Gonaporus gracilis Klug 1834

Gonaporus gracilis (Klug, 1834)

(Figs 91, 102, 113, 124, 134, 145, 156, 167, 178, 188, 203, 211)

Pompilus gracilis Klug, 1834: 39 (holotype, ♀: Sudan [ZMHB], examined); Dalla Torre 1897: 292). Gonaporus gracilis: Ashmead 1902: 88; Priesner 1955:199.

Diagnosis. This species differs from all congeners by the presence of four posterior spines of the tarsal comb on the protarsomere 1 of the female (Fig. 134). The females of other species have three or 5–6 spines.

Redescription. Female. Body length 8.6–9.0 mm. Structure see in Table 1. Coloration: Head mostly black; clypeus orange; mandible mostly orange-yellow, dark orange-brown on apical 0.33; scape and pedicel yellowishorange ventrally, dark brown dorsally; flagellum brown. Mesosoma orange to mostly black with orange pronotum; tegula orange. Legs mostly orange; tarsomeres narrowly brown apically; spurs orange-brown; spines of tarsal comb mostly orange-brown, brown apically; other leg spines orange-brown. Metasoma orange. Setae: Clypeus with few fine moderately long reddish setae; occiput and propleuron with long fine whitish setae. Protarsomere 1 with 4 long spines posteriorly (Fig. 134) and 2 short spines anteroventrally.

Male. Body length 6.7–6.8 mm. Structure: see Table 1. Protarsus as in Fig. 145. Subgenital plate as in Fig. 203. Genitalia as in Fig. 211. Coloration: Head mostly black; inner orbit narrowly orange; clypeus black basally and orange apically; mandible mostly yellow, dark orange apically; scape and pedicel orange ventrally and blackishbrown dorsally; flagellum brown dorsally, orange ventrally. Mesosoma mostly black except of brown lateral edge of pronotum; tegula orange. Legs orange except of brown tarsi; spur of fore leg yellowish-brown basally, blackishbrown apically; other spurs blackish-brown; leg spines blackish-brown. Metasoma: Segments 1–4 from entirely orange to mostly orange, apical segments blackish-brown. Setae: Head (posteriorly) and propleuron with fine, moderately long, whitish setae.

Material examined. Holotype: ♀, SUDAN: "Ambu Kol [modern Ambikul], Nubien, Juli–Aug, Echrenberg S.". Other material. EGYPT: El Kharga, Kharga Oasis, 8.v.1965, K. V. Krombein, 1♀ (NMNH); near Kom, Ombo temple, 27.iv.1993, W.J. Pulawski, 1♀; same, 25.iv.1993, 2♂ (CRW); Faiyum, Keranis, 27.v.1991, coll. A. Mochi, 1♀ (CRW). YEMEN: Al Kowd, 15/ 28.ii.1993, A. van Harten, Malaise trap, 1♀ (CRW).

Distribution. Egypt, Sudan, Yemen (Fig. 217).

Habitat. The habitat is not specified, but the species most probably occurs in open arid sandy areas.

Biology. Unknown.

Notes. The holotype is in a very bad condition, with its mesosoma being almost destroyed in the palce of the pin insertion, and working with it has been problematic. The apical antennal segments and both apical metatarsomeres are missing.

TABLE 2. Interspecific variation in some male characters of Gonaporus species.