Augochlora (Augochlora) hestia, Lepeco & Gonçalves, 2020

Lepeco, Anderson & Gonçalves, Rodrigo Barbosa, 2020, A revision of the bee genus Augochlora Smith (Hymenoptera; Apoidea) in Southern South America, Zootaxa 4897 (1), pp. 1-97 : 48-51

Augochlora (Augochlora) hestia sp. nov.

( Figures 24 A–D; 25A–D; 50I)

Diagnosis. This is the only Augochlora s. str. species in the studied area with an orbicular elevation on labrum and copper-red reflections on the metasomal terga. The contiguously punctate mesoscutum disc and narrowed aspect of the head ( Figs. 24B , 25C ) are useful to separate both sexes from A. ( Oxystoglossella ) representatives.

Comments. This species is very similar to other two species of Augochlora s.str. erroneously considered as belonging to A. ( Oxystoglossella ) by Moure (2012), Augochlora bractealis (Vachal, 1904) and Augochlora pyrrhias (Vachal, 1904) , both from Amazon Forest. We examined material from those species and concluded that specimens from Atlantic Forest correspond to a new species with disjunct distribution in relation to the others.

Description. ♀. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.39–1.55 (x‾ = 1.46, n = 10); head length: 1.96–2.08 (x‾ = 2.02, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.46–0.62 (x‾ = 0.54, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.54–0.62 (x‾ = 0.59, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.28–0.34 (x‾ = 0.30, n-10); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.06–1.20 (x‾ = 1.13, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.39–1.73 (x‾ = 1.52, n = 10); T1 width: 1.92–2.48 (x‾ = 2.20, n = 10); T2 width: 2.12–2.64 (x‾ = 2.38, n = 10); body length: 6.50–8.00 (x‾ = 7.35, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface brown; basal elevation orbicular. Mandible mostly light brown, apex dark brown; medial portion not strongly constricted, minimum width between 0.7x and 0.9x basal width; preapical tooth large and sharp, produced near mandible apex; distal part of adductor ridge weakly swollen. Clypeus mostly green with copper and golden reflections, apical black band <OD; punctate, punctures large and weak, smooth in between; apex not prolonged over apical border. Epistomal angle acute, strongly protruding over clypeus. Supraclypeal area green; sparsely punctate, loosely imbricate in between. Lower paraocular area with copper and golden reflections; contiguously punctate; long setae (1–2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: mostly black, flagellum ventrally brown. Frons with copper and golden reflections intermixed; mostly contiguously punctate, medially crowded punctate; not protuberant above antennal sockets. Preoccipital area strongly lamellate, lamella expanded near post gena. Gena with copper and golden reflections. Post gena copper; microreticulate, some scattered weak punctures; setae length <3 OD. Hypostomal carina not projected anteriorly.

