Andrena (Micrandrena) tinctoria, Wood, 2023

Wood, Thomas James, 2023, Revisions to the Andrena fauna of north-western Africa with a focus on Morocco (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 916 (1), pp. 1-85 : 54-57

Andrena (Micrandrena) tinctoria sp. nov.

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Fig. 31

Diagnosis

Andrena tinctoria sp. nov. can quickly be recognised as a member of Micrandrena due to its small body size ( Fig. 31A ), dark integument, and entirely rugose propodeal triangle ( Fig. 31D ). At the base of T2–4 it lacks a gradulus ( Fig. 31E ), which when combined with its slightly but distinctly depressed marginal areas of T3–4 ( Fig. 31F ), microreticulate tergal discs with scattered punctures, and clypeus with a longitudinal impunctate mid-line, underlying surface shagreened with apical margin weakly shining, these characters place it close to A. pauxilla . The two species are extremely close morphologically, though not genetically ( Fig. 3 ). The best character allowing separation is the density of punctures on the scutum; in A. tinctoria , the scutal punctures are separated by 1–2 puncture diameters, whereas in A. pauxilla they are separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameter. The ocelloccipital distance is also different, at most 0.5 times the diameter of a lateral ocellus in A. tinctoria ( Fig. 31C ), but equal to the diameter of a lateral ocellus in A. pauxilla .

Etymology

Named after the plant woad ( Isatis tinctoria , Brassicaceae ) from which it can be collected in large numbers. The word ‘ tinctoria ’ itself means ‘used as a dye’. It is a noun in apposition.

Material examined

Holotype

MOROCCO • ♀; Drâa-Tafilalet , Ouarzazate, 1 km N of Sour; 31.1321° N, 7.5946° W; 13 Apr. 2022; T.J. Wood leg.; BOLD: WPATW745-22 ; OÖLM.

Paratypes

MOROCCO • 10 ♀♀; Drâa-Tafilalet, Ouarzazate , 2 km W of Agouim; 1800 m a.s.l.; 13 Apr. 2022; T.J. Wood leg.; OÖLM • 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; TJWC • 1 ♀; Drâa-Tafilalet, Tazenakht , Tachaokcht; 1900 m a.s.l.; 16 Apr. 2022; T.J. Wood leg.; OÖLM • 7 ♀♀; High Atlas, 1–5 km S of Tizi-n-Test ( Marrakech-Taroudant Rd); 1 Apr. 1983; G.R. Else leg.; NHMUK • 9 ♀♀; High Atlas, 3 km S of Idni ( Marrakech-Taroudant Rd); 10 Apr. 1983; G.R. Else leg.; NHMUK • 1 ♀; High Atlas, Tizi-n-Test Rd; 1000–2000 m a.s.l.; 20 May 1975; G.R. and A.C. Else leg.; NHMUK • 1 ♀; W of Taroudant , Oued Souss; 31 Mar. 1983; G.R. Else leg.; NHMUK • 1 ♀; Fès-Meknès, Boulemane , R 503, 7 km SE of Boulemane; 1900 m a.s.l.; 22 May 2022; T.J. Wood leg.; TJWC • 1 ♀; Drâa-Tafilalet, Tazenakht , P 1507, 5 km NE of Tazenakht; 17 Apr. 2022; T.J. Wood leg.; TJWC • 14 ♀♀; 60 km N of Ksar-es-Souk [ Errachidia ]; 10 Apr. 1979; K. Warncke leg.; OÖLM .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 6–6.5 mm ( Fig. 31A ).

HEAD. Dark, 1.2 times as wide as long ( Fig. 31B ). Clypeus weakly domed, densely and deeply punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameter with exception of longitudinal impunctate midline; underlying surface basally and medially shagreened and dull, sculpture weaker apically, becoming smooth and shining between punctures. Process of labrum trapezoidal, slightly broader than long, apical margin truncate. Gena equalling width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance ½ of diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae dorsally occupying slightly less than ½ of space between lateral ocellus and compound eye, very slightly narrowing ventrally at level of antennal insertions; foveae filled with light brown hairs. Face, gena, vertex, and scape with long whitish to light brownish hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae dark, A3 slightly shorter than A4+5.

MESOSOMA. Scutum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining, regularly punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters ( Fig. 31C ). Scutellum smooth and shining, punctures separated by 0.5–2 puncture diameters. Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining. Dorsolateral parts of propodeum microreticulate, microreticulation overlain by additional network of raised reticulation. Propodeal triangle laterally delineated by very fine carinae, internal surface covered with fine network of raised rugosity ( Fig. 31F ). Mesepisternum with long whitish hairs, longest nearly equalling length of scape, scutum and scutellum with shorter, light brownish hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsal fringe composed of whitish plumose hairs, internal surface with scattered long, white simple hairs. Legs dark, pubescence light brownish. Flocculus incomplete, composed of plumose hairs; flocculus, femoral scopae, and tibial scopae composed of white simple hairs. Hind tarsal claws with small inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma orange-brown, venation brown, nervulus interstitial.

METASOMA. Terga dark, apical rims of marginal zones at most very narrowly lightened dark brown ( Fig. 31F ). Disc of T1 with strong granular microreticulation, weakly shining, sculpture becoming progressively weaker on subsequent terga, T4 with fine shagreen, more strongly shining. Tergal discs obscurely punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters, disappearing into underlying sculpture. T2–4 laterally at their bases without graduli ( Fig. 31E ). Margins of T2 weakly, T3–4 clearly depressed. T2–4 with clear white hairbands on apical rim of marginal areas, broadly interrupted on T2–3, nearly complete on T4; margins of T2–4 additionally with loose fringe of hairs emerging from junction of marginal area and disc, hairs extending to reach apices of apical hair fringes. Apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate predominantly dark brown, T5 laterally with long white hairs overlying dark brown hairs. Pygidial plate rounded triangular, surface flat, featureless.

Male

Unknown.

Remarks

This species appears to be broadly oligolectic on Brassicaceae ( Table 1 ). It can be collected abundantly from Isatis tinctoria and other spring-flowering Brassicaceae . This specialisation is not surprising given that its closest genetic relative, A. tenuistriata ( Fig. 3 ), is also oligolectic on Brassicaceae ( Wood 2023) .

Distribution

Morocco, predominantly the southern edge of the High Atlas, extending south to the northern side of the Anti-Atlas at Taroudant and Tachaokcht and north to the high steppe around Boulemane in the Middle Atlas.

Figures

Fig. 31. Andrena (Micrandrena) tinctoria sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (OÖLM). A. Lateral habitus. B. Face, frontal view. C. Scutum, dorsal view. D. Propodeum, dorsal view. E. Terga, dorsolateral view. F. Terga, dorsal view.

Fig. 3. Phylogenetic tree (maximum likelihood) of Andrena subgenus Micrandrena Ashmead, 1899 based on the mitochondrial COI gene. Numbers adjacent to branches represent bootstrap support (values of <75 are omitted).