Chlerogella elysia Engel, 2010

Engel, Michael, 2010, Revision of the Bee Genus Chlerogella (Hymenoptera, Halictidae), Part II: South American Species and Generic Diagnosis, ZooKeys 47 (47), pp. 1-100 : 63-66

Chlerogella elysia Engel , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:953DD3C5-D611-4EB0-9FC3-D88E9B33F67E

Figs 99–106, 115–116, Map 3

Holotype. ♀, ECUADOR: Pich. [Pichincha], E. Sto. Domingo, 6–12 May 1990, W.J. Hanson ( SEMC).

Paratypes. ECUADOR: 10♀♀, 6♁♁, Pichincha, Nanegal , 1300 m, 9.vii.1984 [9 July 1984], M. Cooper ( COOP) ; 4♀♀, Pichincha, Nanegal , 1300 m, 10.vii.1984 [10 July 1984], M. Cooper ( COOP) ; 1♁, Pichincha, Nanegal , 1300 m, 12.vii.1984 [12 July 1984], M. Cooper ( COOP) ; 1♀, Pinchincha [sic], Rio Palenque Station , 47km S. Sto. [Santo] Domingo, 4.30–5.5 [30 April–5 May] 1987, malaise trap, L. Coote & B. Brown ( YORK) ; 1♀, Pichincha, Tinalandia, 15km SE Santo Domingo de los Colorados , vi-29-1982, M. Wasbauer, J. Slansky ( BLCU) ; 1♀, Pich. [Pichincha], E. St. Domingo , 8–14 May 1988, Hanson & Bohart ( BLCU) ; 1♁, Pich. [Pichincha], nr. Sto. Domingo , 8/14-v-88 [8–14 May 1988], 2500’ [2500 feet], Hanson, Bohart ( SEMC) ; 1♁, Bilsa , 10 May–5 June 1996, P. Hibbs, flight intercept trap ( SEMC) ; 1♀, Pichincha, Maquipucuna Biological Station , river trail, 1200 m, 0º7'34"N, 78º37'57"W, 27–29 Oct. [October] 1999, Z.H. Falin, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC) .

Diagnosis. Chlerogella elysia is superficially similar to C. terpsichore but differs most notably in the absence of amber on the clypeus (Fig. 101), the shorter malar space (Figs 100–101, 105–106), presence of distinct fluorescence on the mesosoma and head (Figs 102–103), and male sterna (vide infra) and terminalia (Figs 115–116).

Description. Female: Total body length 8.22–8.39 mm; forewing length 5.93–6.0 mm. Head length 2.32–2.35 mm, width 1.63–1.72 mm. Clypeus beginning at lower tangent of compound eyes. Malar space 16.4–17.6% compound eye length (malar length 0.23–0.24 mm; compound eye length 1.46–1.48 mm) (Figs 100–101). Upper interorbital distance 0.77–0.81 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.53–0.60 mm. Upper portion of pronotum medially depressed, slightly swollen, medially less than 1.25 times ocellar diameter in length; ventral portion of preëpisternal sulcus not broad, similar to scrobal sulcus and upper portion of preëpisternal sulcus; intertegular distance 1.31–1.41 mm; mesoscutellum weakly convex, not bigibbous. Basal vein distad cu-a by three times vein width; 1rs-m distad 1m-cu by four times vein width; 2rs-m distad 2m-cu by six times vein width, 2rs-m arcuate; first submarginal cell longer than combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells; second submarginal cell not narrowed anteriorly, anterior border of second submarginal cell along Rs about as long as third submarginal cell; posterior border of third submarginal cell about two times longer than anterior border. Distal hamuli arranged 2-1-2. Inner metatibial spur with 4–5 branches (not including apical portion of rachis).

