Andrena (Notandrena) idigna 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 : 34-37

Andrena (Notandrena) idigna Wood sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E4762290-100B-4C49-94F9-5DB4273D990B

Figs 79–84

Diagnosis

Placement is tricky because of taxonomic confusion surrounding taxa previously placed in the subgenus Carandrena Warncke, 1968 , which is now a strict synonym of Notandrena Pérez, 1890 , but Carandrena sensu Warncke is polyphyletic ( Pisanty et al. 2022b). Andrena idigna sp. nov. has the general appearance of a Carandrena because of its broad head ( Fig. 81 ), tergal hairbands ( Fig. 84 ), and lack of any obvious derived features, one of the reasons why this former subgenus has been used as a ‘waste basket’ for species that cannot be easily allocated elsewhere. Its integument lacks metallic reflections or red colouration on the terga, immediately separating it from almost all species in this group. It is therefore superficially similar to A. euzona Pérez, 1895 , which also has dark terga. However, A. euzona has an extremely shiny scutum and is found outside the Carandrena + Notandrena group, whereas A. idigna has the scutum entirely and uniformly shagreened and dull. Though A. idigna lacks a clear humeral angle on the pronotum (faint hint of this trait present but obscure), a character that is usually present in the Notandrena , provisional placement in this subgenus is the most appropriate because of the broad head, shagreened scutum, shagreened and essentially impunctate terga, and tergal hairbands. Its dark terga, shagreened scutum, and unusual propodeal triangle, which is delineated laterally by fine carinae but with a narrow, longitudinal, and slightly impressed channel surrounded by irregular latitudinal rugae along its length, allow separation from all related taxa. This subgeneric placement should be reassessed following discovery of male specimens and DNA sampling.

Etymology

From the Sumerian ‘ idigna ’ or ‘ idigina ’, meaning ‘running water’, in reference to its locus typicus on the Karun River, the largest river in Iran.

Material examined

Holotype IRAN • ♀; Mollasani, Ahwaz [Ahvaz]; 17 Feb. 1965; S. Tirgari leg.; OÖLM.

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 9 mm ( Fig. 79 ).

HEAD. 1.4 times as wide as long ( Fig. 80 ). Clypeus dark, weakly domed, densely punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–2 puncture diameters ( Fig. 81 ). Clypeus with fine and dense granular shagreen, dull to weakly shining centrally. Process of labrum trapezoidal, two times as wide as long, corners rounded. Face, gena, vertex, and scape with moderately long white hairs, not exceeding length of scape. Gena slightly exceeding width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance subequal to diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae dorsally broad, occupying ⅔ rd of space between compound eye and lateral ocellus, very slightly narrowed below at level of antennal insertions; filled with whitish hairs. Antennae dark basally, A5–12 lightened dark orange-red below; A3 exceeding A4+5, shorter than A4+5+6.

MESOSOMA. Scutum and scutellum densely and uniformly granularly shagreened, dull; surface with irregular and obscure punctures, punctures separated by 2–3 puncture diameters, not well-differentiated from underlying surface ( Fig. 82 ). Pronotum without clear humeral angle, slightly angulate above, obscure. Mesepisternum and lateral and dorsolateral faces of propodeum with fine granular shagreen, dull; dorsolateral faces of propodeum with sparse network of fine, slightly raised rugae. Propodeal triangle declineated laterally with fine carinae, internal surface with narrow, longitudinal, and slightly impressed channel surrounded by irregular latitudinal rugae along its length. Remaining surface of propodeal triangle with fine granular shagreen, finer than on dorsolateral faces of propodeum; propodeal triangle thus defined by change in surface sculpture. Mesosoma with moderately long whitish to greyish hairs, not exceeding length of scape; propodeal corbiculae with weakly plumose hairs dorsally, inner surface with weakly plumose hairs. Legs dark, apical tarsal segments lightened dark orange; pubescence whitish. Scopae and flocculus white. Hind tarsal claws with strong inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation orange, nervulus weakly antefurcal; first recurrent vein enters second submarginal cell at its middle.

METASOMA. Terga dark, apical margins of T2–4 slightly depressed, marginal areas of T1–4 lightened dark red to yellow-hyaline apically ( Fig. 83 ). Terga with uniform granular shagreen, weakly shining, essentially impunctate with only scattered and obscure hair-bearing punctures ( Fig. 84 ). Tergal discs with sparse whitish hairs, longest on T1, becoming progressively shorter apically. T1–4 with white apical hair fringes, weak and interrupted on T1, complete and dense on T2–4, obscuring underlying surface. Fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden; pygidial plate broadly rounded, centrally densely punctate, with narrow impunctate rim.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

South-western Iran (Khuzestan Province).

Figures

Figs 79–84. Andrena idigna Wood sp. nov., ♀ (OÖLM). 79. Profile. 80. Face. 81. Face, detail. 82. Dorsum. 83. Terga. 84. Terga, detail.