Arpactophilus reassessed, with three bizarre new species from New Guinea (Hymenotpera : Sphecidae : Pemphredonindae)

Abstract

Diagnostic characters of the Australian genus Arpactophilus are reviewed and augmented. Spilornena is demonstrated to be very similar morphologically, and the distinctions between the two genera are discussed. The known distribution of Arpactophilus now includes New Guinea, New Britain, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and Fiji. Three new species of the genus are described from New Guinea: A. preposterus, A. rhinocerus and A. papua. The maxillary palpi of Arpactophilus, Spilomena, Xysrna and Microstigrnus are 5-segmented, not 6- as previously assumed. These four genera are removed from the subtribe Stigmina, and placed in a new subtribe, the Spilomenina.