Schwarzia elizabethae Bossert, 2019

Bossert, Silas, 2019, Monotypic no more - a new species of the unusual genus Schwarzia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Biastini), Journal of Hymenoptera Research 69, pp. 23-37 : 25-29

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/jhr.69.32966

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F30BBBB6-7C9C-44F0-A1C6-531C1521D3EC

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7A9537FA-54E1-4E6C-BE9F-7DB8244095B1

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:7A9537FA-54E1-4E6C-BE9F-7DB8244095B1

treatment provided by

Journal of Hymenoptera Research by Pensoft

scientific name

Schwarzia elizabethae Bossert
status

sp. n.

Schwarzia elizabethae Bossert sp. n.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4

Material examined.

KENYA: Eastern Province , at Athi River, Tsavo East National Park, 2°38.51'S, 38°21.98'E, 22.-29.XI.1999, leg. R. Copeland, Malaise trap, 5♂, 1♀ GoogleMaps . Eastern Province , at Athi River, Tsavo East National Park, 2°38.51'S, 38°21.98'E, 29.III-1.IV.1999, leg. R. Copeland, Malaise trap, 1♂ GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Forewing with two submarginal cells, first of which at least twice as long as second (Fig. 1A View Figure 1 ). Omaulus lamellate. Labrum broader than long. Body size smaller compared to S. emmae ( S. elizabethae : 5.1-5.9 mm, S. emmae : 6.3-8.8 mm). Protrusions on supra-antennal area absent (present in S. emmae ), area evenly punctate (Figs 2C View Figure 2 , 4C View Figure 4 ). Margin of compound eye entire, not indented as in S. emmae (Figs 2C View Figure 2 , 4C View Figure 4 ). Punctation on T1-T4 dense and distinctly coarser compared to S. emmae (Figs 2A-B View Figure 2 , 4A-B View Figure 4 ). Integument color of tegulae tawny (compared to dark brown in S. emmae ; Fig. 2G-H View Figure 2 ). Distinct pre-apical mandible tooth absent. Integument color of legs largely brown. Male: FL2-FL4 at least two times broader than long (Fig. 2E View Figure 2 ). Female: S5 in lateral view evenly rounded, median area shiny, without punctation (S5 in lateral view more angled and with punctation in S. emmae ; Fig. 4E-F View Figure 4 ).

Description.

Male (Fig. 1 View Figure 1 ). Head: Head (Fig. 1B View Figure 1 ) wider than long (1.6-1.9 mm width to 1.2-1.4 mm length). Integument black with thick short setae around antennal sockets, clypeus, labrum, genal area, vertex. Antennal sockets in lower half of frons. Clypeus protruding, much shorter than broad (0.6-0.8 mm width to 0.2-0.3 mm length). Punctation on clypeus deep and coarse. Interspaces shiny, averaging less than half diameter of individual pits. Mandible dark, densely hairy, pre-apical teeth absent or just very minutely produced, outer ridge strongly developed. Labrum broad, about 1.3 × times broader than long. Proboscis very long (~2.5-2.8 mm, Fig. 1A-C View Figure 1 ). Maxillary palps with 2 palpomeres, labial palps with 3. Width of compound eye exceeds twice genal width in lateral view (Figs 1C View Figure 1 , 3C View Figure 3 ). Deep, pit-like punctation more or less evenly distributed on supraclypeal area, supra-antennal area, frons, vertex (Fig. 1B View Figure 1 , 1D View Figure 1 ). Interspaces shiny. Flagellum with 10 flagellomeres, FL2 (0.14-0.18 mm width to 0.07-0.08 mm length) and FL3 (0.16-0.19 mm width to 0.07-0.08 mm length) at least twice as broader as long (Fig. 2E View Figure 2 ). Coloration black to brown. Diameter of lateral ocellus 0.13-0.14 mm, median ocellus 0.14-0.15 mm. Ocellocular distance 0.32-0.35 mm. Mesosoma: Integument black, except legs and pronotal lobe tawny-colored (Fig. 1A-C View Figure 1 ). Short-thick setae primarily present on margins of segments, i.e., along episternal groove, scrobal groove, around pronotal lobe, posterior margin of scutum, around scutellum, along midline of scutum, on metanotum and metapostnotum. Intertegular distance 1.2-1.5 mm. Axillae weakly produced. Size and density of punctation on scutum similar to punctation on vertex. Interspaces shiny, up to 3 times puncture diameter. Punctation on scutellum slightly larger and denser. Integument of tegulae largely light-colored (Fig. 2G View Figure 2 ). Wing venation brown. Meso- and metatibial spurs with two ventrally oriented rows of teeth, most strongly produced on metatibia. Metasoma: Integument predominantly black. Junctions of terga brown. T1 with basal patch of thick white setae. T1-T5 with basal bands of setae, which may be covered by apical margin of preceding tergum. Punctation on T1-T5 coarse, interspaces smaller than pit diameters (Fig. 2A View Figure 2 ). T6 covered with setae. T7 with distinctly pitted pygidial plate, shown together with genital capsule in Fig. 1E View Figure 1 . S5 with single patch of white setae medially. Remaining visible sterna unmodified.

