Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) roseauense sp. nov.

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Fig. 8 A–C

Diagnosis

The female of L. roseauense sp. nov. can easily be recognized by the absence of vein 1rs-m, resulting in two submarginal cells (Fig. 8B), rather than the three submarginal cells typical of other halictid bees on the island. In addition, the wide face (length/width ratio = 0.87; Fig. 8A), granular microsculpture and metapostnotum lacking rugae (Fig. 8C) further differentiate this species from congenerics on the island. Lasioglossum punctifrons is easily differentiated by its longer head (length/width ratio = 1.02; Fig. 7A). Lasioglossum roseauense sp. nov. is superficially similar to Habralictus gonzalezi Gibbs, 2012 and H. antillarus sp. nov., but L. roseauense sp. nov. has a weakened vein 2rs-m, typical of Lasioglossum, and more distinct punctation on the mesoscutum.

Etymology

This species is named for the type locality: Roseau, capital city of Dominica.

Type material

Holotype

DOMINICA: ♀, St. George Parish, Roseau, 8 Mar. 1965, coll. H.E. Evans (NMNH).

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS (n = 1). Length 5.1 mm; head length 1.3 mm; head width 1.5 mm; intertegular distance 1.1 mm.

COLOURATION. Head and mesosoma dull metallic bluish to golden green, except as follows. Labrum brown. Mandible brown with red apex. Clypeus distal half dark brown. Antenna dark brown, F7–F10 with ventral surface dark brownish yellow. Tegula brownish yellow. Wing membrane hyaline with dark setae, venation and pterostigma brown. Legs dark brown, except protibia and protarsi brownish yellow, medio- and distitarsi and portions of metabasitarsus reddish brown. Metasomal terga blackish brown, reddish brown apically.

PUBESCENCE. Dull white. Relatively sparse erect setae throughout, without tomentum, except sparsely on gena near eye and pronotum dorsolateral angles and lobe. Metasomal T1 with erect setae laterally on anterior surface. T2–T4 without apical fimbriae. Scopa well developed on hind leg and metasomal sterna.

SURFACE SCULPTURE. Face granular, punctation fine, indistinct. Clypeus punctation sparse (i = 1–2.5 pd), surface smooth distally. Supraclypeal area with punctures sparse, present medially (i = 1–2 pd), and lower paraocular area punctation dense (i ± pd). Upper paraocular area and frons indistinctly punctuate (i = 1–2.5 pd). Ocellocular area punctate (i ± pd). Gena and postgena imbricate-lineolate. Mesoscutum tessellate, punctation fine, relatively dense laterad of parapsidal lines (i = 1.5 pd), becoming sparser medially (i = 1.5–4 pd); mesoscutellum tessellate, sparsely punctate (i = 2–5 pd). Metanotum granular. Preëpisternum tessellate. Hypoepimeral imbricate. Mesepisternum below scrobe, tessellate-granular, indistinctly punctate ventrally (i = 2–5 pd). Metepisternum dorsal ¼ carinulate, ventral portion imbricate. Metapostnotum tessellate-granular, transversely lineolate medially. Propodeum posterior and lateral surfaces polished tessellate. Metasomal terga polished, finely coriarious on apical impressed areas; punctation fine, obscure on basal portions (i = 1–2 pd), indistinct, sparser on apical impressed areas, T1–T2 apical impressed areas with irregular indistinct punctures. Metasomal sterna coriarious, sparsely punctate on posterior half (i = 2–4 pd).

STRUCTURE. Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.87). Eyes weakly convergent below. Clypeus ½ below suborbital tangent. Gena narrower than eye. Hypostomal carinae subparallel. Pronotal dorsolateral angle obtuse. Pronotal ridge rounded, interrupted by sulcus. Tegula ovoid. Submarginal cells three (1rsm present). Distal hamuli arranged 2-1-2. Inner metatibial spur pectinate, with 5 branches, proximal branch much longer than width of rachis. Metapostnotum narrowly rounded onto posterior propodeal surface. Propodeum with lateral carina reaching ½ distance to dorsal margin; oblique carina absent. T2–T4 impressed areas medially about ½ longitudinal length of basal area.

Male

Unknown.

Remarks

Lasioglossum roseauense sp. nov. belongs to the L. rufopantex (Engel, 2001) species group of L. ( Habralictellus), which is recognizable by the short face and absence of vein 1rs-m (Fig. 8 A–B). Lasioglossum eleutherense (Engel, 2001) is the only other described member of this complex. Both are known from the Greater Antilles, reaching in the case of L. rufopantex as far as the Virgin Islands. Lasioglossum rufopantex is easily distinguished from L. roseauense sp. nov. by the mesoscutum being polished, iridescent green.

Tribe Sphecodini Schenck, 1868 [1869]

Genus Sphecodes Latreille, 1804

Sphecodes Latreille, 1804: 182 (type species: Nomada gibba Fabricius, 1804 = Sphex gibba Linnaeus, 1758, by monotypy).

Dichroa Illiger, 1806: 46 (type species: Sphex gibba Linnaeus, 1758, by subsequent designation of Sandhouse, 1943: 545).

Sabulicola Verhoeff, 1890: 328 (type species: Sabulicola cirsii Verhoeff, 1890 = Nomada albilabris Fabricius, 1793, by monotypy).

Thrausmus Buysson, 1900: 177 (type species: Thrausmus grandidieri Buysson, 1900, by monotypy).

Drepanium Robertson, 1903: 103 (type species: Sphecodes falcifer Patton, 1880 = Sphecodes confertus Say, 1837, by original designation).

Proteraner Robertson, 1903: 103 (type species: Sphecodes ranunculi Robertson, 1897, by monotypy).

Dialonia Robertson, 1903: 104 (type species: Sphecodes antennariae Robertson, 1891, by original designation).

Machaeris Robertson, 1903: 104 (type species: Sphecodes stygius Robertson, 1893, by original designation).

Sphecodium Robertson, 1903: 104 (= Stelidium Robertson, 1903 lapsus calami, not Stelidium Robertson, 1902c) (type species: Sphecodium cressonii Robertson, 1903, by original designation).

Sphecodes (Callosphecodes) Friese, 1909: 182 (type species: Callosphecodes ralunensis Friese, 1909, by monotypy).

Sphegodes Mavromoustakis, 1948: 553, unjustified emendation.

Sphecodes (Austrosphecodes) Michener, 1978: 327 (type species: Sphecodes chilensis Spinola, 1851, by original designation).