Redivivoides karooensis, Kuhlmann, 2012

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2012, Revision of the South African endemic bee genus Redivivoides Michener, 1981 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Melittidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 34, pp. 1-34 : 11-15

Redivivoides karooensis sp. nov.

Figs 4 , 7 , 8

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:00C81E1F-78C5-406D-8132-0CC6ABD24EB9

Diagnosis

Females of R. karooensis sp. nov. can be separated from other Redivivoides species by a combination of the following characters: metasomal terga black to brown, T2 densely punctate with large punctures and surface between punctures smooth and shiny, white apical tergal hair bands present ( Fig. 7D ), prepygidial and pygidial fimbria dark brown to black ( Fig. 7D ). These characters also apply to males ( Fig. 8C ) but the genitalia and S6 – S8 ( Fig. 8 D-H) should be checked to avoid potential confusion with the unknown male of R. eardleyi .

Etymology

Named after the Karoo, the arid region in western and central South Africa where this species was found.

Type material (22 specimens)

Holotype

♀, 9 Sep. 1994, V.B. Whitehead / Phyllopodium heterophyllum / SAM-HYM-B009461“ ( SAMC). SOUTH AFRICA: W. Cape, Sauer, Suurfontein , 3218DC, 18°40’ E, 32°50’ S.

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♂, Farm Quaggaskop [31°19’ S, 18°39’ E], 29 Jul. 1992, M. Struck ( SAMC) ; 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂, Garies, Sarrisam Farm , 3017DA [30°40’ S, 17°40’ E], 11 Aug. 1994, V.B. Whitehead, Phyllopodium pumilum ( SAMC, RCMK) ; 1 ♀, Graafwater , 8 km West, 3218BA [32°10’ S, 18°40’ E], 24 Sep. 1998, V.B. Whitehead, ( SAMC) ; 3 ♀♀, W. Cape, Rietvlei [32°09’ S, 18°46’ E], 282 m, 22 Sep. 2011, L. Packer ( LPCT) ; 3 ♀♀, 19.6 km S of Citrusdal [32°43’ S, 19°02’ E], 6 Sep. 1991, K. Steiner, Phyllopodium heterophyllum ( SAMC) ; 1 ♀, Sauer, Farm Suurfontein [32°50’ S, 18°33’ E], 13 Sep. 2001, V.B. Whitehead, Phyllopodium ( SAMC) ; 4 ♀♀, Sauer, Suurfontein , 3218DC [32°50’ S, 18°40’ E], 25 Aug. 1994, V.B. Whitehead, Phyllopodium heterophyllum ( SAMC) ; 1 ♀, 1 ♂, Sauer, Suurfontein , 3218DC [32°50’ S, 18°40’ E], 1 Sep. 1994, V.B. Whitehead, Phyllopodium heterophyllum ( SAMC) ; 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂, Piketberg, Hartebeesrivier , 3218DC [32°50’ S, 18°40’ E], 23 Aug. 1991, V.B. Whitehead, Polycarena ( RCMK) .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 9.5-10.5 mm

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black except mandibles and labrum largely dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with long, yellowish-grey, erect hairs intermixed with black hairs especially along the inner eye margins and on vertex ( Fig. 7B ). Clypeus slightly convex, apically narrowly impunctate; medially densely covered with medium-sized punctures that become gradually smaller and denser towards the lateral and upper margins; surface between punctures shiny or superficially shagreened ( Fig. 7B ). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna black, ventrally orange to reddish-brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth and shiny; disc densely (i = 0.5–1.0 d) and finely punctate ( Fig. 7C ). Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long yellowish-brown erect hairs, black hairs intermixed on mesoscutum ( Fig. 7C ).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown.

LEGS. Integument black to dark reddish-brown. Vestiture of femora whitish-yellow, on tibiae and tarsi dark brown to black, scopae very sparse, dark brown to whitish-grey.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga narrowly translucent reddish-brown ( Fig. 7D ). T1 apically and T2 on disc sparsely covered with long erect yellowish-white hairs; T3 – T4 covered with short yellow to black hairs; apical tergal hair band missing on T1, on T2 – T4 broadly white ( Fig. 7A, D ). Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae black. T1 almost impunctate, polished and shiny, T2 – T4 shiny, with very fine, superficial and sparse punctation that becomes progressively denser on apical terga ( Fig. 7D ).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 8.5-10.5 mm.

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black except tip of mandible partly dark reddishbrown. Face densely covered with long, yellowish-brown, erect hairs intermixed with black hairs along the inner eye margins and on vertex. Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna black, ventrally yellowish to reddish-brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth and shiny or superficially shagreened; disc densely (i = 0.5-1.0 d) and finely punctate ( Fig. 8B ). Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long yellowish-brown erect hairs, on scutellum black hairs intermixed.

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown.

LEGS. Integument black, tibiae and tarsi partly dark red-brown to yellowish-brown. Vestiture yellowishbrown.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga narrowly translucent reddish-brown ( Fig. 8C ). T1 – T3 covered with long erect yellowish-white hairs; T4 – T6 covered with short black hairs; apical tergal hair band missing on T1, on T2 – T5 narrow and sparse, white ( Fig. 8A, C ). T1 almost impunctate, polished and shiny, T2 – T4 shiny, with very fine, superficial and sparse punctation that becomes progressively denser on apical terga ( Fig. 8C ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 8 G-H), S6 ( Fig. 8D ), S7 ( Fig. 8E ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 8F ) as illustrated.

Distribution

The species is known from a few places in southern Namaqualand and low lying areas west of the Cedarberg Mountains ( Fig. 4 ).

Floral hosts

Scrophulariaceae : Phyllopodium heterophyllum , Phyllopodium pumilum , Phyllopodium spec., Polycarena spec.

Seasonal activity

July – September.

Figures

Fig. 4. Distribution of Redivivoides capensis sp. nov. and R. karooensis sp. nov. in South Africa.

Fig. 7. Redivivoides karooensis sp. nov., ♀. A. Lateral view. B. Head. C. Scutum and scutellum. D. Metasoma (dorsal view). Scale bar: 1 mm.

Fig. 8. Redivivoides karooensis sp. nov., ♂. A. Lateral view. B. Scutum and scutellum. C. Metasoma (dorsal view). D. S6 (ventral view). E. S7 (dorsal view). F. S8, apical end (backscattered electron image). G. Genitalia (dorsal view). H. Genitalia (lateral view). Scale bar: 1 mm.