Tachysphex brevipennis Mercet 1909

Tachysphex minutus Nurse

Tachysphex minutus Nurse, 1909:516, , .—Pulawski, 1975:311 [Lectotype: , India: Gujarat: Deesa (BMNH), with diagnostic characters; reexamined in 1989.].—Bohart and Menke, 1976:275 [listed].

Tachysphex lilliputianus R. Turner, 1917b:198, .[Holotype: , India: Bihar: Pusa (BMNH), reexamined in 1989. Synonymized with Tachysphex minutus by Pulawski, 1975:311.]

Atelosphex lugubris Arnold, 1924:72, . [Holotype: , Zimbabwe: Sawmills (SAM), examined. New synonym. Transferred to Tachysphex by Bohart and Menke, 1976:274].—Arnold, 1951:157 [Ghana].

Tachysphex rugosus Gussakovskij, 1952:245, , . [Lectotype: , Tajikistan: Mikoyanabad, now Kabadian (ZIN), designated by Pulawski, 1971:244, examined. New synonym.].—Pulawski, 1971:243 [revision]; 1974b:715 [prey: grasshopper Omocestus petraeus (Brisout)].—de Beaumont, Bytinski-Salz, and Pulawski, 1973:9 [Israel].—Bohart and Menke, 1976:276 [listed].

Tachysphex sp.—Pulawski, 1958:181 [Bulgaria, corrected to Tachysphex rugosus by Pulawski, 1971:243].

Tachysphex rhodius de Beaumont, 1960a:19, , . [Holotype: , Greece: Rhodes Island: Kamiros (RMNH), examined. Synonymized with Tachysphex rugosus by Pulawski, 1971:243.]; 1965:53 [Greece].—Pulawski, 1967:408 [Turkey].

Tachysphex aff. rhodius: Pulawski, 1967:408 [corrected to Tachysphex rugosus by Pulawski, 1971:243].

Tachysphex quadrifurci Pulawski, 1971:246, , .[Holotype: , Turkmenistan: Askhabad (CAS), examined. New synonym.].—Bohart and Menke, 1976:276 [listed].

Tachysphex lugubris.—Bohart and Menke, 1976:274 [new combination, listed].

SYNONYMY.—I now regard quadrifurci and rugosus as synonyms of minutus based on study of additional material, especially from India and Pakistan, as well as reexamination of specimens studied previously (Pulawski, 1971).

DIAGNOSIS.—Tachysphex minutus is very similar to sympleuron (see page 60), but differs in having well-defined mesopleural punctures (interspaces shiny in most specimens), and the male forefemoral notch is glabrous. In sympleuron, the mesopleuron is dull, punctatorugose beneath the scrobe, and the male forefemoral notch is setose. In addition, the gena of many minutus is thin in dorsal view (including specimens from Indian subcontinent), but thick in sympleuron (Figure 142). For differences between minutus and the related Palearctic species see Pulawski (1971, key to species) and also the “Diagnosis” of sympleuron.

DESCRIPTION.—Frons punctate or punctatorugose (punctures less than one diameter apart). Gena thin in dorsal view in populations from desert areas (Tunisia, Syria, Transcaspia, Pakistan, India), but thick in specimens from Turkey and Europe, thus resembling sympleuron (see Figure 142); somewhat intermediate in Israeli specimens; and variable in West African specimens. Malar space present. Basal half of scape concave ventrally (as in Figure 143). Scutum shiny, punctures averaging more than one diameter apart to less than one diameter. Mesopleuron punctate, most punctures less than one diameter apart below scrobe; interspaces shiny in most specimens. Episternal sulcus absent (Figure 198). Metapleural sulcus, below upper metapleural pit, evanescent to absent in most specimens, but well defined in some specimens from Bulgaria and Hungary. Propodeal dorsum longitudinally ridged to irregularly rugose mesally and rugose laterally, side ridged. Hindcoxal dorsum: inner margin carinate basally, carina low to slightly expanded, absent in some males. Apical tarsomeres with no spines on venter or lateral margins. Punctures of tergum II one diameter apart or less (but not compressed against each other), interspaces shiny.

Setae appressed to nearly erect on vertex (setal length about one midocellar diameter); appressed or nearly so on scutum; inclined between mandible and occipital carina; and oriented anterad on propodeal dorsum (except laterally where they are oriented posterolaterad, and except basally where they are oriented posterad).

Head and thorax black, mandibles yellowish red mesally; scape translucent apicoventrally, remaining venter black or yellowish red. Gaster black in most specimens, but segments I and II red in some specimens from Greece and Turkey. Legs black in most specimens, but in some tibiae brown, reddish, or yellowish on outer surface. Terga I–III silvery fasciate apically in most specimens, but I–IV in some West African females and I–V in some West African males. Wings weakly infumate to hyaline, with yellowish tinge in a female from Karachi area, Pakistan.

.—Clypeus (as in Figure 140): bevel shorter than basomedian area; lip arcuate, not incised laterally. Vertex width 1.5–1.8 × length. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.3–2.7 × apical width. Foretibia densely, uniformly punctate and setose throughout, without spines on outer surface. Forebasitarsus with six or seven rake spines. Pygidial plate microscopically reticulate (except apically) and with sparse punctures (Figure 199). Length 5.5–8.5 mm.

.—Clypeus (as in Figure 141): bevel slightly shorter than basomedian area; lip weakly arcuate, not incised laterally, with well-defined corner; distance between corners 1.3–1.4 × distance between corner and orbit. Vertex width 2.0–3.0 × length. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.6–2.1 × apical width. Forefemoral notch glabrous. Outer margin of forebasitarsus with one to four preapical spines (number of spines may be different on each leg); in most cases, at least one spine longer than apical width of basitarsus. Sterna densely, evenly punctate and setose. Volsella: Figure 200. Length 4.0–6.2 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION.—Africa (Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Tunisia, northeastern Egypt: Suez area), Sicily and southeastern Europe (Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Greece, Crimea), Azerbaijan and Turkey to Israel, Transcaspia (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan), Pakistan, and India north of the Tropic of Cancer.

RECORDS (localities given in Pulawski, 1971, under rugosus or quadrifurci are not repeated here).—IVORY COAST: 20 km W Boundiali (1, CAS), 56 km N Niakaramandougou (1, CAS), 40 km S Toumodi (8;, 10, CAS), 50 km S Yamassoukro (1, CAS).

GHANA: Accra (1, 5, CAS), Legon, 12 km NNE Accra (5, CAS), 30 km S Kintampo (3, CAS), Kawampe, 8°30′N, 1°35′W, 45 km N Kintampo (1, CAS).

INDIA: BIHAR: Pusa (1, BMNH, holotype of lilliputianus). GUJARAT: Deesa (4;, 1, BMNH, including holotype of minutus; 1, 6, CAS).

ITALY: SICILIA: Gela (1, CAS).

NAMIBIA: KARIBIB DISTRICT: 23 km N Karibib (1, CAS). OTJIWARONGO DISTRICT: 3 km NE Kalkfeld (1, CAS). WINDHOEK DISTRICT: Aris, 25 km S Windhoek (1, CAS).

PAKISTAN: SIND: 30 km ENE Karachi on Karachi-Hyderabad road (1, CAS), Kirthar National Park, 150 km NE Karachi, 25°10′–26°05′N, 67°10′–67°55′E (2, CAS), Malir River, 5 km ESE Karachi Airport (6, CAS).

TUNISIA: Djerba Island (1, CAS).

ZIMBABWE: Sawmills (1, SAM, holotype of lugubris).