Andrena ovata Schenck, 1853

Praz, Christophe, Genoud, David, Vaucher, Killian, Benon, Dimitri, Monks, Joseph & Wood, Thomas J., 2022, Unexpected levels of cryptic diversity in European bees of the genus Andrena subgenus Taeniandrena (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae): implications for conservation, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 91, pp. 375-428 : 375

Andrena ovata Schenck, 1853 stat. nov.

Figs 15 , 25 , 41 , 51 , 62-68

Andrena ovata Schenck, 1853: 133, ♀ ♂, "[Nassau, Germany]. Lectotype ♂ (MWNH) by present designation (see below).

Material examined.

Type material: Lectotype ♂ of Andrena ovata Schenck, 1853, by present designation, a male in good condition (Fig. 65 ; MWNH). This male specimen is labelled as follows: 1. "Collection Kirschbaum" [printed]; 2. “♂” (printed); 3. " Andrena ovata Sch ♂ " [handwritten]; 4. " Andrena gibba Schenck 1853 Typenmaterial des. Andert 2008". 5. " Lectotype Andrena ovata des. C. Praz 2022". 6. “mwnh-sch-161” [unique identifier].

Other material (Suppl. material 2: Table S2): France • ♀; Fontvieille, barycentre commune; [43.7263°N, 4.707°E]; 25.4.1992; leg. Gérard Le Goff (DGC) • ♀; Dijon ; [47.3017°N, 5.0366°E] ; 14.6.2021; leg. Lise Ropars (DGC) • 2♀; Dijon ; [47.3491°N, 5.0574°E] ; 16.6.2021; leg. Lise Ropars (DGC and PRUN) • ♀; Lussan , le lac de Beth; [44.1819°N, 4.3739°E] ; 24.5.2016; leg. D. Genoud; unique identifier: GBIFCH00117722 (PRUN) [DNA extraction number 2335] • 2♀; Lussan , Lac de Beth; [44.1819°N, 4.3739°E] ; 24.5.2016; leg. D. Genoud (DGC) • ♀; Saint-Ay; 47.8541°N, 1.7515°E; 4.6.2018; leg. Romain Ledeux UNIV. Orléans (DGC) [BOLD accession number POLLE2744-19] • ♀; Villefranque , Quartier bas; [43.4647°N, - 1.4758°E] ; 11.5.2011; leg. D. Genoud (DGC) • ♀; Saint-Léger-la-Montagne, RN des Dauges - Nord-ouest ; 46.0106°N, 1.4111°E ; 4.6.1996; leg. Jean-Marie Sibert (Laurent Chabrol) • ♀; Bouches-du-Rhônes (13); Marseille, Parc des Bruyères; [43.275°N, 5.4395°E] ; 17.5.2016; leg. L. Ropars (DGC) [DNA extraction number 2334] • ♂; Bugarach ; [42.8783°N, 2.3294°E] ; 29.4.2016; leg. D. Genoud; unique identifier: GBIFCH00117723 (PRUN) [DNA extraction number 2343] • ♂; Riols ; [43.4858°N, 2.8124°E] ; 1.5.2008; leg. D. Genoud (DGC) [DNA extraction number 2348] • ♂; Roquebrune sur Argens ; [43.4754°N, 6.6151°E] ; 23.4.2010; leg. D. Genoud (DGC) [DNA extraction number 2347] • ♂; Saint-Martin-de-Seignanx, Arrousset ; [43.513°N, - 1.3685°E] ; 19.4.2007; leg. D. Genoud (DGC) [DNA extraction number 2345] • ♂; Sournia Chapelle Saint-Michel ; 42.7241°N, 2.4278°E ; 7.5.2013; leg. X. Lair (DGC) [DNA extraction number 2344] • ♀; Villefranque , Quartier Bas; [43.4647°N, - 1.4758°E] ; 11.5.2011; leg. D. Genoud (DGC) [DNA extraction number 2336] • ♂; B-du-Rhône, Eyguieres Roquemartine ; 29.4.1991; leg. C. Schmid-Egger (OLML) • 3♂; Vaucluse , Carpentras, Le Beaucet; [43.9809, 5.1212] ; 30.4.1991; leg. C. Schmid-Egger (OLML) • 7♂; Vaucluse , 2 km E Roussillon FJ86 ; 1.5.1991; leg. C. Schmid-Egger (OLML).

