Ampulex nigrocoerulea Saussure 1892

Ampulex nigrocoerulea belongs to the group of species in which the pronotal collar is posteriorly raised into a conical tubercle.
15-18 mm long. Mandibles, anterior half of the clypeus and the scapes in front, ferruginous; the rest of the head, pro-mesonotum and scutellum black, with a trace of metallic purple lustre. Metapleurae and epinotum metallic blue and purple; the first tergite and greater part of the second metallic blue, the rest of the abdomen black. Coxae, femora and tibiae black, the coxae with a faint purplish lustre, tarsi dark brown. Fore wing fuscous over the basal half and beyond the middle, the middle and apical margin hyaline like the hind wing. Head, pro-mesonotum and second tergite at the sides and the third tergite with a grey pruinose pubescence. Middle of the metanotum, posterior lower angles of the mesopleurae and sides of the epinotum with patches of dense, white pubescence. Temples, prosternum and declivity of the epinotum with a few long, whitish hairs.

Original description by Saussure & illustration in:
Distant, W. L. 1892. A Naturalist in the Transvaal. R. H. Porter, London.
Page 212 description; table 4 illustration.
https://dn790002.ca.archive.org/0/items/naturalistintran00districh/naturalistintran00districh.pdf
Translated from Latin:
Black, smooth, mandibles and the tip of the shield red. Pronotum not furrowed, posteriorly furnished with a sharp tubercle. Metathorax and abdominal segments 1 and 2 brilliant black-blue; metanotum bidentate, although transversely carinulate; abdominal segments 2 and 3 grayish-pubescent. Wings hyaline, the base stained, beyond the middle a transverse black stripe. Length 15 mm.

Redescription in:
Arnold, G. 1927. The Sphegidae of South Africa. Part VIII. Annals of the Transvaal Museum
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/286730#page/103/mode/1up

iNat observation: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9641014

Publicerat 23 april 2024 05.12 av traianbertau