Pachyanthidium (Ausanthidium) ausense (Mavromoustakis)

Eardley, Connal & Griswold, Terry, 2017, Taxonomic revision of the Afrotropical species of Pachyanthidium Friese (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae: Anthidiini), Zootaxa 4237 (3), pp. 401-453 : 405

Pachyanthidium (Ausanthidium) ausense (Mavromoustakis)

( Figs 1–3 )

Anthidiellum ausense Mavromoustakis, 1934: 45 , male holotype (NHML) Namibia.

Ausanthidium ausense (Mavromoustakis) : Pasteels 1969: 60; Pasteels 1984: 130.

Pachyanthidium (Ausanthidium) ausense (Mavromoustakis) : Michener and Griswold 1994: 319.

Diagnosis. The combination of naked eyes and presence of arolia distinguishes P. ausense from all other Pachyanthidium . Additional diagnostic characters include the distinctive body markings ( Fig. 1 ) and the absence of preoccipital carinae laterally behind the eyes. Arolia and the four-toothed female mandible distinguish it from the speciose subgenus Pachyanthidium s. str.

Description. FEMALE. Lengths: head 2.7–3.0 mm; scutum 1.6–2.0 mm; forewing 5.8–6.1 mm; body 6.7–7.0 mm. Head black with yellow to orange maculations on entire clypeus, small ventromedian spot on supraclypeus, most of lower paraocular area and outer upper paraocular area, frons below median ocellus, posterior preoccipital region (anterior to yellow translucent preoccipital lamella) and gena; antennal flagellum yellowish to black ( Fig. 1 a). Mesosoma mostly black with dorsum largely circumscribed in yellow, pronotal lobe and mesepisternum along lateral margin of omaulus yellow ( Fig. 1 b); legs mostly yellowish, except basal segments orangish-yellow; lamellae of omaulus and scutellum translucent yellow; metasomal terga and sterna mostly yellow, often in form of indistinct cross–bands, with areas anterior and posterior mostly orange, sometimes blackish; posterior terga yellow laterally, orange mesally ( Fig. 1 b); S6 blackish. Structure ( Fig. 1 a, b). Preoccipital lamella distinct (longer than median ocellus diameter); eye naked; clypeus with ventral edge smooth, straight; mandible 4–toothed; pronotal lobe strongly lamellate; omaulus strongly lamellate; forebasitarsus short and broad, length 0.5x foretibia, half its width; arolia present on all legs; T1–T5 without lateral spines; T6 carinate laterally, without spines, emarginate posteriorly ( Fig. 2 a).

MALE. Lengths: head 2.8–3.2 mm; scutum 1.8–2.0 mm; forewing 6.3–6.8 mm; body 6.8–7.7 mm. Colour as in female ( Fig. 1 c), except S6 orange. Structure. Preoccipital ridge distinctly lamellate; eye naked ( Fig. 1 c); antennal flagellum 2.9x eye length, 3.5x scape length; clypeus with ventral edge smooth, straight; mandible tridentate; forebasitarsus sparsely pubescent, long posterior fringe; hind basitarsus wide, length twice width; arolia on all legs; T1–T4 without lateral spines or swellings; T5 with small posterolateral spine; T6 with dorsolateral subapical spine and ventrolateral apical spine ( Fig. 2 b); T7 with posterolateral and median spines of similar size ( Fig. 2 c); S6–S8 and genitalia as illustrated ( Fig. 2 d–g).

Distribution. This species occurs in Namibia and the northwestern coastal area of South Africa ( Fig. 3 ).

Biology. It is recorded on flowers of: Hermbstaedtia glauca (Amaranthaceae) , Indigofera longispina (Fabaceae) , Kissenia capensis (Loasaceae) , Trichodesma africanum (Boraginaceae) , Zygophyllum simplex (Zygophyllaceae) and Zygophyllum sp. ( Eardley and Urban 2010).

Material examined. Type material. Male holotype of Anthidiellum ausense : ‘ Type, B.M. TYPE HYM. 17 A 1911, Anthidiellum ausense ♂ m.sp. (illegible) G. Mavromoustakis det., Anthidiellum ausense ♂ m.sp. (illegible) G. Mavromoustakis det. 1933, Type, R. E. Turner. Brit. Mus. 1930–117, S.W. Africa. Aus . Jan 1930, British Museum’, NHML.

Additional material. Namibia. Blinkoog, Warmbad, SE 2719CA, 1971. x.14–17, (1♂ SMWN H4554); Churutabis 108 Bethanien, 1974. x.4–12, (1♂ SMWN H21014); Farm Namitib , (road D707, 70km N Aus), 1994 . xii.3, M. Kuhlmann (1♀ BBSL); Rosh Pinah Mountain behind 1974 . x.27, R. Watmough (2♀ 5♂, SANC); Annis River crossing Sendelingsdrif road, 1997 . ix.21, F. W. Gess (1♂ AMGS 2562 ); Annis River, 24km N, 4km N crossing Sendelingsdrif road, 1997 . ix.21, F. W. Gess (3♂ AMGS 2563, 2564 , 2565); E Oranjemund, 34km from checkpoint Sendelingsdrif road, 1997. ix.25–26, F.W. Gess (1♀ 2♂ AMGS 2566, 2567 , 2568); Khorixas 120km on Palm road, 1998 . iv.8, F. W. Gess (2♀ 2♂ AMGS 2569, 2570 , 2571, 2572); Gaub Bridge , 7km towards Kuiseb River, 1998 . iv.14, F. W. Gess (1♂ AMGS 2573 ); Khorixas, 156 km between Uis and Henties Bay, 1998 . iv.9, F. W. Gess (1♂ AMGS 2574); Keetmanshoop, 57km W, 2000. iii.4, F. W. Gess (1♂ AMGS 2575); NW Aus, 2005. ix.19, F. W. Gess (1♂ AMGS 14536); Aus, 7.5km Tirasberg Road, 2005. ix.20, F. W. Gess (1♂ AMGS 14537). South Africa. Richtersveld National Park, Sendelingsdrif, 32 km S, 2008. x.10, T. L. Griswold (1♂ BBSL 751753 ) ; Richtersveld National Park, Akkadis Pass, 2008. x.13, T. L. Griswold (1♂ BBSL752296); Richtersveld National Park, near Hand of God, 2008. x.11, C. Eardley (3♂ SANC); Potjiespram , near, 2008 . x.10, C. Eardley (1♂ SANC); Oena Mine, near, 2006. viii.23–24, C. Eardley (1♂ SANC); Hellskloof Pass , 1974 . x.9, H. D. Brown (1♂ SANC); Koeroegabvlakte, Richtersveld National Park , 1995 . ix.24, F. W. Gess (1♀9♂ AMGS 2552, 2553, 2554, 2555, 2556, 2557, 2558, 2559, 2560, 2561).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pachyanthidium ausense Mavromoustakis. a – b. Female. a. Face. b. Habitus. c – d. Male. c. Face. d. Habitus.

FIGURE 2. Pachyanthidium ausense Mavromoustakis. a. Female metasomal tergum six. b – g. Male. b – c. T 7. d – f. Metasomal sternum six, seven and eight, respectively. g. Genitalia, dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Pachyanthidium ausense Mavromoustakis, known distribution.