Cerceris koforidua DOLLFUSS, 2025

Cerceris koforidua DOLLFUSS , nov.sp. ( Figs 6 View Figs 6 a-f, 7a-i)

Holotype: ♀, GHANA, N Kawkaw, 80 air km NW Koforidua, 31.I.1991, leg. W.J. Pulawski ( CAS). Paratypes: CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: 1J, 90 km N Carnot, 820 m, 05°36'N 15°54'E, 3.VI.2009, leg. J. Halada ( JHC). NIGERIA: 1♀, 1J, Gashaka-Gumpti NP, 25 km SW Serti env., 07°20'N 11°13'E, 400 m, 9-13.V.2011, leg. J. Halada ( JHC).

E t y m o l o g y: The species is named after the town Koforidua in Ghana where the holotype was collected.

R e c o g n i t i o n:Thefemaleof Cerceris koforidua has no longitudinal carina on coxa III, the clypeal process is slightly raised and near the apical margin ( Fig. 6a View Figs 6 ), the body is nearly all black, the propodeal enclosure is smooth and shiny and the medio-longitudinal furrow and the lateral furrows are crenulate. Additionally, the scutum is nearly densely punctate with fine micro-punctation, the prosternum has no transverse carina, the mesopleuron no tubercle, the epimeron is without crest, the petiole is as long as wide ( Fig. 6d View Figs 6 ) and the pygidial plate is blunt apically ( Fig. 6c View Figs 6 ).

The female of C. languida CAMERON differs from C. koforidua by having the apical margin of the clypeus with two teeth on each side, the prosternum has a transverse carina, the epimeron has a distinct crest, the scutum is coarsely punctate with three longitudinal furrows and the propodeal enclosure is smooth without a medio-longitudinal furrow. Additionally, the terga are very coarsely punctate and the petiole is ferruginous. The female of C. nut DOLLFUSS differs from C. koforidua by having the epimeron with shallow triangular crest, the propodeal enclosure is smooth and shiny nearly without medio-longitudinal furrow and the petiole is ferruginous. The female of C. picta DAHLBOM differs from C. koforidua by having the body with much more yellow colouration.

The male of Cerceris koforidua has no longitudinal carina on coxa III, in most specimens the median area of the clypeus has a transverse, fuscous and impressed line slightly behind the apex (in some specimens with two pits) ( Fig. 7a View Fig ), the flagellomeres IX-XI have tyloidea ( Fig. 7c View Fig ) and the sternum VI has a tooth apico-lateral. Additionally, the sternum II has no longitudinal carinae and the legs are black and yellow.

The male of C. xosa BRAUNS differs from C. koforidua by having the flagellomeres VII-XI with short tyloidea, the sternum II with a double keel and the sterna V and VI with a tooth lateral. The male of C. illustris ARNOLD differs from C. koforidua by having distinct curved carinae on the sternum II, the sternum VII with dense erect setae, the flagellomeres VII-XI have tyloidea and the genitalia are distinctly differently shaped. The male of C. kobrowi BRAUNS differs from C. koforidua by having the flagellomeres VII-XI with tyloidea, the sternum VI without acute tooth apico-lateral and the legs are ferruginous and yellow.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀, 7-8 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus straight with blunt tooth lateral; clypeal process near apical margin and slightly raised, rectangularly shaped in dorsal view ( Fig. 6a View Figs 6 ); mandible without distinct tooth internally; prosternum without transverse carina; lateral carina on pronotum blunt-angled raised; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron without crest; propodeal enclosure smooth, shiny, medio-longitudinal and lateral furrows crenulate; coxa III without longitudinal carina; petiole as long as wide; pygidial plate apically blunt ( Fig. 6c View Figs 6 ). Puncturation: clypeal process shiny and densely punctate; clypeal side and frons dull and punctate; vertex shiny and densely punctate; prosternum punctate; pronotal collar, scutum and scutellum micro-punctate and punctate; mesopleuron dull and punctate; propodeal side and terga micro-punctate and densely punctate; sterna lateral punctate. Pilosity: clypeal process glabrous; clypeal side and frons covered with appressed short setae; rest of body nearly all covered with very short appressed setae. Colouration: black; following parts yellow: apical spot on petiole, apical stripe on tergum III, small apical stripe on tergum V; legs partly brownish; wings hyaline, radial cell on forewing fuscous.

J, 7 mm. Sculpture: median area of clypeus with fuscous and impressed transverse line, slightly behind apex (in some specimens reduced to small pits); apical margin of clypeus shallowly tridentate ( Fig. 7a View Fig ); flagellomeres IX-XI with tyloidea ( Fig. 7c View Fig ); mandible without tooth internally; prosternum without transverse carina; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron without crest; propodeal enclosure obliquely rugose and punctate, medio-longitudinal furrow distinct; petiole longer than wide ( Fig. 7d View Fig ); coxa III without longitudinal carina; sternum VI with acute tooth apico-laterally; pygidial plate as in Fig. 7e View Fig ; genitalia as in Fig. 7f, g View Fig . Puncturation: clypeus shiny and punctate; clypeus side micro-punctate; frons micro-punctate and punctate; vertex shiny and densely punctate; prosternum dull and punctate; pronotal collar densely punctate; scutum and scutellum shiny with longitudinally elongate punctures, mesopleuron densely coarsely punctate; metanotum punctate; propodeal side very coarsely densely punctate; sterna densely punctate. Pilosity: clypeal side and frons lateral covered with appressed short setae; mesopleuron with appressed silvery setae; rest of body with sparse erect setae. Colouration: black; following parts yellow: clypeus, frons, inter-antennal carina, mandible basal, pronotal collar lateral, anterior half of tegula, apical stripe on terga I, III and V, sterna II and III lateral; legs dark-brown and yellow; wings hyaline, radial cell of forewing fuscous.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Central African Republic, Ghana, Nigeria.