Saucrochile Gonzalez & Engel, 2019

Gonzalez, Victor H., Gustafson, Grey T. & Engel, Michael S., 2019, Morphological phylogeny of Megachilini and the evolution of leaf-cutter behavior in bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Journal of Melittology 2019 (85), pp. 1-123 : 62-63

Saucrochile Gonzalez & Engel , new genus

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:395871FD-1354-4660-ACDD-1DF694882441

TYPE SPECIES: Megachile heriadiformis Smith, 1853 .

DIAGNOSIS: This genus is most similar to Hackeriapis (sensu King, 1994) . It differs in the pretarsal claws, which lack of a basal tooth, and in the distal margins of male T2–T4, which are punctate and concolorous with the discal areas. In Hackeriapis , the pretarsal claws have a distinct basal tooth and the distal margins of male T2–T4 are impunctate, broad, and hyaline. In addition, the pronotal lobe is distinctly carinate or lamellate, at least dorsally, in Hackeriapis , while the pronotal lobe is completely round- ed in Saucrochile .

DESCRIPTION: Small sized-bees (8.0–11.0 mm in body length). Integument shiny, with punctures coarse and spaced. Preoccipital border rounded, not carinate; ocelloccipital distance much longer than ocellocular distance.

♀: Mandible without interdental laminae, elongate, outer surface shiny, with sparse punctures, outer ridge weak, extending basally to acetabular carina, three teeth on distal margin; clypeus not covering base of labrum; labrum elongate, parallel-sided, without preapical protuberance. Pronotal lobe without transverse carina or lamella; mesoscutellum flat, not overhanging metanotum in dorsal view. Metasoma elongate, parallel-sided, with white apical fasciae and strong postgradular grooves on basal terga; sterna without apical fasciae beneath scopa; T6 gently convex in profile.

♂: Antennal flagellum unmodified, F1 shorter than F2; mandible tridentate, without basal projection or tooth on lower margin; hypostomal area behind mandible unmodified, without a projection or concavity; procoxal spine small; pro- and mesotibiae and tarsi unmodified; metabasitarsus elongate, about 4.0× longer than broad; mesotibial spur present, articulated to mesotibia, about as long as apical width of mesotibia. T6 vertical in profile, with weak concavity above narrow, medially emarginate preapical carina, distal margin with four small, equidistant teeth or projections; T7 with preapical carina slightly projecting medially; S4 hidden, with punctation and vestiture different to those of preceding sterna; S8 with marginal setae. Genital capsule elongate, about 2.0× longer than wide; gonostylus straight or nearly so in ventral view, slightly narrower basally in lateral view, apically simple, with short setae along its medial margin; volsella present, apically notched.

ETYMOLOGY: The new genus-group name is a combination of of the Greek words, saukros, meaning “graceful”, in reference to the general elegant aspect of this group, and chile, meaning “lip” or “rim”. The gender of the name is feminine (vide Etymology for Cremnomegachile , supra).

COMMENT: Only the type species from the southern half of Australia is known, which Michener (1965) listed in Hackeriapis as a member of species group ‘A’. This results in the new combination, Saucrochile heriadiformis (Smith) .