Patellapis (Patellapis) braunsella Michener 1978

Timmermann, Kim & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2009, Variable Selection and Inference for Multi-period Forecasting Problems, Zootaxa 2099, pp. 1-188 : 54-57

Patellapis (Patellapis) braunsella Michener 1978

Patellapis (Patellapis) braunsella Michener, 1978: 535–536 .

( Figs. 33a–g ; 34a–h )

Diagnosis. The medium sized, robust, black bee P. braunsella is unique within the Patellapis s. str. This species is characterised by having an elongate face and a strongly and completely sculptured scutum.

Description

Female. Bl = 7,5–8,7mm. General habitus ( Fig. 33e ). Head. L = 2,3–2,5mm; W = 2,2–2,4mm. Head slightly longer than wide; face elongate ( Fig. 33a ). Integument black. Face shiny and with loose, long, yellowish, erect hairs. Mandibles bidentate. Malar area very short, linear. Clypeus and supraclypeal area convex in profile. Clypeus strongly and densely punctate; surface partly sculptured. Clypeoantennal distance 0,6mm. Supraclypeal area moderately strong and sparsely punctate (i = 2,0–3,0d); surface strongly and completely reticulate. Paraocular area shiny; moderately finely punctate; surface partly sculptured. Antennae blackish-brown. Mesosoma. L = 1,6–1,8mm; W (ITS) = 1,7–1,9mm. Integument black. Scutum dull; disc finely and densely punctate (i = 1,0–1,5d); surface strongly and completely sculptured ( Fig. 33b ). Scutellum as illustrated in Fig. 33c . Scutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum with yellowish, erect hairs. Basal area of propodeum as illustrated in Fig. 33c ; propodeum and marginal region of posterior truncation dull; surface coarsely sculptured. Wings. Hyaline. Legs. Integument blackish-brown. Vestiture yellowish to brownish. Ts finely serrate ( Fig. 33f ). Bp slender and angulate ( Fig. 33g ). Metasoma. L = 4,0– 4,6mm; W = 2,5–3,0mm. Integument blackis-brown except the margins of T brownish to pallid brownish; margins partly translucent. T1–T4 with strong, whitish, apical hair bands; the bands on T1–T2 mostly present only laterally. Prepygidial fimbria brownish ( Fig. 33d ).

Male. Bl = 7,8–8,0mm. General habitus ( Fig. 34e ). Head. L = 2,2–2,3mm; W = 2,0– 2,1mm. Head slightly longer than wide; face elongate. Integument black except the malar area partly reddish. Clypeus, supraclypeal area and paraocular area with loose, greyish, erect hairs; vertex with yellowish, erect hairs. Clypeus, supraclypeal area and lower half of paraocular area entirely covered with appressed, white hairs. Mandibles simple. Malar area very short, linear. Antennae blackish-brown. Flagellomeres knotty. A4 about 3,0 times longer than A3. Mesosoma. L = 1,6–1,7mm; W (ITS) = 1,7–1,8mm. Integument black. Scutum dull; disc finely and densely punctate (i = 1,0–1,5d); surface strongly and completely sculptured ( Fig. 34a ). Scutellum as illustrated in Fig. 34b . Scutum, scutellum, metanotum and propodeum with long, yellowish, erect hairs; mesepisternum with long, greyish, erect hairs. Basal area of propodeum as illustrated in Fig. 34b ; propodeum and marginal region of posterior truncation dull; surface coarsely sculptured. Wings. Hyaline. Legs. Integument blackish-brown. Vestiture greyish. Metasoma. L = 4,5–4,6mm; W = 2,2–2,3mm. Integument blackish-brown except posterior part brownish to pallid brownish; margins extensively translucent ( Fig. 34c ). Apical plate broad and truncated apically. Posterior margin of S4 with a row of strong, erect bristles; bristles greatly enlarged laterally. S5 with strong hair patches laterally ( Fig. 34d ). S7 and S8 as illustrated in Fig. 34f . Genitalia. Genitalia as illustrated in Fig. 34g –h ; gonocoxa shiny and gonostylus with broad, dorso-lateral projection.

