Cleptommation minutum (Friese) Engel, 2013

Engel, Michael S., 2013, Revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Cleptommation (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Journal of Melittology 2013 (22), pp. 1-26 : 12-18

Cleptommation minutum (Friese) , new combination

( Figs. 20–35 )

Megalopta minuta Friese, 1926: 125 . Moure, 1944: 68; Moure & Hurd, 1987: 238.

Megommation (Cleptommation) minutum (Friese) ; Engel et al., 1997: 19.

Megaloptina minuta (Friese) ; Moure in Moure et al., 2007: 805.

DIAGNOSIS: Cleptommation minutum is most similar to C. chibchani , described below (vide infra), both having a similar form of the hidden sterna (cf. figures 23 and 39) and both have similar head and mesosomal coloration [e.g., the scape and pedicel yellow ( Figs. 22 , 38 , 45 ), rather than the pedicel much darker than the scape ( Figs. 5 , 12 )]. The former species can be separated readily from the latter by the almost entirely brown metasoma (e.g., Figs. 20 , 27 , 30, 31 , 33 ), the lack of a strong metallic green coloration to the mesepisternum (e.g., Figs. 20 , 27 , 30 , 33 ; although this sometimes occurs in females of C. chibchani ), the more fuscous setae of the metasomal terga, and the male genitalia ( Figs. 24–26 ).

DESCRIPTION: ♂: Total body length 8.47 mm (8.07–8.67 mm); forewing length 6.53 mm (6.20–6.53 mm). Head length 1.97 mm (1.83–1.97 mm), width 2.37 mm (2.27–2.37 mm); upper interorbital distance 1.33 mm (1.17–1.33 mm); lower interorbital distance 0.97 mm (0.83–0.97 mm). Intertegular distance 1.37 mm (1.37–1.43 mm). Forewing basal vein confluent with cu-a to distad cu-a by vein width; 1rs-m confluent with 1m-cu; 2rs-m distad 2m-cu by 6–8 times vein width, 2rs-m relatively straight; first submarginal cell longer than combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells; second submarginal narrow, anterior border of second submarginal cell along Rs less than length of third submarginal cell along same vein; anterior border of third submarginal cell less than three-quarters length of posterior border; hind wing with distal hamuli arranged 3-1-1-2 or 3-1-2. Terminalia as in figures 23–26.

Labrum imbricate. Clypeus imbricate with faint, coarse punctures; supraclypeal area smooth with small punctures separated by a puncture width or less laterally; remainder of face with small punctures separated by a puncture width or less, progressively becoming more dense on upper face with punctures virtually contiguous; punctures become minute and more widely-spaced by ocellar area, separated by 1.5–2 times a puncture width in ocellocular area and 2–5 times medially on vertex; gena with punctures like those on vertex; postgena impunctate. Pronotum imbricate with scattered, minute punctures. Mesoscutum smooth with minute punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width, punctures fainter and sparser medially, particularly on anteromedial border around medial line and integument there faintly imbricate; mesoscutellum similar to disc of mesoscutum except punctures separated by 1–3 times a puncture width; metanotum smooth, weakly nodulose near setal bases and with punctures separated by 1–3 times a puncture width. Preëpisternal area imbricate with scattered punctures; mesepisternum with small punctures separated by 0.5–2 times a puncture width, punctures becoming fainter and sparser ventrally and posteriorly; hypoepimeral area impunctate; metepisternum faintly imbricate and impunctate; lateral and posterior surfaces of propodeum weakly imbricate and impunctate; basal dorsal-facing area of propodeum finely imbricate and impunctate. First metasomal tergum smooth, shining, and impunctate; remaining terga finely imbricate; sterna finely imbricate.

Mandible yellow except reddish at apex; labrum yellow; clypeus entirely yellow ( Fig. 22 ); supraclypeal area entirely brown with strong metallic brassy green highlights. Scape and pedicel yellow; flagellum brown. Face, vertex, and gena brown with strong metallic brassy green highlights; postgena light brown to yellow, sometimes with faint metallic highlights. Labiomaxillary complex yellow. Pronotum and propleura yellow; mesoscutum brown with metallic brassy green highlights (sometimes highlights are quite weak); remainder of mesosoma yellow except sometimes metanotum as on mesoscutum; tegula translucent yellow without metallic highlights. Wing membranes hyaline and clear to slightly tinged; veins light brown to amber colored except Sc+R slightly darker. Legs entirely yellow. Metasoma entirely brown except first tergum basally yellow with brown apically ( Fig. 21 ) to entirely yellow or yellowish brown (yellow areas more reddish brown in much older, faded specimens), basal quarter to third of second tergum yellow, and first and second sterna yellow to yellowish brown.

Pubescence generally yellow; face with particularly prominent short, subappressed, plumose setae and becoming more sparse toward ocellar area; vertex with scattered erect, long setae; gena with plumose setae as those on face although not as dense; postgena with sparse, simple, long, erect setae. Mesoscutum with scattered, fine, simple or little-branched, subappressed, yellow setae; with short plumose setae as those on face along lateral borders; mesoscutellum similar to mesoscutum, posteriorly with more elongate and more erect setae; metanotum similar to mesoscutellum although erect setae much more numerous and over entire surface; pleura with scattered yellow setae, becoming longer ventrally; propodeum with setae as on pleura except with dense patches of moderately long, plumose setae around propodeal spiracle. First metasomal tergum with sparse setae over much of surface except fine, suberect, yellow setae becoming more numerous, albeit still widely scattered, in posterior half; remainder of metasomal terga with fuscous (rather than yellow), fine, short, suberect to subappressed setae scattered over surface, becoming progressively more numerous and slightly longer on more apical terga; sterna with scattered, fine, suberect yellow setae, those of apicolateral corners of sterna II–IV typically longer and somewhat more sinuate.

