Cerceris parastraminea DOLLFUSS, 2025

Cerceris parastraminea DOLLFUSS , nov.sp. ( Figs 15 View Figs 15 a-g, 16a-i)

Holotype: ♀, OMAN, Dhofar, 5 km EN Magsail , 16.904N 53.820E, 24.IX.2023, leg. M. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 1♀, OMAN, Dhofar, 15 km W Mirbat , 17.033N 54.592E, 21.IX.2023, leg. M. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps ; 1♁, OMAN, Dhofar, 6 km NW Thalkut , 16.751N 53.204E, 750 m, 30.IX.2023, leg. M. Halada ( JHC). SAUDI ARABIA: 2♁♁, Jizan r., 10 km N Jizan, 16.973N 42.612E, 29.II.2024, leg. M. Halada ( JHC) GoogleMaps .

E t y m o l o g y: The holotype is similar to Cerceris straminea DUFOUR.

R e c o g n i t i o n:Thefemaleof Cerceris parastraminea has no longitudinal carina on coxa III, the cheek is produced behind into a distinct developed tooth, the body is predominantly ferruginous, the apical margin of the clypeus is straight with a narrow transverse lamella just above and a median longitudinal carina ( Fig. 15a View Figs 15 ). Additionally, the mandible has two teeth internally, the pronotal collar is lateral elevated and medially depressed, the mesopleuron has a tubercle, the scutum is densely punctate and the propodeal enclosure is arcuately transversely striate with shallow lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrows, body length 16-17 mm and the wings are fusco-ferruginous.

The female of C. straminea DUFOUR is similar to C. parastraminea in having the cheek produced into a tooth but differs by having the body predominantly or all yellow and the apical margin of the clypeus is nearly straight with a pair of adjacent tubercles which overhang the margin (in some specimens united or with a triangular plate), the propodeal enclosure is dull and very finely obliquely striate, pronotal collar laterally rounded, the body length is smaller (12-15 mm) and the wings are hyaline (apically fuscous). The female of C. nugax ARNOLD has also a more or less developed tooth on the cheek but differs from C. parastraminea by having the mandible with one tooth internally, the median area of the clypeus has two small projections and a short longitudinal carina behind and a variably black, ferruginous and yellow colour. The female of C. margarita DE BEAUMONT also has a more or less developed tooth on the cheek, but differs from C. parastraminea by having the mandible with one tooth internally, the median area of the clypeus has oblique carinae, the legs are yellow and the body length is 10-11 mm. The female of C. solitaria DAHLBOM is also ferruginous and black like C. parastraminea but differs by having a clypeal process and no teeth behind the cheek. The female of C. mauritania DOLLFUSS differs from C. parastraminea by having a distinct clypeal process and a nearly all yellow body. The female of C. walikalensis DOLLFUSS is also predominantly ferruginous as C. parastraminea but differs by having one large tooth on mandible internally and the scutum and the terga II-V are velvet-like black, with very shallow puncturation and the cheek has no tooth behind.

The male of C. parastraminea has no longitudinal carina on coxa III, the apical margin of the clypeus is ferruginous and edentate ( Fig. 16a View Figs 16 ), the flagellomere XI is distinctly bent ( Fig. 16c View Figs 16 ), the pronotal collar is lateral elevated and medially depressed, the propodeal enclosure transversely micro-striate and the lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrow are shallow and not crenulate. Additionally, the legs and gastral segments I-IV are ferruginous and the wings are fusco-ferruginous.

The male of C. straminea DUFOUR is similar shaped but differs by having the sterna with long obliquely backwards directed setae, the gaster is predominantly yellow and the wings are hyaline (apically fuscous). The male of C. margarita DE BEAUMONT differs from C. parastraminea by having the sterna II-VI with erect setae, the clypeal brush is broad, the pronotal collar has antero-lateral short teeth, the gaster is predominantly yellow and the wings are hyaline (apically fuscous).

D e s c r i p t i o n: ♀. 16-17 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus straight with narrow transverse lamella, slightly raised just above apical margin and with medio-longitudinal carina ( Fig. 15a View Figs 15 ); mandible with two teeth internally; pronotal collar laterally raised and medially depressed; cheek with long tooth behind; prosternum with short transverse carina; mesopleuron with tubercle and another just before coxa II; epimeron without crest; propodeal enclosure with fine arcuate transverse striae and lateral- and medio-longitudinal furrows shallow and not crenulate; petiole as long as wide and median with blunt elevation ( Fig. 15e View Figs 15 ); coxa III without longitudinal carina; sternum II without basal plate; pygidial plate as in Fig. 15d View Figs 15 ; flagellum as in Fig. 15c View Figs 15 . Puncturation: clypeus micro-punctate and punctate; frons micro-punctate and longitudinally densely punctate; vertex dull and rugose-punctate; pronotal collar transversely striate; prosternum sparsely punctate; tegula impunctate; scutum dull and densely punctate; scutellum dull and sparsely punctate; metanotum sparsely punctate; mesopleuron coarsely reticulate-punctate; pronotal side densely punctate; terga densely punctate; sterna apico-lateral punctate. Pilosity: sternum VI apico-lateral with bundle of long setae; rest of body sparsely covered with setae. Colouration: predominantly ferruginous; gaster apically more or less fusco-ferruginous; wings fusco-ferruginous.

♁ 11.5-17 mm. Sculpture: apical margin of clypeus straight and edentate ( Fig. 16a View Figs 16 ); flagellomere XI bent ( Fig. 16c View Figs 16 ); mandible edentate internally; pronotal collar laterally raised and medially depressed; prosternum without transverse carina; propodeal enclosure transversely micro-striate and medio-longitudinal furrow shallow; mesopleuron without tubercle; epimeron without crest; petiole as long as wide ( Fig. 16e View Figs 16 ); coxa III without longitudinal carina; sternum II without basal plate; pygidial plate as in Fig. 16d View Figs 16 ; genitalia as in Figs 16f, g View Figs 16 . Puncturation: median area of clypeus shiny and irregularly punctured; clypeal side micro-punctate; frons, vertex and pronotal collar densely punctate; tegula impunctate; scutum micro-punctate and densely punctate; scutellum shiny and densely punctate; metanotum punctate; mesopleuron and propodeal side coarsely reticulate-punctate; terga densely punctate; pygidial plate coarsely punctate; sterna apico-lateral punctate. Pilosity: clypeal brush small; clypeal side covered with appressed setae; gena, pronotum, scutum, mesopleuron, propodeal side and petiole covered with sparse long erect setae. Colouration: black; following parts yellow: clypeus, frons and mandible (except apex); following parts ferruginous: apical margin of clypeus, flagellum partly, pronotal collar lateral, tegula, scutellum, metanotum, propodeal enclosure, propodeal side, gastral segments I-IV and legs; wings fusco-ferruginous.

D i s t r i b u t i o n: Oman, Saudi Arabia.