Haidomelikertes uraeus Engel, 2021

Engel, Michael S. & Davis, Steven R., 2021, New genera of melikertine bees with facial modifications in Baltic amber (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Melittology 2021 (103), pp. 1-52 : 22-25

Haidomelikertes uraeus Engel , new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:74265917-E6B4-44B4-8F45-93D269B0D810

( Figs. 19 , 21 , 22 , 24, 26–28 )

DIAGNOSIS: This species is distinguished from its congener by the form of the clypeal protrusion, which extends only slightly above the upper torular tangent, and its forward-projecting surface only extends as a lamella, no longer than a torular diameter ( Figs. 24, 26–28 ). The neck of the clypeal protrusion is also not narrowed above the supraclypeal area and between the antennal toruli relative to its apical width ( Fig. 24 ). Additionally, this species is about a full 20% shorter than H. proboscidea .

DESCRIPTION: ⚲: Total body length (as preserved) 3.3 mm; forewing length (as preserved) 3.5 mm. Head as long as wide, length (summit of vertex to clypeal apical margin) 1.30 mm, width (maximum width across compound eyes) 1.30 mm; compound eye length 0.80 mm; upper interorbital distance 0.94 mm, lower interorbital distance 0.80 mm; inner ocular margins largely straight, with faint arch slightly above midlength, converging below; ocellar triangle broad, interocellar distance 0.40 mm. Scape length 0.50 mm, shorter than torulocellar distance. Mandible elongate, length 0.65 mm; labrum broader than long, basal width 0.46 mm, medial length 0.27 mm. Pronotum short, declivitous, without defined transverse dorsal ridge, therefore sloping continuously from mesoscutal border; pronotal lateral ridge absent; mesoscutum anterior border broadly rounded, anterior lip gently curving to meet posterior pronotal margin, not overhanging pronotal border; mesoscutum medial length 0.77 mm; intertegular distance 0.37 mm; mesoscutellum medial length 0.31 mm. Metatibia slender, length 1.20 mm, maximum width 0.34 mm. Forewing with basal vein (1M) confluent with 1cu-a, pterostigma longer than wide, maximum width just basad midlength, margin inside marginal cell sloping to costal margin; marginal cell acutely rounded apically; basal vein (1M) straight; three submarginal cells (1rs-m present), second submarginal cell trapezoidal, posterior border strongly angled posteriorly; 2Rs straight; 3Rs shorter than r-rs, together slightly longer than 4Rs; 1rs-m faintly arched, 2rs-m arched apicad in posterior half; wing membranes hyaline clear; veins dark brown.

Mandible smooth and shining; labrum smooth; clypeal disc finely imbricate; face smooth and shining; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum smooth and shining; mespisternum largely smooth to finely imbricate; basal area of propodeum glabrous, smooth, shining; legs generally smooth; metatibial corbicular surface smooth and shining; metasomal terga smooth and shining, with minute punctures at setal bases; sterna faintly imbricate.

Pubescence generally sparse; mandible with sparse, minute, suberect, simple setae on outer surface proximally, longer, erect, simple setae scatered along length of lower margin; labrum with sparsely scatered, short, suberect to erect setae on disc, laterally with numerous, elongate, erect, simple setae forming fringe along margins; clypeus largely without setae on disc, some short, fine, suberect setae in apicolateral areas lateral to and in angled area lateral to labrum; clypeal extension some scatered, short, fine, erect, simple setae on the upper and lower surfaces of the anterior extension; face with sparsely scatered, short, erect, simple setae intermixed with some minutely branched setae; scape with minute, appressed, simple setae scatered along length; vertex with similar setae as those on face along with bristle-like setae that are about as long as median ocellar diameter or often slightly shorter; mesoscutum with sparsely scatered, erect, simple bristles intermixed with finer, erect, plumose setae, such plumose setae more numerous and particularly so anteriorly; mesoscutellum as on mesoscutum except lateral and posterior margins with more abundant erect bristles and numerous plumose setae; mespisternum with scatered, short, decumbent, simple setae; pro- and mesocoxae, pro- and mesotrochanters, and pro- and mesofemora with sparse, minute, largely appressed, simple setae; pro- and mesotibiae with some longer, erect, simple or branched setae, particularly apically, and more so on outer surface of mesotibia; pro- and mesotarsi with abundant, longer, erect, simple bristles; metacoxa, metatrochanter, and metafemur similar to corresponding podites on midleg, except inner apical surface of metafemur with small ovoid patch of keirotrichia, finer and shorter than those of metatibia; metatibia with posterior margin with fringe of elongate, plumose (branches minute and along length of setal rachis) setae, setae longer than metatibial width, anterior margin with sparsely scatered simple setae and bristles, corbicular surface with sparsely scatered, erect, fine, simple setae; inner surface with keirotrichiate zone covering most of surface except exceedingly narrow, posterior, slightly depressed glabrate zone and rectangular apical glabrate zone, length of apical glabrate zone slightly less than apical width of metatibia; rastellum composed of stiff bristles along entire inner apical width of metatibia; metabasitarsus with sparse, simple setae on outer surface, inner surface and margins with abundant, elongate, erect to suberect, simple bristles; metasomal terga with sparse, minute, largely appressed, simple setae, such setae especially sparse on basal terga and becoming progressively more numerous on terga IV – VI; sterna with fine, erect, simple setae on apical half to third of sterna II– IV, and somewhat shorter on sterna V and VI.

Coloration not preserved, where evident seemingly brown to dark brown.

♀: Latet.

♂: Latet.

HOLOTYPE: ⚲, SMF Be 14263a ( SMF); Eocene (Bartonian–Priabonian: refer to note for holotype of Aethemelikertes emunctorii , vide supra) Baltic amber.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is taken from the Ancient Greek ouraîos (οὐραῖος, uraeus), the stylized, upright rearing cobra used as a symbol of divine authority (symbol of the goddess Wadjet, wꜢḏyt) in Ancient Egypt.

Figures

Figure 21. Holotype worker of Haidomelikertes uraeus, new genus and species, in Eocene (Bartonian) Baltic amber (SMF Be 14263a).

Figure 22. X-ray µCT scan of holotype worker of Haidomelikertes uraeus, new genus and species (SMF Be 14263a), oblique frontolateral view. Note that scan resolution was insufficient to resolve most setae.

Figures 19–20. Inner (retrolateral) surfaces of metatibiae of Haidomelikertes, new genus, and Aethemelikertes, new genus. 19. Haidomelikertes uraeus, new species, holotype worker (SMF Be 14263a). 20. Aethemelikertes emunctorii, new species, holotype worker (SMF Be 14262a).

Figures 23–26. X-ray µCT scans of heads of holotype workers of Haidomelikertes proboscidea (Engel), new combination (AMNH B-JH96), and H. uraeus, new genus and species (SMF (Be 14263a), in Baltic amber; yellow highlights disc and modification of clypeus, orange highlights labrum. 23. Facial view of H. proboscidea. 24. Facial view of H. uraeus. 25. Oblique profile of H. proboscidea. 26. Oblique profile of H. uraeus. Note that scan resolution was insufficient to resolve most setae.

Figures 27–28. Oblique facial views of holotype worker of Haidomelikertes uraeus, new genus and species (SMF Be 14263a). 27. Slightly dorsal left oblique; white arrow points to apex of facial protuberance. 28. Slightly ventral right oblique.