Colletes cyanonitidus, Kuhlmann, 2007

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2007, Revision of the bees of the Colletes fasciatus-group in southern Africa (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 121-166 : 136-139

Colletes cyanonitidus sp. n.

Figs 5 , 30, 31 , 40

Etymology: Named for the characteristic bluish shine on the terga.

Diagnosis: Among the species with a reduced scopa C. cyanonitidus is unique in that it has an intense bluish shine on T1 and T2 (this is less intense in the very similar C. obscurus ) and the short plumose hairs on the scutellum and metanotum ( Fig. 5 ) (this is less developed in C. obscurus ). The male is best identified by the unique shape of the S7 ( Fig. 30 ) and the narrow, very elongate, 2 nd hind tarsomere. This trait C. cyanonitidus shares only with a male of an undescribed species.

Description:

Female.

Length 10–11 mm.

Vestiture: Face short greyish white with long dark brown hairs on vertex; mesonotum with short yellowish brown hairs intermixed with numerous longer blackish hairs; mesosomal sides with longer and legs with white to yellowish white hairs that are shorter than face, scutellum and metanotum with short and medially plumose brownish orange hairs ( Fig. 5 ), scutellum intermixed with longer, blackish hairs; T1 very sparsely covered with moderately long, erect, white hairs, shorter posteriorly; disc of T2 sparsely covered with very short, depressed, whitish hairs; discs of T3–T5 with successively longer, erect, blackish hairs; moderately broad white posterior tergal hair bands on T1– T4, slightly narrowed medially on T1, very narrow on T5; T2 with weak and very narrow basal tomentum medially; S2–S4 with very short and indistinct white hair fringes laterally; discs of sterna very sparsely covered with very short hairs.

Integument: Mainly black, antenna brown ventrally, legs and tarsi partly with a reddish shine and terga posteriorly very narrowly translucent reddish brown; T1–T3 with bluish shine, more intense on T1; malar area narrow, length about 1/2 width of mandibular base; clypeus slightly depressed medially, with dense (0.2–0.5 pd), small punctures that are slightly elongate; integument between punctures glabrous; facial fovea narrow, maximum width about antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum with relatively dense (0.5–1 pd), fine punctation, surrounded by dense (<0.5 pd) punctation, integument between punctures glabrous; upper sloping part of propodeal triangle with short longitudinal carinae, vertical part distinctly shagreened and dull; disc of T1 with very fine, indistinct, sparse (1–2 pd) punctation, punctures becoming slightly finer and less distinct towards posterior tergal depression; punctation on disc of T2 similar but dense (0.5–1 pd); integument between punctures glabrous.

Male.

Length 9–10 mm.

Vestiture: Face white; mesonotum with long, yellowish white hairs; mesosomal sides and legs white to yellowish white, scutellum and metanotum with long yellowish to yellowish brown hairs, scutellum intermixed with few brown hairs; T1 densely covered with long, erect, greyish white hairs; disc of T2 with shorter hairs of same colour as T1; discs of T3–T6 with long, erect, blackish hairs; narrow and indistinct white posterior tergal hair bands on T1–T4, very narrow on T5; S1–S5 with short, dense fringes, laterally longer than medially; S6 laterally with a patch of short, very dense velvet-like hairs.

Integument: Completely black, except antenna dark brown ventrally, tarsi often brown and terga narrowly translucent posteriorly; T1–T5 with relatively intense bluish shine; malar area long, length about 3/4 width of mandibular base; clypeus with very dense (<0.2 pd) small punctures; facial fovea narrow, maximum width about 3/4 antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum with relatively small, scattered punctures (1 pd), integument glabrous, surrounded by dense (<0.2 pd) punctation; upper sloping part of propodeal triangle with short, longitudinal carinae, vertical part distinctly shagreened with some weakly developed more or less transverse carinae; hind femora ventrally swollen with a rounded edge medially that is covered with a brush of hairs; basitarsus of hind leg modified, slightly convex apically, with a prominent rounded tip dorsally that is apically beset with long, reddish bristles; basitarsus ventrally densely covered with long, reddish bristles; discs of T1 and T2 with relatively densely granular (0.5–1 pd) punctation, granulation becoming slightly finer and indistinct towards posterior tergal depression; integument between punctures glabrous. Shape of S7 as in Fig. 30 and shape of gonostylus as in Fig. 31 .

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: Grahamstown , ix.1915, J. Hepburn ( AMGS).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 2^Kommetjie , 13.x.1972, J.G. Rozen, R . McGinley, C. Thompson ( AMNH); 5^12.x.1972, ( AMNH, CMK), idem; 1^Kommetjie , 6.xi.1968, J.G. Rozen, E. Martinez ( AMNH); 1ơ Cape of Good Hope, 29.x.1966, C.D. Michener ( SEMC); 1ơ same data as holotype ( AMGS); 2ơ 1^Eland’s Bay, Baboon Point , 26.ix.1978, V . B. Whitehead ( SAMC); 2ơ Vermont Dune , 1.x.1978, V . B. Whitehead ( SAMC, CMK); 2ơ Vermont , 10.x.1978, V . B. Whitehead ( SAMC, CMK); 1ơ 3^Pearly Beach, Bredasdorp, ix.1959 ( SAMC); 6ơ Blouberg Strand , 22.viii.1978, V . B. Whitehead, on Carpobrotus sauerae (SAMC, CMK) ; 2ơ Milnerton, ix. 1965, F. Gess ( SAMC); 1ơ 2^Vermont , 8.x.1977, V . B. Whitehead, on pink Carpobrotus edulis (SAMC, CMK) ; 3ơ Onrus , 8.x.1977, V . B. Whitehead, on Carpobrotus edulis (SAMC) ; 1ơ 1^Vermont , 10.x.1977, V . B. Whitehead ( SAMC); 1^Brandfontein Reserve, Strandveld, 16–18.x.1992, S. van Noort ( SAMC); 1^Eland’s Bay , 12.x.1979, V . B. Whitehead ( SAMC); 1ơ Cape of Good Hope Nat. Res., Olifantbosbaai , 30.ix.2001 ( CUIC) ; Eastern Cape: 1ơ Grahamstown, 9.viii.1958, D.H. Cumming ( CMK); 1ơ Grahamstown, 30.viii.1964, D.J. Brothers ( AMGS); 1ơ 2^Algoa Bay , 23.viii.1897, Dr Brauns ( TMSA); 3^30.viii.1896, idem .

Distribution: The species seems to have a strong preference for coastal sites of the southern Cape region ( Fig. 40 ).

Flower visiting: Carpobrotus edulis , C. sauerae (= C. quadrifidus ) ( Aizoaceae ).

Remarks: This species is treated as Colletes sp. B in Kuhlmann (2006).

Figures

Fig. 5. Colletes cyanonitidus sp. n., propodeum of female, dorsal view.

Figs 28–39. Shapes of male S7 and gonostylus: (28, 29) C. knersvlaktei sp. n.; (30, 31) C. cyanonitidus sp. n.; (32, 33) C. nieuwoudtvillei sp. n.; (34, 35) C. katharinae sp. n.; (36, 37) C. denudatus; (38, 39) C. karooensis sp. n. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 40. Distribution of C. abnormis, C. albohirtus, C. aureocinctus, C. bokkeveldi, C. cardiurus and C. cyanonitidus.