Megachile (Pseudomegachile) syriaca Dorchin & Praz, 2018

Dorchin, Achik & Praz, Christophe J., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Western Palaearctic bees of the subgenus Pseudomegachile (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae, Megachile), Zootaxa 4524 (3), pp. 251-307 : 285-289

Megachile (Pseudomegachile) syriaca Dorchin & Praz , sp. nov.

Megachile transgrediens Rebmann 1970b in Alqarni et al. 2012: 81 .

Distribution: Syria, Turkey.

Pollen hosts: unknown.

Nesting biology: unknown. This species is a likely host of Radoszkowskiana gusevi Schwarz 2001 , of which all known specimens were collected in the same locality and on the same date as numerous specimens of M. syriaca ; hosts of Radoszkowskiana may be restricted to species of the cyanipennis species group (see under M. nigripes , M. seraxensis , and M. schnabli ), and no other member of this group are recorded from this locality.

Diagnosis: This Mediterranean species, like M. yezidica sp. nov. (described below), is closely related to M. saussurei . It is about as large as or slightly larger than that species, body length 12–14 mm compared to 11–12 mm and forewing length 7.75–8.5 mm compared to 7.5–8.5 mm in M. saussurei . Females can be recognized by the following combination of traits: a facial comb of modified apically curved hairs, with no indication of branched hairs on the clypeus ( Fig. 137 ), a character shared within the cyanipennis species group only with M. seraxensis and M. yezidica sp. nov.; lower part of gena lateral to hypostomal area densely punctate, with interspaces hardly over one puncture diameter wide ( Fig. 139 ); clypeus densely and uniformly punctate, with indiscernible interspaces ( Fig. 137 ); and vertex coarsely irregularly punctate, the largest punctures up to five times larger than the smallest punctures ( Fig. 138 ). Males can be recognized by the: modified, broad yellow-white front tarsi ( Fig. 144 ), with a black spot on the ventral side of the front basitarsus, the spot not surrounded with hairs (surrounded with hairs in both M. saussurei and M. yezidica sp. nov.) ( Fig. 145 ); long posterior hair fringe of middle basitarsus, over 2.5 times as long as the maximal width of basitarsus (these hairs are much shorter in M. yezidica sp. nov.) ( Fig. 146 ); T6 with small, inconspicuous lateral tooth (tooth absent in M. yezidica sp. nov.), with only unbranched, erect, dark brown hairs ( Fig. 147 ); T7 with comparatively short apicomedial spine, spine sometimes reduced, blunt or triangular (in M. saussurei , the spine is comparatively long and acute). In the cyanipennis species group, only M. seraxensis has no appressed, light branched hairs on T6, but this species is easily distinguished by its trifid T7; males of M. syriaca sp. nov. can further be distinguished from males of the morphologically similar M. yezidica sp. nov. and M. saussurei by the gradual broadening of the front basitarsus from the base apically, its external basal width being more than half its maximal width ( Fig. 144 ), compared to distinctly narrower base of basitarsus in these two latter species ( Fig. 155 ).

Description: Female: body length 12–14 mm; forewing length 7.7 5–8.5 mm; head 1.3 times broader than long; inner margins of compound eye converging below, slightly sloping mesad above ( Fig. 136 ); interocellar distance 3 lateral ocellus diameters; ocellocular distance 2.2 lateral ocellus diameters; ocelloccipital distance 2.75 lateral ocellus diameters, slightly shorter than interocellar distance ( Fig. 138 ); vertex rounded in frontal view ( Fig. 136 ); compound eye about 2.7 times longer than wide in profile; mandible weakly 4-toothed with margin nearly straight ( Fig. 136 ); clypeus about twice broader than long, slightly concave medially on disc, anterior margin almost straight, conspicuously flared ( Fig. 137 ); supraclypeal area elevated anteriorly, near clypeal base; scape about three times longer than broad; first flagellomere 1.3 times as long as broad, about as broad as pedicle, and slightly longer than second flagellomere; subsequent flagellomeres subequal in length, about as long as first, terminal flagellomere longest, about 1.5 times longer than broad. Omaulus angular, weakly carinate along upper third; pronotal lobe sharply carinate, concealed by dense hairs; scutellum bulging with weakly elevated basomedial protuberance; all femora and tibiae robust, broadly rounded on dorsal surface; hind femur with drop-shaped fovea about half way along upper posterior margin, occupying about 1/5 of total length of femur; hind basitarsus oval, flattened. Metasomal tergites 2–5 regularly rounded, discal areas slightly elevated laterally.

