Chilicola biguttata Packer

Packer, Laurence & Genaro, Julio A., 2007, Fifteen new species of Chilicola (Hymenoptera: Apoidea; Colletidae), Zootaxa 1468, pp. 1-55 : 25-29

Chilicola biguttata Packer , n. sp.

( Figs. 9A–O )

Diagnosis: This is a highly distinctive species that appears to warrant subgeneric status (Packer in press). The large areas of yellow on the face (clypeus, lower portion of supraclypeus, lower paraocular area to antennal socket, mandible) combined with the black labrum (with small yellow spot in one specimen) is alone sufficient to separate males from all other species of Chilicola : all others with considerable yellow on the lower face also have a yellow labrum. The broad unflattened gonostylus of the male is also unique ( Figs. 9J and K ). Chilicola (Anoediscelis) pedunculata Michener also has the gonostyli broader than the adjacent gonocoxite but has them strongly flattened and is very different from C. biguttata in many ways. The form of the facial fovea ( Fig. 9C ), small yellow spot on the lower paraocular area and the capitate to blunt, unbranched metasomal scopal hairs of the female are unusual and readily permit separation of this new species from any other Chilicola .

Description. Male: Length 5.1mm, wing length 3.7mm, head width 1.3mm.

Colouration: Black, with following parts yellow: mandible (except apex, red-brown), clypeus, supraclypeal area up to just below mid level of antennal socket, paraocular area to just above mid level of antennal socket, hind tibia except for brown spot on inner and outer surfaces, hind basitarsus. Following parts pale orange: apical ring on forefemur, foretibia (except for brown spot on posterior surface), apical ring on midfemur, basal and apical rings on mid tibia, narrow apical ring on hind femur, all tarsi. Following parts dark brown: antennae, rest of legs and apical impressed regions of metasomal terga. Tegula translucent with anterior and posterior yellow spots. Wing veins brown, basal portions of costa, M+Cu and V orange-brown.

Surface Sculpture: Labrum shining, punctures deep, distinct and moderately dense (i~d). Clypeus dull with punctures irregular (i=1–3d). Supraclypeus dull, punctures somewhat denser, i=1–2d. Lower paraocular area shinier, punctures more distinct (i=1–3d). Frons with dense punctures (i~0.5d) appearing almost rugulose. Vertex more finely punctate (i<d). Genal area with punctures and microsculpture increasingly weak anterolaterally, shiny with longitudinal microstriation, punctures effaced. Pronotal collar with shallow but distinct punctures (i~d). Mesoscutum somewhat shiny with small but deep and dense punctures (i<d). Scutellum, metanotum and mesopleuron with punctures slightly larger and sparser than on mesoscutum and microsculpture weaker, surface shinier. Dorsal surface of propodeum with few, strong, radiating striae; lateral surface shiny, weakly microsculptured, impunctate; dorsolateral area coarsely rugose. Metasomal terga with few small, shallow and obscure punctures; surface moderately shiny despite strong microsculpture; apical impressed areas with very weak microsculpture.

Pubescence: Whitish, short, sparse and weakly plumose, hairs especially short on mesoscutum (<0.5 MOD), longest on head just above antennae (2MOD). Genal beard moderately strongly developed (2MOD posteriorly, 0.5MOD anteriorly). Lateral surface of propodeum with short (0.5MOD), sparse hairs; those of dorsolateral area slightly longer (~0.75MOD) and denser. Metasomal terga with extremely short hairs on more anterior segments, becoming somewhat longer posteriorly, lacking posterolateral patches. Metasomal sterna lacking patches of erect hair, almost entirely glabrous.

Structure: Head: Slightly shorter than broad (86:88) ( Fig. 9A ). Labrum almost 2X as broad as long (9:17); apical margin very weakly angulate medially. Mandible short and deep, length to basal depth 21:14. Clypeus slightly broader than long (29:26) ( Fig. 9A ), lower one quarter extending beyond lower ocular tangent, slightly protuberant in profile, with weak median longitudinal groove in upper half; lateral margin gently sinuate ( Fig. 9B ). Epistomal suture beneath anterior tentorial pit expanded into a groove such that pit appears comma-shaped. Supraclypeal area strongly protruberant dorsally, length to breadth 22:16. Subantennal suture very slightly concave outwardly. Frons without marked swellings or depressions. Frontal line strongly raised for approximately lower half of distance between dorsal margin of supraclypeal area and median ocellus. Facial fovea absent. Eyes emarginate, converging below ( Fig. 9A ) (UOD:LOD 51:33). Lateral ocelli closer to eye than each other ( Fig. 9A ); OOC:IOC 10:19. OOC 1.3X LOL. Vertex behind lateral ocellus subequal to LOL, evenly convex in anterior view. Head not strongly developed above summits of eyes ( Fig. 9A ), upper ocular tangent passing through middle of median ocellus. Occipital margin sharp but not strongly carinate. Scape slightly longer than pedicel + F1 + F2 combined; F1 shorter than F2 and F3 combined on longer surface (11:13); all flagellomeres other than F1 and F11 shorter than broad (for F8 8:11) and expanded apically on anterior surface giving undulating appearance in profile; F11 similar in length to F10; flagellum becoming markedly deeper but less distinctly broader from base to apex ( Fig. 9D ). Malar space linear making presence or absence of malar suture undetectable. Gena slightly greater than 0.5X width of eye in lateral view (16:30) ( Fig. 9B ). Apical portion of genal area upwardly curved mesad.

