Arhysosage biguttulata, Ramos, 2013

Ramos, Kelli S., 2013, The bee genus Arhysosage Brèthes (Apidae: Andreninae: Calliopsini): new species, taxonomic notes and new distribution records from Brazil, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 47 (43 - 44), pp. 2735-2747 : 2737-2744

Arhysosage biguttulata sp. nov.

( Figures 1A–H , 2A–F , 3C–D )

Diagnosis and comments

This species closely resembles A. cactorum ( Figure 4A–F ), and runs to couplet 2 for male and couplet 7 for female in Engel’s (2000) key, due to the coloration of integument, basitibial plate of male with apex pointed ( Figure 1G ), apex of pygidial plate of male not emarginate ( Figure 2A ), pygidial plate of female V-shaped with apex curved in profile ( Figure 1H ) and format of S7, S8 and genitalia of male ( Figure 2B–F ). It can be distinguished from A. cactorum in having densely punctate areas both on the clypeus and the supraclypeal region ( Figure 1A, B ); shorter pilosity on the frons and mesepisternum; females with two black spots on the central portion of the clypeus ( Figure 1A ), metasoma mostly black, and marginal zone of terga and sterna light brown ( Figure 1C ).

Description

Holotype female. Body length: 7.9 mm; maximum head width: 2.8 mm; forewing length: 5.4 mm; maximum T2 width: 3.2 mm. Colour. Proboscis brown; apex of mandible, hypostoma, postgena and occipital area black; upper half of face black, with black lower extension on frontal line ( Figure 1A ); basal half of mandible, labrum and lower half of face yellow ( Figure 1A ); clypeus predominantly yellow (marginal area brown) with two pairs of brown spots: one round spot below each subantennal area, second pair more diffuse and elongated, located between two other spots ( Figure 1A ); gena and posterior portion of vertex yellow (forming an arc around the occiput); antennal sockets, subantennal and epistomal suture black; anterior side of antennae brown, underside yellowish brown, except for yellow narrow line on basal half of posterior surface of scape. Mesosoma mostly black ( Figure 1C, E ); pronotal collar, pronotal lobe, axilla and metanotum yellow ( Figure 1E ); dorsal area of pronotal neck with yellow spot; lateral margins of mesoscutum with yellow line near tegula; scutellum yellow with basal half black ( Figure 1E ); dorsolateral portion of mesepisternum (behind pronotal lobe) and metepisternum with yellow spot ( Figure 1C ); propodeal triangle yellow, except for basal margin and mediolongitudinal line black ( Figure 1E ); tegula translucent light brown, with yellow spot anteriorly. Wing veins brown. Apex of fore and mid femur yellow; tibia mostly brown, outer surface of fore and mid tibia yellow; tarsus light brown, outer surface of fore basitarsus yellow ( Figure 1C ); fore and mid tibial spurs light brown, hind spurs brown. Metasoma mostly black, distal margin of disc reddish brown, marginal zone light brown ( Figure 1C ). Pubescence. Pilosity on mandible, labrum, mesoscutum and legs predominantly white, pale yellow; apex of hind femur, basitibial plate, prepygidial and pygidial fimbria dark brown ( Figure 1H ); upper and lower margin of mandible with fringe of simple and long setae, gradually decreasing in length towards apex; labrum with glabrous basal third and simple pilosity on central area ( Figure 1A ); clypeus, supraclypeal area and lower paraocular area with short, simple, sparse hairs; middle portion of distal margin of clypeus with few longer simple setae ( Figure 1A ); frons, vertex and occipital area with dense, finely branched and erect pubescence (approximately as long as half of scape length); vertex with longer setae than frons; gena with short, decumbent, finely branched pilosity, except for long hair on ventral portion (length approximately equal to vertex hairs). Pronotum with a few short sparse hairs, pronotal lobe with dense and plumose pilosity on disc, anterior edge with longer, finely branched setae; mesoscutum with decumbent and very short dense pilosity (length about twice puncture diameter), anterior portion with a few long, erect, minutely branched hairs ( Figure 1E ); disc of scutellum and metanotum with very short decumbent setae (similar to disc of mesoscutum) and lateral and posterior edges with longer, erect and finely branched hairs ( Figure 1E ); mesepisternum with short, decumbent, finely branched hairs intermixed with long, erect and branched pilosity (about twice ocellus diameter) ( Figure 1C ); metepisternum with decumbent, minutely branched, very short pubescence (similar in length to those on mesoscutum); propodeal triangle glabrous; lateral corners of propodeum with long, erect, branched hairs; posterior area of propodeum with decumbent, very short pilosity and a few erect finely branched hairs intermixed; anterior half of tegula with short decumbent simple setae; ventral surface of coxa and trochanter with very short, simple and decumbent setae intermixed with longer erect hairs; lower margin and inner surface of fore femur, and inner surface of fore tibia with erect, finely branched hairs (similar in length to erect hairs on mesepisternum); fore and mid basitarsus with simple setae (length about 1.5 × ocellus diameter); mid femur with sparse pilosity, except for a midfemoral comb on the lower margin; mid tibia with mostly semi-decumbent and minutely branched hairs, denser on the distal portion of outer surface; hind tibial scopa loose, with long simple setae (approximately 1.5 × as long as maximum width of tibia) ( Figure 1C ); outer surface of hind basitarsus with hairs similar to those of tibia, gradually decreasing in length toward apex; keirotrichia present on basal half and distal border of hind tibia; inner surface of hind basitarsus with short, uniformly distributed, simple stiff setae. Disc of T1–T3 with decumbent, simple and very short setae and lateral margins with a few longer semi-decumbent hairs; disc of T4 with similar pilosity to adjacent terga, with intermixed longer and erect setae; sterna with dense and very short pilosity intermixed with a few semi-decumbent hairs (mostly in S1). Integumental surface. Predominantly finely, densely punctate, with smooth and shiny integument between punctures. Labrum with coarse punctures, (basal third smooth) ( Figure 1A ); clypeus with coarse and longitudinally extended punctures, on lateral portions nearly contiguous being sparser toward middle (> 2 dp) ( Figure 1A ); supraclypeal area, frons, vertex, mesoscutum and scutellum closely punctate (> 1 dp) ( Figure 1A, E ); paraocular area similar to adjacent regions, with very sparse punctures on lower third (> 3 dp), without punctation near epistomal suture ( Figure 1A ); gena with sparse punctation (≤ 1.5 pd); subantennal area finely reticulate, with inconspicuous piligerous punctures; metanotum with very fine and nearly contiguous punctures; mesepisternum coarsely and densely punctate (> 1 dp); metepisternum minutely punctate; propodeum finely reticulate with few inconspicuous piligerous punctures; tegula with coarse piligerous punctures on anterior half and posterior margin finely reticulate. Terga and sterna finely and densely punctate (≥ 1 pd), minutely reticulate among punctures; pygidial plate entirely reticulate. Structure (measurements in mm): Head about 1.4 × wider than long (2.8: 2.0); first labial palpomere about 2 × longer than three distal palpomeres combined ( Figure 1C ); mandible approximately as long as compound eyes, with well-defined, rounded inner tooth; labral plate 1.8 × wider than long (0.9: 0.5) ( Figure 1A ); eye about 1.7 × as long as wide (1.4: 0.8), slightly divergent below (upper to lower interorbital distance, 1.70: 1.83); clypeus approximately 3 × wider than long (1.6: 0.5); interantennal area protuberant; facial fovea distinctly impressed, very narrow, about 10 × as wide as long (0.4: 0.04); vertex convex; gena, in lateral view, 0.4 × eye width; forewing with two submarginal cells; mid tibial spur coarsely serrate, apex distinctly curved, about half length of basitarsus (0.5: 0.8); hind tibial spurs serrate, curved at apices, and dissimilar in length; inner tibial spur short; apex of basitibial plate broadly rounded; tarsal claws bifid, inner teeth reduced; T2– T5 with evident lateral gradular carinae; lateral fovea of T2 slightly depressed and ellipsoid; pygidial plate V-shaped, with apex slightly curved ventrally towards apex ( Figure 1H ).

