Sphecodes turneri Cockerell, 1916

Astafurova, Yulia V., Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu. & Schwarz, Maximilian, 2020, New and little-known species of the genus Sphecodes Latreille (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) from Southeast Asia, ZooKeys 937, pp. 31-88 : 31

Sphecodes turneri Cockerell, 1916 Figures 135-138 , 139-144

Sphecodes turneri Cockerell, 1916: 430, ♀ (holotype: ♀, India, Assam, Shilong, 5.03., B. Turner, 1905-125. 17a.561; NHMUK 013380320; examined).

Diagnosis.

This species differs from other species of the genus by having forewings with two submarginal cells (Fig. 143 ) (versus three cells in other Sphecodes species).

Descriptive notes.

Wings with brownish darkening; hind wing with the angle between basal (M) and cubital (Cu) veins ca. 70°, costal margin with eight or nine hamuli. Female. Total body length 8-9 mm. Head transverse (Fig. 135 ), ca. 1.3 times as wide as long; vertex elevated with distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus ca. one and a half lateral ocellar diameter as seen in frontal view; ocello-ocular area shining, with punctures separated by 0.5-2 puncture diameters; paraocular and supraclypeal areas with dense adpressed white plumose pubescence, gena with sparser pubescence. Mesoscutum (Fig. 137 ) irregularly punctate, denser peripherally and with large interspaces medially (20-35 μm / 0.5-5); mesoscutellum sparsely punctate withlarge impunctate interspaces; propodeal triangle (metapostnotum) with longitudinal parallel wrinkles (Fig. 137 ); lateral parts of propodeum striate-rugose; mesepisternum reticulate-rugose (Fig. 136 ). Metasoma with a mixture of minute and coarse punctures (5-25 μm / 1-3) (Fig. 138 ); marginal zones T1 entirely and T2 medially punctate Pygidial plate narrow, 0.4 times as wide as metabasitarsus; T1-T4 red. Male (new). Total body length 7.0-8.5 mm. Head (Fig. 139 ) weakly transverse, 1.15 times as wide as long; vertex elevated, with distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus ca. one and a half of a lateral ocellar diameter as seen in frontal view; antenna long, reaching mesoscutellum, F2 1.7 times as long as wide, remaining flagellomeres ca. 1.2 times as long as wide; tyloids weakly developed, narrowly semicircular across atmost 1/4 of the basal flagellar surfaces (Fig. 144 ). Face and ocello-ocular area densely punctate, the punctures separated by at most 0.5 of a puncture diameter. Mesoscutum coarsely punctate (20-30 μm / 0.5-3); mesoscutellum irregularly punctate with large interspaces (Fig. 140 ). Propodeal triangle coarsely reticulate-rugose (Fig. 140 ); mesepisternum reticulate-rugose. Metasoma (Fig. 141 ) with a mixture of minute and coarse punctures, 5-20 μm); marginal zones of T1 and T2 punctate; gonocoxite dorsally without impression; gonostylus with a long and narrow apical process as in Fig. 142 .

Material examined.

Laos: 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Prov. Hua Phan, Phou Pan, Umg. Ort Ban Saleui, 20°13'N, 103°59'E, 1350-1900 m, 15.IV.2012, C. Holzschuh & locals (OLBL/PCMS).

Distribution.

*Laos, India (Meghalaya).

Remarks.

It is noteworthy that the other cleptoparasitic genus Nomada Scopoli ( Apidae ) also has a small group of species with two submarginal cells ( Proshchalykin and Lelej 2010).

Figures

Figures 135 - 138. Sphecodes turneri Cockerell, female 135 head, frontal view 136 mesepisternum, lateral view 137 mesosoma, dorsal view 138 T 1 - T 2, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (135, 137, 138), 0.5 mm (136).

Figures 139 - 144. Sphecodes turneri Cockerell, male 139 head, frontal view 140 mesosoma, dorsal view 141 metasoma, dorsal view 142 genitalia, dorsal view 143 forewing, lateral view 144 antennae, ventro-lateral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (139 - 141, 143, 144), 0.5 mm (142).