Mesosoma: Less than 2X as long as greatest depth, 125:70. Pronotal collar short, medial length subequal to LOL, anterolateral margins rounded. Episternal groove distinct and complete; scrobal groove evident only posterior to scrobe. Propodeum less than 1.5X as long as metanotum (16:11), shorter than scutellum (22) and its own posterior depth (20); propodeal sulcus shallow, shiny, traversed by numerous striae. Hind leg unmodified, lacking swellings, angles or carinae; femur almost 3X as long as greatest depth 90:35, ventral surface convex; tibia gradually expanding towards apex length, 4X apical depth, apical one half weakly concave ventrally, attaining mid length of trochanter when folded ( Fig. 9F ); tibial spurs not strongly sclerotised or curved; basitarsus slightly more than 4X as long as greatest depth, which is near base, gradually narrowing to apex; tarsal claws bifurcate. Basal vein evenly curved; distal stigmal perpendicular traversing second submarginal cell near middle or closer to base; stigma shorter than length of marginal cell on wing margin (35:45); stigma in marginal cell strongly convex towards apex; first recurrent vein slightly apical to first submarginal crossvein on vein Rs+M.

Metasoma: T1 shorter than broad (55:60). Apical impressed areas approximately one quarter as long as entire tergum. S1–S6 without modifications except S1 weakly concave with subapical obtuse angle; sternal gradulus of S2 with long posteriorly directed lateral portion, S3–S5 with tiny circular gradular marks;

Terminalia : S7 with two pairs of lateral lobes; ventral lobe broad and membranous with outer margin concave and posterior margin curved dorsally; dorsal lobe elongate, laterally oriented, narrowing abruptly at midlength from broad base ( Fig 9H ). S8 with apical process very large, emarginate apically, broadest subapically ( Fig. 9I ). Gonobase with foramen very large, apicoventral process broadly concave. Volsella U-shaped with outer margin concave before apex. Inner margin of gonocoxite undulate, lacking marked angulation; ventrobasal lobe slightly less than right angular, directed mesad. G onostylus very broad, clearly demarcated from gonocoxite and not flattened or markedly concave beneath. Penis valve with two large membranous lobes, inner one dorsolaterally oriented, outer one partially folded over inner one ( Figs. 9J and K ).

Female: Body length 4.6mm, forewing length 3.1mm, head width 1.3mm.

Colouration: Black, with yellow spot on lower paraocular area just below anterior tentorial pit ( Fig. 9C ) and basal yellow spot on all tibiae; tarsi brown; tegula brown with outer margin colourless.

Surface Sculpture: As in male but with more strongly imbricate microsculpture on face; punctures on lower face shallower, those of frons sparser and more distinct (i~d), punctures of vertex less distinct than those of frons; pronotum with punctures obscure; mesoscutum with punctures shallower.

Pubescence: As in male but hairs above antennae shorter (1MOD). Most hairs on foretarsi thick and strongly capitate, lacking branches, 1.25 MOD, ( Fig. 9G ). Hind femur with scopal hairs with branches towards apex on anterior surface only, <1.5 MOD. Hind tibia with scopal hairs unbranched but not capitate, ~ 2MOD. Terga lacking posterolateral hair patches. Scopa on S2 with comparatively sparse capitate or blunt hairs <3.5MOD, scopa in form of corbicula.

