Characteristics & Similar species
Sobarocephala pengellyi has a medial stripe on the scutellum similar to that found in S. wirthi and the much more common S. latifrons. Sobarocephala pengellyi differs from these species in having brown (not black) bristles, a light brown to orange face (sometimes yellow in female), a brown epandrium and a rounded surstylus. Furthermore, female tergites 2-4 are yellow with a thin medial stripe and tergite 6 is entirely brown (not brown laterally).

Sobarocephala texensis and some S. setipes also have a medial stripe on the scutellum, but in these species the markings are ill-defined and darkest medially or anteriorly (not apically). Furthermore, the medial scutellar stripe of S. texensis extends anteriorly onto the scutum and in S. setipes there are one pair of well-defined stripe on the scutum.

Distribution
Sobarocephala pengellyi is an uncommon southeastern species known from two localities in Alabama and Georgia.