Integument color black, except reddish amber on underside of antennae and terminal tarsal segments; tegulae partly fulvous; wings hyaline yellow, veins black to reddish amber, papillate distally beyond veins. Integument surface smooth and shiny, weakly microreticulate on metanotum and propodeum, propodeal triangle and metanotum medially finely shagreened. Vertex irregularly punctate, with dense, shallow punctures up to five times larger posteriorly than anteriorly, fading immediately before preoccipital ridge and half way before middle of vertex, leaving a small, smooth puncture-free area, 1–2 puncture diameters long and 5–7 puncture diameters wide ( Fig. 138 ); clypeus with uniformly dense punctures (punctures more irregular in M. saussurei and M. yedizica sp. nov.), decreasing in size anteriorly and fading along anterior margin ( Fig. 137 ); gena with larger shallower punctures than on clypeus and some smooth surfaces below ( Fig. 139 ); punctures become denser and smaller towards hypostomal area; mesonotal punctation confluent forming interrupted ridges; metasomal tergites 3 and 4 densely, irregularly punctate, the punctures larger and denser than in the closely related M. saussurei , with most interspaces smaller than one puncture diameter.

Vestiture uniform, light brown, fading to pale yellow or white, comprising semi-erect, moderately dense, fine branched hairs, except for unbranched hairs as follows: clypeus and supraclypeal area with facial comb made of apically-curved hairs ( Figs 136, 137 ) (hairs shorter on supraclypeal area); vertex with thicker golden-brown hairs of varying lengths extending also to frons; mandibles with short golden setae, longer along lower edge; lower gena and underside of thorax with modified apically-curved hairs, which are finer than on clypeus, including the trochanters, femora, and mesepisternum; tibiae and tarsi with ordinary short stiff golden setae. Metasomal tergites 2–5 with complete apical bands of pale, short appressed scale-like hairs completely covering the underlying integument; tergal discs with fine dark hairs intermixed with sparse, semi-erect, short thickened setae, and pale, scale-like hairs restricted to lateral extremities ( Figs 134, 135 ); T6 entirely covered with comparable dark hairs and with denser short thickened setae.

Male: As female except for the following. Body length 10–13 mm; inner margins of compound eyes converging below but not sloping mesad above ( Fig. 143 ); interocellar distance 2.7 lateral ocellus diameters; ocellocular distance 1.7 lateral ocellus diameters; ocelloccipital distance 2.3 lateral ocellus diameters, slightly shorter than interocellar distance; compound eye about 2.35 times longer than wide in profile; mandible 3-toothed, with minute bulge anterior to basal tooth and weak, rounded inferior projection largely covered by long, white hairs; clypeus as in female but not conspicuously flared, supraclypeal area flat (preapically elevated in female), and both concealed by dense light hairs; first flagellomere slightly shorter than second, subsequent flagellomeres about equal or slightly longer, terminal flagellomere longest, about 1.6 times longer than broad. Scutellum convex, with less pronounced basomedial protuberance than in female; front coxal spine moderately short, about 1.5 times as long as medially broad (as in M. saussurei and in M. yezidica ); dorsal surface of front femur glabrous with basal tuft of long hairs originating at basal third; front and middle tibiae with sharp carina along upper half of posterior margin, and with weakly discernable premarginal carina along lower posterior margin; front tarsi modified, yellow–white; front basitarsus broad, gradually broadening apically, its basal width more than half as long as its maximal width ( Fig. 144 ); front basitarsus with black spot on ventral side, spot not surrounded by hairs, occupying about 1/4 of basitarsus total ventral length ( Fig. 145 ); front and middle basitarsus with long posterior hair fringe, that of front basitarsus snow white, about 1.3 times as long as basitarsus maximal width, that of middle basitarsus about 2.75 times as long as basitarsus maximal width, comprising light and darker brown hairs ( Figs 144 and 146 , respectively); hind femoral fovea larger than in female, occupying about 1/4 of total length of femur; hind basitarsus regularly slender. T6 with small, inconspicuous lateral tooth, and with preapical carina more or less evenly dentate, with teeth of varying sizes and small asymmetric, median emargination ( Fig. 147 ); T7 mostly produced into comparatively short or blunt apicomedian spine, shallowly emarginate below as seen in posterior or ventral view; S4 densely punctate with interspaces up to one puncture diameter wide, frequently much smaller ( Fig. 80 ), compared to 3 puncture diameters or more in M. saussurei and M. yezidica sp. nov. ( Fig. 77 ), and with broad, thin lamella along posterior margin. S5 and S6 typical for the group: discs covered with dense modified capitate and spatulate hairs, that of S5 with medial ridge on posterior half, produced apicomedially into short square tooth ( Fig. 81 ); disc of S6 triangular with swollen lateral lobe at each side ( Fig. 82 ), and both sternites with apicolateral tufts of long branching hairs; sclerotized capitate and spatulate hairs on S5 and S6 relatively broad (but slightly narrower than in M. saussurei ) and stronger than configured for other species, thus apical broadening of hairs more easily discerned, especially along anterior margin of S5 ( Fig. 81 ) and on middle of disc of S6 ( Fig. 82 ). S8 broad, oblong, with dense and fine branching hairs ventrally on posterior portion (denser than in M. saussurei , compare Figs 101 and 97, respectively), and few long unbranched hairs dorsally along lateral margins, the apex weaker, hyaline. Gonoforceps typically slender, strongly angular in cross section, preapically laterally compressed in dorsal view, with apical portion varying in size, and covered with short hairs; gonoforceps apically rounded thus with short dorsal carina not reaching apex as seen in dorsal view (Fig. 102) (compared to laterally compressed and truncate with carina reaching to apex in M. saussurei , in Fig. 98); apicomedial surface of gonoforceps flattened, covered with long, strongly branched hairs directed apicomesally. Penis valve typically slender, with apex rounded (Fig. 102).

