Hoplitis (Stenosmia) desertorum Müller, 2014

Müller, Andreas, 2014, Palaearctic Hoplitis bees of the subgenus Stenosmia (Megachilidae, Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species, Zootaxa 3765 (4), pp. 301-316 : 308-309

Hoplitis (Stenosmia) desertorum Müller , spec. nov.

Holotype: Jordan: Fidan, 125km N Aqaba, 6.4.1989, ♂ (leg. J. Gusenleitner). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich.

Paratypes: ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Arava Rift Valley, Iddan, 28.4.2010, 3♀ (leg. A. Gotlieb, Y. Hops). JORDAN: Rawayshid, 23.4.1996, ♂ (leg. M. Halada); 25km NE Al Azrag, 13.4.2002, ♂ (leg. M. Snizek). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich.

Additional records: ISRAEL AND PALESTINE: Arava Rift Valley, Hazeva, 11.5.2010 (leg. A. Gotlieb).

Diagnosis. The female differs by the quadrate antennal segment 5 from all other H. ( Stenosmia ) species ( Fig. 8 ) except for H. jordanica , which, however, is distinctly larger. The short antennal segment 4, which is not longer than antennal segment 3, is distinctive for the male ( Fig. 9 ). Additionally, the male is recognizable by the dense and uninterrupted white hairs bands along the apical zones of sterna 2–5 in combination with the rather broad and low longitudinal keel on sternum 6, which does not reach beyond the apical sternal margin and is covered with short hairs ( Fig. 10 ).

Description. FEMALE: Body length 6–6.5mm. Head: Second segment of labial palpus about 1.4x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 2.6–2.7x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 quadrate ( Fig. 8 ). Antennal segments (3)4–11 orange, segment 12 and upper side of segments 6–11 darkened to different degrees. Mandible orange except for basalmost part and apex, which are brown to black. Clypeus, supraclypeal area, paraocular area, frons and genal area densely covered with white pilosity. Mesosoma: Punctation of scutum moderately dense, interspaces reaching the diameter of one to two punctures. Punctation of scutellum slightly more scattered, interspaces reaching the diameter of two to three punctures. Basal zone of propodeum polished except for its basalmost part, which is shagreened. Inner margin of fore leg coxa apically with very short roundish projection. Hind coxa with indistinct longitudinal keel. Spurs of hind leg acute and nearly straight. Mesosoma densely covered with white hairs except for basal zone of propodeum and central parts of scutum and scutellum, which are sparsely covered with appressed white hairs except for their anterior, lateral and posterior margins, which are densely covered with short, scale-like white hairs. Tegula yellowish, translucent. Central part of stigma orange. Metasoma: Punctation of tergum 1 rather dense with interspaces rarely exceeding the diameter of one puncture. Punctation of tergal discs 2–4 slightly more scattered with interspaces varying in size from the diameter of one puncture to the diameter of two, rarely more punctures. Marginal zones of terga 2–4 reddish-brown to orange, distinctly impressed laterally and densely punctured with punctures that are about half as large as punctures on tergal discs. Laterobasal part of disc of tergum 1 densely covered with appressed white hairs. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which consist of short, scale-like hairs and are interrupted on terga 1–2 in older specimens; hair band on tergum 5 longest, about two third as long as tergal length. Tergum 6 densely covered with white plumose hairs. Scopa white.

MALE: Body length 5–6mm. Head: Second segment of labial palpus about 1.4x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.7–1.8x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 3 of about the same length as antennal segment 4 ( Fig. 9 ). Anterior side of antennal segments 4–12 yellowish-brown to brown, segment 13 and posterior side of antenna darkened. Mandible reddish-brown to orange except for base and apex, which are brown to black. Clypeus, supraclypeal area, paraocular area, frons and genal area densely covered with white pilosity. Mesosoma: Punctation of scutum and scutellum moderately dense, interspaces reaching the diameter of one to two punctures. Scutellum medially with narrow unpunctured longitudinal zone. Basal zone of propodeum chagreened in its upper and polished in its lower half. Hind coxa with distinct longitudinal keel. Mesosoma densely covered with white hairs except for central parts of scutum and scutellum and basal zone of propodeum, which are almost hairless. Tegula yellowish, translucent. Metasoma: Punctation of terga 1–3 rather dense with interspaces reaching the diameter of one to two punctures, of tergal discs 4–5 very fine and dense with interspaces not exceeding the diameter of one puncture. Marginal zones of terga 2–4 reddish-brown to orange, distinctly impressed laterally and densely punctured with punctures that are about half as large as punctures on tergal discs. Laterobasal part of disc of tergum 1 densely covered with appressed white hairs. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which consist of short plumose hairs and are interrupted on terga 1–2 in older specimens. Tergum 6 densely covered with white hairs, its apical margin yellowish and translucent. Apex of tergum 7 small and quadrate, densely haired, yellowish and translucent, its apical margin slightly rounded. Sternum 2 planar, without longitudinal keel. Punctation of disc of sternum 2 scattered, interspaces reaching the diameter of up to four or more punctures. Marginal zones of sterna (1)2–5 with dense white hair bands that extend over the whole sternal width. Sternum 6 medially with longitudinal keel, which is slightly wider than high, reaches the apical sternal margin and is densely covered with hairs that are not longer than height of the keel ( Fig. 10 ).

Distribution. Known so far only from the Jordan part of the Syrian desert and the Arava valley ( Israel), where H. desertorum partly flies at the same localities (Iddan, Hazeva) as H. aravensis , although later in the spring and on other plant taxa.

Pollen hosts. Possibly oligolectic on Resedaceae : all 8 pollen loads (2 localities, 1 country) analyzed so far consisted of Resedaceae pollen (probably Reseda arabica ), one load additionally contained pollen of Echium (Boraginaceae) .

Nesting biology. Unknown.

Etymology. desertorum = of the deserts, referring to the species’ habitat.

Note. Osmia flavicornis in the key of Warncke (1991) is Hoplitis (Stenosmia) desertorum spec. nov..

Figures

FIGURE 6 – 10. 6: Hoplitis crassipunctata, terga 2 – 4 of female. 7: Hoplitis crassipunctata, sterna 4 – 6 of male. 8: Hoplitis desertorum, antenna of female. 9: Hoplitis desertorum, antenna of male. 10: Hoplitis desertorum, sterna 4 - 6 of male.