Digger wasps of the genus Sphex (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) occur on all continents, though their species diversity is greatest in the Australian and Oceanian region. Females are gregarious and construct ground nests that are then filled with paralyzed katydids as a food supply for the larvae. This monograph treats the 24 species of the genus that were previously known in Australia, as well as 11 new species from this region. All 35 species are described and overview photographs and detailed images of the most important diagnostic features are provided. Known geographic distributions and an identification key to males and females are included. This work vastly updates the previously scarce morphological data on this highly diverse insect group and offers new insights on its taxonomy.
Introduction 3
Methods 3
Sources of Material 3
Abbreviations of Australian states 4
Technical devices and programs 4
Taxonomy 5
Diagnosis of Sphex 5
Sexual dimorphism in Sphex 5
General remarks 6
Notes regarding descriptions and key to species 6
Key to species 7
Species descriptions 20
Species group of Sphex argentatus 20
Sphex argentatus Fabricius, 1787 20
Sphex carbonicolor van der Vecht, 1973 23
Sphex decoratus F. Smith, 1873 25
Sphex ephippium F. Smith, 1856 27
Sphex finschii Kohl, 1890 29
Sphex modestus F. Smith, 1856 31
Sphex sericeus (Fabricius, 1804) 34
Species group of Sphex resplendens 37
Sphex darwiniensis R. Turner, 1912 37
Sphex fumipennis F. Smith, 1856 39
Sphex gilberti R. Turner, 1908 42
Sphex gracilis sp. n. 42
Sphex imporcatus sp. n. 46
Sphex luctuosus F. Smith, 1856 48
Sphex mimulus R. Turner, 1910 50
Sphex resplendens Kohl, 1885 52
Sphex rhodosoma (R. Turner, 1915) 54
Sphex rugifer Kohl, 1890 56
Species Group of Sphex subtruncatus 58
Sphex ahasverus Kohl, 1890 58
Sphex argentatissimus sp. n. 60
Sphex basilicus (R. Turner, 1915) 62
Sphex bilobatus Kohl, 1890 64
Sphex brevipetiolus sp. n. 67
Sphex caelebs sp. n. 69
Sphex cognatus F. Smith, 1856 71
Sphex corporosus sp. n. 75
Sphex ermineus Kohl, 1890 78
Sphex flammeus sp. n. 80
Sphex formosellus van der Vecht, 1957 82
Sphex fortunatus sp. n. 84
Sphex jucundus sp. n. 86
Sphex latilobus sp. n. 89
Sphex pretiosus sp. n. 91
Sphex semifossulatus van der Vecht, 1973 93
Sphex staudingeri Gribodo, 1894 95
Sphex vestitus F. Smith, 1856 97
Discussion 99
Acknowledgements 102
References 102