Sphecodopsis aculeata
Creators: name: Pöllein, Daniela
name: Kuhlmann, Michael
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Apidae
Sphecodopsis
Sphecodopsis aculeata

description: Sphecodopsis aculeata (Friese, 1922)
Figs 11–14
Pasites aculeatus Friese, 1922: 37, holotype ♀ (type locality: ‘Kap Sown [sic]’ (= Cape Town), South Africa) (ZMHB), examined.
Pasites pygmaeus Friese, 1922: 37, lectotype ♂ [designated by Eardley & Brothers 1997] (type locality: ‘Kapland’ (= Cape Colony), South Africa) (ZMHB), examined.
Sphecodopsis (Pseudopasites) rufescens Bischoff, 1923: 593–594, holotype ♀ (type locality: ‘S.-W.- Afrika’, South Africa) (ZMHB), examined.
Sphecodopsis (Pseudopasites) algoensis Bischoff, 1923: 595, lectotype ♂ [designated by Eardley & Brothers 1997] (type locality: ‘Algoa-bai’, South Africa) (DNMNH), examined.
Morgania (Pseudopasites) perpunctata Cockerell, 1933a: 383–384, holotype ♂ (type locality: Rapenburg, Cape Flats, South Africa) (NHML), examined.
Diagnosis
The female of S. aculeata can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch without a small tip distally, shape as in Fig. 12C; body length> 6 mm; metasoma partially red (Fig. 11B); T6 covered with white hair (Fig. 12B); front legs completely black (Fig. 11A); head and mesosoma with white hair (Fig. 11C–D); T6 rounded apically (Fig. 12B). The male can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: metasoma at least partially red (Fig. 13B); fore legs black (Fig. 13A); head and mesosoma with white hair (Fig. 13C–D); gonostylus not inclined inward and slightly tapered, penis valves broader, about as long as gonostylus (Fig. 14C).
Additional material examined (68 specimens)
SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Remhoogte slope; 30°14′ S, 18°10′ E; 5 Sep. 2003; yellow trap; CM leg.; SANC • 1 ♂; C.P., Kamieskroonberg near Kamieskroon; 30°32′ S, 18°08′ E; 3 Oct. 1990; CE leg.; SANC • 1 ♀, 3 ♂♂; 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur, Fynbos; 31°16′18″ S, 19°02′55″ E; 770 m a.s.l.; 24 Aug. 2012; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 25 Sep. 2014; RCMK • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 25 Aug. 2017; RCMK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 30 Aug. 2018; RCMK • 5 ♀♀, 5 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 9 Sep. 2018; RCMK • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville, Farm Glen Lyon, garden; 31°23′50″ S, 19°08′26″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 4 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; RCMK • 3 ♀♀, 1 ♂; Gemsbokrivier-Pad, 4.5 km NE of Grootdrif, roadside; 31°25′54″ S, 18°55′16″ E; 170 m a.s.l.; 20 Aug. 2010; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂; 20 km S of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Papkuilsfontein, Fynbos; 31°33′16″ S, 19°08′31″ E; 680 m a.s.l.; 27 Aug. 2010; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; 18 km S of Calvinia on R355, 200 m S of Farm Boskloof; 31°38′36″ S, 19°44′36″ E; 1000 m a.s.l.; 22 Sep. 2022; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; Keiski Mts, 3 km E of Farm M’Vera, shale; 31°45′29″ S, 19°54′13″ E; 1190 m a.s.l.; 13 Sep. 2016; MK leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀, 11 ♂♂; Roggeveld Mts, 2 km S of Farm Perdekloof, rivier, dolerite; 31°47′35″ S, 19°58′16″ E; 1220 m a.s.l.; 1 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 20. Sep. 2022; RCMK • 1 ♂; Ouberg Pass, 27 km SE of Vanrhynsdorp, Fynbos; 31°48′07″ S, 18°55′00″ E; 380 m a.s.l.; 23 Aug. 2012; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀, 13 ♂♂; Roggeveld Mts, 1.5 km S of Farm Allemansdam, Renosterveld; 31°49′25″ S, 19°59′38″ E; 1285 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2018; MK leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; Roggeveld Mts, 2 km SE of Farm Allemansdam, burnt area; 31°47′35″ S, 19°58′16″ E; 1220 m a.s.l.; 29 Aug. 2018; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; W Cape S of Lamberts Bay; [32°04′ S, 18°20′ E]; 7–9 Oct. 1999; MH leg.; RCMS • 1 ♂; Lamberts Bay, Strandveld, sand; 32°06′19″ S, 18°18′16″ E; 5 m a.s.l.; 7 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; Pakhuis Pass, C.P.; [32°08′ S, 19°01′ E]; SANC • 3 ♀♀; W Cape, Kunje Farm, 28 km SE of Citrusdal; 32°40′ S, 19°10′ E; 23 Sep. 2001; CE leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; Pearly Beach, Bredasdorp; [34°40′ S, 19°30′ E]; SANC.
