Scolia ( Discolia ) laeviceps Smith, 1855

Scolia ( Discolia) laeviceps Smith, 1855

3A–B, 10E, 14E, 18E, 22E, 26E, 30E, 34E, 38E

Scolia laeviceps Smith, 1855: 91 ( holotype NHMUK, ♀, type locality = Hong Kong).

Scolia ( Discolia) laeviceps – de Saussure & Sichel 1864: 118.

Scolia leviceps – Dalla Torre 1897: 167 (unnecessary emendation of S. laeviceps ).

Scolia ( Scolia) laeviceps – Betrem 1928: 265.

Material examined.

CHINA – Hong Kong • 1 ♂; Lau Fau Shan ; Jun. 1970; A. Sommerville leg; HKBM .

Description

Male

STANDARD RATIOS (n = 1). L: 13.5 mm; CR: 1.03; OOR: 0.74; CLR: 0.61; MER: 1.31; OMR: 0.98; FRR: 2.04; MSR: 0.78; TER: 1.64.

HEAD. Head largely sparsely punctate to impunctate except frontal spatium densely punctate ( Figs 18E View Fig , 22E View Fig ); frontal spatium well defined posteriorly; frontal fissura present from anterior of frontal spatium to anterior ocellus.

MESOSOMA. Dorsum of mesosoma mostly densely punctate ( Fig. 26E View Fig ) except dorsolateral area of propodeum broadly impunctate anteriorly ( Fig. 30E View Fig ). Mesopleuron densely punctate medially, broadly impunctate anteriorly and posteriorly; metapleuron largely impunctate; lateral panel of propodeum moderately punctate. Metasoma with weak division between anterior and ventral faces of S 2 in lateral view ( Fig. 34E View Fig ); tergites densely punctate ( Fig. 38E View Fig ). Scutellum and metanotum without median longitudinal carina ( Fig. 30E View Fig ). Dorso-median area of propodeum without distinct tubercule medially ( Fig. 30E View Fig ).

METASOMA. Metasoma with moderately strong angle between anterior and ventral faces of S 2 in lateral view ( Fig. 38E View Fig ); tergites uniformely punctate, punctures separated by a little more than their own diameter. T2 without basal elevation (gradulus) ( Fig. 38E View Fig ).

WINGS. Fore wing with two submarginal cells and one recurrent vein. Anterior half of fore wings with short setae.

COLOUR AND VESTITURE. Integument entirely black ( Figs 10E View Fig , 14E View Fig ). Vestiture on head white; on mesosoma and metasoma black. Wings dark brown with purple reflections.

GENITALIA. Not dissected, collection specimen (HKBM).

Distribution ( Fig. 3A–B View Fig )

China ( Guangdong, Hainan, Hong Kong); India ( Sikkim); Myanmar (Tenasserim); Thailand. [ Smith 1855; Betrem 1928; Gupta & Jonathan 2003; Liu et al. 2021b].

Notes

We have not seen a female of this species but a description is provided by Gupta & Jonathan (2003); it is very similar in appearance to the male but has dense white setae on the scapulae. To date, this small species is the only entirely black scoliid ( Scolia ) known from Hong Kong.