Euglossa (Euglossella) aurantia, Hinojosa-Diaz, Ismael A. & Engel, Michael S., 2011

Hinojosa-Diaz, Ismael A. & Engel, Michael S., 2011, Revision of the orchid bee subgenus Euglossella (Hymenoptera, Apidae), Part I, The decorata species group, ZooKeys 140, pp. 27-69 : 31-36

Euglossa (Euglossella) aurantia sp. n. Figs 7-16

Holotype.

♂, labeled: "Bolivien, Chapare,; Rios, 11.11.2002.; leg. B. Bembé // an gelber; Solanaceae ; Apocynaceae // Euglossa; decorata ♂; det. B. Bembé 2001 [second line handwritten]". The holotype is in the Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Munich, Germany.

Paratype.

♀, labeled: "Bolivien, Chapare,; Villa Tunari, 320 m; Mai - Nov. 2002; leg. F. Heider// Euglossa; decorata ♀; det. B. Bembé 2001 [second line handwritten]". The paratype is in the same institution as the holotype.

Diagnosis.

Labiomaxillary complex in repose reaching posterior tip of metasoma in the male (estimate), and posterior margin of third metasomal sternum in the female (Figs 8, 10);integument of head of both sexes dark brown to black, with green-cyan hue on frons and coppery hue on clypeus (Figs 11-12); mesosoma dark brown with green hue; mesotibia with a noticeable convexity on proximal area of anterior mesotibial surface, along anterior margin of anterior setal tuft (Fig. 13); first and second metasomal terga orange-brown, turning brown on posterolateral margins; third to seventh terga mainly brown except orange-brown on anterior margin,coppery hue iridescence on all terga; sterna orange-brown (Figs 7-10);malar area length on average 0.25 the basal mandibular width; male mesotibial tufts appearing fused (except for a distal separation),posterior tuft teardrop shaped (Fig. 14); male metatibia scalene obtuse triangular (forming a clearly obtuse angle at intersection of anterior and ventral margins) (Fig. 15).

Description.

♂: Structure. Total body length 12.44 mm; labiomaxillary complex in repose reaching posterior tip of metasoma (estimate) (Fig. 8). Head length 2.85 mm, width 5.11 mm; upper interorbital distance 2.44 mm; lower interorbital distance 2.26 mm; upper clypeal width 1.19 mm; lower clypeal width 2.19 mm; clypeal protuberance 0.81 mm; medial and paramedial clypeal ridges well developped; labrum slightly wider than long, length 1.19 mm, width 1.26 mm; medial labral ridge sharp; paramedial labral ridges noticeable but weaker than medial ridge, oblique, present in proximal three-fourths of labrum; labral windows ovoid, occupying proximal half of labrum; interocellar distance 0.30 mm; ocellocular distance 0.74 mm; first flagel lomere as long (0.59 mm) as second and third flagellomeres combined (0.59 mm); length of malar area 0.19 mm. Mandible tridentate. Pronotal lateral angle projected postero-laterally as a truncate lamella (Fig. 3); intertegular distance 3.93 mm; mesoscutal length 3.04 mm; mesoscutellar length 1.48 mm; posterior margin of mesoscutellum weakly convex (Fig. 7); mesotibial length 2.59 mm, with a noticeable convexity on proximal area of anterior mesotibial surface, projected along anterior margin of anterior setal tuft; mesobasitarsal length 2.59 mm, width 0.81 mm (as measured at proximal posterior keel), posterior keel projected in a rounded orthogonal angle; metatibial shape triangular, forming a clearly obtuse angle at intersection of anterior and ventral margins (scalene obtuse triangular) (Fig. 15), metatibial anterior margin length 4.22 mm, ventral margin length 2.30 mm, postero-dorsal margin length 4.89 mm, maximum metatibial thickness 1.44 mm; metatibial organ slit dorsal and out er sections as described for subgenus; anterior margin of distal section of metatibial organ slit evenly convex, maximum width occupying slightly less than one-third of metatibial outer surface width (Fig. 15); basal section of metatibial organ slit as described for subgenus, length 0.59 mm; metabasitarsal length 2.67 mm, mid-width 0.89 mm; metabasitarsal ventral border truncate. Forewing length 10.22 mm; jugal comb with 15 blades; hind wing with 24 hamuli. Maximum metasomal width 5.19 mm; second metasomal sternum noticeably elevated mesially forming two protuberances as "false cowled slits" separated from each other by about width of labiomaxillary complex.

