Tachysphex schmiedeknechti Kohl 1883

Tachysphex schmiedeknechti Kohl

Krombein did not find this species in Sri Lanka, but Myartseva (1976) observed the nesting habits of schmiedeknechti on sandy banks of the Tedzhen River in Turkmenistan. The galleries, 11–21 cm long, ended in a single cell 5–8 cm below the soil surface. As in other species of the genus, nest construction precedes hunting, with forelegs used for digging. The nest entrance is closed when the wasp is away for hunting. Prey are mantids, either adults of small species, or second and third instars of large species, and flown to the nest. One to three prey are stored per cell. Both sexes dig temporary galleries in which they stay overnight, but females also use unfinished nests. De Beaumont (1955) found a female carrying a prey, a paralyzed nymph of Mantis religiosa Linnaeus, in Morocco.

Myartseva (1972) reared Chrysis decora Mocs´ry (as mesasiatica Semenov) from a nest of schmiedeknechti.

Tachysphex schmiedeknechti Kohl

Tachysphex Schmiedeknechti Kohl, 1883:170, [incorrect original capitalization. Syntypes: Greece: Attica: Egina, also spelled Aegina, now Aiyina (NHMW), examined.].—Gussakovskij, 1952:240.—Pulawski, 1971:389 [revision, full bibliography]; 1975:312.—Miartseva, 1972:112 [nest parasite]; 1976:77 [nesting habits].—Gayubo and Mingo, 1988:82 [Spain: Córdoba Province].

Tachysphexpsilopus Kohl, 1884:371, . [Holotype or syntypes: , Egypt: Sinai Peninsula: Tor (NHMW), examined. Synonymized with Tachysphex schmiedeknechti by de Beaumont, 1940:171.].—Bingham, 1898:104 (Yemen).

Tachysphex heliophilus Nurse, 1909:515, , . [Lectotype: , India: Gujarat: Deesa (BMNH), designated by Pulawski, 1975:312, examined. Synonymized with Tachysphex schmiedeknechti by Pulawski. 1975:312.]

Tachysphex ornatipennis Gussakovskij. 1933:283. , [Holotype: , former Persian province Seistan, now part of Iran and Afghanistan: no specific locality (ZIN), examined. Synonymized with Tachysphex schmiedeknechti by Pulawski, 1971:389.]

Tachysphex fasciipennis Gussakovskij, 1933:283, . [Holotype: , Turkmenistan: Farab (ZIN), examined. Synonymized with Tachysphex schmiedeknechti by Pulawski, 1971:389.]

Tachysphex calopteryx Gussakovskij, 1933:284, , [Holotype: , Turkmenistan or Uzbekistan: sands Kara-Dzhuzgun in Aralian part of Kara Kum Desert (ZIN), examined. Synonymized with Tachysphex schmiedeknechti by Gussakovskij, 1952:240.]

Tachysphex schmiedeknechti satanas Pulawski, 1971:393, , , [Holotype: , Syria: Ramadan near Damascus (A. Mochi coll., Rome), examined. New synonym.]

SYNONYMY.—Pulawski (1971) described as schmiedeknechti satanas Syrian specimens with all black wings and all black male gasters. Since then, I have observed other types of variation in gastral color (see below) and found all black wings in Moroccan specimens that have a red gaster. I see no need now for formal recognition of various color forms and consequently I regard satanas as a synonym of schmiedeknechti.

DIAGNOSIS.—Tachysphex schmiedeknechti can be recognized by the conspicuously reticulate sculpture of its scutum and mesopleuron (Figure 225), as well as widely spaced rays of the inner hindtibial spur (Figure 228). A similar reticulate mesopleuron is found in mediterraneus, while micans (Radoszkowski) (Morocco to Iran) and some pulcher Pulawski (Turkey to Tajikistan) have a similar hindtibial spur. The combination of the two characters, however, is unique to schmiedeknechti. A dark transverse band on the forewing found in most specimens is a subsidiary recognition feature (forewing all infumate in occasional specimens).

DESCRIPTION.—Scutum and mesopleuron characteristically reticulate (Figure 225). Episternal sulcus effaced anteroventrally. Propodeal dorsum rugose, irregularly ridged longitudinally near base. Hindcoxal dorsum: inner margin carinate basally, carina not expanded. Inner spur of hindtibia with thick, widely spaced rays (Figure 228). Apical tarsomeres with several long, erect spines on venter, with no spines on lateral margins.

Setae (figures in parentheses refer to basal mandibular width): erect, sinuous on vertex (0.4–0.7) and along hypostomal carina (0.7–0.8); sinuous, suberect on frons and scape; evenly curved, oriented posterad on scutum except suberect, sinuous anteriorly; sinuous, oriented posterad on propodeal dorsum except oriented anterad anteromesally; nearly erect on midfemoral venter; suberect on tergum I basolaterally.

Head and thorax black. Legs black (tarsal apex reddish), hindtibia partly red in some males; hindfemur (all or partly) and hindtibia red in males from Ghana, also midtibia in some specimens. Gaster all black in most females and some Syrian males described as schmiedeknechti satanas by Pulawski (1971), terga I–III red in Ghanaian females and most males. Terga I–III silvery fasciate apically in female, nonfasciate in male. Forewing in most specimens with dark, transverse band (Figure 222) that is faint in some females, conspicuously yellow between band and base in Ghanaian specimens; all wings markedly infumate in some specimens from Morocco and Syria (Figure 223).

.—Clypeus (Figure 220): middle section irregularly punctate (large punctures intermixed with small), bevel not differentiated from basomedian area; lip arcuate, not incised laterally. Vertex width 1.0–1.2 × length. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.5–3.2 × apical width. Punctures of forefemoral venter several diameters apart. Foretibia densely, uniformly punctate and setose throughout or punctures and setae sparse on outer surface; outer surface with one or two spines. Forebasitarsus with seven or eight rake spines. Pygidial plate unsculptured except for a few sparse punctures, slightly constricted near apex. Length 8.0–11.0 mm.

.—Clypeus (Figure 221): middle section irregularly punctate (large punctures intermixed with small ones), bevel not differentiated from basomedian area; lip evenly arcuate; lip corner nonprominent; distance between corners 0.9–1.0 × distance between corner and orbit. Vertex width 0.8–1.0 × length. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.4–3.0 × apical width. Forefemoral notch glabrous, its basal margin pointed, apical margin ill defined (Figure 229). Outer margin of forebasitarsus with four to seven preapical spines. Sterna asetose (only with erect setae that delimit apical depressions); apical margin of sternum VIII in most specimens with median expansion (Figure 224). Volsella: Figure 226. Penis valve: Figure 227. Length 6.0–10.0 mm.

Frontal setae golden in large specimens, silvery (all or partly) in small ones.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—North Africa south to Ghana and Togo, Spain, Greece, Cyprus, southern Turkey, Syria, Yemen, Transcaspia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan), Iran, northwest India.

RECORDS (the localities listed in Pulawski, 1971, are not repeated).—BURKINA FASO: Pala near Bobo Dioulasso (1 , CAS).

GREECE: IONIAN ISLANDS: Zakinthos (1, CAS). PELOPONNESE: Messenia: Finikous (1, CAS).

GHANA: Kawampe, 8°30′N, 1°35′W, 45 km N Kintampo (1 , 6, CAS).

INDIA: GUJARAT: Deesa (1, BMNH, lectotype of heliophilus).

NIGER: Say (1, CAS).

TOGO: 5 km W Sokodé (1 CAS).

YEMEN: Aden (Bingham, 1898).