Sphodrotes punctuosa males:
Differing from females in …
Smaller head-body length (8 – 10mm); longer antennae

Note also that, as in many crabronids, males have an additional flagellar segment (11, cf. 10 in females) and an additional visible segment in the gaster (7, cf. 6 in females).

As with nearly all members of the tribe Miscophini, male Sphodrotes have 11 antennal flagellomeres.

Sphodrotes punctuosa males:
Differing from females in …
“Punctation on frons much denser and stronger, interstices narrower, micropunctation finer. Frontal and clypeal pubescence much denser, brassy or slightly golden.”

Sphodrotes punctuosa males:
Differing from females in …
“Facial foveae absent. Scapal basin deeper.” “Proximal flagellar segments light ferrugineous ventrally to quite light ferrugineous.”

Sphodrotes punctuosa males:
Differing from females in …
“Thoracic, propodeal, and gastral sculture stronger and denser.”

Sphodrotes punctuosa males:
Differing from females in …
“Thoracic, propodeal, and gastral sculture stronger and denser.”

Lomholdt makes no mention of male difference in the structure of SI.

Sphodrotes punctuosa males:
Differing from females in …
"Thoracic, propodeal, and gastral sculture stronger and denser.”

Sphodrotes punctuosa males:
“Metatarsus I with 4-5 rake spines.”

The dense pubescence conceals the apical rim of the clypeus when viewed face on.

[compare with Lomholdt’s Fig. 32]

The arrows indicate apical rim of the clypeus. There is a suggestion of a single, lateral tooth (thicker, yellow arrows), but it is not prominent as it is in the female.

[compare with Lomholdt’s Fig. 32]

Sphodrotes have:
- inner margins of eyes parallel, or slightly converging below
- a wide scapal basin (most)

Sphodrotes have:
- both recurrent veins (arrows) received by submarginal cell II (usually, with occasional exceptions)

Unlike many other wasps, Sphodrotes rarely display their wings in this way, so one has to be lucky to get field shots clearly showing forewing venation … making this a less useful feature for genus level ID.

Most of the Sphodrotes I see are males, either flying on patrol or perched on low vegetation.

They tend to pivot to and fro on the same perch, looking in all directions, before flying off again … and often returning to the same perch a short time later.

Makes life easy for the photographer!

Sphodrotes have:
- the mesopleuron sharply angled anteriorly (arrow)

That is, they look to have a square chest.

Sphodrotes have:
- integument strongly sculpted, and usually pitted

This coarsely sculptured integument is one of the most reliably visible clues to the genus.

“Sternum I with a posteromedial prominence”
“Punctation stronger; deeper pits present …”

“Mainly black species” … (including: thorax & propodeum in the male)

“No vault between lateral ocellus and inner orbita.”

“Sculpture on head, thorax and gaster very strong, punctures pit-like, very closely set”

“Sculpture on head, thorax and gaster very strong, punctures pit-like, very closely set”

“Trochanters and proximal part of femora black or brownish.”

(this image: dorsal view, anterior to left)

“First gastral segment not elongate … , its yellowish ferrugineous markings much reduced, absent or replaced by a reddish ferrugineous colouring. Pubescence much sparser, only slightly golden, brassy or silvery, or indistinct.”

“Pronotal lobes rounded.” … “Mesopleuron with sparser, silvery or brassy pubescence.”

“Propodeal spines absent or very indistinct.”

“Tyloidea indistinct or absent.”

(this image: dorsal view scape, pedicel and proximal antennomeres)

[genus-level description: “Proximal flagellar segments with distinct tyoidea in some males. These segments with concave dorsal faces.”]

“Tyloidea indistinct or absent.”

(this image: ventral view scape, pedicel and proximal antennomeres)

[genus-level description: “Proximal flagellar segments with distinct tyoidea in some males. These segments with concave dorsal faces.”]

“Tyloidea indistinct or absent.”

(this image: dorso-lateral view scape, pedicel and proximal antennomeres)

[genus-level description: “Proximal flagellar segments with distinct tyoidea in some males. These segments with concave dorsal faces.”]

BODY LENGTH

Based on 16 specimens, Lomholdt gave the size range as 8-10mm.

2512C has a body length of ~7.5mm

HEAD

“Punctation on frons much denser and stronger, interstices narrower, micropunctation finer.” … “Frontal and clypeal pubescence much denser, brassy or slightly golden.”

HEAD

“Frontal and clypeal pubescence much denser, brassy or slightly golden. Clypeal outline as in Fig. 32.”

HEAD

“Clypeal outline as in Fig. 32.”

HEAD

“Punctation on frons much denser and stronger, interstices narrower, micropunctation finer. Frontal line distinct in some specimens. Facial fovea absent.”

Note: There is a trace of a frontal line in the lower half of the frons of 2512C.

HEAD

“Facial fovea absent. Scapal basin deeper.”

Note: In this direct dorsal view I see evidence of narrow facial fovea, although they are indistinct.

HEAD

“Antennae long, first flagellomere almost twice as long as wide (15:8).”

HEAD

“Antennae long, first flagellomere almost twice as long as wide (15:8). Proximal flagellar segments light ferrugineous ventrally to quite light ferrugineous. Tyloidea absent or only very slightly indicated. Proximal flagellar segments conical, slightly convex ventrally and concave dorsally in some specimens.”

(this image: dorso-lateral view scape, pedicel and proximal antennomeres)

Note: I see no evidence of tyloidea in 2512C.

HEAD

“Antennae long, first flagellomere almost twice as long as wide (15:8). Proximal flagellar segments light ferrugineous ventrally to quite light ferrugineous. Tyloidea absent or only very slightly indicated. Proximal flagellar segments conical, slightly convex ventrally and concave dorsally in some specimens.”

(this image: ventral view scape, pedicel and proximal antennomeres)

Note: I see no evidence of tyloidea in 2512C.

THORAX

“Median pronotal prominence very weak or absent.”

Note: I see no evidence of a median prominence in 2512C

THORAX

“Pronotal lobes slightly ferrugineous transparent in some specimens.”

Note: pronotal lobe entirely black in 2512C

THORAX

“Thoracic, propodeal, and gastral sculpture stronger and denser.”

GASTER

“Thoracic, propodeal, and gastral sculpture stronger and denser.”

LEGS

“Metatarsus I with 4-5 rake spines.”

GASTER - sternum VIII

GASTER - sternum VIII

Compare sternum VIII to Fig. 33. Note, however, that the diagram shows the entire sclerite, dissected. In the intact gaster, only the apical portion is visible.