Coloration. Head mainly dark brown (except as described below), with green-cyan hue on frons and paraocular areas, mid-clypeus with coppery hue; paraocular ivory marks well developed, triangular, lower width one-half length of lower lateral parts of clypeus or slightly wider; lower lateral parts of clypeus ivory, amber-translucent at edge; labrum ivory; labral anterior and posterior edges as well as labral windows amber-translucent; malar area brown on sides (condyle, acetabulum), ivory at center; mandible ivory on basal outer surface, teeth and ridges brown; antenna light brown; scape with ivory spot covering roughly all anterior surface (Fig. 11).Pronotum, mesoscutum and propodeum dark brown with strong green hue episternum dark brown with a combination of green and coppery hue, mesoscutellum orange-brown (Figs 7-8); legs brown, turning dark brown on mesotarsomeres, metatibia and metatarsomeres, all with faint coppery hue (Figs 7-8); tegulae and wing veins light amber, hyaline, with light coppery-golden hue.First and second metasomal terga orange-brown, turning brown on posterolateral margins; third to seventh terga mainly brown, except orange-brown on anterior margin (if visible); coppery hue iridescence on all terga, appearing coppery-golden on translucent posterior sections of first to sixth terga. (Fig. 7).Sterna orange-brown, fith and sixth sterna slightly darker, posterior sections of all sterna translucent; faint coppery hue on all sterna integument.

Sculpturing. Face areolate-punctate, with dense, strong areole-punctures, denser and slightly smaller (nearly one-fifth of median ocellar diameter) on frons; paraocular marks and lower lateral parts of clypeus less densely sculptured; vertex moderately areolate-punctate, smooth on anterior ocellar area; gena densely areolate-punctate, smooth on a narrow streak close to compound eye (except for scattered large punctures on upper margin). Mesosoma with round, moderately-dense punctures, as big as punctures on frons; punctures separated by about one half of a puncture diameter on mesoscutum and mesepisternum, contiguous and slightly bigger on mesoscutellum (specially towards posterior margin); metatibia moderately dense punctate on antero-proximal region (along anterior margin and postero-dorsal margin previous to metatibial organ slit), becoming gradually smooth towards posterior area, especially on surface near distal section of metatibial organ slit (Fig. 15). Metasomal terga densely punctate (except smooth, polished on ventro-lateral sections and small antero-mesal surface of first tergum), puncture size comparable to that of frons punctures, increasing size ventro-laterally; metasomal sterna densely punctuate, punctures as big as ventro-lateral ones on terga, shallow, posterior margin of all sterna and contiguous areas to first sternum "false slits" smooth.

Vestiture. Facial setae of two kinds, some minutely branched (appearing simple), fulvous, long and sturdy, other plumose, rather fulvous, shorter and thinner. Frontal fringe with dense, fulvous, sturdy setae as long as about three mid-ocellus diameters, fulvous thin setae nearly two thirds as long as first; clypeus, supraclypeal area, and contiguous areas to clypeal disc moderately dense with an even combination of above described kinds of setae, both of about same length (about two median ocellar diameters); antennal depressions with moderately-dense, fulvous, plumose setae; paraocular marks, malar area, labrum and anterior surface of mandibles with scattered, fulvous, rather simple, short setae; vertex with scattered, fulvous, pectinate, minute setae around ocelli, interocellar area with a tuft of brown, sturdy setae; preoccipital ridge with a dense fringe comparable to the frontal one, but with brown, sturdy setae, as long as about four times median ocellar diameter; gena with dense, fulvous, plumose setae, short on upper section (where they intermix with similarly sized brown, simple, sturdy setae), increasing in length and becoming darker towards lower section, and continuing on outer mandibular margin where they become sparser, simpler and sturdier; antenna with fulvous, simple setae, long and scattered on scape, and dense and minute on flagellum. Prothorax with moderately dense fulvous, plumose, short setae; Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and pronotal lobes covered with a combination of setae similar to that of frontal fringe, slightly longer and sturdier on pronotal lobes; mesepisternum densely covered with fulvous, plumose, long setae, becoming lighter on pleural and ventral areas; proximal podites (mainly coxae, trochanters, and part of femora) with setae as on ventral part of mesosoma; fulvous, simple, setae on femora (except as previously noted), tibiae (exceptions noted hereafter), and outer surface of tarsal articles; chemical gathering tufts on second through fourth protarsomeres made of dense, orange, long, setae; inner surfaces of probasitarsus, meso- and metatarsomeres with dense, brown, sturdy setae; mesotibia with two proximal tufts sitting on integumental concavities, anterior tuft ellipsoidal, occupying about one-third of outer tibial surface, posterior tuft teardrop shaped, slightly less than one-third as long as major axis of anterior tuft, laying on proximal posterior margin of anterior tuft, such that both tufts appear fused; both tufts made of fulvous setae directed posteriad, longer on anterior tuft (Fig. 14); microtrichia on outer mesotibial surface (velvety area) composed of dense, fulvous, simple, minute setae; anterior margin of velvety area strongly concave (Fig. 13); mesobasitarsus with three to four major wavy setae on inner surface right after proximal keel, all brown; metatibia with longer setae on anterior border and distal half of postero-dorsal margin, outer surface with scattered, brown, short, erect setae, bare on contiguous depression to metatibial organ; metatibial organ slit closed with brown setae (Fig. 15). First metasomal tergum with a mixture of setae comparable to those on posterior margin of mesoscutellum, but less dense, posterior half covered with moderately dense, fulvous, simple, minute appressed setae; second to seventh metasomal terga covered with scattered, dark brown, simple, sturdy setae as long as a median ocellar diameter, second through sixth metasomal terga with posterior bands of moderately dense, fulvous, appressed setae, as well as dense, fulvous, simple, long setal tufts on lateral margins; false slits of second metasomal sternum with tufts of mode rately dense, fulvous, simple, long setae, directed posteriorly reaching posterior edge of sternum, remainder sterna with similar erect setae, mesially bare.

