Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) ramakrishnae (Cockerell, 1919)

Belavadi, Vasuki V., 2017, The Resin and Carder bees of south India (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae: Anthidiini), Zootaxa 4317 (3), pp. 436-468 : 440

Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) ramakrishnae (Cockerell, 1919)

( Fig. 3 )

Dianthidium ramakrishnae Cockerell, 1919: 194 .

Description. Female. Body length 5.70± 0.51 mm; Head: Black; white mark at base of mandible, clypeus, spot at base of antenna, posterior to vertex, narrow stripe on paraocular area almost reaching middle of eye, broad stripe on gena; clypeus convex, without median longitudinal line, broader than long, anteriorly arched, apical margin with four denticles; mandible tridentate; anterior tentorial pit at intersection of subantennal and epistomal sulcus; F1 shorter than pedicel; first labial segment as long as second; interocular distance as long as interantennal distance.

Mesosoma: Legs black but variegated with white and ferruginous; broad white stripe on pronotal lobe, submedian longitudinal stripe on mesoscutum, apical margin of mesoscutellum interrupted medially, short lateral stripe on tegula, oblique apical stripe on mesoscutellum narrowly interrupted medially, outer surface of forefemora, tibiae and basitarsi of all legs; posterior margin of mesoscutellum rounded, overhanging metanotum; margins of pronotal lobe and mesoscutellum lamellate; wings hyaline; tarsal claws cleft; arolia present; hind tibia and basitarsus broadly dilated.

Metasoma: yellow square spot on T1 laterally, elongate spot laterally on T2, broadly interrupted transverse fascia across T3–T4, entire transverse fascia on T5, T6 with broad medial patch; scopa golden yellow; white fasciae of short plumose hairs beneath scopa absent.

Floral Associations: Tephrosia purpurea (Fabaceae) and Vitex negundo (Lamiaceae) .

Flight period: March, April, and July.

Distribution. southern India.

Material examined. INDIA: Karnataka: Coorg , 2♀, 30.iii.1979 ; 1♀, 18.vii.1979, sweep net, collected by Girish; Mudigere , 2♀, 3.iv. 2008 ; 2♀, 12.iv. 2008, sweep net, collected by Girish; 1♀, 6.iv. 2009, sweep net, Nayana; Mudigere , 20 km SW, 1♀, 6.iv. 2008, Vitex negundo, Nayana.

Comments. Anthidiellum ramikrishnae belongs in a little known subgroup of subgenus Pycnanthidium that lacks a longitudinal carina on the hind tibia and hind basitarsus and has greatly expanded hind basitarsus ( Griswold 2001). Other species in this group include A. butarsis Griswold , A. latipes (Bingham) , and A. rasorium (Smith) . From these A. ramakrishnae differs by the combination of integumental markings white, mesoscutum finely, contiguously punctate, and female hind basitarsus moderately broadened (length ~1.7x width).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Female Anthidiellum ramakrishnae (Cockerell) A) Face B) Mandible C) Scopa D) Dorsal view E) Ventral view