Augochlora (Augochlora) caerulior Cockerell, 1900

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 : 21-25

Augochlora (Augochlora) caerulior Cockerell, 1900

( Figures 3E ; 9 A–D; 10A–D; 50H)

Augochlora caerulior Cockerell, 1900: 361 , lectotype, ♀ (CMNH 358) from Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul, Corumbá. Subsequent designation by Moure & Hurd (1987: 258). Not examined.

Diagnosis. This species has an inflexed T1 apical border on both sexes and no elevation on S1 of females, being distinguished from close related species by the mesoscutum densely punctate anteriorly, becoming sparser on disc posterior to median line, without a dark spot dorsally; the T1 anterior surface with dense coverage of tomentose setae and the metapostnotum as long as metanotum, without transversal carinae on medioapical margin. Males have the mesoscutum disc with average size punctures, without dark spot dorsally, scape without green reflection, and the metapostnotum posterior surface not protuberant and without transversal carinae. Males are separated from similar species by the dark antennae with shortened aspect (F3 usually about as long as wide), the S3 with dense pubescence only on apical third and the hind basitarsus pale yellowish.

Comments. This species is represented by a large series of specimens from several Brazilian states that are congruent with the original description. Moreover, this is the only species occurring at Mato Grosso do Sul which agrees integrally with the description made by Cockerell (1900), who indicated the mesoscutum (there referred to as ‘mesothorax’) medially with well separate punctures and microreticulate (‘granular’) in between.

Redescription. ♀. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.27–1.58 (x‾ = 1.46, n = 10); head length: 1.76–2.20 (x‾ = 2.04, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.44–0.64 (x‾ = 0.57, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.38–0.62 (x‾ = 0.56, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.32–0.42 (x‾ = 0.37, n = 10); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.02–1.32 (x‾ = 1.21, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.21–1.64 (x‾ = 1.46, n = 10); T1 width: 1.64–2.44 (x‾ = 2.11, n = 10); T2 width: 1.80–2.64 (x‾ = 2.26, n = 10); body length: 6.50–8.50 (x‾ = 7.60, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface black; basal elevation transverse. Mandible mostly black, subapical region brown and with basal green spot; 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, 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; densely punctate, imbricate in between. Lower paraocular area green; contiguously punctate; long setae (1–2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape and pedicel black, flagellum dark brown, ventrally pale. Frons with green and blue iridescences intermixed; mostly contiguously punctate, medially crowded punctate; not protuberant above antennal sockets. Preoccipital area strongly lamellate, lamella expanded near post gena. Gena green. Post gena with golden reflection; 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 black; femur black with green reflection; ventral surface slightly rounded; long plumose setae (<4 OD); tibia and tarsus dark brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum green with golden reflection; densely punctate on disc, I <PD, sparser posterior to median line, microreticulate in between, contiguously punctate on lateral surfaces, anterior border punctate, microreticulate in between; setae length = OD. Scutellum medial furrow inconspicuous; green; densely punctate, I <PD; with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer dark setae (4 OD). Mesepisternum green; preepisternum densely punctate near pronotal lobe; hypoepimeral area densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, smooth in between; below scrobe densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, smooth in between, ventrally crowded punctate; with long setae (2 OD). Mid leg: coxa black; trochanter black with green reflection; ventral margin not swollen, almost straight; femur dark brown, not flattened, mesofemoral brush yellowish; tibia and tarsus brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Tegula brown with anterior green spot. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer dark setae (= 2 OD). Metepisternum green; densely 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 black; setae length = 4 OD; femur black; tibia and tarsus dark brown; outer surfaces without dark setae. Metapostnotum green; shorter than scutellum; entirely with radiating carinae. Propodeum green; with tiny and long (2 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface with tiny and larger punctures intermixed, imbricate to rugulose in between; lateral carinae ending below propodeum half; lateral surfaces imbricate among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface punctate, smooth in between; mostly green with golden and purplish iridescences, base darkened; with dense coverage of tiny decumbent setae among long setae. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate on disc, I> 3 PD, loosely imbricate in between, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces; mostly green with blue iridescence; mostly glabrous, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces; apex inflexed, black. T2 mostly green; puncticulate, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces, mostly smooth, imbricate near base; marginal area with punctate portion as long as apical black band on sublateral surfaces; tiny decumbent setae near base and on lateral surfaces, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces. T3 weakly puncticulate, imbricate in between; mostly green, apical band black; tiny setae apex not reaching apical margin sublaterally. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly green with blue iridescence, apical band black; mostly with tiny decumbent setae, long setae (2 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 black with weak green reflection; pseudopygidial area not covered by scale-like setae, colliculate integument exposed. Pygidial plate black, apex rounded. S1 without elevation; black with weak green reflection; long setae (> 2 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 with weak green reflection; long setae (> 3 OD). S6 dark brown; long dark setae on apex.