Description
Female
BODY LENGTH. 4.5–6.0 mm.
HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with short, yellowish-white hair. Face with dense (i =0.25–0.5 d) and coarse but shallow punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area with finer and denser (i =0–0.25 d) punctation (Fig. 11C). Surface between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna black.
MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula red. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i=0.25–1 d) and coarsely but shallowly punctate (Fig. 11D). Propodeum with dense (i =1–1.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, metapostnotum matt (Fig. 12A). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum, propodeum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with short, yellowish-white hair, metapostnotum glabrous (Figs 11D, 12A).
WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown (Fig. 11A).
LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with relatively long, white hair mixed with shorter, plumose, white hair. Tibia and tarsus covered with short, plumose, white hair (Fig. 11A).
METASOMA. Integument of T1 and T2 red; T3 and T4 to a variable extent red, from T3 basal half red to T4 basal quarter red; T5 and T6 black. T1 and T2 with few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair (Fig. 11B). T6 covered with short, white hair, broad and rounded apically (Fig. 12B). Shape of S6 (Fig. 12C) as illustrated.
Male
BODY LENGTH. 5.0– 6.8 mm.
HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with short, yellowish-white hair. Face with dense (i =0.25–0.5 d) and coarse but shallow punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area and denser (i=0–0.5 d), finer and shallow punctation (Fig. 13C). Surface between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna black.
MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula red. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i=0.25–1 d) and coarsely but shallowly punctate (Fig. 13D). Propodeum with dense (i=1–1.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, metapostnotum matt (Fig. 13E). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum, propodeum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with short, yellowish-white hair, metapostnotum glabrous (Fig. 13D–E).
WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown (Fig. 13A.).
LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with fairly long, white hair mixed with short, plumose, white hair. Tibia and tarsi covered with short, white hair (Fig. 13A).
METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 to a variable extent red, from only T1 basal half and T2 basal half red to T3 basal quarter red; T4–T7 black. T1 and T2 with few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair (Fig. 13B). T7 covered with short, white hair (Fig. 13F).
TERMINALIA. Genitalia (Fig. 14C), S7 (Fig. 14A) and terminal plate of S8 (Fig. 14B) as illustrated.
Distribution
A widespread species that has been recorded from southern Namaqualand to the Cape Peninsula and eastwards to Algoa Bay and Grahamstown (Eardley & Brothers 1997).
Host bees
Unknown.
Seasonal activity
July–November (Eardley & Brothers 1997).
Comment
Sphecodopsis aculeata is quite variable in size and some morphological characters. Based on the rich new material we confirm the synonymization of Eardley & Brothers (1997). However, two single specimens show more marked differences: Sphecodopsis cf. 1 aculeata is clearly larger with a body length of about 9 mm and the apical notch of S6 about three times as long as its apical width, compared to about twice as long, and overall narrower. In S. cf. 2 aculeata T6 is broader and more truncate apically and the apical notch of S6 about three times as long as its apical width and narrower. At present their taxonomic status is unclear so we do not assign them to S. aculeata but make their collection data available here to enable further investigations:
Sphecodopsis cf. 1 aculeata: SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; 15 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Zoetfontein E, Fynbos; 31°14′05″ S, 19°02′50″ E; 775 m a.s.l.; 7 Oct. 2022; MK leg.; RCMK.
Sphecodopsis cf. 2 aculeata: SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; W Cape, Greyton, Riviersonderend r.; [34°03′ S, 19°37′ E]; 21 Oct. 1999; MH leg.; RCMK.
description: Published as part of Pöllein, Daniela & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2025, Taxonomic revision of the southern African bee genus Sphecodopsis Bischoff, 1923 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae), pp. 1-157 in European Journal of Taxonomy 980 on pages 18-23, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.980.2805, http://zenodo.org/record/14981767