Colletes karooensis, 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 : 149-150

Colletes karooensis sp. n.

Figs 4 , 38, 39 , 42

Etymology: Named for the South African landscape of the Karoo.

Diagnosis: Among the species with a reduced scopa, C. karooensis is characterised by the unique combination of the following features: hind legs black to dark brown, apical tergal depressions narrowly translucent, metanotum with long, slender hairs (not plumose). Male can be most easily identified by the unique shape of S7 ( Fig. 38 ).

Description:

Female.

Length 9–10 mm.

Vestiture: Face short, greyish to yellowish white, with long, dark brown hairs on vertex; mesonotum with long, yellowish brown hairs intermixed with numerous longer blackish hairs; mesosomal sides with long, and legs with short, white to yellowish white hairs, scutellum and metanotum with short, yellowish brown hairs, medially plumose on metanotum and intermixed with longer blackish on scutellum; T1 very loosely clothed with moderately long, erect, white hairs, shorter posteriorly; disc of T2 sparsely clothed with very short, erect, whitish hairs; discs of T3–T5 with successively longer, erect, blackish hairs; T1–T4 with moderately broad white posterior tergal hair bands, narrowed medially on T1, very narrow on T5; T2 with weak, very narrow basal tomentum medially; sterna without apical fringes; discs of sterna with very few, short depressed hairs.

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

Male.

Length 9–10 mm.

Vestiture: Face white with a few brown hairs on vertex; mesonotum with long greyish to yellowish white hairs, with very few brown hairs intermixed; mesosomal sides and legs white to yellowish white, scutellum and metanotum with long, yellowish to yellowish brown hairs, scutellum intermixed with a few brown hairs; T1 densely covered with long, erect, yellowish white hairs; disc of T2 and T3 with successively shorter concolorous hairs; discs of T4–T6 with long, erect, blackish hairs; relatively broad, white posterior tergal fringes on T1–T5; S2–S5 with dense yet short fringes, laterally slightly longer than medially.

Integument: Completely black, except antenna brown ventrally, tarsi yellowish brown and terga narrowly translucent posteriorly; T1–T4 with bluish shine; malar area long, length subequal to 3/4 as wide as mandibular base; clypeus with very dense (<0.2 pd), small punctures; facial fovea narrow, maximum width about 1/2 antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum with medium-sized, relatively dense punctures (0.5–1 pd), integument glabrous, surrounded by dense (0.5 pd) punctation; upper sloping part of propodeal triangle with short, longitudinal carinae, vertical part distinctly shagreened with some weakly developed more or less transverse, short carinae; hind femur with a row of hairs basoventrally; hind basitarsus not modified; discs of T1–T2 with fine, dense (<0.5 pd) punctation, punctures becoming less distinct on posterior tergal depression; integument between punctures glabrous. Shape of S7 as in Fig. 38 and shape of gonostylus as in Fig. 39 .

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Sandberg Station, Droogerivier , 27.viii.1987, V. B.Whitehead, on Homeria (SAMC) .

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 5ơ same data as holotype ( SAMC, CMK) ; 2ơ Hout Bay, opposite Duiker Island , 31.viii.1986, K. Steiner ( SAMC) ; 1ơ Darling to Yzerfontein , 19.ix.1986, V. B. Whitehead ( SAMC) ; 2ơ Farm Droogerivier, 8.ix.1987, K. Steiner, on Homeria miniata (SAMC) ; 1ơ Milnerton , ix.1965, F. Gess ( SAMC) ; 1ơ 2^Pearly Beach, Bredasdorp , ix.1959 ( SAMC, CMK) ; 1ơ 2^Lamberts Bay , 21 km E, 22.ix.2001, C. Eardley ( SANC, CMK) ; 1ơ Clanwilliam , 8.ix.1966, M. & C.D. Michener ( CMK) ; 2^Vanrhynsdorp , 30 km N, 146 m, 22.viii.2003, K. Timmermann ( CMK) .

Distribution: Scattered records from the central and southern parts of the winter rainfall area ( Fig. 42 ).

Flower visiting: Homeria miniata (= Moraea miniata ), Homeria sp. (Iridaceae) .

Phenology: First record 22 nd August, last record 22 nd September.

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

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 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. 42. Distribution of C. inornatus, C. karooensis, C. katharinae, C. knersvlaktei, C. latefasciatus and C. laticaudus.