Scrapter flavostictus Cockerell, 1934

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 : 13-17

Scrapter flavostictus Cockerell, 1934

Figs 8–10

Scrapter flavostictus Cockerell, 1934: 453–454 , holotype ♀ (type locality: Natal National Park, South Africa) (NHML), examined.

Diagnosis

The female of S. flavostictus can be separated from that of all other species of this group by the following character combination: pronotal lobe whitish-yellow ( Fig. 8A ); facial fovea narrow ( Fig. 8B ); punctation on discs of T2–T3 shallow ( Fig. 8E ). The male is characterized by a yellow pronotal lobe ( Fig. 9A ); narrow facial fovea; T3 anterior of premarginal line with a row of hairs implied ( Fig. 9D ); punctation of scutum coarse and dense (i = 0.5 d) ( Fig. 9C ) and form of S8 ( Fig. 10D ).

Material examined (7 specimens)

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Natal , Van Reenen, Drakensberg; [28°21′ S], [29° 22 E]; Nov. 1926; RT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 7 Mar. 1927; RT leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; N Cape, 1 km S of Campbell ; 28°48′20″ S, 23°43′29″ E; 7 Mar. 2010; LP leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; N Cape, 1 km S of Campbell ; 28°48′12″ S, 23°43′18″ E; 1250 m a.s.l.; 7 Mar. 2010; CE leg.; SANC • 1 ♂; Natal, Cathedral Peak Area, above Mike’s Pass ; 28°59′ S, 29°14′ E; 1973 m a.s.l.; 28–29 Mar. 1985; CE leg.; SANC • 1 ♂; Natal; 6 Apr. 1948; unknown leg.; SANC .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 6–6.7 mm.

HEAD. Wider than long. Integument brownish, mandibles dark brownish to reddish. Face irregularly and sparsely covered with brownish hair, more densely around basis of antennae. Ocelli in line with posterior margin of compound eyes. Facial fovea narrow, at least 5 times as long as wide. Clypeus flat and coarsely punctate (i = 1–2 d), in the middle impunctate. Surface between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 8B ). Malar area medially narrow, slightly curved. Antennal flagella ventrally yellow, dorsally black. Supraclypeal area completely triangularly elevated.

MESOSOMA. Integument brownish-black to black, pronotal lobe yellowish-white. Scutum coarsely and irregularly punctate (i = 0.2–1 d), surface between punctures matt ( Fig. 8C ). Metanotum less than half as long as scutellum. Propodeum basally broadly, coarsely carinate, posterior half finely areolate ( Fig. 8D ). Scutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, brownish to greyish, erect hair.

WINGS. Yellowish-brown, stigma and wing venation brownish ( Fig. 8A ).

LEGS. Integument black, hind femur completely dark brown to black. Vestiture and scopa greyish-white ( Fig. 8A ).

METASOMA. Integument dark brownish, marginal zones yellowish-brown. Hair field anterolaterally on T2–T3; T4 nearly completely sparsely haired with short, greyish-yellow, erect hair. T3 anterior of premarginal line with row of hairs across the whole width of the tergum ( Fig. 8E ). Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae yellowish-grey. Disc of T1 finely puncticulate ( Fig. 8F ); discs of T2–T4 finely and shallowly punctate. Surface between punctures matt ( Fig. 8E ).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 6.1 mm.

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

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Scutum relatively regularly and densely (i = 0.5 d) punctate; surface between punctures smooth and shiny with very fine und shallow punctation ( Fig. 9C ). Propodeum basally broadly, coarsely carinate, posterior half areolate ( Fig. 9D ). Scutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, brownish to greyish, erect hair.

WINGS. Yellowish-brown, stigma and wing venation brownish ( Fig. 9A–B ).

LEGS. Integument brownish, hind femur completely dark brown to black. Vestiture greyish-white ( Fig. 9A–B ).

METASOMA. Integument brownish, marginal zone yellowish. Disc of T1 without hair ( Fig. 10A ); basally on T2–T4 row of short, yellowish-grey, erect hair ( Fig. 9D ). Disc of T1 puncticulate ( Fig. 10A ); discs of T2–T4 finely, shallowly, and sparsely (i = 2 d) punctate; surface between punctures matt ( Fig. 9D ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 10B ), S7 ( Fig. 10C ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 10D ) as illustrated.

Distribution

Widespread, particularly in eastern South Africa ( Eardley, 1996).

Floral hosts

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

November–March.

Figures

Fig. 8. Scrapter flavostictus Cockerell, 1934, ♀. 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. 9. Scrapter flavostictus Cockerell, 1934, ♂. A. Lateral view. B. Scutum and scutellum (dorsal view). C. Metanotum and propodeum (dorsal view). D. Metasoma (dorsal view).

Fig. 10. Scrapter flavostictus Cockerell, 1934, ♂. A. Terga 1–2 (dorsal view). B. Genitalia (dorsal view). C. Sternum 7. D. Sternum 8.