Mesosoma. Pronotum dorsolateral angle with a projected acute tip. Fore leg: coxa ventrally green; trochanter dark brown with weak green reflection; femur dark brown with weak green reflection; ventral surface strongly rounded; long plumose setae (<3 OD); tibia and tarsus brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum green with copper and golden reflections; contiguously punctate; setae length <2 OD. Scutellum medial furrow inconspicuous; golden; contiguously punctate; with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer yellowish setae (4 OD). Mesepisternum green with golden reflection; preepisternum densely punctate near pronotal lobe; hypoepimeral area contiguously punctate; below scrobe densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, imbricate in between, ventrally crowded punctate; with long setae (2 OD). Mid leg: coxa dark brown; trochanter green; ventral margin not swollen, almost straight; femur dark brown with weak green reflection, flattened, mesofemoral brush yellowish; tibia and tarsus brown; white to brownish setae on both. Tegula light brown with anterior green spot. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer yellowish setae (= 4 OD). Metepisternum golden with copper reflection; punctate, becoming crowded punctate to rugose above superior metapleural pit. Hind leg: coxa green, anterior and posterior surfaces ventrally separated by a smoothly curved area; trochanter dark brown with weak green reflection; setae length = 3 OD; femur dark brown; tibia and tarsus brown; outer surfaces without dark setae. Metapostnotum golden; shorter than scutellum; entirely with radiating carinae. Propodeum green with golden reflection; with tiny and long (3 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface with tiny and larger punctures intermixed, smooth in between; lateral carinae ending below propodeum half; lateral surfaces smooth among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface sparsely punctate, smooth in between; mostly golden with copper reflection, base darkened; with few tiny decumbent setae among long setae. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate on disc, I> 2 PD, punctures weak, smooth in between, denser punctation on lateral surfaces and preceding apical margin sublater-ally; mostly green with copper-red and golden reflections; tiny setae dorsally, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces; apex not inflexed, brown. T2 mostly green with copper-red and golden reflections; minutely punctate, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces, smooth in between; marginal area with punctate portion longer than apical brown band on sublateral surfaces; tiny decumbent setae near base and on lateral surfaces, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly golden with copper-red reflection, apical band brown; tiny setae apex surpassing apical margin sublaterally. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly golden with copper-red reflection, apical band brown; mostly with tiny decumbent setae, long setae (2 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 black; pseudopygidial area not covered by scale-like setae, colliculate integument exposed. Pygidial plate black, apex rounded. S1 without elevation; green; long setae (> 3 OD) medially, margin tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly black with weak green reflection, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; long setae (> 3 OD). S3–4 as S2. S5 apical margin widely rounded; black; long setae (> 3 OD). S6 black; long dark setae on apex.

Description. Ƌ. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.24–1.33 (x‾ = 1.28, n = 10); head length: 1.76–2.00 (x‾ = 1.88, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.44–0.54 (x‾ = 0.47, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.54–0.60 (x‾ = 0.58, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.20–0.26 (x‾ = 0.23, n = 10); clypeus ocellar distance: 0.90–1.16 (x‾ = 1.01, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.24–1.42 (x‾ = 1.32, n = 10); T1 width: 1.52–2.12 (x‾ = 1.69, n = 10); T2 width: 1.64–2.32 (x‾ = 1.87, n = 10); scape length: 0.42–0.60 (x‾ = 0.52, n = 10); body length: 6.50–7.00 (x‾ = 6.90, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface yellowish. Mandible mostly yellowish, apex brown. Clypeus mostly green with golden reflection, apex yellowish, apical border exposed, yellowish; densely punctate, I = 0.5 PD, punctures large, smooth in between; setae length = OD. Epistomal angle acute, protruding over clypeus. Supraclypeal area green with golden reflection; densely punctate, loosely imbricate in between. Paraocular area with golden reflection; densely punctate, punctures coarse, smooth in between; long setae (2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape dark brown; pedicel as long as F1; mostly dark brown, apex light brown; F1 brown; as long as F2; F3 as long as wide; remaining flagellomeres mostly brown, ventrally light brown. Frons with golden and blue iridescences intermixed; contiguously to crowded punctate; setae length = 1–2 OD. Gena with golden reflection. Post gena with copper reflection; loosely imbricate, some scattered weak punctures; abundant long setae up to 4 OD.