Description. Ƌ. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.15–1.36 (x‾ = 1.24, n = 10); head length: 1.68–2.04 (x‾ = 1.82, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.44–0.54 (x‾ = 0.47, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.44–0.56 (x‾ = 0.50, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.26–0.38 (x‾ = 0.32, n = 10); clypeus ocellar distance: 0.98–1.14 (x‾ = 1.04, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.08–1.33 (x‾ = 1.22, n = 10); T1 width: 1.32–1.72 (x‾ = 1.53, n = 10); T2 width: 1.44–1.84 (x‾ = 1.63, n = 10); scape length: 0.52–0.58 (x‾ = 0.54, n = 10); body length: 6.00–8.00 (x‾ = 6.95, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface yellowish. Mandible mostly yellowish, apex brown and base with green spot. Clypeus mostly green with blue iridescence, apex yellowish, apical border exposed, yellowish; densely punctate, I = 0.5 PD, punctures large, smooth in between; setae length = 2 OD. Epistomal angle acute, protruding over clypeus. Supraclypeal area green; densely punctate, imbricate in between. Paraocular area green; densely punctate, punctures small, smooth in between; long setae (3 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape black; pedicel longer than F1; mostly black, apex brownish; F1 brown; shorter than F2; F3 as long as wide; remaining flagellomeres mostly black, ventrally light brown. Frons with green and blue iridescences intermixed; contiguously to crowded punctate; setae length = 1–2 OD. Gena green. Post gena with golden and purplish iridescences; smooth, some scaterred punctures; abundant long setae up to 4 OD.

Mesosoma. Pronotum lateral angle with a projected acute tip. Fore leg: coxa ventrally green; trochanter black with weak green reflection; femur black with green reflection; slightly swollen; tibia and tarsus light brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum green; punctate on disc, I = PD, sparser posterior to median line, contiguously punctate on lateral surfaces, anterior border punctate, imbricate in between; setae length = 0.5–1 OD. Scutellum medial furrow inconspicuous; green; mostly punctate, punctures coarse, denser punctation medially; longer setae (3 OD) near apex. Mesepisternum green; preepisternum densely punctate near pronotal lobe; hypoepimeral area densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, smooth in between; below scrobe densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, smooth in between. Mid leg: coxa black; trochanter green; setae length = 4 OD; femur dark brown with green reflection; not swollen; tibia and basitarsus yellow; 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; densely punctate, smooth in between, crowded punctate to striate near hind wing. Hind leg: coxa and trochanter green; femur green; tibia brown, anterior surface without abundant tiny setae among long setae; basitarsus more than 6.5x longer than maximum width, parallel sided; brown. Metapostnotum green; as long as metanotum; slightly concave; entirely filled with radiating carinae. Propodeum green; with tiny and long (3 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface contiguously punctate; lateral carinae lamellate, ending below propodeum half; lateral surfaces imbricate among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface punctate, I = PD, 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 green with blue iridescence; tiny setae on disc, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces; apex inflexed, black. T2 mostly green with blue iridescence; sparsely punctate on disc, I = 2 PD, minutely and densely punctate near base, coarser punctation on lateral surfaces, mostly smooth in between, loosely imbricate near base and marginal area; marginal area with punctate portion shorter than apical black band on sublateral surfaces; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) near margin and lateral surfaces, pre-marginal setae ending far from apical margin on sub-lateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly green with blue iridescence, apical band black; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) near marginal area and on lateral surfaces. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly green with blue iridescence, apical band black; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 mostly green, apical band black; long setae (2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. T6 mostly green, apex brown; mostly with long setae (<2 OD). T7 light brown. S1 without elevation; mostly green, apex brown; with long plumose setae (2 OD) medially, margin with tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly dark brown with weak green reflections, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (3 OD), tiny setae on apex. S3 as S2. S4 mostly dark brown with weak green reflection, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin slightly rounded; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (2 OD), tiny setae on apex. S5 mostly dark brown with weak green reflection; not depressed transversally on median surface; homogeneously pilose, without glabrous patch medially. S6 brown; setae length = OD, tiny setae on apex. S7 lateral apodemes about as long as half S8 width. S8 anterior projection more than four times longer than apical width; posterior margin weakly projected.

Genitalia: gonobase 3 times wider than long; gonobase ventral arms slightly curved on apex. Gonocoxite about 1.5 times longer than wide. Gonostylus, dorsal surface glabrous. Ventral process of gonostylus: inner lobe slender; with small setae; outer lobe with short setae with length = 0.8 inner lobe size. Gonapophysis ventral prong poorly produced; dorsal bridge margin weakly projected; ventral bridge absent; apodeme narrow and weakly hooked.

Distribution. Argentina (Salta and Tucumán), Brazil (Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, Santa Catarina, and S„o Paulo), and Paraguay..

Figures

FIGURE 3. A–C) Female pronotum, dorsal view. A) Augochlora phoemonoe (Schrottky); B) Augochlora australis sp. nov.; C) Augochlora genalis sp. nov. D–E) Male T1, dorsal view. D) Augochlora morrae Strand; E) Augochlora caerulior Cockerell. F–G) Female T2, dorsal view. F) Augochlora nausicaa (Schrottky); G) Augochlora mulleri Cockerell. A–C and F–G at same scale. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 9. Female of Augochlora caerulior Cockerell. 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.