Andrena (Micrandrena) elam Wood, 2022

Wood, Thomas J. & Monfared, Alireza, 2022, A revision of the Andrena (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) fauna of Iran, with the description of 16 new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 843, pp. 1-136 : 19-21

Andrena (Micrandrena) elam Wood sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:339546A8-6F7C-4250-8E6B-49017F4EB6A8

Figs 41–44

Diagnosis

Andrena elam sp. nov. can be placed in the subgenus Micrandrena Ashmead, 1899 because of its small body size ( Fig. 41 ), black integument, and strongly rugose propodeal triangle. It has a domed clypeus with faint latitudinal striations ( Fig. 42 ) (common in many Turkish Micrandrena and typically reminicient of A. simontornyella Noskiewicz, 1939 ), and shiny and densely punctate scutum ( Fig. 43 ). This places it close to A. puffina Warncke, 1975 and A. stolida Warncke, 1975 . Andrena elam can immediately be separated from both these taxa by the sculpturing of the terga which have extremely strong, raised microreticulation covering the entirety of T1 and the discs of T2–4 with large, dense punctures intermixed throughout, punctures particularly large and coarse laterally ( Fig. 44 ). Andrena puffina has the terga finely and subtly punctate, and A. stolida has the terga with fine punctures that are not clearly visible against the underlying shagreen, not becoming noticeably coarser laterally. See also A. subviridula sp. nov. (see below).

Etymology

Named after the ancient kingdom of Elam (ca 3000–500 BC, noun in apposition) that was largely found in the region that is now called Ilam Province.

Material examined

Holotype IRAN • ♀; Ilam Province, Abda Man, Dinar Gaouh ; 1830 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2016; M. Kafka leg.; OÖLM.

Paratypes IRAN • 9 ♀♀; Ilam Province, Abda Man, Dinar Gaouh ; 1830 m a.s.l.; 12 May 2016; M. Kafka leg.; OÖLM • 16 ♀♀; Lorestan Province, Dorud Lanjaban env.; 670 m a.s.l.; 11 May 2016; M. Kafka leg.; OÖLM • 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; TJWC • 2 ♀♀; Fars Province [Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province], Yasuj [Yasouj], Sarb-e Taveh [Sarab-e Taveh]; 2030 m a.s.l.; 4 May 2016; M. Kafka leg.; OÖLM .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 6.5–7 mm ( Fig. 41 ).

HEAD. 1.2 times as wide as long. Clypeus dark, domed, punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–3 puncture diameters. Clypeus surface microreticulate, centrally and basally with weakly raised microreticulation giving impression of weak latitudinal striations, becoming obscure apically; underlying surface weakly shining ( Fig. 42 ). Process of labrum narrow, weakly tongue-shaped, slightly wider than long, apical margin weakly rounded. Face, gena, vertex, and scape with short whitish to brownish hairs. Gena slightly exceeding width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance slightly shorter than diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae narrow, dorsally occupying ¼ distance between compound eye and lateral ocellus, subequal to width of flagellum, of uniform width throughout; foveae filled with light brownish hairs. Antennae dark, A3=A4+5.

MESOSOMA. Scutum and scutellum polished, smooth and shiny over majority of area, with shagreen in anterior 1/5 and laterally as scutum descends to pronotum and pronotal lobes, otherwise without shagreen ( Fig. 43 ). Scutum and scutellum regularly and clearly punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters. Pronotum without humeral angle. Mesepisternum and lateral and dorsolateral faces of propodeum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining; mesespisternum anteriorly and dorsolateral faces of propodeum with fine network of raised rugosity. Propodeal triangle delineated laterally with fine carinae, internal surface with fine network of rugae, thus weakly differentiated from sculpture of dorsolateral faces of propodeum. Mesosoma with moderately long whitish hairs; propodeal corbiculae thin, composed of sparse whitish plumose hairs, internal surface with numerous simple white hairs. Legs uniformly dark, pubescence whitish to light brownish; tibial scopae whitish ventrally, light brownish dorsally; femoral scopae and flocculus white. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma dark brown, venation dark orange to dark brown, nervulus interstitial to weakly antefurcal; first recurrent vein enters second submarginal cell at its middle.

METASOMA. Terga dark, apical margins of T1–4 slightly depressed, depression weakest on T1, strongest on T4, all marginal areas unicolourous black. Tergal discs with extremely dense raised microreticulation, tergal discs also densely punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameter, punctures and microreticulation combining to form dense network of bead-like punctures separated by slightly raised margins; integument dull ( Fig. 44 ). Entirety of T1 covered with dense microreticulation, discs of T2–4 with microreticulation, becoming progressively weaker, disc of T4 without bead-like punctures, punctures distinct, without raised margins. Marginal areas of T2–4 impunctate, without microreticulation, shagreened and weakly shining. T2–4 medially almost hairless, laterally with weak whitish apical hair fringes, obscure. Tergal hairbands absent. Apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate dark brown; pygidial plate rounded triangular, flat.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Southern Iran (provinces of Ilam, Lorestan, Fars).

Figures

Figs 41–44. Andrena elam Wood sp. nov., ♀ (OÖLM). 41. Profile. 42. Face. 43. Dorsum. 44. Terga.