Aulacophilinus mandibulatus (Turner)

Figures 24–29.

Pison mandibulatum Turner, 1916:605,

♀, ♂. Lectotype: ♀, Australia: Western Australia: Yallingup (BMNH), designated by Naumann, 1990b:242, examined.

– Turner, 1916:597 (in key to Australian Pison); Bohart and Menke, 1976:336 (in checklist of world Sphecidae); Cardale, 1985:260 (in catalog of Australian Sphecidae); Naumann, 1990b:242 (in revision of caliginosum species group of Pison). – As Aulacophilinus mandibulatus: Menke, 2016:337 (new combination, in key to Aulacophilinus), 338 (discussion of characters).

RECOGNITION.— Aulacophilinus mandibulatus is the only species of the genus with the entire mandible ferruginous (the remaining body being black). Subsidiary recognition features are: forewing with three submarginal cells, tegula punctate throughout.

DESCRIPTION.— Frons dull, markedly microsculptured, punctate (punctures less than one diameter apart). Free margin of clypeal lobe obtusely angulate mesally (Fig. 24). Width of labrum equal to 0.7 × midocellar diameter. Anteromedian pronotal pit transversely elongate, smaller than midocellar diameter. Scutum not foveate along flange, without longitudinal ridges adjacent to posterior margin; scutal punctures well defined, interspaces somewhat microsculptured, linear in female, averaging less than one diameter apart in male. Tegula punctate throughout. Mesopleural punctures well defined, compressed against each other; interspaces merging into small ridges. Propodeum with well-defined, irregular carina separating side from dorsum and posterior surface and extending from gastral socket area toward spiracle; dorsum finely, obliquely ridged, punctate between ridges, with middle sulcus triangularly enlarging basally (Fig. 25); side punctate, interspaces merging into fine ridges; posterior surface in female conspicuously punctate (punctures compressed against each other), with well defined transverse ridges in male (punctate between ridges). Forewing with three submarginal cells. Posteroventral forefemoral surface microscopically, closely punctate. Hindcoxal dorsum with outer margin sharply carinate except anteriorly. Outer surface of hindtibia with fine but well-defined spines. Tarsomeres with plantulae. Punctures of tergum I on horizontal part averaging slightly more than one diameter apart mesally.

Setae silvery, nearly appressed on upper frons, straight, suberect on lower gena (setal length about 0.6 × midocellar diameter), suberect but markedly shorter than midocellar diameter on scutum, appressed on tergum I, not concealing integument on clypeus. Apical depressions of terga without silvery, setal fasciae.

Head, thorax, propodeum, legs, and gaster black, mandible ferruginous, female clypeus ferruginous next to lobe free margin.

♀.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.72 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 0.9 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.3 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.92 × distance between eye notches. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 2.1 × apical width. Mandible: trimmal carina with minimal preapical incision. Length 9.2 mm; head width 2.5 mm.

♂.– Upper interocular distance equal to 0.78 × lower interocular distance; ocellocular distance equal to 1.3 × hindocellar diameter, distance between hindocelli equal to 1.5 × hindocellar diameter; eye height equal to 0.96 × distance between eye notches. Dorsal length of flagellomere I 1.9 × apical width. Sternum VIII broadly emarginate apically (Fig. 26). Genitalia: Figs. 27, 28. Length 5.5 mm; head width 1.7 mm.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION (Fig. 29).— South Australia, Western Australia.

RECORDS.— AUSTRALIA: South Australia: 44 km NW Lock at 33°31′S 135°16′E (1 ♂, ANIC). Western Australia: Yallingup (1 ♀, BMNH, lectotype of Pison mandibulatum).