Clypeus and supraclypeal area smooth with weak punctures separated by 1.5–4 times width; face above level of antennae with small punctures separated by 0.1–1.75 times a puncture width, below level of antennae and in malar space smooth with punctures separated by width or less; vertex, ocellocular area, and gena smooth with punctures becoming smaller and separated 1–3 times a puncture width; postgena im-

Figures 99–Ι03. Female of Chlerogella elysia sp. n. 99 Dorsal habitus Ι00 Lateral aspect of head Ι0Ι Facial aspect Ι02 Dorsal aspect of mesoscutum showing fluorescence Ι03 Oblique view of mesoscutum showing strong fluorescence.

bricate and impunctate. Pronotum faintly imbricate with scattered minute punctures; mesoscutum smooth with small punctures separated by 1–4 times a puncture width, punctures weaker anteriorly and integument becoming faintly imbricate; mesoscutellum smooth with punctures separated by 1–2.5 times a puncture width; metanotum as on mesoscutum. Preëpisternum and mesepisternum smooth with weak punctures sep-

Figures Ι04–Ι06. Male of Chlerogella elysia sp. n. Ι04 Lateral habitus Ι05 Facial aspect Ι06 Lateral aspect of head.

arated by 2–6 times a puncture width; metepisternum smooth with scattered minute punctures. Propodeum imbricate. Metasoma faintly imbricate.

Mandible dark brown with reddish apex; labrum dark brown; malar space, clypeus, and lower two-thirds supraclypeal area dark brown with weak copper highlights; basal area and lateral borders of supraclypeal area and remainder of head dark metallic green with copper highlights and blue fluorescence (giving a blue-green cast to some specimens). Antenna brown except basal half of scape amber. Mesosoma dark metallic green with copper-gold highlights and strong overlaying blue fluorescence on mesoscutum (Figs 102–103) (opalescence present but weaker on mesoscutellum, metanotum, and propodeum); pronotal lobe amber; tegula amber. Wings hyaline; veins brown. Legs amber except procoxa dark metallic green and in some specimens areas of brown on inner surfaces of coxae, trochanters, femora, and tibiae. Metasoma amber (Fig. 99) except some specimens marked with brown on basal thirds of TIII–VI and SIII–VI (rarely with a very thin light brown transverse band on TII).

Pubescence golden.

Male: As described for the female except as follows: Total body length 9.15–9.30 mm; forewing length 5.87–6.13 mm. Head length 2.30–2.48 mm, width 1.59–1.63 mm. Clypeus beginning at lower tangent of compound eyes. Malar space 18–19.9% compound eye length (malar length 0.26–0.29 mm; compound eye length 1.44–1.46 mm) (Figs 105–106). Upper interorbital distance 0.73–0.74 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.39–0.40 mm. First flagellomere about as long as pedicel, about as long as wide; second flagellomere 2.4 times length of first flagellomere; ventral surfaces of second through eleventh flagellomeres densely covered in placoid sensilla, placoid fields not disrupted. Intertegular distance 1.22–1.25 mm; mesoscutellum not bigibbous. Inner metatibial spur serrate. Apical margin of SIII entire; apical margin of SIV broadly concave between broad paramedial lobes, without furrow in apical half of disc; apical margin of SV entire; apical margin of SVI emarginate; terminalia as depicted in figures 115 and 116.

Mandible and labrum yellow in coloration; clypeal apex and most of malar space amber, remainder of clypeus largely dark brown with strong metallic copper highlights except with overlaying metallic green basally; supraclypeal area dark metallic green with copper highlights. Scape amber on basal two-thirds to three-quarters.

Typical gender pilosity except postgena with scattered elongate, sinuate setae, such setae with short apical branches; inner surfaces of procoxa, trochanters, profemur, mesofemur, and metacoxa with elongate, apically-plumose setae (such setae particularly numerous on procoxa, protrochanter, and base of profemur), similar setae on inner surfaces of metatrochanter, metafemur, and metatibia except largely simple and somewhat sinuate. Apical margin of SIII with fringe of moderate-length golden setae; SIV with patches of short, subappressed dense golden fuscous setae bordering medial emargination and extending posteriorly along disc; SV laterally with diffuse areas of long, inwardly-curved setae.

Etymology. The specific epithet is taken from the Latin Elysium, abode of the blessed, and is a reference to the unearthly fluorescence of this beautiful species.