Triepeolus atoconganus Moure, 1955

Onuferko, Thomas M., Rightmyer, Molly G., Melo, Gabriel A. R. & Roig-Alsina, Arturo, 2024, A revision of the South American species of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Triepeolus Robertson, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Apidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 931, pp. 1-50 : 10-14

Triepeolus atoconganus Moure, 1955

Figs 1B , 4A , 5

Triepeolus atoconganus Moure, 1955: 128 (♂).

Triepeolus atoconganus – Urban 2003: 28 (♂) (lectotype designation).

Diagnosis

The following morphological features in combination tell T. atoconganus apart from all other South American Triepeolus : the frontal area, dorsum of the mesosoma (at least anterolaterally), and upper halves of the mesopleura have dense, long (≥½ MOD), erect/suberect, minutely branched setae ( Fig. 4A ); the ventrolateral halves of the mesopleura have sparse, erect, simple setae among the short (<¼ MOD), appressed, branched setae; and T1–T4 have medially widely interrupted transverse bands ( Fig. 5B ). Triepeolus atoconganus and T. cecilyae are the only South American species in the genus with long (≥½ MOD), erect/suberect setae on the upper face and much of the mesosoma, but in T. cecilyae these are longer for the most part (with many exceeding 1 MOD in length) and more abundant, covering much of both the upper and ventrolateral halves of the mesopleura. Additionally, in T. cecilyae at least the T3–T4 apical transverse bands of the female and T1–T4 apical transverse bands of the male are narrowed or narrowly interrupted medially.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the type locality—Atocongo (near Lima), Peru. The Latin adjectival suffix ‘-anus’ means ‘of’ or ‘pertaining to’.

Material examined

Primary type material

PERU • ♂, lectotype; Lima, Atocongo ; Aug. 1948; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; DZUP .

Secondary type material

PERU • 8 ♂♂, paralectotypes; Lima, Atocongo; Aug. 1948; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; DZUP • 1 ♂, paralectotype; same collection data as for preceding; Aug. 1948; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; UNMSM MHN 1.350 /M.G.R. Database No. 3526 .

Non-type material

PERU • 1 ♀; Amazonas, Rodríguez de Mendoza ; 15 May 1982; M. Cooper leg.; NHMUK NHMUK013620580 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 23 May 1984; M. Cooper leg.; NHMUK NHMUK013620577 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 25 May 1984; M. Cooper leg.; NHMUK NHMUK013620573 • 1 ♂; Áncash, 7 km SW of Raquia ; 14 May 1996; J.G. Rozen and A. Ugarte leg.; AMNH M.G.R. Database No. 3670 • 1 ♀; La Libertad, Samne (near Trujillo); 12–19 Jul. 1975; C. Porter and L. Stange leg.; IFML • 1 ♀; Lima, Atocongo ; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; UNMSM MHN 1350 /M.G.R. Database No. 1333 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; KUNHM M.G.R. Database No. 1449 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; Jul. 1948; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; UNMSM MHN 1350 • 2 ♀♀ (supposedly paralectotypes, but the designations are suspect as Moure 1955 only described the male); same collection data as for preceding; Aug. 1948; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; IFML WKW 3318 , WKW 3319 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 11 Sep. 1948; Blancas leg.; UNMSM MHN 1350 /M.G.R. Database No. 3527 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 11 Sep. 1948; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; UNMSM MHN 1350 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 28 Sep. 1952; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; IFML • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 30 Aug. 1958; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; IFML • 1 ♂; Lima, La Tablada ; 24 Oct. 1958; W.K. Weyrauch leg.; IFML • 1 ♂; Lima, Lima ; Mar. 1949; P. Aguilar leg.; UNMSM M.G.R. Database No. 3525 • 1 ♀; Lima, San Bartolomé ; 5 Jan. 1975; R. García leg.; UNMSM M.G.R. Database No. 1443 • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 20 Mar. 1977; R. García leg.; UNMSM • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 1 Apr. 1977; R. García leg.; UNMSM • 1 ♀, 9 ♂♂; Lima, Tornamesa ; R. García leg.; UNMSM .

Redescription

MEASUREMENTS OF LECTOTYPE. Body length 11.0 mm; ITW 2.4 mm; head length 2.6 mm; head width 3.7 mm; fore wing length 10.2 mm.

Both sexes

INTEGUMENT COLORATION. Dark brown to black except as follows. Mandible with basal two-thirds, pronotal lobe, tegula, coxae to some extent, trochanters to tibiae (excluding brown meso- and metatibial spurs) partially to entirely, and tarsi entirely orange. Antenna entirely dark brown in lectotype; scape, pedicel, and F1 to some extent orange in multiple non-type specimens. Fore wing membrane dusky subhyaline throughout, slightly darker beyond venation. Hind wing membrane dusky subhyaline to hyaline. Pygidial plate to some extent reddish brown in lectotype and some non-type specimens.

