Pepsis ruficornis

(Figs 3B–C)

Sphex ruficornis Fabricius, 1781, Species Insectorum Exhibentes, p. 450 [Lectotype: ♀ (ZMUC)]

Pepsis saphirus Palisot de Beauvois, 1805, Insectes Recueillis en Afrique et en Amerique, p. 39, pl. 1 [Holotype: ♀, HAITI “Saint-Domingue” (lost)].

Pepsis violacea Mocsáry, 1885, Természetrajzi Füzetek, p. 255. [Lectotype: ♂ (MHEU)].

Pepsis hexamita Lucas, 1895, Berliner Entomologische Zeitschrift, p. 609, no. 67. [Lectotype: ♀ (ZMHB)].

Pepsis omniviolacea Haupt, 1952, Nova Acta Leopoldina Neue Folge, p.390 [Lectotype: ♀, Colombia? (MLUH)].

Diagnosis. This species can be separated from other Pepsis species in the Dominican Republic by having the integument black with bluish-purple metallic reflections (Figs 3B–C). Additionally, the antenna is orange; the pubescence on the body is long and black, abundant on the propodeum; the pronotum has the collar differentiated from the disc; the front basitarsus is weakly spined, the spines are in two rows; the wing has the edge of first radial 2 cell rounded; and the fore and hind wings are smoky grey to black with purple reflections. The female (Fig. 3C) has the dorsal face of the hind tibia serrate. The male (Fig. 3B) has the dorsal face of the hind tibia not spinose.

Material examined. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Vega, Cordillera Central, 4.1 km SW E1 Convento, 18–50–37N, 70–42–48W, 1730 m, dense secondary evergreen forest with pine, hand collected, sample 22242, J. Rawlins et al., 31.V.2003, 1 ♂ CMNH – 364,035, 1 ♀ CMNH –370,162; 3 ♂, Hato Mayor, Parque Los Haitises, 3 km W Cueva de Arena, 19–04N, 69–29W, 20 m, mesic lowland forest, R. Davidson et al., 7–9.VII.1992, CMNH –369,834/ 370,478/ 370,729; Pedernales, 23.5 km N Cabo Rojo, 18–06N, 71–38W, 540 m, J. Rawlins and S. Thompson col., 1 ♂, 20.VII.1990, CMNH – 371,108, 1 ♀, 13.VII.1990, CMNH –370,545; Pedernales, 1 km S Los Arroyos, 1125 m, 18–14N, 71–45W, second growth forest, R. Davidson et al., 18.X.1991, 2 ♂, CMNH –369,635/369,850; Pedernales, 5 km, NE Los Arroyos, 1680 m, 18–15N, 71–45W, cloud forest, R. Davidson et al., 30.IX.1991, 3 ♂, CMNH – 370,557/ 370,595/ 371,273, 2 ♀, CMNH –370,231/ 370,479; Barahona, Eastern Sierra Bahoruco, Reserva Cachote, 12.8 km NE Paraiso, 18–05–54N, 71–11–21W, 1230 m, cloud forest with tree ferns, hand collected, sample 44245, J. Rawlins et al. 22–23.XI.2004, 1 ♀, CMNH – 369,828, 5 ♂, CMNH –371,456/ 370,070/ 406,569/ 364,216/ 371,069; Independencia, Sierra de Bahoruco, north slope, 13.5 km SE Puerto Escondido, 2 ♂, 18–12–18N, 71–31–08W, 1789 m, ecotonal Pinus grassland, hand collected, sample 41145, J. Rawlins et al., 24–25.XI.2004, CMNH – 369,698/ 371,217, 1 ♀, 18–12–24N, 71–30–54W, 1807 m, broadleaf Pinus dense woodland, hand collected, sample 41245, 24–25.XI.2004, CMNH –409,816; Independencia, 3 km ESE El Aguacate, north slope Sierra de Baoruco, 1980 m, 18–18N, 71–42W, Pine woodland, J. Rawlins et al., 28–29.IX.1991, 1 ♂, CMNH – 370,635, 1 ♀, CMNH –369,506; 1 ♀, La Altagracia, 2 km N Bayahibe, 18–23N, 68–51W, 10 m, dry seasonal forest, on limestone, C. Young et al., 3.VII.1992, CMNH –370,321; 1 ♂, Pedernales, La Abeja, 38 km NNW Cabo Rojo, (18–09N, 71–38W), 1250 m, J. Rawlins and R. Davidson col., 15.VII.1987, CMNH – 370,129; 1 ♀, Puerto Playa Prov[incia] Sosua, G. C. Eickwort col, 23.VII.1986 (CUIC); 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Sosua, E. Puerto Plata, 14 Jan, M. Alfenito col., 7–15.I.1984 (CUIC).

Distribution. Caribbean (except Jamaica and south of Guadeloupe) (Vardy 2005), Florida, and northern South America.

Host. Vardy (2005) speculated that females prey on small individuals of spiders, but prey species are unknown.

Remarks. This species is distinguished from the other Dominican Republic species by having a violet body and dark wings with purple reflections. Further studies of Entypus in the Caribbean are needed. Pepsis ruficornis is found in dense forests where females run on the ground and seem to check a limited number of areas before abandoning an area; they rarely use dense clusters of leaf litter to search (Vardy 2005). Vardy (2005) also commented on possible aggregations of males at night and the difficulty of observing this behavior due to the preference of this species for forested areas.