Roggeveld Mts , 2 km SE of Farm Allemansdam, burnt area; 31°49′32″ S, 19°59′55″ E; 1290 m a.s.l.; 2 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 24 Aug. 2018; RCMK GoogleMaps • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 29 Aug. 2018; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Tankwa Karoo, Gannaga Pass / Lodge ; 32°06′24″ S, 20°07′40″ E; 1290 m a.s.l.; 21 Sep. 2016; HE leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 2 ♀♀; Roggeveld Mts , 2 km S of Farm Houdenbek, roadside; 32°18′03″ S, 20°23′16″ E; 1280 m a.s.l.; 16 Sep. 2018; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; 6 km NNW of Farm Kanariesfontein, 30 km W of Sutherland , roadside; 32°22′17″ S, 20°22′50″ E; 1310 m a.s.l.; 16 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; 3 km NW of Farm Kanolfontein, 22 km W of Sutherland , roadside; 32°23′17″ S, 20°26′32″ E; 1350 m a.s.l.; 18 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Cape Province, 28 km E of Velddrif ; [32°47′ S, 18°10′ E]; 15 Oct. 1972; SANC GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; Cape Province, Kommetjie ; [34°08′ S, 18°20′ E]; 12 Oct. 1972; SANC GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 25 Oct. 1972; SANC GoogleMaps • 3 ♀♀; Bredasdorp, Div. Pearly Beach ; [34°40′ S, 19°30′ E]; 1 Sep. 1959; SAM leg.; SANC GoogleMaps .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 5.9–8.8 mm.

HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair ( Fig. 5C View Fig ). Face and clypeus with fairly dense (i= 0–0.25 d), coarse and deep punctation, except supraclypeal area more dispersed (i =0.5–1 d) ( Fig. 5C View Fig ). Surface between punctures slightly matt. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula reddish-brown. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and propodeum densely (i =0.25–0.5 d) and finely but deeply punctate, metapostnotum matt ( Figs 5D View Fig , 6A View Fig ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, yellowish-white hair ( Fig. 5D View Fig ). Propodeum covered with short, yellowish-white hair and few long, black hairs posteriorly, metapostnotum glabrous ( Fig. 6A View Fig ).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation brown to dark brown and stigma dark brown to black ( Fig. 5A View Fig ). LEGS. Integument black. Coxa and trochanter sparsely covered with long, black hair and shorter white hair. Femur with few long, black hair. Tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with long, black hair and densely covered with shorter white hair. Patches with very dense white pubescence apically on the tibia, particularly conspicuous on middle and hind tibia, anterior leg generally less hairy ( Fig. 5A View Fig ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 dark basally, rest of T1 and T2 red, T3–T5 to a variable extent red, from completely red to completely black; T6 black. T1–T3 sparsely covered with short white and black hair, from T4 with increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 5B View Fig ). T5 marginal zone with bright white hair, disc covered with long, black hair ( Fig. 6B View Fig ). T6 broad and rounded apically ( Fig. 6C View Fig ), with long, black hair and shorter, bright white hair underneath. Shape of S6 ( Fig. 6D View Fig ) as illustrated.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 7.8–9.0 mm.

HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair. Face and clypeus with fairly dense (i=0–0.25 d), coarse and deep punctation, except supraclypeal area more dispersed (i=0.5–1 d) ( Fig. 7C View Fig ). Surface between punctures slightly matt. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula dark brown to black. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and propodeum densely (i =0.25–0.5 d) and finely but deeply punctate, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 7D–E View Fig ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black, erect hair mixed with shorter, yellowish-white hair ( Fig. 7D View Fig ). Propodeum covered with short, yellowish-white hair and few long, black hairs, metapostnotum glabrous ( Fig. 7E View Fig ).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation dark brown and stigma dark brown to black ( Fig. 7A View Fig ).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa and trochanter sparsely covered with long, black hair and shorter white hair. Femur with few long, black hair. Tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with long, black hair and densely covered with shorter white hair. Patches with very dense white pubescence apically on the tibia, particularly conspicuous on middle and hind tibia, anterior leg generally less hairy ( Fig. 7A View Fig ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 dark basally. Rest of T1–T3 red, T4 to a variable extent red, from basal half red to completely black; T5–T7 black. T1–T3 sparsely covered with short white and black hair, from T4 increasingly more and longer hair. T4–T6 marginal zone with bright white hair increasingly denser, disc with long, black hair ( Fig. 7B View Fig ). T7 covered with short, bright white hair, only few longer, black hairs ( Fig. 7F View Fig ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 8C–D View Fig ), S7 ( Fig. 8A View Fig ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 8B View Fig ) as illustrated.

Distribution

Found throughout western South Africa from Namaqualand in the north to the Cape Peninsula in the south ( Eardley & Brothers 1997).

Host bees

Confirmed host bee is Scrapter niger Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 (= S. longula Friese, 1912 ) ( Rozen & Michener 1968).

Seasonal activity

August–November ( Eardley & Brothers 1997).