Female (Fig. 3 View Figure 3 ). Overall very similar to male except terminal terga. Head: Head (Fig. 3B View Figure 3 ) wider than long (1.8 mm width to 1.4 mm length). Integument black with thick short setae around antennal sockets, clypeus, labrum, genal area, vertex. Antennal sockets in lower half of face. Clypeus protruding, much shorter than broad (0.8 mm width to 0.3 mm length). Punctation on clypeus deep, more irregular than on supra-antennal area and frons. Interspaces shiny, averaging less than half diameter of individual pits. Mandible mostly brown, tips darkened. Mandible densely hairy, pre-apical teeth absent, outer ridge strongly developed. Labrum broad, about 1.3 × times broader than long. Maxillary palps with 2 palpomeres, labial palps with 3. Width of compound eye exceeds twice genal width in lateral view (Figs 3C View Figure 3 , 4C View Figure 4 ). Deep, pit-like punctation evenly distributed on supraclypeal area, supra-antennal area, frons, vertex (Fig. 3B View Figure 3 , 3D View Figure 3 ). Protrusions on frontal area entirely absent. Flagellum with 10 flagellomeres, FL2 (0.14-0.18 mm width to 0.07-0.08 mm length) and FL3 more than twice as broad as long. Coloration black to brown. Diameter of lateral ocellus 0.14 mm, median ocellus 0.16 mm. Ocellocular distance 0.36 mm. Mesosoma: As in male except intertegular distance 1.4 mm. Metasoma: Integument predominantly black. T3-T4 laterally brown. T5 laterally and apically brown. T1 with basal patch of thick white setae. Punctation on T1-T4 coarse, interspaces generally smaller than pit diameters (Fig. 4A View Figure 4 ). Disc of T5 (Fig. 3E View Figure 3 ) bears distinct teardrop-shaped, ivory-colored pseudopygidial plate with anterior brush of golden setae. Posterior T5 with two hook-shaped projections medio-laterally, forming opening through which bifid S6 protrudes. Punctation on basal areas of S2-S5 fine and granulose, distinctly different from coarser punctation medially and posteriorly. S1-S5 without median patches of setae.

Etymology.

Males of both described species of Schwarzia have only 10 flagellomeres. For nearly all species of bees, male individuals have 11 flagellomeres and females have 10 ( Michener 2007, Schmiedeknecht 1930). As both sexes of Schwarzia have this character, which is usually associated with females, it seems appropriate to designate fe male first names as species names for the genus. The first described species of the genus, Schwarzia emmae , was named after Emma Schwarz, the late wife of Austrian melittologist Maximilian Schwarz ( Eardley 2009). The new species is named after American hymenopterist Elizabeth A. Murray.

Additional records.

KENYA: Eastern Province, base of Ukasi Hill, 0°49.262'S, 38°32.666'E, 21.XI.-05.XII.2011, leg. R. Copeland, Malaise trap, Acacia / Commiphora savanna, 1♀. Eastern Province, base of Ukasi Hill, 0°49.201'S, 38°32.627'E, 5.-12.V.2018, leg. R. Copeland, Malaise trap, Acacia / Commiphora savanna, 1♂. Eastern Province, Mulu Musingila farm, 2°6.847'S, 38°14.393'E, 13.-27.XII.2016, leg. R. Copeland, Malaise trap, farmland near small seasonal wet area, 1♂. All additional records are deposited in the ICIPE collection, Nairobi, Kenya.

Distribution.

The species is known from four different localities, all of which are in the former Eastern Province of Kenya (Fig. 5 View Figure 5 ). All sites are dominated by savanna type habitats.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Apidae

Genus

Schwarzia