Scrapter viciniger Davies, 2006

Davies, Gregory B. P. & Brothers, Denis J., 2006, Morphology of Scrapter (Hymenoptera: Anthophila: Colletidae), with description of three new species and taxonomic status of five Cockerell taxa, African Invertebrates 47, pp. 135-183 : 174-175

Scrapter viciniger Davies , sp. n.

Figs 115–118

Etymology: Latin vicinus (neighbouring, near, close to); Latin niger (black). In allusion to its superficially similar appearance to S. niger .

Diagnosis: S. viciniger is very similar in appearance to S. niger , and exits at this species in the key in Davies et al. (2005). To distinguish this species from S. niger the terminalia need to be extracted. The toothed inner margin of the gonocoxite of S. viciniger is characteristic. Other noteworthy features of S. viciniger include a carinulate vertex and frons, largely smooth mesoscutum, entire metabasitibial plate, propodeal triangle with uniform sculpture, and dark (as opposed to yellowish) tarsi.

Description:

Male.

Measurements (n =4): total body length 8.9 mm, head length 1.8 mm, head width 2.2 mm, lower interocular distance 1.3 mm, upper interocular distance 1.6 mm, interantennal distance 0.4 mm, antennocular distance 0.4 mm, length of clypeus 0.6 mm, length of eye 1.3 mm, length of facial fovea 0.5 mm, maximum width of facial fovea 0.1 mm, mesoscutum length 1.2 mm, mesosoma length 2.6 mm, forewing length 6.1 mm, pterostigma length 0.9 mm, maximum width of pterostigma 0.2 mm, marginal cell length 1.5 mm, length of marginal cell beyond pterostigma 4.8 mm, length of freepart of marginal cell 1.0 mm, metatibia length 1.7 mm, metabasitarsus length 1.1 mm. Vestiture: Clypeus and lower paraocular area with thick, appressed, minutely plumose, white hairs (underlying integument completely obscured). Supraclypeal area, upper paraocular area frons and vertex sparse, erect, plumose greyish hairs. Gena fairly thick, white, plumose hairs. Mesoscutum with moderate cover of long, erect, weakly plumose, greyish hairs (underlying integument easily visible). Scutellum and metanotum similar to mesoscutum but hairs thickers and base of hairs dark, imparting brownish impression to vestiture. Plumose, greyish hairs, hairs thicker on propodeum with dark bases creating brownish impression. T1 sparse hairs anteriorly. T2–4 fairly dense, sub-erect, minutely plumose whitish hairs, thicker anteriorly (underlying integument can easily be seen). No tergal bands. S2–5 incurved, sparse, minutely plumose hairs, no distinct bands on sterna.

Integumental colour: Mainly black. Slight orange tinge to ventral surface of antenna. Metasoma with orange-brown tinge. No yellow on legs or antenna.

Head (Prosoma): Clypeus densely punctate (interspaces 0.5× puncture diameter), interspaces smooth, no medio-longitudinal clypeal sulcus. Supraclypeal area weakly elevated, anterior face of supraclypeal area largely punctureless, smooth and shiny. Lower paraocular area densely punctate (interspaces 0.5× puncture diameter). Frons, upper paraocular area and vertex strongly carinulate. Facial fovea narrow, shallow ovoid with roughened sculpture inside. Gena with fairly dense punctation, near-carinulate. Antenna long, when extended backwards reaches propodeum.

Mesosoma: Pronotum lacking lateral ridge. Mesoscutum densely punctate (interspaces 0.5× puncture diameter), anterior third, lateral edges and posterior edge of mesoscutum roughened, remainder smooth. Scutellum and metanotum similar to mesoscutum but roughened throughout. Pre-episternum and mesepisternum with moderate punctation, coarsely roughened and carinulate. Hypoepimeral area uniformly roughened with no carinae. Metepisternum and sides of propodeum with sparse punctation and uniform coriaceous sculpture (not carinulate). Propodeum near-declivitous. Propodeal triangle with weak, short carinae on narrow basal area, remainder of triangle uniformly coriaceous roughening. Basal area of propodeal triangle approximately same length as metanotum. Legs: Metabasitibial plate entire. Pretarsal claws deeply cleft.

Metasoma: T1 anteriorly minutely roughened and densely punctate, posterior third shiny and smooth. T2–4 very fine sculpture and densely punctate. T7 with weak pygidial plate. T2 fovea short, weakly-defined ovoid.

Terminalia: Gonobase large, inner margin of gonocoxite conspicuously toothed, gonoforceps curved inwards posteriorly, penis valves narrow ( Fig. 115 ). S6 rounded posteriorly with hair tuft on apex, meso-laterally are two separate sets of curved carinae ( Fig. 116 ). S7 concave posteriorly with tufts of setae postero-laterally ( Fig. 117 ). S8 posterior process rounded and hairy ( Fig. 118 ).

Female. Unknown.

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve (31°21'56"S: 19°08'52"E), 735m, 3.ix.2003, M. Kuhlmann ( SANC).

Paratypes: 2ơ with same label data as holotype ( MKPC); 6ơ Nieuwoudtville district , Farm Glen Lyon (31°23'50''S: 19°08'26''E), 11–12.ix.2003 ( MKPC) .

Distribution: Only known from the Nieuwoudtville district (Succulent Karoo biome).

Biology: Specimens have been caught on Oxalis sp. (Oxalidaceae) and Eriocephalus ericoides (L.f.) Druce ( Asteraceae ). The limited data suggests the flight period is during the austral spring (September).

Figures

Figs 115–118. Scrapter viciniger sp. n., terminalia: (115) genitalia (dorsal and ventral views), (116–118) S6–8. Scale bar = 0.4 mm.