Pachymelus ( Pachymelopsis ) festivus ( Dours, 1869 )

Wood, Thomas J., 2025, A taxonomic update to Pachymelus (Pachymelopsis) Cockerell, with a new species from Ethiopia (Hymenoptera, Apidae), Contributions to Entomology 75 (2), pp. 339-353 : 339-353

Pachymelus ( Pachymelopsis) festivus ( Dours, 1869)

Habropoda festiva Dours, 1869: 33, ♀ ♂ [ South Africa, type lost?].

Habropoda capensis Cameron, 1905: 255, ♀ [ South Africa, NHMUK, lectotype by present designation] (Fig. 5).

Material examined.

Kenya • 1 ♂, 2 ♀; Brit. E. Af., 30 miles from Magadi Junc .; 1–30 Apr. 1912; F. G. Hamilton leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK • 1 ♂; Brit. E. Africa, Magadi Ry. ; 1–31 May 1912; F. G. Hamilton leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK • 1 ♂; Magadi ; 7 Apr. 1912; F. G. Hamilton leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK • 6 ♀; Ngong ; 1–30 Jun. 1944; V. G. L. van Someren leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK • 2 ♀; Nzoi [probably Nzaui Hill], Ukambani Country ; 1 Jan. – 28 Feb. 1889; F. J. Jackson leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK • 1 ♀; Mission de l’Omo, Machacos [Machakos], Wa-Kamba ; 1600 m a. s. l.; 1932–1933; C. Arambourg, P.-A. Chappuis, R. Jeannel leg.; T. J. Wood det.; MNHN ; Lesotho • 1 ♂; Basuto Land, between Motsekuwa [Motsekuoa] and Mafetina [Mafeteng] ; 30 Mar. 1902; R. Crawshay leg.; D. B. Baker det. 1979; NHMUK • 1 ♂, 2 ♀; Basutoland ; R. Crawshay leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK ; South Africa • 1 ♀; Africa: Belmont ; 23 Feb. 1934; J. Ogilvie leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK • 1 ♀; Cape Colony; ex. P. Cameron collection 1905-192; NHMUK ( lectotype of Habropoda capensis ) • 1 ♀; Cape G. H. [Cape of Good Hope]; ex. F. Smith collection 1879.22; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK • 1 ♀; Kwazulu, Blood River Mem. ; 22 Feb. 2000; G. G. M. Schulten leg.; T. J. Wood det.; RMNH • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; O. R. Colony, Bloemfontein ; 4,500 ft a. s. l.; 1 Dec. 1894 – 31 May 1895; F. N. Brown leg.; D. B. Baker det. 1988; OUMNH • 1 ♀; Orange Free State, Donkerspoort ; 18 Apr. 1934; J. Ogilvie leg.; T. J. Wood det.; NHMUK • 1 ♂; Willowmore, Capland ; Dr. Brauns leg.; T. J. Wood det.; Accessioned 1912-95; NHMUK • 4 ♂, 1 ♀; Colonie du Cap, Steynsburg ; 1914; R. Ellenburger leg.; T. J. Wood det.; MNHN • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Colonie du Cap, Steynsburg ; 1915; R. Ellenburger leg.; T. J. Wood det.; MNHN .

Notes.

Although most type material of Dours is considered lost, P. festivus was described using material from the collections of both Jean Antoine Dours and Frédéric Jules Sichel, the latter of which may still be preserved in the Paris museum, although a recent search could not locate any syntypic specimens. Although the type material is currently treated as lost ( Eardley 1993), the concept and use of the name P. festivus are well established in the literature and in collections; only two Pachymelus species occur around the Cap de Bonne-Espérance ( Cape of Good Hope, the locus typicus), the description is consistent with its current use, and so it is not considered necessary to designate a neotype.

Equally, the identity of Habropoda capensis has been considered straightforward for the same reasons, and the synonymy was made almost immediately ( Friese 1905: 233). Eardley (1993: 222) noted that the “ holotype ” of H. capensis was lost, as it could not be found at the Albany Museum (Grahamstown, now Makhanda, South Africa). However, Cameron (1905: 256) wrote: “ Cape Colony. (Brak Kloof); Transvaal. ”, clearly indicating that at least two specimens must have been used to describe the species, given the two reported regions. There is also no specific reference to the Albany Museum in the entry for H. capensis , as Cameron stated at the beginning of the paper that specimens dealt with in that work were from various private collectors, the Albany Museum collection, and specimens placed in his own collection.

