Doeringiella mamabee Packer, 2016

Packer, Laurence, 2016, Two new species of Epeolini from northern Chile, with the first record of Triepeolus for the country and a key to Chilean species of Doeringiella (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Melittology 2016 (64), pp. 1-11 : 6-9

Doeringiella mamabee Packer , new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9A3E873C-7F25-443F-9D26-B23DB5B7DA41

( Figs. 7–11 )

DIAGNOSIS: Doeringiella mamabee can be distinguished from all other congeners by the combination of scape swollen and mostly black, axilla short not projecting as a strong tooth, scutellum black and setation, other than for patches of pale hairs, black. It is most similar to D. baeri (Vachal) from which it differs as follows (condition in D. baeri in brackets): the mostly black ( Fig. 8 ) and shorter scape which is only slightly longer than the first two flagellomeres combined (scape red and as long as the first three flagellomeres combined), hairs on the ventral surface of the mesofemur 1.5× as long as apical width of femur (as long as apical width), and small patches of white appressed pubescence on T6 (pale hairs on metasoma restricted to T1 and T2). The new species differs from the two previously known Chilean species through the uniformly black pilosity on the dorsal surface of the mesosoma ( Fig. 7 ): the other two — D. gayi (Spinola) and D. gigas (Spinola) — have abundant pale yellow to whitish pubescence ( Fig. 12 ). The two previously described species are also known only from much further south within Chile (the most northern record for either of them is in the province of Coquimbo, approximately 1300 km to the south of the type locality of the new species).

DESCRIPTION: ♂: Body length 7.8 mm, forewing length 6.4 mm, head width 2.95 mm, intertegular span 2.0 mm.

Coloration. Black except as follows: bright orange for mid one-third of mandible (base dark brown, apex red-brown), basal half of dorsal surface of scape, pedicel, flagellum (gradually darkening to red-brown on F11), tegula, apicoventral ring on pro- and metatrochanters, ventral surface of mesotrochanter (remainder of trochanters orange-brown), all femora (except ventral surface of metafemur dark brown), all tibiae, all basitarsi; orange-brown as follows: dorsal mark on pronotal lobe, tarsomeres 2–5 of all legs, wing veins, S6.

Pubescence. Silvery white and subappressed on face up to level of antennal socket laterally, to just below midocellus mesally. Black and erect on vertexal and genal areas, longer on former (~1MOD) than latter (~0.5MOD). Pronotum with narrow transverse band of pale cream, thick and appressed hairs, hairs shorter and sparser medially. Mesoscutum with pale cream, thick appressed transverse hair band hairs short <0.5MOD, band longest medially, <1/3 length of mesoscutum; remainder of dorsal and lateral surfaces of thorax with erect to suberect black hairs, longest towards side of metanotum ~3.5MOD, shortest on disc of scutellum ~0.3MOD. Mesopleuron ventrally and metasternum with brown to silvery hairs, ~2MOD, erect anteriorly, appressed elsewhere. Ventral surface of all femora with erect brown-black hairs, on mesofemur ~2MOD and 1.5× as long as apical width of mesofemur, ~1MOD on pro- and metafemora. Metapostnotum glabrous. Terga 1–2 with complete, broad, apical transverse bands of short, thick, whitish, appressed hairs, that on T1 narrow laterally; T3–T7 lacking distinct apical pale bands but with at least a small patch of apical white appressed hairs on T6 (similar patches may have been abraded from T3–T5). Metasomal sterna 3–5 with apical fringe of brown-black hairs,>1MOD, not notably shorter medially; S6 covered with brown hairs.

Sculpture. Clypeal surface shiny, punctures small and crowded except for impunctate apical margin. Frontal area dull, punctures large and mostly crowded except for a narrow, largely impunctate band below level of median ocellus and a broader area immediately above antennal socket. Vertexal area punctures crowded, sharp-edged, irregular in size, smallest behind ocellar triangle. Genal area punctures dense, i~0.5d. Thoracic punctures crowded, sharp-edged except on hypoepimeral area and ventral surface, i=0.2–1d. Metapostnotum rugoso-punctate anteriorly for a distance ~3/4 length of metanotum, coarsely imbricate posteriorly. Propodeum densely rugoso-punctate. Metasomal terga with small, dense punctures as on clypeus but not as deep. Sternum 2 punctures larger and slightly sparser than on terga and succeeding sterna, i≤d.

