Hoplitis (Anthocopa) peniculifera, Müller, Andreas, 2012

Müller, Andreas, 2012, New European bee species of the tribe Osmiini (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae), Zootaxa 3355, pp. 29-50 : 43-44

Hoplitis (Anthocopa) peniculifera spec. nov.

Holotype: Spain, Murcia: Pto. De Jumilla, 800m, 19.5.2003, ɗ (leg. M. Halada), [ ETHZ]. Paratypes: Spain, Andalucia: Granada, Puerto de la Ragua, 1500m, 24.6.1988, 2 Ψ (leg. M. Schwarz); Sierra Pozo, Puento Liano, 1800m, 12.6.2003, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Kafka).

Males and females were collected at different localities. Although their overall morphology closely corresponds to each other, it can not be excluded with certainty that the two sexes belong to different species.

Diagnosis. The female of H. peniculifera can be differentiated from the other European species of the subgenus Anthocopa by the greyish-brown instead of whitish scopa and the greyish-brown instead of yellowish pilosity on the inside of the hind leg basitarsus. In addition, the clypeus is distinctive due to the rather broad and uniformly wide polished zone along the apical margin and the protruding medioapical part, which is evenly rounded and sharply edged ( Fig. 19 ). The male of H. peniculifera can be separated from all other European Anthocopa species except H. saundersi (VACHAL) by the brush-like and reddish-brown pilosity along the apical zone of sternum 5 ( Fig. 20 ) in combination with the two-toothed tergum 7. It differs from H. saundersi by the distinctly smaller body length of 7mm (exceeding 8mm in H. saundersi ), the presence of very narrow interspaces between the punctures on the scutum (without any interspaces in H. saundersi ) and the shorter distance between the lateral ocellus and the preoccipital ridge, which is about 2x as long as the ocellar diameter (at least 2.5x as long in H. saundersi ).

Description. Female: Body length: 7mm. Head: Second segment of the labial palpus about 3x as long as the first segment. Clypeus slightly convex with a rather broad and polished zone extending along the whole apical margin; this zone is laterally and medially of about the same width. Medioapical part of the clypeus protruding, evenly rounded and sharply edged ( Fig. 19 ). Lateral parts of the apical margin of the clypeus beset with long yellowish bristles; such bristles also occur medioapically, here, however, the bristles originate from below the protruding median part of the clypeus. Pilosity of face and vertex whitish. Clypeus, supraclypeal area, frons and vertex very densely punctate with interspaces of usually less than the diameter of half a puncture except for small areas at the base of the clypeus and in front of the ocelli, where the interspaces may reach the diameter of one puncture. Head about 0.85x as long as broad. Vertex seen in front view nearly straight. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge about 2x as long as the ocellar diameter. Thorax: Scutum very densely punctate with interspaces of usually distinctly less than the diameter of half a puncture. Punctation of scutellum slightly less dense with interspaces reaching medially the diameter of one puncture. Basal zone of the propodeum polished except for its upper half, which is shagreened. Hind tibial spurs yellowish, long and slender, straight and slightly tapering towards the acute tip. Pilosity of scutum and scutellum light yellowish-brown, of the other parts of the thorax whitish. Pilosity on the inside of the hind leg basitarsus greyish-brown. Metasoma: Terga 1–5 with uninterrupted whitish hair bands, which are slightly narrowed medially. Disc of tergum 1 covered laterally with long whitish hairs. Disc of terga 2–5 beset with short erect hairs, which are whitish on the anterior terga and mostly brownish on the posterior terga. Base of terga 2 and 3 distinctly impressed. Punctation of disc of terga 1–5 rather dense with interspaces of the diameter of usually one to one and a half punctures. Punctation of tergum 6 distinctly finer and denser than on the preceding terga. Scopa light greyish-brown on sterna 2–4 and dark greyish-brown on sterna 5–6.

Male: Body length: 7mm. Head: Second segment of the labial palpus about 2.8x as long as the first segment. Antenna blackish and parallel-sided along its whole length. Antennal segments 4–12 about as long as wide, segments 3 and 13 slightly longer. Head about 0.75x as long as broad. Vertex seen in front view nearly straight. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge about 2x as long as the ocellar diameter. Thorax: Punctation of scutum and scutellum, pilosity of thorax, basal zone of the propodeum and colour and form of the hind tibial spurs as in the female. Pilosity on the inner side of the hind leg basitarsus reddish-brown. Metasoma: Apical margin of terga 1–5 black, of tergum 6 reddish-brown. Metasomal pilosity as in the female. Base of terga 2 and 3 deeply impressed. Punctation of disc of terga 1–5 rather dense with interspaces varying between the diameter of one half and two punctures, on tergum 6 denser. Apical margin of tergum 6 very shallowly emarginated medially and with a lateral tooth, which is about as long as wide. Tergum 7 with two rather slender teeth, which are about 1.5x as long as wide and separated from each other by a broad semicircular incision, which is 2.2–2.6x as wide as the diameter of one tooth. Apical margin of sternum 2 shallowly emarginated medially and loosely ciliated with long whitish hairs. Apical margin of sternum 3 deeply emarginated medially with the incision being about 3x as wide as deep and ciliated with yellowish-white hairs, which are densest medially. Apical margin of sternum 4 emarginated with the incision being about 4.5x as wide as deep and densely beset with long, yellowish and slightly incurved hairs. Sternum 5 broadly but very shallowly emarginated, its medioapical part densely covered with a brush-like and reddish-brown pilosity ( Fig. 20 ). Apical margin of sternum 6 nearly straight.

Distribution. Known so far only from southernmost Spain.

Host plants. The only pollen sample available so far consists of pollen of Cistaceae .

Etymology. peniculiferus = bearing a brush, referring to the conspicuous brush-like and reddish-brown pilosity along the apical margin of sternum 5.

Figures

FIGURE 17 – 24. 17: Hoplitis nicolaei spec. nov., terga 5 – 7 of ɗ. 18: Hoplitis nicolaei spec. nov., genitalia of ɗ. 19: Hoplitis peniculifera spec. nov., apical margin of clypeus of Ψ. 20: Hoplitis peniculifera spec. nov., sterna 2 – 6 of ɗ. 21: Hoplitis serainae spec. nov., terga 5 – 7 of ɗ. 22: Hoplitis serainae spec. nov., genitalia of ɗ. 23: Hoplitis hilbera spec. nov., antenna of ɗ. 24: Hoplitis hilbera spec. nov., appendage of sternum 6 and tergum 7 of ɗ.