Mesosoma. Pronotum lateral angle with a projected acute tip. Fore leg: coxa ventrally green; trochanter dark brown with weak green reflection; femur brown with green reflection; slightly swollen; tibia and tarsus light brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum green with golden reflection; contiguously punctate, anterior bor-der punctate, imbricate in between; setae length = 1–1.5 OD. Scutellum medial furrow inconspicuous; green with golden reflection; densely punctate, punctures coarse; longer setae (4 OD) near apex. Mesepisternum green with golden reflection; preepisternum contiguously punctate near pronotal lobe; hypoepimeral area densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, smooth in between; below scrobe densely punctate, I <PD, smooth in between. Mid leg: coxa dark brown; trochanter brown with green reflection; setae length 3 OD; femur brown with green reflection; slightly swollen; tibia and basitarsus light brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Tegula brown with anterior green spot. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer white setae (= 3 OD). Metepisternum green with golden reflection; punctate, smooth in between, striate near hind wing. Hind leg: coxa green; trochanter dark brown with green reflection; femur brown with green reflection; tibia light brown, with abundant tiny setae among long setae; basitarsus about 5x longer than maximum width, parallel sided; brown. Metapostnotum green with golden reflection; 1.5 times longer than metanotum; slightly concave; entirely filled with radiating carinae. Propodeum green with golden reflection; with tiny and long (3 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface punctate, smooth in between; lateral carinae lamellate, ending below propodeum half; lateral surfaces imbricate among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface scattered small punctures, smooth in between; mostly green with golden reflection, base darkened; only with long setae, tiny decumbent setae absent. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate, I> PD, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces, with an impunctate area near apical margin medially; mostly copper-red with golden reflection, lateral surfaces green; tiny setae on disc, lateral surfaces with longer setae (2 OD); apex not inflexed, brown. T2 mostly copper-red with golden reflection, lateral surfaces green; punctate on disc, I = PD, densely and minutely punctate near base, contiguously punctate on lateral surfaces, mostly smooth in between, imbricate near base; marginal area with punctate portion longer than apical brown band on sublateral surfaces; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces, pre-marginal setae ending near apical margin on sublateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly copper-red with golden reflection; apical band brown with copper reflection; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) near margin and lateral surfaces. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly copper-red with golden reflection; apical band brown with copper reflection; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) near margin and lateral surfaces. T5 mostly copper-red with golden reflection, apical band brown; long setae (3 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. T6 mostly copper-red with golden reflection, apex brown; mostly with long setae (<3 OD). T7 brown. S1 without elevation; light brown with weak green reflection; with long plumose setae (3 OD) medially, margin with tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly brown, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (= OD), tiny setae on apex. S3–4 simillar to S2, although with weak green reflection. S5 brown; not depressed transversally on median surface; homogeneously pilose, without glabrous patch medially. S6 brown; setae length = 2 OD, tiny setae on apex. S7 lateral apodemes longer than half S8 width. S8 anterior projection more than four times longer than apical width; posterior margin acuminate.

Genitalia: gonobase 2 times wider than long; gonobase ventral arms slightly curved on apex. Gonocoxite about 2 times longer than wide. Gonostylus, dorsal surface glabrous. Ventral process of gonostylus: inner lobe slender; with tiny setae; outer lobe with short setae with length = 0.2x inner lobe size. Gonapophysis ventral prong well produced and broad; dorsal bridge margin weakly projected; ventral bridge absent; apodeme narrow and strongly hooked.

Distribution. The species seems to be related to the Atlantic Forest biome, occurring in coastal areas in the states of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, and S„o Paulo. The species can also be found in Minas Gerais.

Etymology. Hestia is the goddess of heart in the Greek mythology, frequently associated with fire. The name choice is a reference to the vivid red coloration on the metasoma. Noun in apposition.

Type material. Holotype, DZUP, ♀ “ DZUP \568433” “ SANTA LEOPOLDINA \ES-BRASIL-9/9/66\C. T.& C. Elias ” . Paratypes, DZUP, 3♀ “568435” “ DZUP \568436” “ DZUP \568437” “ SANTA LEOPOLDINA \ES-BRASIL-9/9/66\C. T.& C. Elias ”; 1³ “ DZUP \568434” “ SANTA LEOPOLDINA \ES-BRASIL-9/9/66\C. T.& C. Elias ” .

Figures

FIGURE 24. Female of Augochlora hestia sp. nov. A) habitus, B) frontal view of head, C) dorsal view of mesosoma, D) dorsal view of metasoma. Scale bar: 1.0 mm, all at same scale.

FIGURE 25. Male of Augochlora hestia sp. nov. A) habitus, B) dorsal view of metasoma, C) frontal view of head, D) dorsal view of mesosoma. Scale bar: 1.0 mm, all at same scale.