Cerceris kombatensis DOLLFUSS, 2025

Cerceris kombatensis DOLLFUSS , nov.sp. ( Figs 8 View Figs 8 a-g, 9a-i)

Holotype: ♀, NAMIBIA, Otjozondjupa Region, 23 km N Kombat , 1684 m, 19°32.866'S 17°44.296'E, 9.II.2023, leg. J. Halada ( OLML) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 1♀, 1J, same data as holotype ( JHC). ETHIOPIA: 5JJ, Wachile env., 1070 m, 04°32'N 39°03'E, 30-31.V.2015, leg. J. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps ; 1J, Wachile env., 1070 m, 04°32'N 39°03'E, 22.V.2015. leg. J. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps ; 1J, 110 km N Moyale , 04°33'N 39°03'E, 1100 m, leg. A. Kudrna jr. ( JHC) GoogleMaps . KENYA: 1J, Voi ( Tsavo ) env., 22.XI-2.XII.1996, leg. Mi. Halada ( JHC) ; 1J, Taveta, 7.IV.2007, leg. M. Halada ( JHC) . NAMIBIA: 1J, Kuene Region, 30 km NWW Weissbrünn , 19°26.320'S 14°28.702'E, 3.III.2022, leg. J. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps ; 2JJ, Rehoboth , 9 km S Rehoboth, 16.III.1990, leg. Max Schwarz ( OLML) ; 1J, Khomas Region, 53 km SW Windhoek , 1786 m, 22°25.315'S 16°51.711'E, 15.II.2023, leg. J. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps ; 2JJ, Kavango E Region. 20 km SE Divundu , 995 m, 19°9.902'S 21°40.947'E, 7.II.2023, leg. J. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps . TANZANIA: 1J, Kilimandjaro Province, 10 km S Same , 830 m, 04°09'30''S 37°46'10''E, 8.IV.2018, leg. J. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps .

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

R e c o g n i t i o n: Cerceris kombatensis has no longitudinal carina on coxa III. The female is characterized by having an apical margin of the clypeus with five small teeth and two triangular large teeth on the median area, and additionally medially with pointed process at the level of the tentorial pits ( Fig. 8a View Figs 8 ), the epimeron has a triangular crest and the propodeal enclosure is smooth as a mirror, without a medio-longitudinal furrow, but with crenulate lateral furrows, the propodeal side is shiny and irregularly sparsely punctured (punctures 0-3 diameters apart), the scutum is shiny with three shallow longitudinal furrows and sparsely punctuation. Additionally, the petiole is ferruginous and as long as wide ( Fig. 8e View Figs 8 ), the clypeus is nearly all black, the thorax is also black (except tegula) and the legs are black, ferruginous and yellow.

The female of C. nut DOLLFUSS is similar to C. kombatensis but differs by having the apical margin of the clypeus straight with an acute tooth on each side and the median area has a raised rectangular lamella below the tentorial pits.

The male of Cerceris kombatensis is characterized by having the apical margin of the clypeus tridentate ( Fig. 9a View Figs 9 ), the mandible is edentate internally;, the epimeron has a triangular crest, the propodeal enclosure is smooth as a mirror without a distinct medio-longitudinal furrow, the propodeal side is impunctate near the enclosure. Additionally, the scutum is shiny, with three more or less developed broad longitidinal furrows and sparsely punctate, the petiole is ferruginous and as long as wide ( Fig. 9e View Figs 9 ), the terga II-IV are coarsely and densely punctate, the clypeus and the frons are yellow and the legs black and yellow.

The male of C. mackinnona DOLLFUSS differs from C. kombatensis by having the pygidial plate distinctly narrowed basally, the median area of the clypeus is straight in lateral view, the sterna III-VII have long erect setae which not obscure the underlying sculpture and the propodeal enclosure is longitudinally or obliquely rugose. The male of C. vernayi ARNOLD differs from C. kombatensis by having the propodeal enclosure coarsely obliquely rugose.

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀, 9 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus with five small teeth; median area of clypeus with two triangular teeth and acute conical protuberance at level of tentorial pits ( Figs 8a, b View Figs 8 ); mandible with small emargination internally; prosternum with shallow elevation; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron with triangular crest; scutum shiny with three shallow longitudinal furrows; propodeal enclosure smooth as a mirror, without medio-longitudinal furrow and crenulate lateral furrows; coxa II without longitudinal carina; sternum II without basal plate; petiole as long as wide; sternum V rounded apico-lateral; flagellum as in Fig. 8c View Figs 8 ; petiole as in Fig. 8e View Figs 8 ; pygidial plate as in Fig. 8d View Figs 8 . Puncturation: clypeus micro-punctate (except triangular teeth impunctate); frons dull and punctate; vertex shiny and densely punctate; prosternum dull and sparsely punctate; pronotal collar shiny and sparsely punctate; scutum shiny and irregularly punctate (punctures 0-2 diameters apart); scutellum and metanotum shiny and sparsely punctate; propodeal side shiny and irregularly sparsely punctate (punctures 0-3 diameters apart); petiole sparsely punctate; terga II-IV densely coarsely punctate; tergum V more sparsely punctate; pygidial plate irregularly structured with few punctures basally; sterna shiny and latero-apical with punctures. Pilosity: clypeus lateral and frons covered with short appressed setae; rest of body with sparse erect setae. Colouration: black; following parts yellow: small spot on clypeus, lateral spots on frons, mandible basal, tegula lateral half, terga II and III latero-apical, tergum V, tibiae anteriorly; following parts ferruginous: flagellum partly, petiole, femora partly; wings hyaline, apically fuscous.

J, 7 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus tridentate ( Figs 9a, b View Figs 9 ); mandible edentate internally; prosternum with shallow elevation; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron with triangular crest; scutum with three more or less developed broad longitudinal furrows; pronotal collar lateral rounded; propodeal enclosure smooth as a mirror, without medio-longitudinal furrow; flagellum as in Fig. 9c View Figs 9 ; petiole as long as wide ( Fig. 9e View Figs 9 ); pygidial plate as in Fig. 9d View Figs 9 ; genitalia as in Figs 9f, g View Figs 9 ; coxa III without longitudinal carina. Puncturation: clypeus median area shiny and sparsely punctate; clypeal lateral side and frons dull and densely punctate; vertex densely punctate; prosternum punctate; pronotal collar densely punctate; scutum shiny and irregularly sparsely punctate (punctures 0-1 diameter apart); scutellum finely and sparsely punctate (punctures 0-2 diameters apart); metanotum punctate; propodeal side near enclosure impunctate; petiole sparsely punctate; terga II-V coarsely densely punctate; sterna lateral punctate. Pilosity: clypeal brush of median size; clypeal side and frons covered with short appressed setae; rest of body covered with sparse erect setae. Colouration: black; following parts yellow: clypeus, frons, inter-antennal carina, pronotal collar lateral, lateral half of tegula, (metanotum), terga II and III with apical bands, tergum VI; legs black and yellow; petiole and mandible (except apex) ferruginous; wings hyaline, apically fuscous.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania.