Cerceris pseudoemeryana DOLLFUSS, 2025

Cerceris pseudoemeryana DOLLFUSS , nov.sp. ( Figs 17 View Figs 17 a-h, 18a-g)

Holotype: ♁, NAMIBIA: Karibib District, 15 km W Karibib, 26.II.1990, leg. W.J. Pulawski ( CAS). Paratype: 1♀, SOUTH AFRICA: North Cape, N Kimberley, 28°35'S 24°45'E, 1150 m, 27.XII.2007, leg. M. Halada ( JHC).

E t y m o l o g y: The holotype is similar to Cerceris emeryana GRIBODO, 1894 .

R e c o g n i t i o n The male of Cerceris pseudoemeryana has no longitudinal carina on coxa III, the sterna III-V are covered with long setae which on anterior half are directed apically and on posterior half they are erected and both nearly obscure the underlying sculpture, the clypeus and the clypeal side are distinctly pressed in seen in lateral view ( Fig. 17b View Figs 17 ), the mandible has an acute tooth internally ( Fig. 17a View Figs 17 ), the apical margin of the clypeus is edentate ( Fig. 17a View Figs 17 ) and the flagellomere XI is distinctly longer than X and apically pointed ( Fig. 17d View Figs 17 ). Additionally, the propodeal enclosure is smooth shiny and without medio-longitudinal furrow, the scutum is shiny and irregularly sparsely punctate (punctures 0-3 diameters apart), the legs are yellow and the gaster is predominantly yellow.

The male of C. emeryana GRIBODO is similar to C. pseudoemeryana but differs by having the clypeus straight in lateral view and the flagellomere XI is not pointed apically.

The female of Cerceris pseudoemeryana has no longitudinal carina on coxa III, the apical margin of the pygidial plate is quadridentate ( Fig. 18d View Figs 18 ), the apical margin of the clypeus is straight, lateral rectangular and with a small emargination and a small blunt tooth beside ( Fig. 18a View Figs 18 ), the mandible has two teeth internally, the propodeal enclosure is smooth without a medio-longitudinal furrow. Additionally, the scutum and the scutellum are shiny and irregularly sparsely punctate (punctures 0-2 diameters apart), the mesopleuron has no tubercle and the legs are ferruginous.

The female of C. emeryana GRIBODO shares with C. pseudoemryana the apical margin of pygidial plate quadridentate but differs by having the apical margin of clypeus straight with broad emarginate clypeal side, and the clypeus, the frons and the legs are yellow. The female of C. ventripilosa EMPEY differs from C. pseudoemeryana by having the apical margin of the pygidial plate tridentate, the median one is broad, the mandible has one tooth internally, the mesopleuron has a tubercle and the anterior margin of the clypeus is rounded and simple. The female of C. fulviventris GUÉRIN- MÉNEVILLE differs from C. pseudoemeryana by having the pygidial plate apically unequally tri-sinuate, the median area of the clypeus with semi-cylindrical lamina projecting freely almost from its base, the mandible is edentate internally and the propodeal enclosure is transversely rugose.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀, 11.5 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus straight, lateral rectangular with small emargination and small blunt tooth next to it ( Fig. 18a View Figs 18 ); mandible with two distinct teeth internally; prosternum without transverse carina; pronotal collar rounded laterally; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron without crest; propodeal enclosure smooth, without medio-longitudinal furrow; petiole broader than long ( Fig. 18e View Figs 18 ); pygidial plate quadridentate apical ( Fig. 18d View Figs 18 ); sternum II without basal plate; coxa III without longitudinal carina. Puncturation: clypeus and frons micro-punctate and densely punctate; vertex densely punctate; prosternum sparsely punctate; tegula impunctate; pronotal collar posteriorly impunctate; scutum shiny and irregularly sparsely punctate (punctures 0-2 diameters apart); metanotum impunctate; propodeal side irregularly punctate (punctures 0-2 diameters apart), terga densely punctate; pygidial plate dull; mesopleuron punctate, posteriorly more longitudinally rugose; epimeron partly longitudinally rugose; sterna apico-laterally punctate. Pilosity: clypeal side and frons lateral covered with short appressed setae; rest of body covered with sparse, short erect setae. Colouration: black; following parts yellow: lateral stripe on frons, spot on gena, posterior half of pronotal collar, lateral spots on scutellum, metanotum, petiole apical, small apical stripe on terga II-V; following parts ferruginous: clypeus anterior half, mandible, flagellum, inter-antennal carina partly, petiole partly, terga II-IV, sterna predominantly and legs; wings hyaline, apically fuscous.

J, 11.5 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus straight and edentate, clypeal side emarginate ( Fig. 17a View Figs 17 ); clypeus and clypeal side distinctly pressed seen in lateral view ( Fig. 17b View Figs 17 ); mandible with acute tooth internally and broadened in lateral view ( Fig. 17c View Figs 17 ); flagellomere XI longer than X and pointed apically ( Fig. 17d View Figs 17 ); pronotal collar rounded laterally; prosternum without transverse carina; mesopleuron without distinct tubercle; epimeron without crest; propodeal enclosures shiny, without medio-longitudinal furrow, lateral furrows shallow and not crenulate; petiole slightly longer than wide ( Fig. 17f View Figs 17 ); pygidial plate as in Fig. 17e View Figs 17 ; coxa III without longitudinal carina; sternum II without basal plate. Puncturation: clypeus shiny with shallow fine punctures; frons densely punctate; vertex shiny and sparsely punctate behind ocelli; pronotal collar shiny and sparsely punctate; prosternum shiny and nearly impunctate; tegula impunctate; scutum shiny and irregularly sparsely punctate (punctures 0-3 diameters apart); scutellum sparsely punctate; metanotum impunctate; terga irregularly sparsely punctate; propodeal side sparsely punctate; mesopleuron densely punctate; sternum II median impunctate; pygidial plate sparsely punctate. Pilosity: clypeal brush small, sterna III-V covered with long setae, which on anterior half directed apically and on posterior half with erect ones, both nearly obscure the underlying sculpture; sternum VI covered with dense erect setae; gena and mesopleuron with sparse erect setae. Colouration: black; following parts yellow: clypeus, frons, inter-antennal carina, scape, mandible (except apex and interne tooth), gena, pronotal collar, prothoracal sternum, mesopleuron all, tegula, propodeal side, petiole (except basal half), terga II-V, tergum VI apical, pygidial plate, sterna I-V and legs.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Namibia, South Africa.