Ferreola tunesiensis Schmid-Egger, 2018, nov.sp.
Creators: name: Schmid-Egger, Rnold Christian
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Pompilidae
Ferreola
Ferreola tunesiensis

description: Ferreola tunesiensis SCHMID- EGGER nov.sp., figs 54-60
Holotype: Tunisiafemale 9.iv.1998, Nefta, leg K. Denesjr. [id. as Ferreolasagax, det. 2004 Wolf] (OLL).
Paratypes: Tunisia 2 females 8.vi. 2000, 15 km W Nefta, 33‘50‘‘N 07‘43‘‘E (leg. et coll. CSE); 1 male 24.iii.2001 Thélèpte 35‘04‘‘N 8‘33’E [Barcoding voucher Nr. BC ZSM HYM 22790) (leg. et coll. CSE).
Remark: Amoung the examined females of F. algira is a small series of different looking specimens from southern Tunisia. They represent a hitherto unknown and distinct species. The morphological results will be supported by genetic data. Amale from Thelepte differ from two other specimens (male and female, also from Thelepte) distinctly by genetic data (barcoding gene, COI, Schmid-Egger in prep.), what confirms its state as a valid species. Both species, F. tunesiensis and F. algira, occur sympatrically in Tunisia.
The true identity of F. algira, described from Algeria, could not be verfied, because type specimens were not available to us. However, we treat the more common and widespread species as F. algira to avoid a confusion with the previous treatment of authors. Both species are clearly defined here to make a identification possible at least in females in most males. F. sagax, described by a male from Algier, is a synonym of F. algira, because Kohl (1986: 325) mentions the sharp propodeal egde in his descripion, what excludes the new species, F. tunesiensis.
Diagnosis: F. tunesiensis nov.sp. is similar to F. algira and differs by the following female characters: gena with about 30 long black setae, longest setae nearly as long as AS 11. Gena of F. algira without pilosity or has a few, shorter setae only. Also, pilosity of forecoxa and mesosternum is longer and much denser in F. tunesiensis compared to F. algira. Vertex laterally (behind eyes, dorsal view) is narrower and more rounded in F. tunesiensis as in F. algira. It is always somewhat thickened in outer corner in F. algira. The limitation between propodeal dorsum and propodeal declivity consists in a more or less rounded egde in F. tunesiensis, and is with sharp and somewhat prominent edge in F. algira. The only examined male of F. tunesiensis has a rounded limitation between propodeal dorsum and declivity, without any edge (apart from lateral propodeal teeth).
Description of female: Holotype: Bodylength 14 mm. Colour: Head inlcuding mandible dark red with the following parts black: apex of mandible, clypeus, a band each between antennal socket and ocellar area, leaving a narrow red band inbetween. Antenna black. Pronotum, mesoscutum, metanotum, tegulae red, remaining body black. Wings black, infuscate. with violet shimmer. Clypeal base and lower face with scattered thin yellow pubescence. Gena with appr. 30 long erect setae, longest setae as long as length of AS XI. Propleuron, forecoxa and mesosternum also with long setae, shorter than setae on gena, directed backwards. Morphology: Apical clypeal margin nearly straigth. Clypeus shiny, with scattered fine punctation. Malar space long, as long as OOL (somewhat shorter than AS XI). Clypeus prolonged, as long as AS II+III. POL = 1,3x as long as distance between hindocelli and margin of vertex. Gena (measured medially, in lateral view) als large as eye. Crossing between propodeal dorsum and declivity with rounded edge, propodeal dorsum laterally with two large teeth, and deep U-shaped emargination inbeetween. Propodeal declivity very fine grainlike punctured. SMC III above short, as long as diameter of midocellus. SMC II above large, as long as high. Remaining characters similar to F. algira.
Variation of female paratypes: Bodylength 14 mmand 16 mm. Black colour of face is reduced in one female to a black spot around ocellar area. Clypeus is also red in this female, and pilosity of gena is reddish instead of black. Hindfemora are somewhat reddish in both paratypes.
Description of male: Bodylength 10 mm. Colour: Red are: Gena, vertex behind ocelli, pronotum except collare, mesoscutum except large anterior spot, scutellum, medial part of metatotum. Frons, gena, propleuron and forecoxa with long, dense and black pilosity, longest setae as long as diameter of midflagellomeres. Malar space half as long as POL. Gena (measured medially, in lateral view) 0,55x as long as eye, below distinctly narrowed. For form of clypeus and length of AS see fig. 55. Otherwise similar to female, propodeal declivity not plane, somewhat waved.
Geograf ic distribution: SouthernTunisia.
E t y m o l o g y: The species is named after its origin, Tunisia.
description: Published as part of Schmid-Egger, Rnold Christian, 2018, New species of Ferreola L, 1845 and Eoferreola A, 1935 with key to Ferreola species from the Palaearctic region (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae), pp. 389-412 in Linzer biologische Beiträge 50 (1) on pages 408-410, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4030909