Chrysidids from Spain, July 2014

[Alex]

Thanks again for your ID Paolo!

I was a bit confused by this next specimen, it didnt fit in correctly with Chrysis pyrophana Dahlbom, 1854 which I thought it was at first. When comparing the male (not pictured yet) genital capsula with that of C. pyrophana in Linsenmaier 1959 (fig. 355) it seemed too slender for this species. The figure 354 looked much better, and when checking the description of the corresponding species, C. peninsularis Buysson, 1887 the other characters fit much better! The female has two central teeth on T3, and the males (although seemingly very variable, some small specimens [if its the same species that is] completely lack teeth!) are more or less clearly 4 toothed, which does not really fit in with Linsenmaiers description:
"- Anal-Rand einfach (beim ♀ ev. in der Mitte mehr oder weniger zweilappig).."
Also the male's antennae are not obviously thick, but I dont know what Linsenmaier compares it too in his description.

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They where quite abundant, so I collected a proper series of them, will have to mount and compare them properly some day! The male will be up next, when I have time.

Shots of the female head and T3 to come!

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/Alex

[Euchroeus]

Right!

Super pictures, correct ID!

Another good diagnostic characteristic is the colour pattern of the head, which is entirely blue in C. pyrophana, sometimes with greenish or golden reflections on the frons.

[Alex]

Thanks for the info & confirmation - I seem to have both species, there are some females with markedly more blue on the vertex and obvious four teeth (even the outer) on T3. Will have to post them some time.

This species caught my attention, was only able to find a few (2-3) of them, and I cant regocnise the species group. It reminds me of the ehrenbergi-group, or perhaps bihamata-group, in any case I have not seen specimens, or pictures, of any species except the "type" species for the groups... or is it something else?

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The lighting isnt the best, but I cant be bothered to take new pictures and stack them...

/Alex

[Euchroeus]

The lighting isnt the best, but I cant be bothered to take new pictures and stack them...

I do not comment
... This picture is very horrible ... how could you post such a terrible picture ???!!!


ok Alex,
it a Chrysis bihamata Spinola, one of the most uncommon and interesting species in Europe.

Cheers
Paolo

[Alex]

The lighting isnt the best, but I cant be bothered to take new pictures and stack them...

I do not comment
... This picture is very horrible ... how could you post such a terrible picture ???!!!

Haha, I'm sorry for offending you with the terrible picture quality Just irritating when I know I can do better, it looks so overexposed to me.

ok Alex,
it a Chrysis bihamata Spinola, one of the most uncommon and interesting species in Europe.

Really? I thought they had much more protruding lateral teeth on T3, or is that just in the males, or some other species in the bihamata-group?

Thanks for the ID, super nice to find a rarer species, I had a feeling it was something special when I caught them

By the way, I cant find this species listed as occuring on fauna europea, maybe it should be added?

/Alex

[Alex]

Next up, my first Philoctetes specimen, a male, very pretty but I have no idea which species it belongs to. There was another, surprisingly coloured, species that I caught later, but that will have to wait.

The genital capsula is minute, so it was hard to get a good shot of it I'm afraid.

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/Alex

[Alex]

Shot this specimen thinking I would ask which species it could be, realised that I hadnt even tried ID'ing it on my own; some easy keying quickly changed that. Dont think I need to doubt what species it belongs to, Cleptes aerosus Förster, 1853 Female, seems to be the only thing it can be?

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/Alex

[Alex]

Another specimen which I originally had little hope of identifying on my own, but while working on prepping & shooting it I came across some pictures by some lucky google searches; now I'm quite sure its Chrysis varidens Abeille, 1878, but I could be wrong.
I dont remember collecting it, I probably assumed it was a C. gracillima (or closely related sp?) in the net, which were quite common and much more bronze-coloured than specimens from central Europe. Will have to snap some shots of them too.. so much still to prep

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/Alex

[Alex]

I couldnt resist taking pictures of this pretty Hedychridium species, its coloured in a way I have never seen in the genus. Was thinking it was a small Holopyga species at first glance when I collected them, from the contrasting colours and heavy punctation. No idea where to even begin looking for the correct species, going blind into Linsenmaiers keys can be quite taxing to say the least!

Edit: Thought the genital capsule was particularly broad and heavy set, checked Linsenmaier 1959 and found H. vachali Mercet, 1915 which seems to fit very well! I got lucky again it seems, had it been a female I'd have no idea where to start!

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/Alex

[Euchroeus]

Hi Alex,

sorry for my delay, but I could not reply before.

Let's go in order:

1. Philoctetes horvathi Mocsary. Check the specimen with Linsenmaier keys, but I don't see many other options.

2. Cleptes aerosus Förster, female, right!

3. Chrysis varidens Abeille, female right!

4. Hedychridium vachali Mercet, right!
The colouration is unique! In North Africa (Morocco) there's an other subspecies with simple colour and Linsenmaier named it: decoloratum.

Thanks for your beautiful pictures, as usual. It's easy to work with them!

All the Best
Paolo