Chelostoma (Chelostoma) comosum, Müller, Andreas, 2012

Müller, Andreas, 2012, New European bee species of the tribe Osmiini (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae), Zootaxa 3355, pp. 29-50 : 30-32

Chelostoma (Chelostoma) comosum spec. nov.

Holotype: South Cyprus: Troodos, Kato Platres S of Foini, 900m, 1.5.2011, ɗ (leg. C. Sedivy & A. Müller), [ ETHZ].

Paratypes: North Cyprus: Kantara, 650m, 9.4.1971, 2 ɗ (leg. K. Guichard); Palaeokastritsa, 17.3.1981, 1 Ψ (leg. H. Teunissen); 5km E of Diakarpaz, 1 Ψ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger). South Cyprus: Nicosia, 170m, 7.3.1971, 2 Ψ (leg. K. Guichard); Vasilias, 8.3.1971, 3 ɗ (leg. K. Guichard); Evrykhou, 1.4.1978, 1 Ψ (leg. H. Teunissen); Limassol District, 2km S of Ora, 450m, 3.4.2009, 1 Ψ (leg. H. Schwenninger); Troodos, Kato Platres S of Foini, 900m, 1.5.2011, 3 ɗ (leg. C. Sedivy & A. Müller). Turkey, Diyarbakir: Silvan, 600m, 17.6.1995, 1 ɗ (leg. E. Yildirim). Hatay: Antakya, 28.3.1999, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Halada). Mersin: Tarsus/Camliyayla, 1400m, 25.5.1992, 1 Ψ, 2 ɗ (leg. E. Yildirim). Mugla: Knidos, 18.4.1981, 1 Ψ (leg. K. Warncke). Sanliurfa: Halfeti env., 3.– 5.5.1994, 2 Ψ, 1 ɗ (leg. K. Denes). Syria: An Nasrah env., 8.– 13.4.2005, 2 ɗ (leg. S. Jakl). Lebanon: Beirut, 14.3.1909, 1 Ψ (leg. A. Weis). Israel: Tiberias, 22.3.1975, - 200m, 1 ɗ (leg. K. Guichard); Bitan Aharon, 9.3.2009, 1 ɗ (leg. A. Dorchin); Tel Yitshak, 21.3.2009, 3 ɗ (leg. A. Dorchin); Yaqum, 17m, 5.3.2010, 1 Ψ (leg. A. Dorchin); 0.76km N of Yaqum, 12m, 6.3.2010, 3 ɗ (leg. A. Dorchin).

Diagnosis. C. comosum belongs to the florisomne group of the subgenus Chelostoma ( Sedivy et al., 2008, as C. species 2; Müller, 2012). Mavromoustakis (1951), in his treatment of the bees of Cyprus, did not recognize C. comosum as a still undescribed species, but erroneously attributed it to C. lucens (BENOIST), which does not occur on Cyprus ( Müller, 2012). The female of C. comosum can reliably be separated from the other species of this subgenus by the following combination of characters: mandible rather long and slender, two-toothed at the apex; labrum flat along its whole length and apically with a small triangular incision; propodeum polished except for a narrow transversal area along the posterior margin of the basal zone, which is shagreened; basal zone of the propodeum shorter than metanotum, distinctly impressed and with coarse and more or less longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 1 ). The male is distinctive due to the very large and polished median elevation on sternum 2, which is roughly rectangular in shape and has a long, dense and whitish pilosity along its sides ( Fig. 2 ).

Description. Female: Body length 7–9mm. Head: Mandible rather long and slender with two apical teeth. Labrum flat except for the slightly elevated apical part, long and extending beyond the closed mandibles, polished and with scattered punctures along the sides and on the apical part; its apical margin with a small triangular incision and here about half as broad as at the base. Second segment of the labial palpus about 3x as long as the first segment. Clypeus slightly convex and densely punctate with interspaces reaching the diameter of less than one half to one puncture, along a narrow median zone less densely punctate with interspaces reaching the diameter of up to two punctures. Apical margin of the clypeus with five to seven small teeth and a larger triangular tooth on each side. Thorax: Punctation of scutum and scutellum dense with interspaces rarely exceeding the diameter of one puncture. Propodeum polished except for a narrow transversal area along the posterior margin of the basal zone, which is shagreened. Basal zone of the propodeum shorter than the metanotum, distinctly impressed and with coarse and more or less longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 1 ). Metasoma: Apical margin of terga 1–4 with white hair bands. Terga densely punctate with interspaces only rarely exceeding the diameter of one puncture.

Male: Body length 7–10mm. Head: Apical half of the mandible bent at an angle of about 120o from the basal half. Second segment of the labial palpus about 3x as long as the first segment. Third antennal segment nearly 2x as long as broad, the following segments shorter. Thorax: Punctation of scutum and scutellum denser than in the female with interspaces only rarely exceeding the diameter of half a puncture. Propodeum as in the female. Metasoma: Terga densely beset with long whitish hairs, which form very indistinct and loose hair bands along their apical margins. Terga 1–4 densely punctate with interspaces only rarely exceeding the diameter of one puncture, punctation of terga 5–6 less dense with interspaces reaching the diameter of up to two to three punctures. Tergum 7 with a basal pit and two short lateral teeth, which are slightly shorter than broad and separated from each other by a roundish incision. Sternum 2 with a very large, concave and conspicuously polished median elevation, which is roughly rectangular in shape and has a long, dense and whitish pilosity along its sides ( Fig. 2 ). Base of sternum 3 as well as sternum 4 densely covered with plumose whitish hairs. Apical margin of sternum 4 with a dense and narrowly interrupted fringe of hairs, which are apically bent at right angles. Apical margin of sternum 5 fringed with a comb of unmodified, long and yellowish hairs.

Distribution. Cyprus, western to eastern Turkey and southwards to Israel.

Host plants. Probably oligolectic on Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) ( Sedivy et al., 2008, as C. species 2).

Etymology. comosus = strongly haired, referring to the conspicuous pilosity along the sides of the median elevation on sternum 2.

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 8. 1: Chelostoma comosum spec. nov., metanotum and propodeum of Ψ. 2: Chelostoma comosum spec. nov., median elevation on sternum 2 of ɗ. 3: Chelostoma siciliae spec. nov., clypeus of Ψ. 4: Chelostoma siciliae spec. nov., metanotum and propodeum of Ψ. 5: Chelostoma incognitum spec. nov., apical part of labrum of Ψ. 6: Chelostoma incognitum spec. nov., terga 6 – 7 of ɗ. 7: Chelostoma longifacies spec. nov., head of Ψ. 8: Chelostoma longifacies spec. nov., apical hair comb on sternum 5 of ɗ.