Scrapter spinipes, Kuhlmann, 2014

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2014, Revision of the euryglossiform species of the Afrotropical bee genus Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 95, pp. 1-69 : 58-61

Scrapter spinipes sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:33BE1BCA-688F-4E9B-AD5D-5E5AC395B6BF

Figs 30–31

Diagnosis

The female of S. spinipes sp. nov. can be separated from other species of this group by the combination of the following characters: supraclypeal area and clypeus densely and distinctly punctate, shiny, only partly superficially sculptured ( Fig. 30B ), scutum densely and coarsely punctate, basal area of propodeum medially about 1.5 times as long as metanotum ( Fig. 30 C–D), stigma brown, apical margins of metasomal terga black, terga densely and coarsely punctate ( Fig. 30E ). The male is characterized by an unmodified antenna, coarsely and densely punctate scutum and metasomal terga ( Fig. 31C ), hind tibia apically broadened inside, forming a long spine ( Fig. 31E ), and the form of S7 ( Fig. 31D ).

Etymology

Named for the conspicuous apicolateral spine of the male hind tibia.

Type material (63 specimens examined)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA: ♂, 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur , Fynbos, 770 m, 31°16'18" S, 19°02'55" E, 18 Aug. 2012, M. Kuhlmann ( SANC).

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♀, 4 ♂♂, same data as holotype (SANC 2 ♂♂, RCMK 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂); 8 ♂♂, idem, 3 Sep. 2012, MK (RCMK); 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Ouberg Pass, 27 km SE of Vanrhynsdorp, Fynbos, 380 m, 31°48'07" S, 18°55'00" E, 9 Aug. 2011, MK (RCMK); 13 ♂♂, idem, 8 Aug. 2012, MK (NHML 9 ♂♂, RCMK 4 ♂♂); 1 ♀, 1 ♂, idem, 13 Aug. 2012, MK (RCMK); 2 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂, idem, 23 Aug. 2012, MK (NHML 5 ♂♂, RCMK 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂), 6 ♀♀, 17 ♂♂, idem, 30 Aug. 2012, MK (SANC 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, NHML 2 ♀♀, 11 ♂♂, RCMK 2 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂).

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.8–5.1 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Integument black, except part of mandibles dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with long, greyish, erect hair ( Fig. 30B ). Clypeus slightly convex with coarse punctation, apically sparse (i = 2–3 d), basally dense (i = 0.5–1 d); surface between punctures apically smooth and shiny, basally superficially shagreened and slightly matt ( Fig. 30B ). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally blackish-brown, ventrally yellowish-brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures superficially reticulate but shiny; disc densely (i = 0.5–1.0 d) and coarsely punctate ( Fig. 30 C–D). Metanotum distinctly shorter than basal area of propodeum, apically with broad carinate depression ( Fig. 30D ). Propodeum basally distinctly and broadly carinate ( Fig. 30D ). Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, greyish, erect hair ( Fig. 30A ).

WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown.

LEGS. Integument black to dark reddish-brown; fore tibia basally partly with small yellowish spot. Vestiture greyish-white, scopa greyish-white, dorsally slightly brownish.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga partly narrowly translucent reddish-brown ( Fig. 30E ). Discs of T1 and T2 without hair; following terga with very few and short but increasingly more and longer hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga ( Fig. 30E ). Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae dark greyish-brown. T1 densely (i = 1 d) and relatively coarsely but irregularly punctate, between punctures superficially sculptured and shiny; T2–T4 superficially sculptured but shiny, with dense, relatively coarse punctation; T2–T4 with superficially sculptured but shiny, broad apical tergal depression ( Fig. 30D ).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.8–5.1 mm.

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black, except mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, greyish-white, erect hair. Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally dark brown, ventrally yellowish-brown, sometimes apical flagellar segments completely or largely dark brown ( Fig. 31A ).

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures superficially reticulate and slightly matt; disc densely (i = 0.5–1.0 d) and very coarsely punctate. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, greyish, erect hair ( Fig. 31A ).

WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown.

LEGS. Integument black, fore tibia in the basal half anteriorly yellow ( Fig. 31A ). Hind tibia inside apically broadened, with a long spine; hind basitarsus subapically broadened ( Fig. 31E ). Vestiture greyish-white.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga partly narrowly translucent reddish-brown ( Fig. 31C ). Discs of T1–T2 without hair; following terga with very few and short but increasingly more and longer hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga ( Fig. 31C ). T1 and following terga densely (i ˂ 0.5 d) and very coarsely punctate, between punctures polished and shiny; terga with narrow, superficially sculptured but shiny apical tergal depression ( Fig. 31C ). S3 and particularly S4–S5 with long, sparse apical hair fringes.

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 31B ), S7 ( Fig. 31D ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 31F ) as illustrated.

Distribution

The species has only been found on sandy soils in Fynbos of the wider Nieuwoudtville area.

Floral hosts

Brassicaceae : Heliophila sp., with a strong preference for blue-flowering species.

Seasonal activity

August–September.

Figures

Fig. 30. Scrapter spinipes sp. nov., ♀. A. Lateral view. B. Head (SEM). C. Thorax (dorsal view). D. Thorax (dorsal view, SEM). E. Metasoma (dorsal view). Scale bars: photos: 1 mm, SEM: 0.1 mm.

Fig. 31. Scrapter spinipes sp. nov., ♂. A. Lateral view. B. Genitalia (dorsal view, SEM). C. Metasoma (dorsal view). D. S7 (dorsal view, SEM). E. Hind tibia. F. S8, apical end (SEM). Scale bars: photos: 1 mm, SEM: 0.1 mm.