Warnckandrena (Uncandrena)

Pisanty, Gideon & Wood, Thomas James, 2024, The early-diverging subgenera of the bee genus Andrena (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) in the Old World, Zootaxa 5474 (5), pp. 451-488 : 474-475

Subgenus Uncandrena Pisanty subgen. nov.

Type species: Andrena bytinskii Warncke, 1969 , designated here.

Description. Small-sized bees (8–9 mm). Body integument dark with moderate metallic luster, strongly shagreened, punctation mostly weak to absent ( Figs. 74–77 , 81–84 ). Male clypeus and paraocular area dark ( Fig. 83 ). Head 1.2–1.3 times broader than long ( Figs. 76 , 83 ). Mandibles short in both sexes, very weakly bidentate in female ( Fig. 76 ), strongly bidentate in male. Galea strongly shagreened and matt, impunctate, apex more or less rounded. Maxillary palpus extending beyond galea, six-segmented, segment 2 longest, 1.4 times longer than 1. Glossa of moderate length, 4–5 times longer than broad, extending beyond galea. Labial palpus about as long as glossa, four-segmented ( Figs. 76 , 83 ). Subgenal coronet developed on inner and hind margin of paramandibular process. Labral process of female much broader than long, weakly arched ( Fig. 76 ), of male trapezoidal, apical margin weakly concave. Clypeus weakly protuberant, weakly flattened centrally, more so in males, 1.9 times broader than long in females ( Fig. 76 ), 1.6 times in males ( Fig. 83 ). Malar space absent. Inner margins of compound eyes weakly arched, weakly convergent below in females ( Fig. 76 ), strongly convergent below in males ( Fig. 83 ). Facial foveae drop-shaped, moderately broad, weakly separated from compound eye by very narrow, smooth linear area, fovea width equals 0.5 times antennocular distance ( Figs. 74, 76 ). Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 1.2 ocellar diameters ( Fig. 74 ). Flagellomere 1 longer than 2+3, 0.9 times shorter than 2+3+ 4 in females ( Fig. 76 ), 0.7 times in males ( Fig. 83 ). Vertex and gena normally developed, ocelloccipital distance 1–1.2 ocellar diameters, genal area 0.9–1.0 times as broad as compound eye. Preoccipital ridge carinate dorsally, becoming gradually rounded laterally ( Figs. 74 , 81 ). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not to very slightly elevated, not forming a dorsolateral carina. Surface of mesepisternum and propodeum with strong alveolation or shagreenation, punctation weak. Profile of propodeum moderately separated into weakly sloping basal region vs. more vertical apical region, this separation weak in males, basal region about 1.2 times as long as metanotum. Propodeal triangle not to very slightly rugose ( Fig. 80 ). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, corbicular fringe very thin and limited to dorsal side of corbicula, consisting of long strongly plumose hairs. Inner side of hind femur rounded. Inner hind tibial spur strongly broadened near base, more or less straight. Femoral and tibial scopae composed of simple hairs, tibial scopa weakly developed, hairs short and thin. Flocculus complete, very strongly developed, hairs very long ( Fig. 78 ). Hind pretarsal claw with strong inner tooth. Forewing with two submarginal cells. Stigma 3.5–4 times longer than broad, 1.3 times broader than prestigma. Submarginal crossvein 1 reaching marginal cell 7 vein widths from stigma. Recurrent veins 1 and 2 reaching submarginal cell 2 at 0.3 and 0.8 of its length. Nervulus very strongly postfurcal ( Fig. 79 ). Jugal lobe of hind wing 0.7 times shorter than vannal lobe. Profile of tergum 1 separated into declivous basal region versus horizontal posterior region, basal region with medial longitudinal rim. Tergal apical hair bands moderately developed ( Figs. 75, 77 , 82, 84 ). Female pygidial plate normally developed, without elevated medial area; male pygidial plate undeveloped. Male sternum 7 normally developed, with two small medioapical lobes ( Fig. 88 ). Male sternum 8 normally developed, columnar, apical process weakly broadened, without emargination ( Fig. 87 ). Genital capsule strongly rounded in dorsal view ( Fig. 85 ). Dorsal gonocoxite lobe exceptionally developed, very long and narrow, club-shaped. Gonostylus strongly arched, apical blade weakly developed, shallowly spatulate dorsally, slightly protruding ventrally. Penis valves short and very broad, occupying almost entire space between gonostyli ( Figs. 85–86 ).

Diagnosis. The most clearly defining feature of Andrena (Uncandrena) is the male’s unusual genital capsule, which is strongly rounded in overall shape, possessing extremely elongate, club-shaped dorsal gonocoxite lobes, and a very weakly developed gonostylus blade ( Figs. 85–86 ). The subgenus is further characterised by the combination of forewing with two submarginal cells ( Fig. 79 ), metallic integument, basally broadened female hind tibial spur, and non-rugose propodeal triangle ( Fig. 80 ). As such, it cannot be confused with any other subgenus of Andrena . North American species of the subgenus Diandrena superficially resemble Uncandrena in their metallic integument and forewing’s two submarginal cells, but they clearly differ in most or all of the following characters: bidentate labral process, carinate pronotum, more rugose propodeal triangle, normally-developed female hind tibial spur, antefurcal to interstitial nervulus, and normally-developed male genitalia.

Biology. Uncandrena are active in springtime, specializing on Faboideae pollen, but also visit other diverse flowers, probably for nectar.

Distribution: Eastern Mediterranean (Levant and Turkey).

Etymology. The prefix Unc - is from the Latin uncus, which means ‘hook, barb’, in combination with Andrena , the name of the higher taxon. The name refers to the unique shape of the genital capsule, with the unusually long dorsal gonocoxite lobes reminiscent of protruding hooks. The gender of the name is feminine.

Included species. Andrena bytinskii Warncke, 1969 . The single species belonging to Uncandrena was previously assigned to Pallandrena ( Warncke 1969) or Poecilandrena ( Gusenleitner & Schwarz 2002; Pisanty et al. 2018).

Figures

FIGURES 74–80. Andrena (Uncandrena) bytinskii Warncke, female: 74, vertex and mesosoma; 75, metasoma; 76, head; 77, habitus; 78, flocculus and scopa; 79, forewing venation; 80, propodeal triangle.

FIGURES 81–88. Andrena (Uncandrena) bytinskii Warncke, male: 81, vertex and mesosoma; 82, metasoma; 83, head; 84, habitus; 85, genitalia, dorsal view; 86, genitalia, lateral view; 87, eighth sternum; 88, seventh sternum.