Hoplitis (Formicapis)

Müller, Andreas & Mauss, Volker, 2016, Palaearctic Hoplitis bees of the subgenera Formicapis and Tkalcua (Megachilidae, Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species, Zootaxa 4127 (1), pp. 105-120 : 111-112

Key to the species of Hoplitis (Formicapis)

The male of Hoplitis coreensis is still unknown. As only a single male each of Hoplitis excisa and H. maritima was available for study, variability of the morphological characters given in the key might possibly have been underestimated.

Females

1 Clypeus without medioapical projection or keel, its apical margin emarginate ( Figs. 3, 6 ). Apical edge of mandible with two apical teeth and a sharp tooth between preapical tooth and upper apical angle ( Figs. 3, 6 ). Declivous anterior part of tergum 1 polished. Propodeal triangle usually more or less shiny in its lower part......................................... 2 - Clypeus medioapically with longitudinal keel or triangular projection ( Figs. 4, 7 ). Apical edge of mandible with two apical teeth and a long edge, which is straight to irregularly crenulate lacking a sharp tooth between preapical tooth and upper apical angle ( Figs. 4, 7 ). Declivous anterior part of tergum 1 completely dull. Propodeal triangle completely dull.............. 3 2 Emargination at apical margin of clypeus deep, 3– 4 x as wide as long ( Fig. 6 ). Lobes adjacent to clypeal emargination curved upwards and projecting beyond clypeal surface. Median unpunctured area of clypeus less than twice as wide as maximal width of antenna and basally less than half as wide as maximal width of supraclypeal area ( Fig. 6 ). Hypostomal carina strongly curved but lacking projecting sharp tooth at the transitional zone between its posterior and anterior part. Impression at base of tergum 1 narrow and laterally rounded. Body length 5–7mm. Northern China.......................... Hoplitis excisa

- Emargination at apical margin of clypeus very shallow, about 8x as wide as long ( Fig. 3 ). Lobes adjacent to clypeal emargination barely curved upwards and lying nearly in the same plane as clypeal surface. Median unpunctured area of clypeus more than twice as wide as maximal width of antenna and basally more than half as wide as maximal width of supraclypeal area ( Fig. 3 ). Hypostomal carina with projecting sharp tooth at the transitional zone between its posterior and anterior part. Impression at base of tergum 1 wide and laterally keeled. Body length 5.5mm. Korea....................... Hoplitis coreensis

3 Clypeus medioapically with longitudinal keel, which is about half as long as clypeal length or longer ( Fig. 4 ). Clypeus without median longitudinal groove ( Fig. 4 ). Mandible very large, its apical edge more than twice as long as maximal length of clypeus and its anterior surface lying well in front of clypeal surface ( Fig. 4 ). Body length 6–8.5mm. Northern Mongolia to southernmost Russian Far East.................................................................... Hoplitis maritima

- Clypeus medioapically with triangular and longitudinally keeled, nose-like projection, which is about one third as long as clypeal length or shorter ( Fig. 7 ). From this projection a shallow and narrow longitudinal groove, which is often indistinct in small individuals, extends till the clypeal base ( Fig. 7 ). Mandible distinctly smaller, its apical edge slightly longer than maximal length of clypeus and its anterior surface lying in the same plane as clypeal surface ( Fig. 7 ). Body length 6–9mm. Boreal zone of Europe, Asia and North America; Alps; mountainous areas of western USA........................ Hoplitis robusta

Males

1 Scapus slender, its maximal width about 1.2x as wide as maximal width of flagellum. Declivous anterior part of tergum 1 polished throughout, without any traces of shagreenation. Propodeal triangle slightly shiny in its lower part. Punctation of anterior half of scutum on both sides of the median impression more scattered with interspaces reaching the diameter of one and a half to two punctures. Apical margin of sternum 4 nearly straight. Body length 4.5mm. Northern China......... Hoplitis excisa

- Scapus wider, its maximal width about 1.4x as wide as maximal width of flagellum. Declivous anterior part of tergum 1 more or less polished, but always with (at least traces of) shagreenation. Propodeal triangle completely dull. Punctation of anterior half of scutum on both sides of the median impression dense with interspaces rarely exceeding the diameter of one puncture. Apical margin of sternum 4 shallowly emarginate........................................................... 2

2 Sternum 8 broadly truncate at the apex; its apical half constricted basally (i.e. just in front of apodeme) having its maximal width halfway between apodeme and apex. Median teeth of tergum 7 roughly triangular in shape, narrower than lateral teeth and separated from each other by a wide emargination of half-elliptical shape ( Fig. 5 ). Punctation of disc of tergum 1 less scattered, with interspaces usually not exceeding the diameter of two punctures. Declivous anterior part of tergum 1 and adjacent area of disc distinctly shagreened. Body length 6–7mm. Mongolia to southernmost Russian Far East...... Hoplitis maritima

- Sternum 8 narrowly truncate at the apex; its apical half with evenly convex outer margin having its maximal width at the base (i.e. just in front of the apodeme). Median teeth of tergum 7 roughly rectangular in shape, as wide as lateral teeth or wider and separated from each other by a narrow incision of triangular shape ( Fig. 8 ). Punctation of disc of tergum 1 more scattered, with interspaces usually exceeding the diameter of two punctures. Declivous anterior part of tergum 1 and adjacent area of disc weakly shagreened. Body length 6–7.5mm. Boreal zone of Europe, Asia and North America; Alps; mountainous areas of western USA................................................................................. Hoplitis robusta

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 8. 1: Hoplitis robusta, typical habitat in open subalpine forest with large proportion of dead wood (Swiss Alps, Sedrun, Grisons). 2: Hoplitis robusta, pollen collecting female on Potentilla erecta. 3: Hoplitis coreensis, clypeus and mandibles of female. 4: Hoplitis maritima, clypeus and mandibles of female. 5: Hoplitis maritima, tergum 7 of male. 6: Hoplitis excisa, clypeus and mandibles of female. 7: Hoplitis robusta, clypeus and mandibles of female. 8: Hoplitis robusta: tergum 7 of male.