PUBESCENCE. Face with tomentum densest around antennal socket. Tomentum slightly sparser on clypeus; upper paraocular and frontal areas and vertexal area mostly exposed. Labrum, clypeus, face around antennal socket, genal and vertexal areas, most of pronotum (including pronotal collar), mesoscutum (at least anterolaterally), and upper half of mesopleuron with off-white to dark brown/gray, erect, minutely branched setae (reaching more than ½ MOD in length). Mesoscutum with well-defined paramedian band of off-white to pale-yellow, erect, minutely branched setae (tapering slightly toward but not attaining anterior margin in lectotype; attaining anterior margin in some non-type specimens); with off-white to pale-yellow, appressed, branched setae mostly restricted to posterior margin. Mesopleuron with off-white to pale-yellow, appressed, branched setae around pronotal lobe; upper half densely setose; ventrolateral half sparsely setose. Mesopleuron with sparse, erect, simple setae (reaching about ½ MOD in length) in addition to appressed and erect/suberect, minutely branched setae. Metanotum with tomentum uninterrupted, pale yellow laterally and partially to entirely black medially. Propodeal triangle mostly glabrous, with (off-white to dark brown/gray) setae restricted to small lateral patches. Metasomal terga with bands of off-white to pale-yellow tomentum, those of T3–T6 stained dark brown/black in lectotype (presumably due to poor preservation). T1 with basal transverse band widely interrupted medially, arched, and continuous with (and indistinguishable from) lateral longitudinal band; apical transverse band separated into pair of rounded lobes medially; discal patch triangular (semicircular in some non-type specimens). T2–T4 with medially widely interrupted apical transverse bands, that of T2 with pair of basomedially convergent anterolateral extensions (described from non-type specimens). S2–S3 with apical transverse bands of white tomentum (reduced to posterolateral patches in lectotype and some non-type specimens).

SURFACE SCULPTURE. Labrum, clypeus, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, axilla, and mesopleuron with punctures more or less equally dense and nearly contiguous (most i <1d). Vertexal area somewhat sparsely punctate (some i>2d) anteriorly and around ocelli, otherwise densely (most i <1d) rugose-punctate. Mesopleuron with punctures similar in size throughout. Discs of metasomal terga with punctures very fine, dense (i≈ 1d), and evenly distributed; interspaces shining somewhat.

STRUCTURE. Labrum with pair of small subapical denticles, each preceded by longitudinal carina. Pronotal collar short (medial length ~½ MOD). Mesoscutellum moderately bigibbous. Axilla extending little if at all beyond midlength of mesoscutellum; tip visible but somewhat blunt, mesally unattached to mesoscutellum for less than ⅓ medial length of axilla; lateral margin relatively straight.

Female

T5 with broadly convex apical margin and large patch of off-white tomentum on each side lateral to pseudopygidial area. Pseudopygidial area circular, with setae glossy, predominantly grayish brown, and sparser centrally; apical margin with row of dense, appressed and suberect coppery to silvery setae. Pygidial plate apically truncate. S4 with apical transverse band of white tomentum. S5 mostly straight in lateral view (slightly downturned apically), covered in mostly brown tomentum and with apical fimbria of brown bristle-like setae.

Male

T5–T6 with medially interrupted apical transverse bands of off-white to pale-yellow tomentum (described from non-type specimens). Pygidial plate apically rounded and slightly downturned, with basal transverse ridge ill-defined and lateral margin somewhat sinuate. S4–S5 each with apical/subapical fringe of dense, long (> 1 MOD), curved setae; brown and contrasting strongly with posterolateral patches of white tomentum of preceding sterna in lectotype; coppery to silvery and not contrasting strongly with bands of preceding sterna in some non-type specimens.

Distribution

Presently only known from western Peru and interandean valleys ( Fig. 1B ).

Ecology

Host records

Unknown.

Floral records

Labels of examined voucher specimens indicate that this species has been collected from Encelia canescens Lam. ( Asteraceae ) and Nolana L.f. ( Solanaceae ).

Remarks

The description of the female of T. atoconganus is published here for the first time.

Figures

Fig. 1. Occurrence records (yellow circles) of species of Triepeolus Robertson, 1901 represented in South America. A. T. alvarengai Moure, 1955. B. T. atoconganus Moure, 1955. C. T. buchwaldi (Friese, 1908). D. T. cecilyae Packer, 2016. E. T. flavipennis (Friese, 1916). F. T. nemoralis (Holmberg, 1886). G. T. osiriformis (Schrottky, 1910). H. T. rufotegularis (Ashmead, 1900). I. T. tuberculifer Onuferko, Rightmyer & Roig-Alsina sp. nov.

Fig. 4. Head and mesosoma of female, oblique view. A. Triepeolus atoconganus Moure, 1955 (NHMUK NHMUK013620580). B. T. cecilyae Packer, 2016 (PCYU). C. T. buchwaldi (Friese, 1908) (AMNH M.G.R. Database No. 3707). D. T. rufotegularis (Ashmead, 1900) (USNM M.G.R. Database No. 1332). Blue arrows indicate dense, long (≥½ MOD), erect/suberect, minutely branched setae.

Fig. 5. Triepeolus atoconganus Moure, 1955. A, D. Female (UNMSM MHN 1350/M.G.R. Database No. 1333). A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Female (NHMUK NHMUK013620580), habitus, dorsal view. C. Male (NHMUK NHMUK013620577), habitus, lateral view. D. Pseudopygidial area, dorsal view.