Paratype male. Body length: 7.2 mm; maximum head width: 2.8 mm; forewing length: 5.1 mm; maximum T2 width: 2.9 mm. Similar in coloration to female, with exception of the following yellow areas: basal two-thirds of mandible ( Figure 1B ); clypeus (two small round light brown spots below each subantennal area) ( Figure 1B ); posterior surface of antenna; most of pronotum ( Figure 1D ); scutellum and metanotum ( Figure 1F ); upper third of mesepisternum ( Figure 1D ); most of metepisternum; propodeum (basal margin, mediolongitudinal line, and anterior half of lateral surface, black) ( Figure 1F ); most of femur, tibia, fore tarsus and mid tarsus. Metasoma predominantly amber ( Figure 1D ), except for brown anterior surface of T1, T6–T7, lateral fovea of T2, disc of sterna and pygidial plate. Pubescence mostly shorter and sparser than female; labrum with uniform short and dense hairs; distal margin of clypeus glabrous; pilosity of frons, vertex and mesepisternum sparse and short (approximately 0.5 × scape length) ( Figure 1B, D ); lower margin of mid femur with scarce and simple hairs (midfemoral comb absent); basitibial plate with scarce pilosity ( Figure 1G ); hind femur with sparse and short hairs ( Figure 1G ); metasoma with decumbent, simple, very short setae; prepygidial and pygidial fimbria absent, pilosity of T6 slightly longer than other metasomal terga. Clypeus and lower paraocular area more distinctly punctate ( Figure 1B ); mesepisternum, in lateral view, with sparse punctures (about 2 dp). Head 1.4 × wider than long (2.8: 1.97); first labial palpomere about 3 × longer than three distal palpomeres combined; mandible longer than compound eye; labral plate 2.3 × wider than long (1.6: 0.7); eye about 1.5 × as long as wide (2.2: 1.4) and divergent below (upper to lower interorbital distance, 1.6: 1.9); clypeus 3.5 × wider than long (3.2: 0.9), distal margin straight; facial fovea 13 × longer than wide (0.4: 0.03); gena, in lateral view, approximately 0.3 × eye width ( Figure 1D ); basitibial plate apex acute ( Figure 1G ); tarsal claws deeply cleft with subequal teeth; distal margin of pygidial plate not emarginated ( Figure 2A ). Apex of penis valve directed forward, not ventrally bent ( Figure 2E ); aedeagus not extended beyond the apex of penis valve ( Figure 2D–F ); others features of male genitalia and associated sterna are illustrated in Figure 2B–F .

