Pulchra

Mahlmann, Thiago & Oliveira, Favizia Freitas de, 2012, A new species of Centris (Centris) (Fabricius) from northeastern Brazil, with taxonomic notes on C. (C.) pulchra Moure, Oliveira & Viana (Hymenoptera, Apidae), ZooKeys 255, pp. 49-65 : 51

Pulchra

Diagnosis.

Herein we propose the pulchra species group as a distinct lineage within Centris s.str., comprising for the moment two species: Centris pulchra and Centris byrsonimae sp. n. This species group is characterized by the clypeus largely yellow with two longitudinal dark brown streaks located in the upper half; a narrow band of whitish and dense bristles bordering the posterior border of T2-T4, extended to the sides and narrowed in the middle, but not interrupted; by the maxillary palpus reduced to four palpomeres; the mandibles with five teeth, the most basal substantially smaller and located in the lower inner edge of the mandible; and the secondary basitibial plate yellow, but only slightly elevated (merely inflated), not projecting over the basal plate.

Comments. In the identification keys of Ayala (in Michener 2007) and Silveira et al. (2002), the species of the pulchra group do not fit well into Centris s.str. based on four characters: (1) the maxillary palpus is 5- or 6-segmented, (2) the mandible 3- or 4-toothed, (3) the basitibial plate with a defined secondary plate with sharp projecting margins, and (4) the clypeus with yellow or white markings in the form of an inverted T or Y. Although the pulchra group differs in these four characters and indicated in the key as diagnostic for the subgenus Centris , Centris pulchra and Centris byrsonimae sp. n. can be retained there based on the unique character of the subgenus: the long, slender, apical projection of the male gonocoxite, extending parallel to the gonostylus ( Michener 2007); this gonocoxal projection bearing giant branched setae. In regard to parasitism by Mesonychium asteria (Smith, 1854) ( Apinae : Ericrocidini ) in nests of Centris pulchra reported by M.C. Ramos (pers. comm. in Rocha-Filho et al. 2009), this was probably a mistake. According to Marina C. Ramos (pers. comm. 2012) the parasitism observed was of an unidentified species of Mesoplia Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau ( Apinae : Ericrocidini ) in nests of Centris byrsonimae sp. n. She observed adults of Mesoplia sp. emerging from brood cells of Centris byrsonimae sp. n. nesting in the ground.