Lonchopriscus Engel, 2020

Engel, Michael S., 2020, Genera of the bee tribe Reedapini (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), Journal of Melittology 2020 (95), pp. 1-16 : 10-12

Lonchopriscus Engel , new genus

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:50BE939C-8300-4AD4-B2DC-526D8A5A7879

( Figs. 11 , 13–17 )

Lonchoprisaria Witmann & Hoffmann, 1990: 27 , nomen nudum.

TYPE SPECIES: Cephalocolletes crassipunctata Urban, 1995 .

DIAGNOSIS: This is a genus of modest-sized bees, with a total body length of approximately 8–9 mm. The integument is generally black to dark brown, without metallic highlights, and the pubescence is principally white to off white, although tawny on vertex, mesoscutum, and mesoscutellum, and fuscous to black on pygidial and prepygidial fimbriae, slightly fuscous on outer metatibia, and fuscous on sterna III– V ( Fig. 13 ), also with prominent apical bands of white to off-shite setae on metasomal terga II– V, sometimes thin or interrupted medially on worn individuals ( Fig. 14 ). The head is slightly broader than long, with the compound eye length greater than the distance between the lower inner orbits of the compound eyes (distinctly shorter than the distance between the upper inner orbits), and the inner orbits of the compound eyes are slightly convergent below. The lateral ocelli are situated just above the upper tangent of the compound eyes, with the scape extending to the level of the median ocellus ( Fig. 15 ). The first flagellomere of females is shorter than the combined lengths of the second and third flagellomeres, while its medial length is approximately equal to the apical width of the scape ( Fig. 11 ). The face is largely obscured by dense, white pubescence, with the supraclypeal area uniformly punctured and hidden by setae and lacking a subtriangular glabrous area ( Fig. 15 ). The female mandible has a preapical tooth. The maxillary palpus is moderately long, with at least the apical two palpomeres extending beyond the galeal apex. The mesoscutum and mesoscutellum are covered with abundant, short to moderate-length, tawny, spicate pile that largely obscures the integumental surface ( Figs. 13, 14 , 16, 17 ), similar white to off-white pile medially on metanotum ( Fig. 17 ). The integument of the mesoscutum and mesoscutellum is contiguously punctured throughout, without distinct areas of sparse punctation centrally. The basal area of propodeum is subequal in length to the metanotum and is smooth and shining ( Fig. 17 ), and the lateral surface of the propodeum has strong, longitudinal-oblique striae or rugae. The probasitarsus has a distinct outer longitudinal comb. The meso- and metatibial spurs are straight, with the mesotibial spur minutely ciliate, the outer metatibial spur simple, and the inner metatibial spur pectinate. The metafemoral fiscina anteriorly has elongate white setae with abundant long branches, while those posteriorly bordering the fiscinal space are much shorter and largely simple or with a few short branches. The metatibial scopal setae are elongate, white, and have numerous long branches. The metasomal scopa (on sterna II– V and apicolateral extremities of terga II– V) is composed of abundant, lightly fuscous, elongate (nearly as long as exposed portions of sterna), subappressed setae with numerous long branches, those anteriorly on sternum II and on terga white. The male is presently unknown.

ETYMOLOGY: The new generic name is a combination of Lonchopria [itself composed of lónkhos (λόΓΧης, meaning, “lance”) and prī́ōn (πρῑ́ων, meaning, “saw”)], and the Greek diminutive suffix – ískos (– ῐ́ΣΚος), referencing the superficial similarity between these bees and those larger, robust species of the former. The gender of the name is masculine.

INCLUDED SPECIES: The genus includes only the type species, Lonchopriscus crassipunctatus (Urban) , new combination, from northwestern Argentina (Catamarca) .

COMMENTS: This group has appeared in the literature and in collections under the Moure manuscript name Lonchoprisaria , nomen nudum ( Witmann & Hoffmann, 1990).

Figures

Figures 10–12. Details of female antennae from representative Reedapini. 10. Cephalocolletes laticeps (Friese). 11. Lonchopriscus crassipunctatus (Urban). 12. Reedapis bathycyanea (Toro).

Figures 13–15. Female of Lonchopriscus crassipunctatus (Urban). 13. Lateral habitus. 14. Dorsal habitus. 15. Facial view.

Figures 16–17. Details of Lonchopriscus crassipunctatus (Urban). 16. Dorsal view of head and mesosoma. 17. Dorsal detail of mesosoma, including basal area of propodeum.