Austrostelis iheringi ( Schrottky, 1910 )

Parizotto, Daniele R., Urban, Danúncia & Melo, Gabriel A. R., 2017, Revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Austrostelis Michener and Griswold (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Megachilinae), Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 52 (1 - 2), pp. 53-71 : 66-67

Austrostelis iheringi ( Schrottky, 1910)

( Figures 1 (b), 2(e), 3(a), 4(b), 6(b), 7(c))

Dianthidium iheringi Schrottky, 1910: 267 . Lectotype male, designated by Urban (1999), Brazil: São Paulo (MZUSP, examined).

Stelis iheringi Friese, 1925: 38 . Lectotype female, here designated, Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul (ZMB, examined).

Comments and diagnosis

Austrostelis iheringi has been recorded only in Brazil, being distributed from the state of Rio de Janeiro to Rio Grande do Sul. Cordeiro et al. (2015) comment that this species occurs in Bahia, but probably these authors considered only the information provided by Urban (1999) and might have not seen the additional comments made by Urban (2006). In this latter work, the author re-examined the specimen collected in Maracás, Bahia, and concluded that it belonged to A. maranhensis (here synonymized under A. appendiculata ; see above) and not to A. iheringi . Austrostelis iheringi together with A. flava , A. appendiculata and A. santaterezae are characterized by having only yellow maculae in the body. Among these species, A. iheringi is more similar to A. santaterezae by the colour pattern and punctures of the integument. It can be distinguished by the axillae and scutellum black or with yellow maculae without emargination; legs with narrow yellow band; complete yellow band on T1–T5 or interrupted on T1–T2 and pale yellow pilosity.

Variation. Females: The clypeus can have a continuous or medially interrupted yellow band on the lower half or the sclerite can be almost entirely yellow; the mandible can have a basal yellow macula. The lateral maculae of the mesoscutum can an inverted J-shaped or a U-shaped band and with the discal rami reaching the middle of the sclerite. The pronotal lobe can have a yellow spot. The scutellum can be entirely black or have a yellow apical band. The tegulae vary from translucent brown to black. The mesepisternum and metepisternum can have a yellow spot. The yellow maculae of the hind coxae vary from a little spot to covering almost half of the article. The legs vary from entirely black to ferruginous with yellow bands. The tergal bands vary from yellow to brownish yellow and can be complete, interrupted medially or present only laterally on T1–T2; the margins of T3–T5 can be translucent or not; T6 can be black, with two yellow maculae laterally or have a basal yellow band; S2 with narrow band yellow or yellowish ferruginous; S3–S5 blackish or with a narrow yellow band.

Males: The clypeus varies as in the female. The mandible can have a basal yellow maculae or be almost entirely yellow. The maculae of scutum, legs, and T1–T5 also vary as in the female. The T6 can have a yellow band or be almost entirely yellow; T7 can be entirely black or possess an apical yellow band; S2 can be black, entirely yellow or with two lateral yellow maculae; S3–S5 are entirely blackish or with narrow yellow band.

Distribution. Brazil: Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo, Santa Catarina and São Paulo.

Type material examined

Lectotype male of Dianthidium iheringi ‘18.I 09 ʹ ‘blue circle’ ‘102.253’ ‘ Dianthidium / iheringi / iheringi n. sp. /Type/C. Schrottky det. 1910’ ‘ Dianthid.[ium] 18.109/ iheringi Schrottky /Jundiahy (Est. S.P)/Ducke rev. 13’ ‘ Austrostelis / iheringi / Urban det. 99’. ‘Lectotypus’ ‘ Austrostelis / iheringi /Urban det. 99’. Lectotype female here designated of Stelis iheringi , ‘S. Cruz/ Brasil /coll. Speyer’ ‘Type’ ‘ Stelis / iheringi /1904 Friese det.’ ‘ Lectotype ♀ / Stelis iheringi / Friese 1925 /design. Melo 2010’.

Additional specimens examined

Thirty-nine specimens were examined and their collecting localities are as follows: BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: ViÇosa ( DZUP 29046, 29069); Paraná: ( DZUP 29054), Curitiba ( DZUP 29050), Morretes, Tibagi ( DZUP 29068); Rio de Janeiro: Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro ( DZUP 30411); Rio Grande do Sul: Porto Alegre ( DZUP 29056); Santa Catarina: Pinhal ( DZUP 29072), Seara ( DZUP 29047-29049, 29051-29053, 29055, 29057-29067, 30405-30413); São Paulo: Ribeirão Preto ( DZUP 29071), São Paulo ( DZUP 29070), Sete Barras.

Figures

Figure 1. Head (female), frontal view: (a) Austrostelis catamarcensis; (b) A. iheringi; (c) A. appendiculata; (d) A. saltensis sp. nov.; (e) A. santaterezae; (f) A. zebrata. Scale = 1.0 mm.