Structure: Maxillary palpus unmodified, 0.5X as long as prementum. Prementum 1/5th as long as greatest breadth; fovea very large, almost entirely covering ventral surface, margin carinate. Lacinia broadly triangular, 0.33X as long as greatest breadth. Lorum elongate, 0.4X as long as cardo, parallel-sided. Rest of body as in male except for usual sexual differences and as follows: Head slightly longer than broad (85:82) ( Fig. 9C ). Length and breadth of clypeus subequal (28:27); UOD:LOD 50:36. OOC:IOC 9:20. Occipital margin rounded. Facial fovea large, broad and shallow, extending ventrally almost to upper tangent of antennal socket, dull, covered in somewhat plumose, woolly, laterally directed hairs 0.75MOD. Ratio of width of gena to eye 15:27. Propodeal sulcus weakly impressed. Apical lunule of S5 more than 2X as broad as long.

Sting apparatus: As in Figs. 9L–O . Hemitergite 7 with lateral portion of marginal ridge somewhat thickened between apodemal region and close to apex, with slight obtuse angle close to base of lateral process; lateral process short and acute; lateral lamella originating slightly anterior to lateral process; medial portion of marginal ridge gently concave; spiracle separated from evenly concave posterior margin of lamina spiracularis, closer to lateral than medial portion of marginal ridge, set in depression in lamina spiracularis ( Fig. 9L ). Hemitergite 8 with anterior ridge straight and strong to close to apex, apodeme larger than plate, carina separating apodeme and plate straight ( Fig. 9M ). First valvifer with dorsal process narrow but similar in length to ventral process ( Fig. 9M ). Second valvifer with apodemal ridge straight, apical process poorly developed, pars articularis rounded, incisura postarticularis strongly narrowed towards pars articularis, region basal to gonostylus membranous, gonostylus converging towards apex from broad base. Sting shaft almost straight ventrally, processus muscularis not developed, processus medianus very long ( Fig. 9N ). Furcula with ventral arms broadest close to apex, crescentic in lateral view ( Fig. 9O and P).

Material studied. Holotype male: ARGENTINA, Catamarca; Andalgala, km marker 1510 on Andalgala-Belen road; 15.x.1973, J.L. Neff, ex Prosopis chilensis (Fabaceae) ; allotype female same data except 18.x.1973; paratype male same data except 29.x.1973 and ex Nicotiana noctiflora (Solanaceae) ; other paratypes as follows: Catamarca, Andalgala desert site, no date data, J.L. Neff, one male, one female; Catamarca; Cuesta de la Chilca (base), 7.xi.1972, J.L. Neff, ex Prosopis chilensis , one female; Catamarca, Punta Balasto, 30km from Santa Maria, 24.xi.1966, Willink coll. one female; Catamarca, San Fernando, 11.xi.1991, J.G. Rozen, L. Pena & A. Ugarte one male; La Rioja; Dept. Rosario V., Penaloza, Sierra de Arganaraz, El Rocillo, 22.x.1997, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, S. Roig, S31.2066, W66.7126, 2370ft, one female; San Juan, Dept. Caucete, 23km SW Bermejo, 23.x.1997, S31 7472W67 8752, M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker, S. Roig, one male; Santiago del Estero; Departamento Matará, Desvio 511, x.1928, M. Gómez. The holotype and allotype are housed at CTMI, the Cuesta de la Chilca paratypes are at PYU, the Punta Balasto one is at IML, the two collected by Irwin et al., are at Logan and the oldest collected specimen is at MACN. The locality for this latter specimen almost certainly refers to a temporary detour on a highway, rather than actually listing a site that can be found on contemporary maps: the Spanish word for “detour” used on road signs is “desvio”.

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the two yellow spots on the face of females.

Comments. The yellow spots on the face of the female are found very rarely in other species of Chilicola ; they are comparatively small and obscure in some females of C. (Oroediscelis) brzoskai Michener and an as yet unidentified species of Oediscelis from southern Chile. Orange markings on the lower paraocular area are more common, but are associated with a generally testaceous-orange colouration on the lower face as found, for example, in C. unicarinata described above. One paratype male has a small yellow medial spot on the base of the labrum.

This is an apparently widespread, but scarce species.

Some specimens bear a label stating Oediscelis bimaculata , another Moure manuscript name.

Figures

FIGURES 9 A – O. Chilicola biguttata Packer, n. sp. Head of male: A. frontal view, B. lateral view. C. frontal view of female head. Male: D. male antenna. E. pronotum. F. Male hind leg. G. Female foretarsus. H – K. Male terminalia. H. S 7. I. S 8. J. genital capsule lateral view, K. same. Dorsal views are to the left. L – P. Sting apparatus of female: L. hemitergite 7, M. hemitergite 8, N. First and second valvifer with gonostylus and sting shaft (latter broken in specimen), O – P. Furcula in dorsal and lateral views respectively. Stippling in A – C and F indicates pale colouration, elsewhere it indicates membranous regions.