Oxytrigona tataira (Smith, 1863)

Lepeco, Anderson, 2024, Contribution to the taxonomy of Oxytrigona Cockerell, 1917 (Apidae, Meliponini), Zootaxa 5506 (3), pp. 369-395 : 388-389

Oxytrigona tataira (Smith, 1863)

( Figure 7 )

Trigona tataira Smith, 1863: 499 , lectotype female worker (NHM, examined through photographs) from Brazil; paralectotype whereabouts unknown. Subsequent designation by Schwarz (1948).

Comments. Oxytrigona tataira (Smith, 1863) was described based on specimens collected during the national expedition through northeastern Brazil in 1862 ( Carvalho et al. 2023). The type locality is probably within the arid region of Ceará or western Pernambuco. However, the name has been applied to most specimens with dark pilosity collected southwards of the Amazon basin in Brazil, characterizing a species complex. I examined the lectotype worker and concluded that the species differs remarkably from O. cagafogo (see diagnosis below). Under the present circumscription, the species occur only within a limited area in northeastern Brazil.

Diagnosis. Mesosoma black, except for mesoscutum with the medial surface brown and mesepisternum with brownish to yellow spots ( Figure 7A ); long setae on the mesoscutum dark brown; short setae of mesoscutum yellowish, densely branched setae present near posterior level of tegula, becoming simple posteriorly ( Figure 7B ); vertex with dark brown setae ( Figure 7C ); hind tibia, and basitarsus with black setae; hind basitarsus relatively broad, with a strongly curved dorsal margin, with the posterior distal corner somewhat rounded towards a curved distal margin; tiny setae on T3 margin <0.3 MOD; the lateral surface of S4 and S5 with dense short yellowish setae near posterior margin. Overall, the species resembles O. banana sp. nov. However, workers of O. tataira have a distinctly denser coverage of branched setae on the mesoscutum and mesepisternum ( Figures 7A–D ) and lighter colors on the head and mesosoma.

Variation. The species, as presently circumscribed, is rather homogeneous, with female workers differing mostly in the tone of color of the mesoscutum but usually with the medial portion lighter than in O. banana sp. nov. and O. cagafogo .

Distribution. Northeastern Brazil, mainly in the Caatinga biome (see Table 1 ).

Additional examined material. BRAZIL. Amazonas. DZUP: 52 ♀ and 3 ♂ “MANAUS-AM\Brasil-III-59\ C. Elias leg.”; Ceará. DZUP: 24 ♀ “MARTINS 745\R. G. NORTE BRASIL\ I. XI.1954 \ A.G.A.SILVA ”; 2 ♀ “Pacoti - CE\ 15-XI-1954 \ A.G.A.Silva ”; 4 ♀ “ Ubajara - CE\ N. M. Oliveira ”; 23 ♀ “ Viçosa do Ceará \ 3-6-92 \ N.M. Oliveira ”; RPSP : 3 ♀ “ Acopiara-CE \SB-24, 39-6c\BRASIL-1970\ Witon, leg.”; 16 ♀ “ BATURITÉ-CE \SB-24,39- 4d\ BRASIL-1970 F.R. Gurgel leg.”; ♀ “ Brasil, CE, Ubajara (620m)\ 3°50’55”S, 40°54’52”W 10.v.2014 \Almeida, Lucena, Tavares”; ♀ “ Brasil, CE, Ubajara (880m)\ 3°50’53”S, 40°54’56”W 08.v.2014 \Almeida, Lucena, Tavares”; 8 ♀ “Pacatuba-CE\Brasil-1970\ Glória leg.”; ♀ “ Ubajara, CE.\ Brasil. 16.XII-82 \ MaZucato, Ailly ”; SEMC : ♀ “ Pacatuba-CE \SA-24.39-46\ BRASIL-1970 \ Glória leg.”; Maranhão. DZUP: 2 ♀ “ BARRA DO CORDA \ Maranhao BRASIL \ 12-VI-1956 \ J. M. Uchoa ”; ♀ “CAROLINA-Maranhão\ July 30 1949 \ Th.Dobzhansky leg.”; 9 ♀ “ IMPERATRIZ, Mar.\ 5-VIII-49 \ Dobzhansky leg.”; RPSP : ♀ “ BR, MA, Mirador \ 11/I/2013 \ Araújo & Brito leg.”; ♀ “ BR, MA, Urbano Santos\Comunidade\Todos os Santos\ 12.X.2001 F. Zanella ”; 2 ♀ “Fort. dos Nogueiras\ MA-Brasil- 28-VII-82 \ J.M.F.Camargo leg”; 26 ♀ “IMPERATRIZ-MA-BRASIL\SB-23;47-6a\ 22-VII-1972, Laroca leg.”; 2 ♀ “ Vitorino Freire \ MA Brasil \ 08-II-1981 \ ER.C.Brasa leg.”; Rio Grande do Norte. DZUP : 24 ♀ “Martins-CE-BRAZIL”; RPSP: 2 ♀ “MARTINS, 745\ R.G. Norte BRASIL \I. XI.1954 \ A. G. A. SILVA ” .

Figures

FIGURE 7. Worker of Oxytrigona tataira (Smith, 1863), from Viçosa (Ceará, Brazil, RPSP). A) dorsal view of mesosoma; B) detail of mesoscutum; C) lateral view of mesosoma; D) detail of mesepisternum. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.