Habrophorula Lieftinck, 1974

Tran, Ngat Thi, Engel, Michael S. & Nguyen, Lien Thi Phuong, 2024, A new species of Habrophorula from Vietnam and an updated key to species of the genus (Hymenoptera, Apidae), ZooKeys 1197, pp. 261-272 : 261

Genus Habrophorula Lieftinck, 1974

Habrophorula Lieftinck, 1974: 217. Type species: Habropoda nubilipennis Cockerell, 1930, original designation.

Note.

This is an uncommon genus that superficially resembles the more widely distributed Elaphropoda Lieftinck, species which are often more reddish in color. Unlike Elaphropoda the third submarginal cell is about as wide anteriorly as it is posteriorly (the cell is wider posteriorly in Elaphropoda ); the clypeus is only moderately convex and not greatly protuberant, extending only about one-half the compound eye width, or less, in front of the compound eye when viewed in profile (except in the new species); male hind leg unmodified, metatrochanter lacking a rounded projection (hind leg of male enlarged, metatrochanter with broadly rounded projection in Elaphropoda ); and tergum VII and sternum VI of the male not attenuate, apex of tergum VI of male with apical truncation weakly emarginate medially, and sternum VII of male with disc broader than long and lacking an apical process (tergum VII and sternum VI somewhat attenuate, tergum VI not emarginate, and sternum VII slightly broader than long and with apical process present in Elaphropoda ) ( Michener 2007; Engel 2018). Table 1 gives a summary of species currently included in Habrophorula , including species treated in this study, and with information on the known sexes and distribution.

Recently, Orr et al. (2022) treated the monotypic Varthemapistra Engel, 2008 as a synonym of Habrophorula . However, such a decision seems ill-advised at present, especially given that representatives of all anthophorine genera were included in the analysis with the exception of Varthemapistra , the sole specimen of which was also never examined by the authors. Engel (2018) did note that Habrophorula Varthemapistra might eventually be considered a subgenus of Habrophorula but in the absence of cladistic evidence for its placement as within or sister to Habrophorula or even a more inclusive clade of Habrophorula and other genera, any decision regarding its ultimate classification should await the discovery of additional specimens, particularly the currently unknown male. The simple female mandible of Varthemapistra edentata Engel, 2018 is not the result of wear as is easily evident from the holotype (which also does not show other signs of usual wear) and that both mandibles are identical (refer to Engel 2018: fig. 4 and discussion therein). The simple mandible is unique among anthophorines and, as such, while distinctive, is an autapomorphy. Varthemapistra was distinguished from Habrophorula and other anthophorines not only on the autapomorphic absence of mandibular teeth but also characters of the clypeus, metatibia, and especially forewing. It therefore seems groundless and unwarranted to place V. edentata in Habrophorula without cladistic evidence indicating the former renders the latter paraphyletic. Thus, given its unique suite of characters, its unique biogeographic occurrence relative to species of Habrophorula , and the possibility that it may be sister to Habrophorula (in which case its recognition as a genus or a distinctive subgenus serves to emphasize its unique characters and distribution), we retain the genus as distinct from Habrophorula .