♀: As described for the male except as follows: Total body length 8.40–9.67 mm; forewing length 6.67–7.27 mm. Head length 1.87–2.13 mm, width 2.43–2.67 mm; upper interorbital distance 1.27–1.37 mm; lower interorbital distance 1.20–1.30 mm. Intertegular distance 1.40–1.63 mm.

Punctation generally as described for male, although mesepisternal punctures fainter and more sparse.

Clypeus sometimes with small areas of brown near basal margin (e.g., Fig. 35 ), otherwise entirely yellow. Metasoma as in male but sternum II with apical third brown and apical margins of terga II–V sometimes more dark brown ( Figs. 30, 31 ).

Protibia with minute patch of slightly fuscous setae on outer apex; mesotibia with patch of dark brown to black setae on outer apex, setae curved apically or sinuate; metatibia with patch of dark brown to black setae on outer apex, patch extending proximally as a thin row of setae over apical one-third of metatibia, most setae distinctly curved or sinuate apically.

LECTOTYPE (here designated): ♂, ( Figs. 27–29 ), BRAZIL: Estado do Amazonas, Tefé, 25.9.1904 [25 September 1904], Ducke ( ZMHB).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: Amazonian Basin: 1♂, PERU: Tambopata Prov. , 15 km NE Pto. Maldonaldo, 200 m, 13 June 1989, R.A. Leschen, #34 ex: malaise trap ( SEMC) ; 1♀, Tambopata Prov. , 15 km NE Pto. Maldonaldo, 200 m, 28 June 1989, J. Ashe, R. Leschen, #308 ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC) ; 1♂, PERU: Tambopata Reserve , 270 m, 22–30 May 1995, S. Cameron and J. Whitfield ( UADE) . Guiana Shield: 1♀, SURINAME: Para: Carolina Creek , 11 km SE Zanderij Airport , 30 m, 5º23’36’’N, 55º9’29’’W, 19–20 Jun [June] 1999, Z.H. Falin, A. Gangadin, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC) ; 1♂, FRENCH GUIANA: Wanaboo (near Nason), Marowijne River , 40 m, 4º43’35’’N, 54º26’36’’W, 31 May-5 Jun [June] 1999, Z.H. Falin, A. B. DeDijn, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC) ; 1♂, Saül, 7 km N, Les Eaux Claires , 220 m, 3º39’46’’N, 53º13’19’’W, 31 May-3 Jun [June] 1997, J. Ashe, R. Brooks, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC) ; 1♂, GUYANA: Region 8, Iwokrama Forest, 1 km W Kurupukari, Iwokrama Field Stn. , 60 m, 4º40’19’’N, 58º41’4’’W, 20–25 May 2001, R. Brooks, Z. Falin, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC) .

COMMENTS: For now I have kept together those specimens coming from the Amazon Basin and Guiana Shield as they are remarkably similar, including the male genitalia. Nonetheless, there is noticeable color variation and it is possible that the individuals from the Amazon Basin (here represented by material from northern Brazil, including the holotype, and eastern Amazonian Peru) are specifically distinct and would constitute the ‘true’ C. minutum . Should the accumulation of larger series and data from other sources (e.g., genetic data, hosts) suggest those in the Guiana Shield are truly different, then they would constitute a fifth and undescribed species for the genus. I have segregated the data from the small series of specimens into their respective geographic types (vide supra). I hope that the conservative position I’ve taken for the moment will be useful for future workers and stimulate some to more aggressively seeking these bees in the wild and to the discovery of their biology.

Previously I and colleagues considered the male we were sent from Berlin as the holotype ( Engel et al., 1997). This was clearly an error as Friese (1926) mentions more than one specimen. Accordingly, I hereby designate a lectotype in order to stabilize the application of the name.

Figures

Figures 20–22. Photomicrographs of male of Cleptommation minutum (Friese), new combination, from French Guiana. 20. Lateral habitus. 21. Dorsal habitus. 22. Facial view.

Figures 23–26. Photomicrographs of male terminalia of Cleptommation minutum (Friese), new combination (specimen from Guyana). 23. Fused and hidden sterna VII+VIII. 24. Genital capsule, dorsal view. 25. Genital capsule, ventral view. 26. Genital capsule, lateral view.

Figures 27–29. Photomicrographs of lectotype male of Cleptommation minutum (Friese), new combination, from northern Brazil (Tefé). 27. Lateral habitus. 28. Dorsal habitus. 29. Facial view.

Figures 30–32. Photomicrographs of female of Cleptommation minutum (Friese), new combination, from Suriname. 30. Lateral habitus. 31. Dorsal habitus. 32. Facial view.

Figures 33–35. Photomicrographs of female of Cleptommation minutum (Friese), new combination, from Amazonian Basin of Peru. 33. Lateral habitus. 34. Dorsal habitus. 35. Facial view.

Figures 36–38. Photomicrographs of male of Cleptommation chibchani, new species, from Panama. 36. Lateral habitus. 37. Dorsal habitus. 38. Facial view.

Figures 43–45. Photomicrographs of female of Cleptommation chibchani, new species, from Panama. 43. Lateral habitus. 44. Dorsal habitus. 45. Facial view.

Figures 5–9. Photomicrographs of male of Cleptommation bulivyense, new species, from Bolivia. 5. Facial view. 6. Fused and hidden sterna VII+VIII. 7. Genital capsule, dorsal view. 8. Genital capsule, ventral view. 9. Genital capsule, lateral view.

Figures 10–12. Photomicrographs of female of Cleptommation bulivyense, new species, from Bolivia. 10. Lateral habitus. 11. Dorsal habitus. 12. Facial view.