Integument and wing color as in female except for the following: front tarsi yellow white and dorsal side of front femur reddish amber. Surface sculpture more uniform compared to female: punctures increase gradually in size to the posterior on vertex not as large posteriorly as in female, uniformly dense on gena, not forming ridges on mesonotum.

Vestiture reminding that of female ( Fig. 142 ), with more delicate branched hairs, with no modified unbranched or apically curved hairs except ordinary stiff setae on inner side of tarsi, face completely covered with dense long light hairs ( Fig. 143 ); tergites 2–5 with complete apical bands of appressed light hairs as in female but discs without short thickened setae as in female, with dense longer semi-erect dark hairs mixed with white unbranched hairs; T6 with similar dark, unbranched hairs ( Fig. 147 ); T7 with dark branched hairs.

Etymology: The new species name is an adjective meaning “Syrian”, referring to the locality of the main type series.

Holotype: ♂, SYRIA: Kafr , Suwayda, 21.06.2000, M. Halada leg. ( MSCA).

Paratypes: SYRIA: 4♀ 21♂, Kafr, Suwayda , 21.06.2000, M. Halada and Mi. Halada leg ( MSCA, 2♀ 10♂; CPCN, 1♀ 7♂; SMNH, 1♀ 2♂; ZIN, 1♂) ; TURKEY: 2♂, Adiyaman, Gölbasi , 21.6.1985, M. Schwarz leg. ( MSCA) ; 1♀, Ankara, Kirikhan-Hassa Rd. 200f, 16.6.1960, Guichard & B.M. Harvey leg. ( SEMC) ; 2♀ 2♂, Ercek-Göl / Van 1900m, 3.8.1983, K. Warncke leg. ( OLML, 1♀ 1♂; CPCN, 1♀ 1♂) ; 2♂, Erçek / Van, 10.8.1979, K. Warncke leg. ( OLML; CPCN) ; 1♂, Konya, 23.7.1971, K. Warncke leg. ( OLML) ; 1♀, Konya 20kmSO Seydisehir 1000m, 5.8.1991, K. Warncke leg. ( OLML) ; 5♀, N Taskent / Konya 1800m, 6.8.1991, K. Warncke leg. ( OLML, 4♀; CPCN, 1♀) ; 1♀, O Ahlat , Bitlis 1800m, 17.8.1991, K. Warncke leg. ( OLML) ; 1♂, SE of Elazig Hazar Göl , 29.6.2000, M. Halada leg. ( MSCA) ; 1♂, Mersin, 7 (unknown day, year, and collector) ( SEMC) ; 6♂, Urfa 500m 20kmSO Harran , 19.6.1981, K. Warncke leg. ( OLML, 5♂; CPCN, 1♂) ; 2♂, Van, Ercis 1650m, 3.8.1983, K. Warncke leg ( OLML; CPCN) .

Additional material: SPAIN: 2♀, Gérgal, Almeria-Espana, 12.7.1956, J. Suarez leg. (collection B. Tkalců, OLML; CPCN). Note: these two females are superficially similar to females of M. syriaca ; given that they represent a distant and isolated record, it is not clear whether they represent a distinct species, or if their locality data is erroneous. For this reason, these specimens are not included in the type series .

Figures

FIGURES 134–141. Diagnostic traits of M. syriaca sp. nov., females. 134: habitus (lateral view). 135: habitus (dorsal view). 136: habitus (facial view). 137: clypeus. 138: vertex. 139: genal surface sculpture compared with that of, 140: M. yezidica sp. nov. and, 141: M. saussurei.

FIGURES 142–147. Diagnostic traits of M. syriaca sp. nov., males. 142: holotype (lateral view). 143: holotype (facial view). Front basitarsus, 144: exterior surface, 145: interior surface. 146: middle basitarsus (exterior surface). 147: metasoma (dorsal posterior view). PHF: posterior hair fringe, PAC: preapical carina.

FIGURES 153–158. Diagnostic traits of M. yezidica sp. nov., males. 153: holotype (lateral view). 154: holotype (facial view). Front basitarsus, 155: exterior surface, 156: interior surface. 157: middle basitarsus (exterior surface). 158: metasoma (dorsal posterior view). PHF: posterior hair fringe, PAC: preapical carina.

FIGURES 71–82. Sternites 4–6 of males of the cyanipennis species group. 71–73: M. cyanipennis. 74–76: M. nigripes. 77–79: M. saussurei. 80–82: M. syriaca sp. nov.. Scale bars equal 1 mm.