Terminalia. Genital capsule as described for subgenus. Lateral section of gonostylus with a straight dorsal sector.

♀: Structure. Total body length 12.22 mm; labiomaxillary complex in repose reaching posterior margin of third metasomal sternum. Head length 3.11 mm; head width 5.04 mm; upper interorbital distance 2. 59 mm; lower interorbital distance 2.37 mm; upper clypeal width 1.22 mm; lower clypeal width 2.22 mm; clypeal protuberance 0.74 mm; clypeal ridges, labral ridges and labral windows as in male; labrum rectangular, wider than long, length 1.11 mm, width 1.26 mm; anterior edge of labrum arched outwards; interocellar distance 0.37 mm; ocellocular distance 0.81 mm; length of first flagellar article (0.44 mm) equal to combined lengths of second and third flagellar articles (0.44 mm); length of malar area 0.15 mm. Mandible tridentate. Pronotal lateral angle as in male; intertegular distance 3.78 mm; mesoscutal length 3.11 mm; mesoscutellar length 1.41 mm; posterior border of mesoscutellum as in male (Fig. 9); mesotibial length 2.37 mm; mesobasitarsal length 2.30 mm, maximum width 0.74 mm; metatibia triangular; metatibial anterior margin length 3.41 mm; metatibial ventral margin length 2.07 mm; metatibial postero-dorsal margin length 3.78 mm. Forewing length 9.48 mm; hind wing with 22 hamuli. Maximum metasomal width 5.41 mm.

Coloration. Generally as described for male, with a mixture of coppery and green hue on face and mesosoma. Paraocular marks absent; ivory coloration on mandible restricted to proximal one-third, antennal scape with thinner yellow spot occupying upper two thirds of antero-lateral surface (Fig. 16).

Sculpturing. As described for male except punctures of mesepisternum less dense.

Vestiture. As described for male (setal features on protarsi, meso- and metatibia are exclusive of male) except as follows: Mesoscutellar tuft rhomboid, composed of dense, fulvous, erect, thick, multibranched (branches minute) setae (Fig. 19). Mesotibia with a streak of spur-like, dark brown setae on posterior and ventral edges; metatibial corbicula surrounded by long, dark brown setae. Mesial sections of all sterna nearly bare (where labiomaxillary complex resides when in repose).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a reference to the orange coloration of the metasoma in this bee species (Greek, aurantium, meaning “orange”).

Comments.

On initial observation the two specimens here included as type material for this species look very similar to individuals of Euglossa decorata from the western Amazon Basin, particularly in coloration. However, aside from the generally more robust habitus of both the male and female by comparison to Euglossa decorata , the dominant coppery iridescence of the clypeus is notably different, which, despite a range of variation in the latter, has a consistently dominant green coloration on the clypeus. Coloration alone is not necessarily a good indication of species boundaries, so the main character that distinguishes Euglossa aurantia from any other species in the decorata group is the proximal convexity on the anterior surface of the male mesotibia along the anterior margin of the anterior mesotibial tuft (Fig. 13). Besides Euglossa singularis , in which this mesotibial surface is straight, all other species have a slight deviation of the integument near the distal end of the anterior margin of the anterior mesotibial tuft, but this is only appreciable at higher magnification, and does not continue as a noticeable convexity along that margin. When looking at the mesotibia of the male of Euglossa aurantia , the convexity in this area is immediately recognizable.