Anthidium nigrum Kasparek, 2024

Kasparek, Max, Benarfa, Noudjoud & Sentil, Ahlam, 2024, Black bees in the desert: Description of a new species of wool carder bee (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae, Anthidium) from the northern Sahara with colouration atypical for xeric environments, Contributions to Entomology 74 (2), pp. 181-191 : 181-191

Anthidium nigrum Kasparek sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 5

Material.

Holotype. • MOROCCO: ♀, 10 km S Bouarfa , 32.41 ° N, 1.97 ° E, 20. v. 1995, Ma. Halada leg. ( CMK, ms 2750 ).

Derivatio nominis.

The epithet, an adjective, refers to the black colouration of the species.

Diagnosis (female).

Entirely black integument except for spot behind eyes (Fig. 4 A, B ). Terga shiny, with dense white pubescence laterally. Lower margin of the clypeus strongly protruding in a lip-like ridge with approximately eight prominent tubercles (Fig. 5 ). Distinguished from A. montanum in many characters, including the pubescence (dense white pubescence on episternum and on terga 1–5 laterally in A. nigrum , long yellow-brown pubescence on meso and metasoma in A. montanum ), a black scopa (golden-yellow in A. montanum ), short and strong bristles on the outer face of the tibiae (long and thin hairs in A. alpinum ), and high and prominent tubercles on the apical margin of the clypeus (low and somewhat confluent tubercles in A. montanum ). The species is distinguished from A. pullatum by the hairless marginal zones of terga 4 and 5 (dense, appressed fringe of hairs in A. pullatum ), punctation of the scutum (distance between the punctures up to two puncture diameters in A. nigrum , fine punctures nestled together in A. pullatum ), absence of a longitudinal carinae on hind tibia and basitarsus (present in A. pullatum ) and the colour of the mandible (chestnut-brown and black in A. nigrum , and yellow with dark brown teeth and margins in A. pullatum ).

Description female.

Length: 11 mm; intertegular distance: 7.7 mm; radial cell length: 4.6 mm. Black except for a very small light spot on vertex behind eye. Head. Clypeus almost flat, only slightly protruding; anterior margin almost as long as posterior margin (Fig. 5 ); anterior margin slightly curved concavely; angle between anterior and lateral margin almost rectangular; densely punctate, with punctures less dense and larger medially than laterally; punctation towards apical margin very fine; clypeal apex fully exposed and protruding in a lip-like transverse ridge, with eight strong tubercles; clypeus without conspicuous pubescence; mandible chestnut-brown with six almost equally-sized black, sharp teeth, separated by acute notches; mandibular acetabulum (upper articulation) and mandibular condyle (lower articulation) large, brown, and shining; head black with fine punctation and shining interstices; lower supraclypeal area and around ocelli impunctate, shining; long, white pubescence around antennal sockets; white, somewhat shorter pubescence on vertex and gena; upper side of antenna dark brown, underside light brown. Mesosoma. Scutum densely punctate laterally, scattered punctate medially; interstices shining; punctures in the centre of the scutum separated by up to 3–4 times of their own diameter (Fig. 4 B ); pronotal lobe strongly lamellate; tegula dark brown to black, centrally with scattered and laterally with dense punctation; scutellum / axillae crescent-shaped, bulging upwards; in profile, rounded medially and angulate posterolaterally; median emargination of scutellum absent; slightly overhanging the propodeum; scutellum and axilla densely punctate except for impunctate, shining median part; basal zone of propodeum densely punctate, otherwise smooth and shining; mesepisternum covered by long, dense white hair. Metasoma. Width of terga tapering towards the apex (tergum 2 about 1.3 times as wide as tergum 2); punctures on tergal discs mostly separated by 1–2 (medially up to 3–4) their diameters; punctation on depressions finer and denser; impunctate, dark brown apical margin; disc about 3–4 times as wide as depression; tergum 4 and 6 laterally bulging; tergum 6 medially with narrow, lamellate flange, with small median apical emargination to accommodate sting; punctation of tergum 6 irregular and rugulose, with confluent punctures (Fig. 4 C ); ventral scopa with strong dark brown hairs; terga 1–5 with scattered, thin, white hairs, but long white hair laterally. Legs. Tibiae dark brown with coarse punctation and dark brown bristles on outer, and longer, thinner and lighter hairs on inner faces (Fig. 4 D, E ). Wing. Forewing strongly, brownly infuscated; hind wing slightly brown-tinted towards apex.

Relationships.

The species superficially resembles A. montanum , as the females of both species share several characteristics, including colouration, a protruding, crenulate apical margin of the clypeus, the absence of a carina on hind tibia and basitarsus, and fine, shallow punctation on the terga with often confluent punctures. However, a definitive classification remains premature due to the lack of information on male characteristics.

Biology.

The only specimen known was collected in May. It was collected south of Bouarfa in the Moroccan hamada (Arabic: ḥammāda), the arid landscape consisting of hard rocky plateaus, where most of the sand has been removed by deflation.

Distribution.

Only known from the Oriental (= Oujda) Region, an administrative unit in northeastern Morocco (Fig. 6 ).

Remarks.

The species is not a typical member of Anthidium not only for its unusual colouration, but also in other characteristics including the shape of the metasoma, which in dorsal view strongly tapers towards the apex, more than in most other Anthidium species. Also, the small flange on T 6 is not typical for the genus.

Figures

Figure 4. Anthidium nigrum sp. nov., female, holotype. A. Habitus, lateral; B. Habitus, dorsal; C. Apical terga; D. Tibia and tarsus of mid leg; E. Hind tibia.

Figure 5. Face of Anthidium nigrum sp. nov., female, holotype. Note the shape, punctation and hairlessness of the clypeus.

Figure 6. Distribution of Anthidium pullatum (blue dots) and Anthidium nigrum sp. nov. (red dot).