Type material ( 4 specimens). Holotype, female, 45 121 S. Africa (handwritten white label), Type H. T. (red-white label), Halictus communis (Type) Sm (handwritten white label), B.M. TYPE HYM. 17a.875 (handwritten white label), BMNH.

Paratypes: 2♀, 1♂. South Africa. Eastern Cape : 1♀, Willowmore, 15.v.1905, leg. Dr. Brauns, TMSA ; 1♀, idem., 25.viii.1906, SEMC ; 1♂, idem., x. 1910, SEMC .

Additional material (71 specimens). 56♀, 15♂. South Africa, Western Cape : 1♀, Mossel Bay , vi.1924, leg. R . E. Turner , BMNH ; 1♂, idem., v.1921, BMNH ; 3♀, Lammerskraaf, Prince Albert District , ix.1947, leg. Mus. Exp., SAM – HYM – B009618 , SAMC ; Northern Cape: 1♀, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve , dolerite hills, 17.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC ; 11♀, idem., 25.viii.2007, KTPC ; 1♀, 2♂, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East, 03.ix.2003, leg. M. Kuhlmann, KTPC ; 2♂, idem., 07.ix.2003, KTPC ; 3♀, 2♂, 11.ix.2003, KTPC ; 1♀, idem., 29.v.2004, KTPC ; 9♀, 2♂, idem., 03.viii.2004, KTPC ; 4♀, 1♂, idem., 10.viii.2004, KTPC ; 5♀, 1♂, idem., 12.viii.2004, KTPC ; 1♀, idem., 13.viii.2004, KTPC ; 6♀, idem., 19.viii.2004, KTPC ; 1♀, idem., 21.viii.2004, KTPC ; 1♀, Vanwyksvlei , 12.iii.1952, leg. H.D. Brown, Database No. HYMA 06964 , SANC ; 1♂, Leliefontein , pan trap, 31.viii.2003, leg. C. Mayer, KTPC ; 1♂, Remhoogte , pan trap, 31.viii.2003, leg. C. Mayer, KTPC ; 1♂, idem., 05.ix.2003, KTPC ; 1♂, idem., 07.ix.2003, KTPC ; 1♀, Nababeep ( Nababiep ), 06.ix.1992, leg. F.W. and S.K. Gess, AMGS ; Eastern Cape: 2♀, Willowmore , 25.viii.1906, leg. Dr. Brauns, SANC Pretoria Database No. Hytm 04612, TMSA ; 4♀, idem., 15.v.1908, SANC Pretoria Database No. Hytm 04658, TMSA ; 1♀, idem., 25.viii.1908, SANC Pretoria Database No. Hytm 04657, TMSA .

Distribution ( Fig. 37). Distributed in the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape.

Floral visitation. Oxalis spec. (Oxalidaceae) .

Seasonal activity (first–last observations). iii–x.

Figures

FIGURE 33. Patellapis (P.) braunsella, female: a. Head (scale=1mm); b. Scutum (scale=1mm); c. Scutellum and propodeum (scale=0,5mm); d. Metasomal terga (scale=1mm); e. Body (scale=1mm); f. Inner hind tibial spur (scale=100µm); g. Basitibial plate (scale=100µm).

FIGURE 34. Patellapis (P.) braunsella, male: a. Scutum (scale=1mm); b. Scutellum and propodeum (scale=0,5mm); c. Metasomal terga (scale=1mm); d. Metasomal sterna (scale=1mm); e. Body (scale=1mm); f. Metasomal sterna S7 and S8, ventral view (scale=0,5mm); g. Genitalia, dorsal view (scale=0,5mm); h. Genitalia, lateral view (scale=0,5mm).