Arachnospila (Ammosphex) rasnitsyni Loktionov and Lelej, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Loktionov, Valery M.
name: Lelej, Arkady S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Pompilidae
Arachnospila
Arachnospila rasnitsyni

description: Arachnospila (Ammosphex) rasnitsyni Loktionov and Lelej, sp. nov.
(Figs 22, 23, 55, 68, 88, 112, 113)
Diagnosis of male. The male of this species is very similar to that of Arachnospila (Ammosphex) kaszabi Wolf and Móczár, 1972 by having similar shape of hypopygium and by dense silver pubescence of the body, but clearly differs by having clypeus and sides of propodeum with long scattered setae (with short erect rare setae of lacking setae in A. (A.) kaszabi), by volsella with dense setae ventrally (rare setae in A. (A.) kaszabi) (Fig. 55 vs. 46). The differences from other males of the subgenus Ammosphex, which are distributed in the Russian Far East and East Siberia, are given in the key below.
Diagnosis of female. The female of this species is easily distinguished from other females of the subgenus Ammosphex by having propodeum with ∼ 50 long erect setae (~20 and less long or short erect setae or lacking setae in other females).
Description. MALE. Body length 9.6 mm. Fore wing length 8.0 mm. Head width 1.2 × its height. Ocelli small, POD/OOD 1.0. Ratio of genal median width to eye median width (lateral view) 0.3. Clypeus weakly convex, anterior border weakly emarginate with narrow smooth rim. Labrum flat, anterior border straight. Flagellomere 1 length 2.3 × its width. Relation of scape, pedicel and two first flagellomeres 32: 15: 36: 36. Mesosoma length dorsally 1.5 × its maximum width. Pronotum median length 0.4 × its median width, posterior pronotal border angulate. Pronotum distinctly broadened posteriorly, its minimum anterior width 0.8 × maximum posterior width. Metanotum median length 1.8 × metapostnotum median length. Metapostnotum matt with three distinct transverse striae near anterior border, posterior border without median smooth shiny triangle. Median length of propodeum 0.7 × maximum width of propodeum. Wings slightly infuscated with darker apical part, venation of fore wing as in Fig. 112. Hypopygium as in Figs 22, 23. Genitalia as in Fig. 55.
Frons, vertex, gena, propleura with long brown scattered erect setae. Sides of propodeum with long gray scattered erect setae. Pronotum dorsally with three long dark brown erect setae and a few short erect setae. Mandible with two long strong and a few softer and shorter erect setae. Scutellum with five long dark brown erect setae. Other body parts lacking setae. Lower part of face, gena, pronotum anteriorly, sides of mesonotum, propodeum, fore coxae, mid and hind coxae posteriorly with dense iridescent mainly silver pubescence. Mesonotum, mid and hind coxae, legs with sparse brownish pubescence. Metanotum with iridescent mainly brownish micropubescence. Body regularly micropunctate. Body and legs black. Mandible brownish apically; T1 (except basal portion), T2 and T3 basally ferruginous-red.
Description. FEMALE. Body length 10.5 mm. Fore wing length 7.5 mm. Head width 1.2 × its height. Ocelli small, POD/OOD 1.0. Ratio of genal median width to eye median width (lateral view) 0.5. Ratio of eye median width to half width of frons (frontal view) 0.8. Clypeus longitudinally convex, anterior border strongly emarginate with smooth rim narrowed medially (Fig. 68). Labrum flat, anterior border straight. Flagellomere 1 length 4.3 its width. Relation of scape, pedicel and first two flagellomeres 25: 8: 35: 30. Apical flagellomere acuminate. Mesosoma length dorsally 1.4 × its width. Pronotum median length 0.4 × its median width, posterior pronotal border obtuse-angulate. Metanotum median length 1.3 × metapostnotum median length. Metapostnotum shiny with transverse striae more distinct anteriorly, its posterior border with smooth triangle medially (Fig. 88). Spines of tarsal comb short, protarsomere 1 with three spines of tarsal comb, tarsomeres 2, 3 with two spines, tarsomere 4 with one spine and tarsomere 5 without spines; apical spine of protarsomere 1 0.4 × length of protarsomere 2; apical spine length of tarsomeres 2 and 3 0.8 × length of tarsomeres 3 and 4 respectively. Wings infuscated with darker apical portion, venation of fore wing as in Fig. 113.
Frons, vertex, clypeus, pronotum, fore coxae with long dark scattered erect setae. Gena, propleura, sides of propodeum with denser long dark erect setae. Mesopleuron ventro-laterally, femora, mid and hind coxae, S2–S6 and T6 with rare erect setae. Mandible with seven long curved setae. Head and propodeum with iridescent brownish-gray pubescence. Other parts of body with brownish micropubescence. Body regularly micropunctate. Body and legs black. Mandible pale brown medially and dark brown apically; T1 (except basal portion) and T2 ferruginous-red.
Type material. Holotype, 3, RUSSIA, Buryatia, Baraty, Gusinoye Lake, 26.VII.2007 (Lelej, Proshchalykin, Loktionov) [IBSS]. Paratype, 1 Ƥ with the same label [ZIN].
Distribution. Russia (Buryatia).
Biology. Inhabits steppe areas.
Etymology. Named after Alexandr P. Rasnitsyn, the world authority on Hymenoptera classification and evolution, and dedicated to him on his jubilee.
description: Published as part of Loktionov, Valery M. & Lelej, Arkady S., 2011, Review of the subgenus Ammosphex Wilcke, 1942 of the genus Arachnospila Kincaid, 1900 (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) of the Russian Far East and East Siberia, pp. 1-30 in Zootaxa 3137 on pages 17-18, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.202611