Colletes albohirtus Cockerell, 1946

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2007, Revision of the bees of the Colletes fasciatus-group in southern Africa (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 121-166 : 130-132

Colletes albohirtus Cockerell, 1946

Figs 1 , 18, 19 , 40

Colletes albohirtus: Cockerell 1945 (1946) : 838. Type locality: South Africa, Matjesfontein .

Colletes montacuti Cockerell, 1946 (1947) : 200–201. Type locality: South Africa, Montagu . Syn. n.

Diagnosis: Among the species with reduced scopae the female of C. albohirtus has the combination of legs completely red and metanotum with short plumose hairs medially (cf. Fig. 5 ). Male is best identified by the unique shape of S7 ( Fig. 18 ).

Description:

Female.

Length 12–13 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 shorter, white to yellowish white hairs, scutellum and metanotum with short and medially plumose, brownish orange hairs, intermixed with longer, blackish hairs on scutellum; T1 densely covered with moderately long, erect, white hairs, shorter posteriorly; disc of T2 with very short, erect, whitish hairs; discs of T3–T5 with successively longer, erect, blackish hairs; narrow white posterior tergal hair bands on T1–T4, that on T1 narrowed medially, that on T5 very narrow; T2 with sparse very narrow basal tomentum; S2–S3 with very short, sparse white fringes, those on S4–S5 even less developed; discs of sterna loosely covered with very short hairs.

Integument: Mainly black, antenna brown ventrally, legs red and posterior margins of terga narrowly translucent reddish brown; T1–T3 with very slight bluish shine; malar area narrow, length about 1/3 width of mandibular base; clypeus slightly depressed medially, with dense (0.2 pd) small punctures that are slightly elongate; integument between punctures smooth and shiny; facial fovea broad, maximum width about 3× antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum with relatively loose (1 pd), coarse punctation, surrounded by dense (<0.5 pd) punctation, integument between punctures glabrous; upper sloping part of propodeal triangle and anterior part of vertical area scabriculous, posterior vertical part glabrous; disc of T1 with distinct, relatively coarse, dense (0.5 pd) punctation, punctures becoming much finer and shallow towards posterior tergal depression; disc of T2 with fine, dense (<0.5 pd) punctation; integument between punctures glabrous.

Male.

Length 11–13 mm.

Vestiture: Face white; mesonotum with long, white to greyish white hairs; mesosomal sides and legs white to greyish white, scutellum and metanotum with long yellowish to yellowish white 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, and narrow, white posterior tergal hair bands on T1–T4, that on T5 very narrow; S1–S5 with dense, long fringes, laterally longer than medially.

Integument: Completely black, except antenna brown ventrally, tarsi often brown and terga narrowly translucent posteriorly; T1–T5 with slight bluish shine; malar area narrow, length about 1/2 width of mandibular base; clypeus with very dense, small punctures (<0.2 pd); facial fovea narrow, maximum width about antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum with medium-sized, scattered punctures (1 pd), integument smooth and shiny, surrounded by dense (<0.2 pd) punctation; upper sloping part of propodeal triangle with short, longitudinal carinae anteriorly, scabriculous posteriorly, vertical part glabrous, upper half with 3–5 more or less transverse carinae; hind basitarsus modified, slightly curved and broadened apically with prominent long reddish bristles on dorsal apex; discs of T1 and T2 with fairly coarse distinct, dense (<0.2 pd) punctation, punctures becoming slightly finer and more shallow towards posterior tergal depression; integument between punctures glabrous. Shape of S7 as in Fig. 18 and shape of gonostylus as in Fig. 19 .

Type material examined: Colletes albohirtus , ơ holotype: ‘B.M. Type Hym. 17.a.1418, Colletes albohirtus Ckll. Type, S. Africa. R.E. Turner. Brit. Mus. 1928-542, Cape Province: Matjesfontein. 14–27.xi.1928 ’ (BMNH).

Colletes montacuti , ^holotype: ‘ B.M. Type Hym. 17.a.1435, Colletes montacuti Ckll. Type, S. Africa. R . E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1924-466, Cape Province, Montagu , 1–21.Oct. 1924 ’ ( BMNH) .

Additional material examined: 63^20ơ. SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: 3^Hester Malan Nat. Res., 30.ix.1986, M. Struck, on Ruschia cymosa (SANC) ; 1^3.x.1987, 2^30.ix.1985, idem; 1^Hester Malan Nat. Res., 5.ix.1985, M. Struck, on Leipoldtia schultzei (SANC) ; 2^14.ix.1985, idem; Western Cape: 1^Worcester, 300 m, 8.x.1966, C.D. Michener (SEMC); 1ơ Worcester, 30.ix.1966, C.D. Michener (SEMC); 1^Ceres, Verlorenvlei, 9.xii.1990, C.D. Eardley (SANC); 6^Matroosberg Station, xii.1962 (SAMC); 2ơ Robertson, 300 m, 9.x.1966, C.D. Michener (SEMC, CMK); 2ơ Struisbay, 15 km NW, 27.ix.2001, B. Danforth (CUIC, CMK); 1^Elim, Touws Rivier to Verkeerdevlei, 4.xii.1986, F.W. Gess, on white mesem (AMGS); 1^Ouberg Pass, by road 31 km NE of Montagu, 3.xii.1986, F.W. Gess (AMGS); 1^Touws Rivier, half way to Hotnotskloof, xii.1962 (SAMC); 9^Montagu, 27 mi. E, 13.xi.1966, J.G. Rozen & C.D. Michener (AMNH, SEMC, CMK); 1ơ Ladismith, 26.ix.1948, C. Jacot-Guillarmod (AMGS); 1ơ 28.ix.1948, (CMK), 2^14.ix.1948, (CMK) idem; 18^Barrydale, 48 mi. E, 13.xi.1966, J.G. Rozen & C.D. Michener (AMNH, SEMC, CMK); 1ơ Meirings Poort, x.1937 (SAMC); 9^3ơ Uniondale, 16.xi.1966, J.G. Rozen & C.D. Michener (AMNH, SEMC, CMK); 1^Riviersonderend, Greyton, 21.x.1999, M. Halada (CMK); 5ơ Worcester, 19.x.1982, T.L. & T.R. Griswold (BLCU); 3^2ơ De Doorns, 19.x.1982, T.L. & T.R. Griswold (BLCU); Eastern Cape: 2ơ Algoa Bay, 1.ix.1896, Dr Brauns (TMSA); 1^Wolwekraal, 33 km E Steytlerville, 860 m, 17.xi.1999, M.E. Irwin, E.I. Schlinger & F.D. Parker (BLCU).

Distribution: Widely recorded from the western South Africa, eastwards to near Port Elizabeth and northwards to Springbok ( Fig. 40 ).

Flower visiting: Leipoldtia schultzei , Ruschia cymosa (Aizoaceae) .

Phenology: First record 1 st September, last record 9 th December.

Figures

Figs 1–4. (1) Colletes albohirtus, clypeus of female, frontal view; (2) C. genalis, scopa on hind leg of female, dorsal view; (3) C. laticaudus, partly reduced scopa on hind leg of female, dorsal view; (4) C. karooensis sp. n., reduced scopa on hind leg of female, dorsal view. Scale bars: Fig. 1 = 0.5 mm; Figs 2–4 = 0.2 mm.

Figs 18–27. Shapes of male S7 and gonostylus: (18, 19) C. albohirtus; (20, 21) C. aureocinctus; (22, 23) C. fasciatus; (24, 25) C. laticaudus; (26, 27) C. schultzei. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

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

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