Tachysphex mediterraneus Kohl 1883

Tachysphex mediterraneus Kohl

LIFE HISTORY.—Krombein did not observe nesting behavior of this species, but available data were summarized by Pulawski (1971). The nest is closed during the provisioning period except when the female is inside. The female opens the entrance and enters the nest without dropping the prey. Prey consists of tree crickets of the genus Oecanthus, mainly immature but also adult, both males and females.

Tachysphex mediterraneus Kohl

Tachysphex mediterranea Kohl, 1883:173, , [incorrect original termination. Syntypes: , Italy: Sicilia: Valsavoja (NHMW). examined].—Pulawski, 1971:255 [revision, full bibliography].—Bohart and Menke, 1976:274 [listed].

Tachysphex collaris Kohl, 1898:100, . [Holotype: , Waboniland (= Kenya: Coast Province): no specific locality (NHMW), examined. New synonym. Treated as subspecies of Tachysphex mediterraneus by Pulawski, 1971:257.].—Arnold, 1923:177 [listed], 177 [original description translated into English].

Tachysphex lanatus Arnold, 1947:151, , . [Syntypes: Zambia: Abercorn, now Mbata (SAM), examined. New synonym].—Bohart and Menke, 1976:274 [listed].

Tachysphex mediterraneus collaris.—Pulawski, 1971:257 [new status].—Bohart and Menke, 1976:274 [listed].

SYNONYMY.—Pulawski (1971) regarded collaris as a subspecies of mediterraneus because of the fine frontal punctation in the holotype. I now regard this name as a simple synonym of mediterraneus because punctation has proven to vary from one extreme to the other.

DIAGNOSIS.—Tachysphex mediterraneus can be recognized by the setae that are sinuous and suberect to erect on the head and thorax (longest setae about equal to basal width of mandible) in combination with a punctate scutum and a rugose mesopleuron (only the hypoepimeral area is rugose in some Afrotropical specimens). The female clypeus is also distinctive (see “Description” below and Figures 72, 74), and the claws of many females are slightly expanded dorsally, as in oxychelus (see Figure 70) and unlike the other species of the genus. The dentate hindcoxal dorsum (Figure 79) is an additional recognition feature, and so is the male clypeus: lobe narrow, its comers markedly closer to each other than to orbits (Figures 73, 75).

DESCRIPTION.—Scutal punctures well defined, nearly contiguous to (Kenya) more than one diameter apart on disk. Mesopleuron all rugose or with punctate area adjacent to midcoxa; only hypoepimeral area rugose in individuals from Zimbabwe. Propodeal dorsum rugose, side ridged. Hindcoxal dorsum: inner margin conspicuously angulate basally (Figure 79).

Setae suberect to erect and sinuous on head and thorax (longest setae about equal to basal width of mandible), not concealing integument, somewhat inclined posterad on propodeal dorsum.

Body black, apical tarsomeres brown, pygidial plate red in single female from Tarangiri National Park, Tanzania. Wings hyaline.

.—Clypeus (Figures 72, 74); free margin of lip with obtuse, median point and three teeth on each side, teeth separated by incisions. Vertex width 1.2–1.4 × length. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.1–2.4 × apical width. Forefemoral venter shiny, with minute punctures that are several to many diameters apart. Outer surface of foretibia with one spine or seta near midlength and one near apex. Length of hindtarsomere IV

.—Clypeus (Figures 73, 75): bevel ill defined; free margin of lobe sinuate, angulate laterally, or roundly pointed, not angulate laterally, forming single curved line with rest of clypeal margin. Vertex width 1.3–1.6 × length. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.6–2.0 apical width. Forefemoral notch with finely setose bottom. Outer margin of forebasitarsus without preapical spines. Apical tarsomeres without spines. Stema with dense micropunctures; apical margin of stema III–V shallowly concave. Volsella; Figure 77. Penis valve: Figure 78. Length 7.0–8.0 mm.

COLLECTING PERIOD.—January, February, May, June, September.

HABITAT.—In Sri Lanka, this species has a wide distribution within the Dry Zone where it occurs at localities from near sea level to 150 m and with an average annual rainfall ranging from 1000 to 1725 mm (Figure 80).

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—Southern Europe, Africa south to Zaire and Zambia, Israel, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, India, Sri Lanka.

RECORDS (localities given in Pulawski, 1971, are not listed).—GHANA: Aburi (1, CAS), Nkawkaw, 80 air km NW Koforidua (2, CAS).

INDIA: KARNATAKA: Bangalore: Allalsandra (1, ZMK).

IRAN: MAZANDERAN: coastal plain between Chalus and Shahsavar (1, D. Baker coll.).

IVORY COAST: Bouaké (1, CAS; 4, UCD), Ferkessedougou (2, CAS), 40 km N Man (1, CAS), Oumé (2, CAS), 40 km S Toumodi (1, 3, CAS), 50 km S Yamassoukro (1, CAS).

KENYA: Archer's Post on Ewaso Nyiro River (1, CAS), 30 km S Mombasa (1, CAS); Waboniland (= Coast Province): no specific locality (1, NHMW, holotype of collaris).

SENEGAL: Bandia Forest (2, 4, CAS); Ferlo, Feté-olé (2, 3, CAS; 6, 14, UCD).

SRI LANKA: MANNAR DISTRICT: 0.5 mi (0.8 km) NE Kokmotte Bungalow in Wilpattu National Park (3, USNM), Marichchukkaddi (2, NMC, USNM), Silavathurai and Kondachchi (1, NMC). MONARAGALA DISTRICT: Angunakolapelessa (2, USNM), Mau Ara, 10 mi (16 km) E Uda Walawe (1, USNM). PUTTALAM DISTRICT: Kali Villu in Wilpattu National Park (1, 5, USNM). RATNAPURA DISTRICT: Uggalkaltota, Irrigation Bungalow (1, USNM). TRINCOMALEE DISTRICT: China Bay (1, 1, USNM).

TANZANIA: Tarangiri National Park (1, CAS).

TOGO: Amaoudé, 14 km N Sokodé (1, CAS).

ZAMBIA: Mbata (1, 1, SAM, syntypes of lanatus).

ZAIRE: 21 mi (33.6 km) W Popokabaka (1, CAS).