Oxybelus sajiae Schmid-Egger 2022, sp. nov

Oxybelus sajiae Schmid-Egger, sp. nov. (Figs 95–97) Holotype. ♀ United Arab Emirates, Ar-Ruwais, Houbara Protected Area, 31.v.2016, leg. A.S & AvH, in malaise trap (CSE). Paratypes: 1 ♀ same data as holoype; 2 ♀ 17.06.2019 Al Bida’a Protected Area, all leg. A.S & AvH. in malaise traps (CSE). Diagnosis. Oxybelus sajiae is distinctive by colour pattern. The pronotum, propodeum, abdomen and legs are reddish with white markings. The mucron is somewhat larger apically than basally, and truncate apically. The squama is simply pointed. Descripton of female holotype: Body length 5.9 mm. Colour. Mandible yellowih, apex black. Head black, clypeus and area around antennal base reddish and yellowish. Antenna including scape yellowish. Mesosoma black with the following yellowish or reddish: pronotum, upper part of mesopleuron, tegula, scutellum, metanotum including squama, propodeum including mucron, parts of metapleuron. Wing venation yellowish. Abdomen reddish, terga I– V with large yellowish bands on nearly whole surface. Legs whitish, femora above at backside with red bands. Whole body covered with long, silver, appressed pubescence. Morphology: Free margin of clypeal lobe with pointed tooth on each side, medially with rounded tooth, on disc with prominent tubercle, directed downwards. AS 3 as long as wide, remaining AS somewhat shorter than wide, apical AS 1.4× as long as wide. Lower face impunctate and shiny, upper face, vertex, mesonotum and mesopleuron with dense punctation, punctures 0.1–0.3 diameters apart, interspaces shiny. Punctation hidden under pubescence. OOL = 0.9× hindocellar diameter, POL = 3× hindocellar diameter. Gena with prominent occipital carina. Scutellum and metanotum without medial carina. Squama cleary pointed, mucron apically somewhat enlarged, truncate. Both translucent. Pronotum laterally shiny, clearly separated from mesopleuron by sharp edge, edge expanded on lower part (near propleuron). Propodeal dorsum laterally separated from lateral surface by prominent edge, edge prolonged downwards, thus also separating propodeal declivity from lateral surface. Short carina behind mucron meeting short transverse carina at edge towards propodeal declivity. Propodeal declivity finely scultured and less pubescent, with U-shaped zone in upper half. Terga II – V distinctly impressed basally, apically with slightly depressed margin. Margin with fine band of short silver setae, on terga II – III half as long as tergal apical impression, on terga IV and V longer than impression. Punctation of tergits similar to that of mesonotum. Pygidial plate shiny, with a few scattered punctures and a few setae, laterally with carina, apically emarginate. Sterna shiny, with very scattered punctation and a few setae, densely and finely punctate laterally. Fore basitarsus with five or six spines, apical spine reaching apex of foretarsal segment II. Mid and hindtibia with conspicuous and long spinulation. Paratypes agreing with holotype. Male. Unknown. Distribution. United Arab Emirates. Etymology. The species is named in honour to Dr. Anita Saji from Abu Dhabi. She supported the project by managing the Malaise traps and origanizing the samples.
Published as part of Schmid-Egger, Christian & Harten, Antonius Van, 2022, Additions to the digger wasps (Hymenoptera, Spheciformes) of the United Arab Emirates with description of ten new species, pp. 543-575 in Zootaxa 5219 (6) on pages 565-567, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5219.6.3, http://zenodo.org/record/7436231