Germany • ♀; Rheinland-Pfalz, Mechtersheim NSG Tongruben RLP MV5555 Standort 3; 28.5.1995; leg. Niehuis (CSE) [DNA extraction number 2373] • 2 ♀; Hessen-Höchst a.M. SO 46 Gutachten Industriepark Wiese, Lotus ; 50.0907, 8.5494; 22.5.2020; leg. S. Tischendorf (STC and PRUN) • ♀; Hessen, Babenhausen Kiesgrube nördl. Bab, Düne 1; 7.6.1996; leg. S. Tischendorf (STC) • ♀; Hessen-Riedstadt MTB 6116 R3455-H5526 UTM MA52 sw Geinsheim Kiesbaggerei Kiebert ; 24.5.2004; leg. S. Tischendorf (STC) • ♀; Hessen-Wattenheim ; 49.689595, 8.40162; 1.6.2021; leg. S. Tischendorf (STC) • ♀; Hessen-Kelkheim /T MTB 5816 R3461-H5555 UTM MA65 Streuobstwiese ; 14.6.2004; leg. S. Tischendorf (STC) • ♀; Hessen-Höchst a.M. SO 14 Gutachten Industriepark GS 24 trockene Wiese ; 50.08654, 8.545; 22- 31.5.2020 (STC) • ♀; Hessen, Babenhausen Kiesgrube nördl. Bab, Düne 1; 17.6.1996; leg. S. Tischendorf (PRUN) • ♀; Hessen-Darmstadt TK 6117-7522 Eberstadt, Prinzenberg ; 28.5.1998 (STC) • ♂; Hessen-Bensheim TK 6317 3475/5505; 15.5.1994; leg. S. Tischendorf (STC) • ♂; Hessen-Höchst a.M. SO 14, trockene Wiese Gutachten Höchst AG GS 17; 8- 17.5.2020; leg. S. Tischendorf (STC) • ♂; Hessen-Biebesheim FO 19 Rheinufer Ufer Gras Proj. Blaues Band; 49.768567, 8.45083; 30.5.2017; leg. S. Tischendorf (STC) • ♂; Rhl.-Pfalz Ingelheim Rheindamm 6; 24.5.1992; leg. M. Hauser (STC) .

Greece • ♀; Arkadia , 2 km NW Kosmas; 37°06'24"N, 22°43'42"E [37.1067°N, 22.7283°E]; 2.vi.2014; leg. J. Litman & C. Praz; unique identifier: GBIFCH00117721 (PRUN) [DNA extraction number 2265] .

Italy • 2♂ 2♀; Lombardia, Magenta ; 45.43553, 8.831499; 10.05.2019; leg. P. Biella (MIB) [unique identifiers MIB:ZPL:08811; MIB:ZPL:08812; MIB:ZPL:08813; MIB:ZPL:08814] • ♀; Gargano, San Giovanni ; 41.717778, 15.724722; 24.v.2011; leg. S. Gerber, I. Mercerat; unique identifier GBIFCH00132003 (PRUN) [DNA extraction number 2375] • ♀; Gargano, San Giovanni ; 41.673056, 15.726111; 24.v.2011; leg. S. Gerber, I. Mercerat; unique identifier GBIFCH00132004 (PRUN) [DNA extraction number 2377] • ♀; Levanto ; 31.v-5.vi.1999; leg. M. Herrmann (MHC) [DNA extraction number 2371] • ♂; Levanto ; 31.v-5.vi.1999; leg. M. Herrmann (MHC) [DNA extraction number 2376] .

Spain: ♂; Segovia , Madrona, 500 m NE, Arroyo del Hocino; 40.9006°N, - 4.1559°E; 15.5.2021; leg. T.J. Wood (TJWC) .

Switzerland • ♀ Mendrisio TI [Ticino], Meride , 603 m; 717163/83448 [Swiss coordinates; 45.8927°N, 8.9481°E]; 8.v.2020; leg. L. Giollo; unique identifier: GBIFCH00124927 (MSNL) [DNA extraction number 2079] .

Distribution.

Peloponnese (Greece), southern and northern Italy, southern Switzerland (Tessin), western Germany (Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz), southern and central France, northeast to Dijon and northwest to Orléans, and Segovia Province, Spain (Fig. 55 ).

Pollen preferences.

Unknown.

Phenology.

Presumably univoltine with one generation from April until mid-June.

Diagnosis.

Female. Females of Andrena ovata are characterised by the pale, grey vestiture on scutum and head (Figs 62 , 63 ), the narrow, snow-white hairbands on the metasomal terga (Figs 15 , 25 ), and the brownish-grey to dark brown terminal fringe (Fig. 15 ). The punctation is also very distinctive: the clypeal punctation is shallow, with indistinct punctures on the strongly shagreened clypeal disc (Fig. 64 ). On the scutum, the punctures are equally shallow and comparatively indistinct (Fig. 63 ); a similar condition is sometimes observed in A. wilkella , but not in A. afzeliella or A. ovatula . T1 and the base of T2 are nearly impunctate, with only a few indistinct punctures that are hardly visible in the strong shagreening (Fig. 25 ). No other species has such a combination of characters: the tergal sculpture is as in A. russula , and unlike any other species of Taeniandrena , but A. ovata can easily be separated from A. russula by the much paler vestiture, the narrow tergal hair bands and the darker terminal fringe. Andrena afzeliella and A. ovatula both have the tergal discs much more distinctly punctate and shinier (Figs 19 , 20 ), much coarser clypeal and scutal punctation, and thicker tergal hair bands. Andrena wilkella has the terga distinctly punctate, especially T1 and T2, including the margin of T2 (Fig. 28 ); another useful difference between A. wilkella and A. ovata is the colour of the scutal hairs (yellowish brown in A. wilkella , grey-brown in A. ovata ) and of the fringe of hairs on the propodeum (yellowish brown in A. wilkella and whitish-grey in A. ovata ). Andrena gelriae and A. intermedia have the terminal fringe orange (Figs 13 , 14 ) and thicker tergal hairbands (Figs 23 , 24 ). All these species have brown vestiture on the scutum, which differs from the grey vestiture of A. ovata .

