Leioproctus (Leioproctus) spatulatus (Cockerell, 1905)

Maynard, Glynn Vivian, 2013, Revision of Goniocolletes and seven Australian subgenera of Leioproctus (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae), and description of new taxa, Zootaxa 3715 (1), pp. 1-114 : 54-55

Leioproctus (Leioproctus) spatulatus species - group

This group of black to brown, rather nondescript species is difficult to separate from other black Leioproctus (Leioproctus) they are placed tentatively as a species-group due to the lack of strong external characters however based on their over-all facies it is useful to place these as a species group. The most readily identifiable character of this group is the male genitalia which all possess a subapical spine on the inner margin of each gonoforceps.

This group is found in eastern Australia with the greatest concentration being in Victoria and Tasmania. The species are all very similar and are separated mainly by colour characters of the integument and nature of the hair .

Diagnosis— Malar space short or absent, propodeal triangle coriaceous; jugal lobe of hind wing reaching cu-a; male F1 the length is less than the width; female with hind tibial scopa branched bimodal and inner hind tibial spur with 4–9 long, slender teeth; male genitalia with gonoforceps with a subapical tooth on inner margin and penis valves often with a double, ventral spine.

Description —Small to medium-sized (7–11 mm) black or dark brown bees; general body sculpture of small, dense, distinct punctures with smooth or coriaceous interspaces; vestiture of long, fine hair with many, moderately long branches. Head Inner eye margins parallel except where they converge slightly at level of ocelli, and ventral ends; facial foveae vaguely indicated by slight change in surface texture; frontal line with dorsal part weakly carinate or absent, ventral part weakly carinate; frons sculpture of dense, weak punctures with coriaceous interspaces; male F1 length less than width, F2 length about equal to width, F3–11 length greater than width, sub antennal suture about as long as diameter of antennal bases; clypeus with small punctures with smooth or coriaceous interspaces; maxillary and labial palps with segments well sclerotised, all about equal in length; malar space short, or absent; labrum short, totally convex, no depressed apical area; scape reaching median ocellus. Mesosoma — Scutum and scutellum with small, ill-defined punctures with smooth to coriaceous interspaces, posterior median area often polished; hair long, fine, much branched; metanotum not protuberant; propodeal triangle convex with no clearly defined basal area, coriaceous. Forewings with marginal cell long, slender, apex curved from costal margin of the marginal cell; basal vein strongly sloping; membrane often darkened towards the apex; jugal lobe of hind wing reaching cu-a; wings hairy. Legs of female with dense scopa, in dorsal posterior area, hairs with 2 rows of branches; inner hind tibial spur with 4–9 long, slender teeth; inner rami of claws large; female hind basitibial plate 0.2–0.25 length of tibia, densely covered in long, stiff thick hairs. Metasoma —Metasoma with small, dense, weak punctures with coriaceous interspaces; female pygidial plate rounded apically, weakly coriaceous; male without pygidial area or sternal fringes; female sterna with much branched hair. Male genitalia with gonobase 0.2–0.25 x length of genitalia, genital foramen large; gonostyles large with a tooth subapically on inner lateral margin; volsellae about 0.25 x length of genitalia. S7 with 2 broadly rounded, simple, apical lobes.

Key to Leioproctus (Leioproctus) spatulatus species-group

1 Male (without hind tibial scopa).......................................................................... 2

– Female (with hind tibial scopa).......................................................................... 8

2 Ventral hind margin of gena extended to an obtuse angle that approximates 90˚.................................... 3

– Ventral hind margin of gena rounded...................................................................... 4

3 Apical margins of T3–5 translucent.............................. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) punctatus (Smith, 1853)

– Apical margins of T3–5 opaque.................................. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) obscurus (Smith, 1853)

4 Legs all brown or black................................................................................ 5

– Legs with hind tibiae orange............................................................................6

5 Wings clear; hair of scutum and scutellum whitish.............. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) providellus (Cockerell, 1905)

– Wings dark; hair of scutum and scutellum brownish................. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) providus (Smith, 1879)

6 Only hind tibiae and tarsi orange; S7 with a single row of marginal hairs................................................................................................. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) spatulatus (Cockerell, 1905)

– All tibiae and tarsi orange.............................................................................. 7

7 Scutal and scutellar hair orange (or white)....................... Leioproctus (Leioproctus) alleynae (Rayment, 1935)

– Scutal and scutellar hair brownish.............................. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) recusus ( Cockerell, 1921)

8 Hind tibial scopa with hair anteriorly yellow.................. .. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) philonesus (Cockerell, 1929)

– Hind tibial scopa with hair anteriorly dark, posteriorly pale.................................................... 9

9 Apical margins T3–5 translucent................................ Leioproctus (Leioproctus) punctatus (Smith, 1853)

– Apical margins T3–5 opaque........................................................................... 10

10 Clypeus with simple hairs medially...................................................................... 11

– Clypeus with branched hairs medially.................................................................... 13

11 Wings hyaline, all tibiae and tarsi orange........................ Leioproctus (Leioproctus) alleynae (Rayment, 1935)

– Wings darkened, all tibiae and tarsi brown to black......................................................... 12

12 Inner hind tibial spur with about 9 fine teeth, ventral hind margin of gena rounded............................................................................................... Leioproctus (Leioproctus) providus (Smith, 1879)

– Inner hind tibial spur with about 5 moderately coarse teeth, ventral hind margin of gena obtusely angulate................................................................................................ L. obscurus (Smith, 1853)

13 Inner hind tibial spur with about 5 thick teeth, all tibiae and tarsi orange..................................................................................................... Leioproctus (Leioproctus) recusus ( Cockerell, 1921)

– Inner hind tibial spur with about 9 fine teeth, all tibiae and tarsi brown to black.................................... 14

14 Metasoma weakly metallic................................. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) spatulatus (Cockerell, 1905)

– Metasoma black......................................... Leioproctus (Leioproctus) providellus (Cockerell, 1905)