Examination of the NHMUK collection has produced a female labelled in Cameron’s distinctive handwriting as coming from Cape Colony (Fig. 5 ). The specimen bears the accession number 1905-192, indicating that it was received by the NHMUK in the year 1905, i. e. in the same year as the description of the species. As it was clearly inspected by Cameron and comes from one of the stated localities ( Cape Colony), it can be treated as syntypic and is hereby designated as the lectotype. Morphologically, the specimen conforms to the concept of P. festivus employed in the literature (e. g. Friese 1905; Eardley 1993).

Finally, specimens of P. festivus were unexpectedly found from southern Kenya in both the NHMUK and MNHN collections (Figs 6 , 7 ). The published distributional range was considered to be South Africa and Lesotho ( Eardley 1993), but multiple specimens collected by F. J. Jackson, F. G. Hamilton, V. G. L. van Someren, C. Arambourg, P. - A. Chappuis, and R. Jeannel from a small area of south-western Kenya not far from Nairobi were morphologically consistent with southern African specimens, with very minor yellow markings on the female mandibles (Fig. 6 C ; see identification key). This emphasises the emerging biogeographic link observed in bees between southern Africa and southern Kenya ( Ascher and Engel 2017; see Discussion).

This has potential implications for a different but potentially ecologically related genus of bees, the parasitic lineage Afromelecta Lieftinck, 1972 ( Apidae : Melectini ). Originally described based on the species Afromelecta fulvohirta ( Cameron, 1905) , which is considered restricted to South Africa ( Lieftinck 1972), Eardley (1991) described Afromelecta lieftincki Eardley, 1991 from a single specimen from southern Kenya (Fig. 8 ). Examination of the collecting information reveals that it is from Machakos and was collected by C. Arambourg, P. - A. Chappuis, and R. Jeannel between 1932 and 1933 (Fig. 8 A ; cited as 1922–1933 by Eardley 1991: 3), which is the same collecting information as for the MNHN specimen of P. festivus . Brauns (1926) cited P. festivus as the host of A. fulvohirta (as Habropoda festiva and Epeolus fulvohirtus , respectively), as mentioned by Lieftinck (1972: 315), although the latter author expressed caution regarding this proposed host association given the diversity of anthophorine bees in South Africa.

The concurrent (as far as can be inferred given the lack of precise dates) capture of A. lieftincki and P. festivus in Kenya and A. fulvohirta and P. festivus in South Africa (see also material collected by R. Ellenburger) is suggestive, but given the small number of specimens involved, no action is taken here. The hypothesis that A. lieftincki is simply an isolated population of A. fulvohirta , with both taxa attacking P. festivus , is proposed here but requires additional study and field validation.

Distribution.

South Africa, Lesotho, Kenya * ( Dours 1869; Cameron 1905; Friese 1905; Eardley 1993).

Other material examined.

( Afromelecta fulvohirta ) South Africa • 1 ♀; Colonie du Cap, Steynsburg ; 1914; R. Ellenburger leg,; T. J. Wood det.; MNHN • 1 ♂; Colonie du Cap, Steynsburg ; 1915; R. Ellenburger leg,; T. J. Wood det.; MNHN; ( Afromelecta lieftincki ) Kenya • 1 ♂; Mission de l’Omo, Machacos [Machakos], Wa-Kamba ; 1600 m a. s. l.; 1932–1933; C. Arambourg, P-A. Chappuis, R. Jeannel leg.; C. Eardley det.; MNHN ( holotype) .

Figures

Figure 5. Habropoda capensis Cameron, 1905 (= Pachymelus festivus (Dours, 1869 )) lectotype female (NHMUK). A. Label details; B. Habitus, lateral view; C. Head, frontal view; D. Terga, dorsal view.

Figure 6. Pachymelus festivus (Dours, 1869) female (NHMUK). A. Label details; B. Habitus, lateral view; C. Lower part of head, anterolateral view; D. Terga, dorsal view.

Figure 7. Pachymelus festivus (Dours, 1869) male (NHMUK). A. Label details; B. Habitus, lateral view; C. Head, frontal view; D. Hind basitarsus, dorsal view.

Figure 8. Afromelecta lieftincki Eardley, 1991 holotype male (MNHN). A. Label details; B. Habitus, lateral view; C. Head, frontal view; D. Scutellum, dorsal view; E. Forewing, dorsal view; F. Metasoma, dorsal view.