Structure. Labrum with bituberculate apex. Scape strongly swollen, length to breadth 41:27, with strong oval depression on lateral surface; scape half as long as UOD, shorter than F1–F3 combined (41:47), F1:F2:F3 20:15:12, respectively. Paraocular carina extending to just below anterior tangent of median ocellus. Frontal carina strong from just below median ocellus to lower tangent of antennal socket. Supraantennal areas strongly depressed. UOD: LOD 78:68. Occipital carina strong from level of lower 1/3 to near top of compound eye, subparallel with posterior margin of compound eye throughout, briefly becoming evanescent as it curves mesad near top of compound eye, horizontal portion distinct except medially.

Mesoscutum with weakly impressed anteromedian area. Scutellum with weakly depressed midline for mid one-half of its length, weakly bigibbous. Axilla triangular, apex only briefly separated from lateral margin of scutellum, not attaining midlength of horizontal surface of scutellum. Basitibial plate short, rounded, entire margin distinct. Supraspiracular carina well developed but short, above dorsal margin of spiracle only.

Pygidial plate with sides straight, forming an angle of ~40°, apex rounded. Genital capsule as in figure 11.

♀: Unknown.

HOLOTYPE: ♂, CHILE: Region XV, Puente Murmuntani , ESE Zapahuira, -18.345943 -69.551974, 3560 m, 4.iv.2000 [4 April 2000], L. Packer ( PCYU).

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is named in honor of Miwa Kobayashi Malcolmson, in recognition of the Malcolmson family’s generous donation to the David Suzuki Foundation. Miwa was busy like a bee, keeping care of her five kids and other children as well. She was known to many as ‘MamaMiwa’.

COMMENTS: Rightmyer (2004) analysed the phylogenetic relationships among genera of Epeolini . The new species has all of the characteristics listed as diagnostic for the genus: the enormously expanded scape, frontal area depressed above the antennal socket, weakly biconvex scutellum, long setae on ventral surface of the mesofemur, completely bordered basitibial plate, emarginate sides of S8 apical process, emarginate ventral margin of gonocoxa, and scroll-like recurved articulating surfaces of the penis valve.

Bees of the genus Doeringiella have had Svastrides Michener, LaBerge, & Moure as confirmed, and Diadasia Patton , Svastra Holmberg , Melissoptila Holmberg , and Caupolicana as surmised hosts ( Roig-Alsina, 1989). The new species is likely too small to have the latter as a host and none of the other genera have been collected near the type locality. The only eucerine genus collected near the type locality is Alloscirtetica , represented there by the species A. gelida and A. weyrauchi . The new species is of an appropriate size to have one of these species as a host.

Figures

Figures 7–11. Doeringiella mamabee, new species, holotype male. 7. Lateral habitus. 8. Base of antenna to show swollen scape. 9. Dorsal view of mesosoma to show mostly black hairs. 10. Ventral view of propodeum to show supraspiracular carina, the round structure immediately above the spiracle. 11. Genital capsule. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figures 12–18. Key characters permitting identification of Chilean species of Doeringiella Holmberg [12–15, Doeringiella gayi (Spinola); 16–18, D. gigas (Spinola)]. 12. Oblique dorsal view to show abundant pale pubescence on male meso- and metasoma. 13. Base of male antenna to show lack of swelling of scape. 14. Apex of male metasoma in ventral view to show approximately even length of apical hair row on S5. 15. Apex of female metasoma in dorsal view to show elongate pseudopygidial area. 16. Base of male antenna to show swollen scape. 17. Apex of male metasoma, ventral view, to show shorter hairs medially on apical fringe of S5. 18. Apex of female metasoma, dorsal view, to show short pseudopygidial area. Scale bars = 1 mm.