Females of Andrena ovata are superficially highly similar to those of A. poupillieri incana , restricted to the Balearic Islands. Both species have light vestiture, snow white tergal hair bands and a comparatively dark terminal fringe. Andrena poupillieri incana has thicker tergal hair bands, slightly coarser punctation on the scutum and denser clypeal punctation; in addition, the scopa is partly dark dorsally near the basitibial plate, while it is entirely yellowish white in A. ovata .

Male. The males of A. ovata are most similar to those of A. wilkella , with which they share the short third antennal segment (A3 = 0.6-0.7 × A4; Figs 41 , 44 ) and the genitalic structure (Figs 51 and 54 ), namely a narrow valve and comparatively elongate gonostyli. A particularly distinctive feature of the male of A. ovata is the dense, snow white vestiture on the clypeus, forming a dense fringe of hairs through which the cuticula of the apical part of the clypeus is hardly visible (Figs 65 , 66 ). Such a character is absent even in fresh males of A. wilkella . Overall, the vestiture is nearly entirely snow-white (greyish brown on the scutum), lighter than in A. wilkella , which has yellowish grey vestiture in fresh specimens. In A. ovata , the tergal discs are particularly matt with indistinct punctures (Figs 67 , 68 ), a character that differentiates the males of A. ovata from those of A. wilkella (Fig. 69 ), A. gelriae (Fig. 70 ) and A. vocifera (Fig. 71 ), all three of which have a short A3. Compared to A. wilkella , the males of A. ovata have the declivous, anterior part of T1 nearly impunctate and the margins of T2-T4 with only very weak punctures (Figs 67 , 68 ); the tergal punctures (e.g., on the disc of T2) are finer and less conspicuous. Compared to A. gelriae , the males of A. ovata have the hind tibia and metatarsus dark (at least metatarsus orange in A. gelriae ). Andrena poupillieri incana has genitalia similar to A. ovatula , with a broader valve, and A3 subequal to A4.

Note.

We initially treated this taxon as an undescribed species, until its presence in Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz in Germany was brought to our attention. We thus examined the type material of the taxa described by Schenck and found one male syntype (Fig. 65 ) of this taxon bearing the label " A. ovata ", in perfect agreement with Schenck’s original description. Although it is unfortunate that this name is highly similar to A. ovatula , we are confident that this specimen is the only existing syntype of A. ovata .

Andrena ovata belongs to a group of species characterised in the female by nearly entirely greyish white vestiture and weakly punctate terga. This group includes A. poupillieri incana , known only from the Balearic Islands, as well as A. poupillieri from North Africa (see note regarding this taxon under A. ovatula ). No genetic data was available from A. poupillieri incana . The status of this subspecies remains unclear, but the male is sculpturally different from that of A. ovata : the genitalia of A. poupillieri incana are similar to those of A. ovatula , and A3 is subequal to A4, unlike the condition in A. ovata .

Lastly, it is probable that the females of " A. poupillieri " mentioned by Michez et al. (2004) in the Pyrenees belong to A. ovata .

Figures

Figure 55. Distribution map of Andrena gelriae (red dots), A. ovata (blue dots) and A. vocifera (green dots).

Figures 9 - 16. Terminal fringes of females of Taeniandrena 9 Andrena afzeliella 10 A. ovatula 11 A. antonellae sp. nov. 12 A. croceiventris 13 A. gelriae 14 A. intermedia 15 A. ovata 16 A. russula.

Figures 19 - 26. Metasomal terga 1 - 3 of females of Taeniandrena 19 Andrena afzeliella 20 A. ovatula 21 A. antonellae sp. nov. 22 A. croceiventris 23 A. gelriae 24 A. intermedia 25 A. ovata 26 A. russula.

Figures 35 - 44. Male antennae 35 Andrena afzeliella 36 A. ovatula 37 A. antonellae sp. nov. 38 A. croceiventris 39 A. gelriae 40 A. intermedia 41 A. ovata 42 A. russula 43 A. vocifera 44 A. wilkella.

Figures 45 - 54. Male genitalia 45 Andrena afzeliella 46 A. ovatula 47 A. antonellae sp. nov. 48 A. croceiventris 49 A. gelriae 50 A. intermedia 51 A. ovata 52 A. russula 53 A. vocifera 54 A. wilkella.

Figures 62 - 69. 62 - 68 Andrena ovata 62 female profile 63 female scutum and scutellum 64 female clypeus 65 male holotype of A. ovata, profile 66 male face 67 male metasoma 68 male metasomal terga 1 - 3 69 A. wilkella, male metasomal terga 1 - 3.

Figures 27, 28. Metasomal terga 1 - 3 of females of Taeniandrena 27 Andrena vocifera 28 A. wilkella.

Figures 70 - 71. Male metasoma 70 Andrena gelriae 71 A. vocifera.