Ctenoplectrella gorskii, ENGEL, 2008

Engel, MS, 2008, A New Species Of Ctenoplectrella In Baltic Amber (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 54 (4), pp. 319-324 : 320-323

Genus Ctenoplectrella COCKERELL Ctenoplectrella gorskii sp. n. ( Figs 1–5 )

Holotype: female ( Figs 1–3 ), in piece of middle Eocene ( Lutetian ) amber from the Baltic region ; in the collection of Mr. ANDRZEJ GÓRSKI ( Bielsko-Biała , Poland) and to eventually be deposited in the Muzeum Przyrodnicze , Instytut Systematyki i Ewolucji Zwierząt , Polska Akademia Nauk [Museum of Natural History, Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences], Kraków . Paratype female, in same piece of amber as holotype.

Etymology: The specific epithet is a patronymic honoring ANDRZEJ GÓRSKI of Bielsko-Biała,

Poland in recognition of his support of amber and palaeoentomological research.

Diagnosis – The new species can be recognized by the slightly apical position of the basal vein relative to cu-a (confluent in other Ctenoplectrella ), the significantly longer first submarginal cell relative to the second submarginal cell (second submarginal cell longer than first in other Ctenoplectrella and in Glaesosmia ENGEL ), the elongate pterostigma (short in C. viridiceps, closer to although slightly longer than pterostigma in C. cockerelli), the straight clypeal margin (slightly modified in C. viridiceps: vide ENGEL 2001), and punctured mesoscutal and metasomal integument (similar to C. cockerelli and C. viridiceps; impunctate in C. grimaldii).

Description – Female. Total body length ca. 4.15 mm; forewing length 2.83 mm, hind wing length 2.14 mm. Head wider than long, length 1.03 mm, width 1.35 mm. Labrum wider than long, apical margin gently convex. Apical margin of clypeus relatively straight. Gena much narrower than compound eye in lateral aspect. Intertegular distance 0.90 mm. Forewing with basal vein slightly distal of cu-a; second abscissa Rs orthogonal with Rs+M (in contrast to the angled position observed in Glaesosmia ), slightly basal to 1m-cu; first submarginal cell distinctly longer than second submarginal cell; pterostigma distinctly longer than wide ( Fig. 4 ); hind wing with six distal hamuli, arranged in a single, evenly spaced series ( Fig. 5 ). Sting extruded, elongate and simple ( Fig. 3 ).

Outer surface of mandible impunctate and smooth. Clypeus and supraclypeal area with small punctures separated by a puncture width or less, integument between punctures smooth. Integument of face, vertex, gena, and postgena sculptured as on clypeus although punctures slightly smaller. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with small punctures separated by a puncture width or less, integument between punctures smooth. Pleura sculptured as on mesoscutum except punctures separated by less than a puncture width, nearly contiguous in many areas, integument between punctures smooth. Lateral and posterior surfaces of propodeum weakly imbricate and apparently impunctate. Metasomal terga with small punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width, integument between punctures smooth; sterna faintly imbricate, with shallow punctures separated by 1–4 times a puncture width.

rella gorskii sp. n. Entire piece has a length of ca. 8.9 mm.

ble in this view).

Integument dark brown, without maculations. Wing membrane hyaline; veins strong and black. Pubescence generally pale except setae on vertex, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, inner surfaces of tarsi, and comprising scopa slightly fuscous.

Mandible with sparse, minute, simple setae. Labrum and clypeus with scattered, minute, appressed, simple setae not obscuring integument; similar setae on face below level of antennal sockets, intermixed with scattered, longer, erect setae on face, clypeus, supraclypeal area, vertex, gena, and postgena. Mesosomal nota with scattered, erect, short, simple setae. Pleura with scattered, short, simple setae, setae becoming gradually longer ventrally. Lateral surface of propodeum with abundant moderate length to long, branched setae. Pubescence of legs generally simple and of moderate length although becoming long on outer surfaces of tibiae and tarsi; inner surface of metafemur with dense, minute, simple setae, outer, anterior, and posterior surfaces with moderate-length, branched setae; metatibia with abundant, moderate-length to long setae, setae with short branches. Metasomal terga with sparse, short, simple, appressed or suberect setae, setae longer and suberect to erect laterally, some setae laterally with a few, minute branches; sternal scopa composed of numerous, greatly elongate, setae with a few branches.

Male. Unknown.

*

Acknowledgements – I am grateful to ANDRZEJ GÓRSKI for bringing this interesting material to my attention and permitting me to study it; and to two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on the manuscript. Support for this work was provided by National Science Foundation grants EF-0341724 and DEB-0542909 (both to M. S. ENGEL). This is a contribution of the Division of Entomology, University of Kansas Natural History Museum.

Figures

Fig. 1. Photomicrograph of entire amber piece containing holotype (uppermost specimen) and paratype (lower specimen largely covered by fractures and some Schimmel, seen end on) of Ctenoplect-

Figs 2–3. Photomicrographs of holotype female of Ctenoplectrella gorskii sp.n.: 2 = Right lateral aspect of holotype (note that head is twisted such that the vertex is seen in this view), 3 = left lateral aspect of holotype (owing to the twisted position of the head, the hypostomal fossa and postgena is visi-

Figs 4–5. Wing venation of Ctenoplectrella gorskii sp. n. as preserved; based on right forewing and hind wing of holotype female: 4 = forewing venation, with apex torn at amber surface.5 = hind wing. Scale bar = 1 mm