Pseudaugochlora pulchra, Engel, 2000

ENGEL, MICHAEL S., 2000, Classification Of The Bee Tribe Augochlorini (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (250), pp. 1-89 : 84-85

Pseudaugochlora pulchra , new species

DIAGNOSIS: This enigmatic species can be easily recognized from currently known Pseudaugochlora species by the strongly protuberant clypeus, the ventrally bent mandible with its mediodorsal flange, the long prementum which extends posterad to the procoxae, the serrate malus, the outer hind tibial spur bent strongly at its apex, and the strong rugae of the propodeal basal area.

DESCRIPTION: Female. Total body length 11.34 mm; forewing length 7.7 mm. Head slightly wider than long (length 2.7 mm, width 2.8 mm). Mandible strongly bent ventrally near its midpoint with dorsal flange or lamellae leading to strong, rounded, subapical tooth. Labral basal area strongly delimited from distal process by carina. Clypeus strongly protruding from face in profile. Hypostomal ridge weakly lamellate. Prementum very long (although not narrowed; approximately 5.5 times longer than wide), extending posteriorly to procoxae. Glossa nearly as long as prementum. Maxillary palpi relatively short. Compound eyes only weakly converging below; strongly emarginate above level of antennae. Intertegular distance 1.96 mm. Strong anterior basitarsal brush; malus of antenna cleaner serrate; mesotibial spine very short and strongly bent inward at apex; outer hind tibial spur strongly bent inward towards apex; inner hind tibial spur with four long teeth (excluding apex). Basal vein distad cu-a by 4.5 times vein width; 1m-cu distad 1r-m by vein width; 2r-m distad 2m-cu by five times vein width; pterostigma narrow, barely wider than distance from C to Sc+R (including widths of these veins); first submarginal cell slightly longer than second and third combined; second cell not narrowed anteriorly; anterior border of third cell longer than that of second; distal hamuli arranged 3-1-1-2.

Clypeus with weak, coarse punctures separated by less than a puncture width, integument be- tween imbricate; supraclypeal area as on clypeus although faintly imbricate and shining. Face below antennae with coarse punctures separated by less than a puncture width, punctures stronger than those of clypeus, integument between imbricate. Face above level of antennae with punctures smaller and contiguous; punctures becoming very weak by ridged vertex. Gena smooth with minute punctures separated by 3–4 times puncture width. Postgena imbricate and impunctate. Pronotum smooth with minute punctures separated by puncture width or less; laterally punctures disappearing. Mesoscutum with punctures separated medially by puncture width, integument between smooth; at borders punctures separated by less than width and much smaller, contiguous around parapsidal lines. Scutellum smooth with scattered large punctures. Metanotum weakly roughened. Preepisternum rugulose on upper border, otherwise strongly and contiguously punctured. Mesepisternum smooth with punctures separated by less than puncture width except on lower half punctures widely spaced. Metepisternum with weak transverse striae on upper third, remainder with scattered punctures and smooth integument between. Propodeal lateral surface punctured, punctures separated by less than puncture width, although on border with metepisternum and dorsal surface faintly imbricate, a few weak transverse striae near metacoxal base; posterior surface smooth with widely spaced punctures; basal area with strong rugae, integument between smooth. Anterior surface of T1 smooth with widely spaced minute punctures, medially with larger punctures separated by width or less, posterior border with microscopic punctures widely spaced; T2 with minute punctures separated by width, posterior border as for that of T1; T3–T5 imbricate; sterna imbricate with weak widely scattered punctures.

Mandible dark brown with reddish apex. Head brilliant metallic green with a few coppery highlights except apex of clypeus and antennae dark brown. Mesosoma brilliant metallic green with scattered copper highlights, highlights strongest on mesoscutum and pleura; tegula brown except metallic green on inner border. Wing membrane hyaline; veins dark brown. Legs brown with metallic green highlights on all surfaces except tarsi. Metasoma brilliant metallic green except apical margins of T1–T3 brown; sterna brown with strong metallic green highlights on apical halves.

Mandible with row of long, simple hairs on ventral margin. Face with scattered fuscous hairs, such hairs with a few short branches. Hairs of gena suberect and golden with a few short branch- es, progressively becoming longer ventrally towards border of gena and postgena. Postgena with long, branched, white hairs. Pronotum with minute, simple, appressed hairs on posterior border dorsally on anterior border and medially; laterally such hairs nearly obscure the surface, thinning by pronotal lobe. Mesoscutum with scattered fuscous hairs similar to those of face. Scutellum and metanotum with pubescence similar to that of mesoscutum although much longer. Pleura with few fuscous hairs as on mesoscutum, mostly with scattered golden hairs each with a few short branches. Scopal hairs white; remaining pubescence of legs gold except fuscous on outer surfaces of mesotibia, metatibia, outer surface of protarsus, and entirety of meso- and metatarsus. Propodeal lateral surface with hairs like those of pleura except intermixed wih short, simple, suberect white hairs; posterior surface with short hairs like that of lateral surface plus long white hairs with short branches. Terga with scattered suberect white hairs; anterior surface of T1 with long, mostly simple, gold to white hairs; T2–T6 with gradually more numerous fuscous hairs intermixed on lateral and posterior borders, such predominant by T5. Sterna with scattered, long mostly simple, gold or fuscous hairs; fuscous hairs most predominant on S5–S6.

Male. Unknown.

HOLOTYPE: Female; Peru, Huánuco, Cueva de las Pavas , Tingo Maria , 12 July 1974, C. Porter and L. Stange ( CUIC).

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word pulcher meaning ‘‘beautiful.’’

COMMENTS: This species is quite unique among Pseudaugochlora and as more material is acquired it might be worthy of its own subgenus (particularly if related species are discovered). For now, however, I hesitate to recognize subgenera in Pseudaugochlora and leave such a determination to future students of the Augochlorini .