African Arthropods/Pompilidae of South Africa

Pompilidae of South Africa

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  Hemipepsis sp
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  Batozonellus fuliginosus
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  Auplopus spilocephalus
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• 
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  Hemipepsis sericeipennis
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  Male Hemipepsis capensis
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  Female Spuridiophorus inermis
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  Possibly Anoplius viaticus

South Africa has a remarkable diversity of spider-hunting wasps. This an attempt to explore that diversity through the study of photographs (mainly those submitted to iNaturalist) and the scientific literature (mainly the papers of George Arnold). However, the identification of Pompilidae from photographs, even to subfamily level, is difficult. This is because their identification relies, to a large extent, on features that are seldom visible in photographs. Arnold highlights the characters used to classify pompilid wasps; many, however are of little use when attempting to identify these wasps from photographs. In order of decreasing value in photographs, they are:

• Colour: Arnold (1932, p.286) stated that, for most pompilid genera, “the colour pattern is fairly stable, but owing to the existence of several Müllerian mimicry associations colour in this family provides numerous pitfalls for the unwary student. Judging by colour alone, the casual observer would not distinguish between three such very different species as Hemipepsis capensis, Cyphononyx decipiens and Psammochares ignitus (Tachypompilus ignitus).” Arnold indicates that the colour pattern in Hemipepsis is not particularly stable, and below is an indication of different species that have similar colour patterns to most of the Hemipepsis species found in South Africa. This shows that the identification of a Hemipepsis species should not be based on colour pattern alone. This holds for almost all species in the family;
• Wing veins: Useful for the separation of subfamilies and genera, but not for species (due to variation between individuals of each species);
• Tibiae of the hind legs: Important for the identification of the subfamily Pompilinae, details are often visible in photographs;
• Structure of the head: The relative sizes of different features of the antennae and head are important for the identification of many species, but unfortunately usefulness depends on the angle of the wasp relative to the camera.
• Structure of the clypeus: A key feature for the identification of many species, but unfortunately the important features are not visible on most photographs;
• Structure of the thorax: The key features are often hidden below the wings, especially features of the epinotum (propodeum);
• Structure of the abdomen: The key features are often hidden below the wings, or on the underside;
• Sculpture: Key features of the surface sculpture of the integument (hard parts of the exoskeleton) are often hidden below wings or hairs (pilosity or setae);
• Claws at the end of the legs: A key feature for the identification of many genera, but unfortunately the important features are not visible on most photographs and require fairly high magnification;
• Structure of the genitalia and seventh sternite of the abdomen: Seldom useful for identification from photographs, often requiring dissection and a microscope.

South African species of Pompilidae can be grouped based on fore-wing and leg colour. The number of species in each group highlights the need to consider many features other than colour.

Species with fore-wings predominantly yellowish (flavo-hyaline), but with dark, blackish colours (fuscous) near the apex of the wing, and also at the base of the wing

For details see: African Arthropods/Pompilidae of SA with yellow wings tipped black

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  Hemipepsis capensis; wing detail
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  Male Hemipepsis capensis
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  Hemipepsis sericeipennis
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  Hemipepsis hilaris
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  Female Cyphononyx decipiens
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  Female Cyphononyx decipiens
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  Tachypompilus ignitus
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  Tachypompilus ignitus

• Hemipepsis capensis (Fab, 1781); described in Arnold, 1932, p.328 (South Africa [Cape and Free State])
• Hemipepsis sericeipennis Bingham, 1902; described in Arnold, 1932, p.329 (South Africa [Lowveld], Zimbabwe)
• Hemipepsis hilaris (Smith, 1879); described in Arnold, 1932, p.326 (South Africa, Zimbabwe)
• Cyphononyx decipiens (Smith, 1855); described in Arnold, 1932, p.312-313 (South Africa)
• Priocnemis annectens Arnold, 1932, p.380
• Priocnemis algoensis Arnold, 1932, p.385
• Priocnemis longipes Arnold, 1932, p.383
• Priocnemis braunsii Arnold, 1932, p.381
• Cryptocheilus impressiceps Arnold, 1932, p.376 (Malawi, South Africa, Zimbabwe)
• Cryptocheilus swierstrae Arnold, 1932, p.377 (South Africa [Waterberg, KZN, Eastern Cape])
• Ctenocerus ramosus (Smith, 1865); described as Clavelia ramosa in Arnold, 1932, p.52-54; photos in Shimizu, 2022, p.107 (South Africa)
• Batozonellus capensis (Dahlbom, 1843); descr. Arnold, 1937, p.6 (East Africa, Ethiopia to South Africa, Zimbabwe)
• Episyron vindex Smith, 1879; descr. Arnold, 1936, p.454 (Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, South Africa)
• Tachypompilus ignitus (Smith, 1855); described in Arnold, 1936, p.107 (South Africa, Zimbabwe)
• Psammoderes major Haupt, 1929; descr. Arnold, 1935, p.433 (South Africa)
• Cordyloscelis flavipennis Arnold, 1935, p.424 (South Africa [KZN])