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A new species of the blue mud-dauber genus Chalybion, C. sulawesii sp. n., is described from Sulawesi (Indonesia). The new species belongs in the C. fabricator species group, which up to now consisted of five rarely collected species. An identification key to the females of all species of the group is provided. Males are not keyed, because only a single male of the group, belonging to C. malignum, is known in addition to C. sulawesii. The last instar larva of C. sulawesii is described, although not all relevant characters could be reliably studied. We could show that the larva of the new species shows most of the relevant characters of the Sceliphrini, but differs from the larvae of other Sceliphrini studied yet in two characters. The majority of over 600 specimens of the new species have been reared from artificial trap nests, set up in different habitats and at different heights in the Lore Lindu National Park, Sulawesi. Of the 812 nests found, 606 provided adults, 64 provided pupae, and 40 provided larvae. 113 were just provisioned. The nesting activity of C. sulawesii showed a clear seasonality and was strongly influenced by the flowering plant diversity. Female activities were also significantly higher in lower strata. We assume that all three ecological factors studied influence the nesting activity of C. sulawesii via the spider prey density. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The Podiinae are composed of Dynatus, Penepodium, Trigonopsis and Podium, the monophyly of which is strongly supported. They form the sister group of the monophylum comprising Chalybion and Sceliphron. Podium contains four probably monophyletic taxa, namely the fumigatum, the rufipes and the agile species groups and Podium eurycephalum sp. n. The new species is inferred to be the sister taxon of the rufipes + the agile group. There is less evidence for the monophyly of the fumigatum group, whereas that of the rufipes and the agile group is strongly supported by some striking autapomorphies. The detailed similarities in the habitus of the agile group and Trigonopsis are interpreted as an independent development as a result of adaptation to their hunting habits. The second ‘syntype’ of Podium agile Kohl hitherto regarded as destroyed, was rediscovered.