Megachile serrula, Eardley, Connal, 2012

Eardley, Connal, 2012, A taxonomic revision of the southern African species of the subgenus Creightonella Cockerell (Apoidea: Megachilidae: Megachile Latreille), Zootaxa 3159, pp. 1-35 : 25-26

Megachile serrula sp. n.

Figs 16–17

This species is named for the small, evenly sized and spaced teeth on the male T6 which separate it from its congeners. It belongs to the species-group comprising M. ianthoptera , M. angulata , M. seewaldi , M. dorsata , M. discolor and M. rufoscopacea .

Description. Female. Vestiture, head, mesosoma and T1 mostly pale yellowish–white, lower region of face orange, vertex and mesosomal dorsum black, basal segments of foreleg orange; T2–T5 black with short distal fringes, T6 black ( Fig. 17a–b ), scopa orange. Lengths: face 4.2 mm; scutum 3.3 mm; forewing 12.7 mm; body 15.2 mm. Structure. Clypeus a little wider than twice length, gently raised, densely punctuate, ventral edge straight ( Fig. 17a ); clypocellus: clypeus 1:0.7; scopal hairs slender and pointed distally.

Male. Vestiture, gena, mesosoma venter and legs pale yellowish–white, face, upper mesepimeron, mesosomal dorsum and T1 pale orange; T2–T4 black, pallid distal fringes, T5 orange, pallid distal fringe; T6 orange, naked (black) distally ( Fig. 17c–e ). Lengths: face 3.0 mm; scutum 2.0 mm; forewing 8.5 mm; body 12.5 mm. Structure. Clypeus slightly convex, ventral edge about straight, median tubercle; mandible three apical teeth, a large tooth on ventral edge; foretarsus unmodified; T6 with mediolongitudinal carina, distal edge serrate, convex ( Fig. 17d–e ); T7 with mediolongitudinal keel, pointed posteromedially ( Fig. 17e ); S4 concave posteromedially, with subapical carina; S5 distal edge straight; terminalia as in M. cognata (cf. Fig. 2d–f ).

Distribution ( Fig. 12 ). This species is endemic to the winter rainfall area of South Africa. Material examined. Type material. Male holotype: ‘ SOUTH AFRICA CP Malmesbury 33.27S 18.44E 8.xii.1988, C. D. Eardley, Megachile serrula Eardley det C. Eardley 2010’, in SANC. Female paratype: ‘ SOUTH AFRICA CP Seweweekspoort 33.19S 21.25E 16.xii.1988, C. D. Eardley, Megachile serrula Eardley det C. Eardley 2010’, in SANC.

Figures

FIGURE 16. Known distribution of Megachile rufoscopacea (black dot) and Megachile serrula (yellow triangle).

FIGURE 17 a – e. Megachile serrula. a. Female face. b. Female habitus. c. Male face. d. Male habitus. e. Male T 6 – T 7.

FIGURE 2 a – f. Megachile cognata. a. Female mandible. b – f. Male. b. T 6. c. S 4. d. S 6. e. S 8. f. Genital capsule.

FIGURE 12 a – e. Megachile discolor. a. Female face. b. Female habitus. c. Male face. d. Male habitus. e. Male T 6 – T 7.