Two New Records of Cerceris Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Crabronidae) from Iraq

In a survey of the crabronid fauna of Iraq during June to October 2022; 9species belonging to the genus Cerceris Latreille, 1802 were identified. Twospecies are new record of the fauna of Iraq: C. dorsalis Eversmann, 1849 and C. priesneri Mochi, 1939. Brief description, diagnostic characters, some collecting information, and photographs of each species are provided. As well provides a key to the species depending on many morphological features especially: propodeal enclosure, semicircular plate at base of second gastral sternites and free margin of clypeus. Moreover, this study observed that most collected specimens belonging to Cerceris hortivaga Kohl, 1880 and the least to C.dorsalis Eversmann, 1849, C. priesneri Mochi, 1939, C. tricolorata Spinola,1829 and C. straminea Dufour, 1854


Introduction
Apoidea includes seven subfamilies: Ampulicidae, Crabronidae, Heterogynaidae and Sphecidae, together with the bees forming the superfamily, Crabronidae includes eight subfamilies: Astatinae, Bembicinae, Crabroninae, Dinetinae, Eremiaspheciinae, Pemphredoninae and Philanthinae [1,2], Crabronidae is a various and abundant family of Aculeate, attack a many prey, such as other insects and arthropods, thus aiding maintain a healthy balance between living populations in various habitats [3].Philanthinae considered as largest subfamily in Crabronidae, more than three fourth of these wasps within Cerceris Latreille, 1802, there are 876 species belonging to this genus [4], twelve species of them recorded in Iraq.According to behaviour of these wasps adult tend to frequent flowers with short corollas in search of nectar commonly collected on flowers [5].According to phylogenetic analysis Philanthidae propose as a family [6], eusocial societies evolved philanthinae wasps as well as bees [6], coloration black and yellow or red as bees [7], mostly small to medium form, prefer dry and hot areas [8].
The taxonomic studies about Hymenoptera are few and scattered in Iraq and restricted about some guilds [10][11][12]  Members of the genus Cerceris are witch hunt mainly bees or beetles as a provision for their larvae, they prefer dry and hot areas [9].Cerceris was revised in Arabian Peninsula [13,14] and Iraq [15].The diagnostic characters are summarized as follows: complete inner orbits, clypeus trilobites, ocellocular distance well define.Episternal sulcus absent, second submarginal cell petiolate, hindwing media diverging after cu-a, prestigmal length of first submarginal cell in forewing not much more than half total cell length, hindwing with jugal lobe less than half length of anal area.Gaster petiolate, midtibia with one apical spur, hind femur thickened toward apex and apically truncate sometimes kidney shaped, volsella simple [5].In this study, a new record species belonging to Crabronidae were recorded for the first time for Iraqi fauna as well.

Materials and Methods
The specimens examined during this study were collected from different regions of Iraq (This results as a part of a M.Sc.thesis for the first author, Dep. of Biology, College of Science, -Al Mustansiriyah University).Adult of wasps were collected by using aerial nets, then mounted with insect pins.The details information is provided in results and discussion.Specimens are deposited in the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum -University of Baghdad.Morphology and Identification: Specimens were diagnosed using the several diagnostic keys [16,17,18,19].The specimens were observed and figured with the aid of Sony a7riv camera and digital microscope camera on OPTIKA microscope, also camera Lucida with ZEISS microscope to illustrate figures.The morphological terms used for the descriptions mostly taken from Bohart and Menke [5].The synonyms and distribution are provided according to GBIF Secretariat [20].

Results and Discussion
In this study, there were 8 species identified that belonging to the genus of Cerceris, two of them C. dorsalis Eversmann, 1849 and C. priesneri Mochi, 1939 were identified as a new record for first time in Iraq; while it's still an obscure species and we think it's new to science; more specimens, investigation and updated keys are needed to confirm that.
A key to the species and a brief description of new records and them collection data are given below: Distribution: Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Mongolia [21].Diagnostic characters: male of Cerceris dorsalis characterized by the following combination of characters: terminal flagellomere simple; clypeus with three small teeth in free margin; clypeal moustache dense, restricted to lateral side of clypeus; propodeum with a small V-shaped dull with median punctures and short ridges near lateral margins dorsal enclosure.Moreover, thorax black except tegulae and metanotum yellow; legs entirely yellow color; prosternum with a transverse carina.S2 with small raised platform basally.General description: 13 mm; black except following parts yellow: clypeus (except anterior margin), antennal scape, antennal segments ventrally, frons, apex of mandible, spot on cheeks, antennal scape, tegulae, pronotal collar lateral, metanotum, tergum II basal, terga III, IV and VI, partly II, spots on II and IV; sternum III, femora and tibiae.Ferruginous on following parts: antennal segments dorsally, propodeum, petiole, all tarsi and pygidial plate.Head: Facial shiny with punctures nearly contiguous without interspaces; midfrontal carina strongly sloping at dorsal reaching anterior ocellus; cheeks black with irregular yellow spots; vertex black same sculpture like face; clypeus tridentate with clypeal moustaches dense and wide almost reaching lateral angle of clypeus (Fig. 2 B); terminal flagellomere simple (Fig. 2 C).Pronotal collar densely punctured; scutum, scutellum and metanotum with spares large punctures; prosternum without distinct carina; mesopleuron without tubercle same sculpture of face; propodeal enclosure sparely punctate (Fig. 1 E), tegulae smooth; thorax clothes spares, semi erect silver hairs.Gaster shiny and same sculpture of face, petiole longer than wider; sternum II with semicircular plate (Fig. 2 A), all abdominal tergites covered with spares hairs while sternites hairs denser and longer increase laterally.Materials:1♂ collected on 8.vii.2022from Diyala Province, Al Wajihiyah,33° 51.589 N 44° 49.962 E.

Cerceris Priesneri
Mochi, 1939 (Fig. 3 B) Distribution: North Africa, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, and United Arab Emirates [22].Diagnostic characters: male of Cerceris priesneri Mochi, 1939 characterized by the following combination of characters: terminal antennal segment simple not ciliated ventrally; clypeus straight in free margin; clypeal moustache dense, restricted to lateral side of clypeus; poststernum without carina; propodeum with a small V-shaped shiny with median areolate-rugose dorsal enclosure; T1 with triangular black marking at apex, S2 with small, raised platform basally.General description: ♂, 9 mm; yellow except following parts black: cheeks, vertex, scutum, scutellum, metanotum (except yellow sots), propodeal enculture, metapluron, first abdomen segment, apical bands on T II, VI and VII which continued on sternum and patch on femurs.Followings parts ferruginous: free margin of clypeus, apical part of mandibles, antennal pedicel and segments, narrow fascia between abdomen segments and pygidial plate.Tarsi and spots on tegulae lighter color.

Conclusion
In addition to the new records in the current study, a final calculation presents that 12 crabronid wasp species are known till now in insect fauna of Iraq.Our information of the family Crabronidae, especially the genus of Cerceris is still incomplete, for example in Iraq, a specimen of this genus collected from Wasit and Duhok Province are still undiagnosed, and probably represents an undescribed species.Therefore, additional studies of the Crabronidae wasp different regions of Iraq will surely detect new important results.