Scrapter obtusus, Mack & Kuhlmann, 2023

Mack, Anne & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2023, Revision of the nitidus species group of the bee genus Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 912, pp. 1-119 : 56-60

Scrapter obtusus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1F040BA1-95B3-40B6-AD2C-10FC560C809D

Figs 39–41

Diagnosis

The female of S. obtusus sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of this group by the following character combination: surface of scutum with coarse and fine punctation mixed ( Fig. 39C ), discs of T1–T3 almost impunctate ( Fig. 39E ); facial fovea about 8 times as long as wide ( Fig. 39B ). The male is characterized by punctation on discs of T2–T4 fine and basally dense (i = 0.5 d), apically sparse (i = 2–3 d) ( Fig. 40D ), dense punctation on disc of T2 covers at most half of the tergum ( Fig. 41A ); less punctation medially of T2 ( Fig. 41A ).

Etymology

The name ‘ obtusus ’ (Latin for ‘matt’) refers to the matt surface of meso- and metasoma in both males and females.

Type material (12 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; Lion's Head, Cape Town; 33°58′ S, 18°23′ E; 5 m a.s.l.; 11–13 Jul. 1920; RT leg.; NHML.

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; Aug. 1920; RT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; Aug. 1920; RT leg.; NHML • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 21–31 Jul. 1920; RT leg.; NHML • 5 ♀♀; Mossel Bay; 34°10′ S, 22°07′ E; 60 m a.s.l.; Sep. 1933; RT leg.; NHML • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; RCMK .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 8.4–8.5 mm.

HEAD. Wider than long. Integument black, mandibles dark brownish to reddish. Face irregularly and sparsely covered with brownish hair, more densely around basis of antennae. Ocelli slightly in front of posterior margin of complex eyes. Clypeus medially with superficial longitudinal depression; punctation fine and sparse (i = 1–2.5 d); surface between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 39B ). Malar area medially narrow, slightly curved. Antennal flagella ventrally yellow, dorsally black. Supraclypeal area elevated and sharply delimited.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, pronotal lobe dark brownish-black. Scutum, scutellum, metanotum and propodeum covered with fine punctation, surface shimmering. Scutum coarsely and regularly (i ~ 1 d) punctate ( Fig. 39C ). Metanotum about half as long as scutellum ( Fig. 39C ). Propodeum basally broadly carinate ( Fig. 39D ). Scutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, brownish to greyish, erect hair.

WINGS. Yellowish-brown, stigma and wing venation brownish ( Fig. 39A ).

LEGS. Integument brownish, fore tibia with yellow spot. Vestiture greyish-white, scopa greyish to brownish, partly black ( Fig. 39A ).

METASOMA. Integument brownish, marginal zones yellowish-brown shimmering. Anterior on T2–T4 laterally hair fields of sparse, greyish-white, erect hair; on posterior margin of T3 at least laterally one single hair row; T4 completely haired, anteriorly denser than posteriorly; prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae greyish ( Fig. 39 E–F ). T1–T3 almost impunctate; surface matt ( Fig. 39E–F ).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 8.1–8.3 mm.

HEAD. Wider than long. Integument black, mandibles dark brownish to reddish. Face densely covered with long, white, erect hair. Ocelli at level of posterior margin of complex eyes. Malar area medially narrow, slightly curved. Antennal flagella ventrally yellow, dorsally black.

MESOSOMA. Integument brownish-black. Scutum, scutellum, metanotum and propodeum covered with fine punctation, surface shimmering. Scutum coarsely and regularly (i ~ 1 d) punctate. Scutum densely (i<1 d) punctate ( Fig. 40B ). Propodeum basally coarsely carinate, apically areolate ( Fig. 40C ). Scutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, brownish to greyish, erect hair.

WINGS. Yellowish-brown, stigma and wing venation brownish ( Fig. 40A ).

LEGS. Integument brownish, fore and mid tibia with yellow spot. Vestiture greyish-white ( Fig. 40A ).

METASOMA. Integument brownish, marginal zone yellowish-brown shimmering. Disc of T1 without hair ( Fig. 41A ), T2–T4 basally greyish, dense, short, erect hair band, covering a fourth of tergite. Posterior margins of T3–T4 at least laterally with single hair row of short, erect, greyish hair ( Fig. 40D ). Terga basally denser (i <1 d) and finer punctate than posteriorly (i = 1.5–2 d); medially denser than laterally; posterior margins of T1–T4 with single point row; surface between punctation matt ( Fig. 40D ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 41B ), S7 ( Fig. 41C ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 41D ) as illustrated.

Distribution

Only known from a few sites at the south coast of South Africa from around Cape Town to Mossel Bay.

Floral hosts

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

July–September.

Figures

Fig. 39. Scrapter obtusus sp. nov., paratype, ♀. A. Lateral view. B. Head (dorsal view). C. Scutum and scutellum (dorsal view). D. Metanotum and propodeum (dorsal view). E. Metasoma (dorsal view). F. Terga 1–2 (dorsal view).

Fig. 40. Scrapter obtusus sp. nov., paratype, ♂. A. Lateral view. B. Scutum and scutellum (dorsal view). C. Metanotum and propodeum (dorsal view). D. Metasoma (dorsal view).

Fig. 41. Scrapter obtusus sp. nov., paratype, ♂. A. Terga 1–2 (dorsal view). B. Genitalia (dorsal view). C. Sternum 7. D. Sternum 8.