Variation

The yellow marks in the integument may vary in both sexes. In a few cases, these marks are slightly wider or even absent, especially in the middle portion of mesoscutum in males, and in the posterior surface of propodeum and metepisternum in females. In some males, the disc area of T2 can have a brown spot. Additionally, the males examined exhibit some difference in length, which ranges from 7 to 9 mm.

Distribution

Brazil: Mato Grosso do Sul.

Biological notes

Specimens of A. biguttulata sp. nov. were recorded visiting flowers of Opuntia sp. (Cactaceae) , which were used as a mating and foraging site ( Figure 3A–D ). Analysis of pollen grains on the female’s scopa has shown a predominance of Opuntia sp. pollen, with a few pollen grains from an undetermined species of Fabaceae . As with A. cactorum , cactus flowers also serve as a mating site for A. biguttulata sp. nov. ( Figure 3C, D ). Males were observed flying around several cactus flowers in search of females, and often remained inside a flower for a few minutes. When a female was found, the male used its long and strongly curved mandibles to grab the female around the waist and, during copula, the female continues visiting the flowers ( Figure 3C, D ).

Type material

Holotype female ( DZUP), “ Brasil, Mato Grosso do Sul,\ Porto Murtinho , estr. para\ Faz. Pirizal 10–11.xii.2008 \ K.S. Ramos and V. Kanamura” . Paratypes. Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul: 4 female and 16 males ( DZUP), same data as holotype; 1 female ( MZSP), same data as holotype; 1 female and 1 male ( MZSP), “Brasil, Mato Grosso do Sul,\ Porto Murtinho 21–30.i.2008 \ S. Nihei and A.J.C. Aguiar leg”; 2 males ( MZSP), “ Brasil, Mato Grosso do Sul,\ Porto Murtinho,\ Estrada do Rio Apa ,\ 21 ◦ 47.383 ′ S, 57 ◦ 34.468 ′ W,\ 21.i.2008, F. A. Esteves leg.” .

Etymology

The epithet derives from the Latin word guttulatus: “with small spots”, with reference to brown spots on the female clypeus.

Figures

Figure 1. Arhysosage biguttulata sp. nov. (A) Female holotype, head in frontal view; (B) male paratype, head in frontal view; (C) female holotype, lateral habitus; (D) male paratype, lateral habitus; (E) female, mesosoma in dorsal view; (F) male, mesosoma in dorsal view; (G) male hind tibia, basitibial plate in detail; (H) female metasoma, pygidial plate in detail. Scale bar 0.5 mm.

Figure 2. Male terminalia of Arhysosage biguttulata sp. nov. (A) T7, pygidial plate in detail; (B) S7 in ventral view; (C) S8 in ventral view; (D) genitalia in ventral view; (E) genitalia in lateral view; (F) genitalia in dorsal view. Scale bar 0.1 mm.

Figure 3. (A) Vegetation type in Porto Murtinho (Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil) where Arhysosage biguttulata sp. nov. and Arhysosage flava Moure were collected; (B) Opuntia sp. (Cactaceae) visited by A. biguttulata sp. nov. for foraging and mating; (C) female and male of A. biguttulata sp. nov. in copula position inside the cactus flower; (D) female and male of A. biguttulata sp. nov. during copula, in lateral view. (C, D taken by A.J.C. Aguiar and A. Martins).

Figure 4. Arhysosage cactorum Moure. (A) Female, head in frontal view; (B) holotype male, head in frontal view; (C) female, lateral habitus; (D) male holotype, lateral habitus; (E) male holotype, dorsal view; (F) male holotype, mesosoma in dorsal view. Scale bar 1 mm.