Colletes laticaudus Cockerell, 1946, 1945

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2007, Revision of the bees of the Colletes fasciatus-group in southern Africa (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 121-166 : 154-155

Colletes laticaudus Cockerell, 1946

Figs 3 , 24, 25 , 42

Colletes laticaudus: Cockerell 1945 (1946) : 850–851. Type locality: South Africa, Matjesfontein .

Diagnosis:Among the species with a reduced scopa is the following unique combination of characters: hind legs black to dark brown, hind tibia with dense short hairs dorsally ( Fig. 3 ), apical tergal depressions broadly translucent. Male best identified by the unique shape of S7 ( Fig. 24 ).

Description:

Female.

Length 11–12 mm.

Vestiture: Face yellowish,white with longer, dark brown hairs on vertex; mesonotum with short, yellowish brown hairs intermixed with numerous longer blackish hairs; hairs on side of mesosoma longer, and those on legs shorter and yellowish white, scutellum and metanotum with short, orange-brown hair, metanotum with a tuft of coloured plumose hairs medially; T1 sparsely covered with moderately long, erect, yellowish brown hairs; disc of T2 with very short, erect, yellowish hairs; discs of T3– T5 with successively longer, erect, blackish hairs; T1–T4 with relatively broad, white posterior fringes, that on T1 narrow medially, and on T5 entirely very narrow; T2 with narrow basal tomentum; S2–S4 with very sparse, short, white, fringes laterally; discs of sterna loosely clothed with very short hairs.

Integument: Mainly black, antenna brown ventrally, legs partly reddish brown and terga translucent yellowish or reddish brown posteriorly; discs of T1–T4 with narrow, red posterior margins; malar area narrow, length about 1/2 to 3/4 width of mandibular base; clypeus slight depressed medially, with dense (0.2 pd) small punctures that are very slightly elongate; integument between punctures glabrous; facial fovea broad, maximum width about 2× antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum glabrous, surrounded by dense (0.5 pd) punctation, integument between punctures glabrous; upper sloping part of propodeal triangle with short, longitudinal carinae, vertical part superficially shagreened and shiny; disc of T1 with distinct, fine, dense (0.5 pd) punctation, punctures becoming slightly finer and indistinctly shallow towards posterior tergal depression; disc of T2 with fine, dense (<0.5 pd) punctation; integument between punctures smooth and shiny.

Male.

Length 10–12 mm.

Vestiture: Face white; mesonotum with long, white to greyish white hairs; mesosomal sides and legs white to greyish white, scutellum and metanotum with long yellowish to yellowish white hairs, scutellum with a few brown hairs intermixed; T1 very densely covered with long, erect, yellowish brown hairs; disc of T2–T3 with successively shorter, concolorous hairs; T4–T5 with long, erect, black hairs; relatively broad white posterior fringes on T1–T4, that on T1 indistinct; S2–S5 with dense but short fringes, laterally longer than medially, discs of S2–S3 with velvutine pilosity posteriorly, widest medially. Integument: Completely black, except antenna brown ventrally, legs reddish brown, tarsi reddish brown to yellowish brown and terga narrowly translucent posteriorly; discs of T1–T3 with very narrow, red posterior margin; T1–T2 partly with very slight bluish shine; malar area long, length subequal to width of mandibular base; clypeus with very dense, small punctures (<0.2 pd); facial fovea broad, maximum width about 1.5× antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum with fairly coarse, scattered punctures (1–1.5 pd), integument glabrous, surrounded by slightly denser (0.5 pd) punctation; upper sloping part of propodeal triangle scabiculous, vertical part superficially chagreened and shiny, anterior margin with 2 or 3 short, weakly developed more or less transverse carinae; hind basitarsus slightly broadened apically with prominent, long, reddish bristles on dorsoapical edge; discs of T1 and T2 with fine and dense (0.5 pd) granulation, granulation fades towards posterior tergal depression, which is nearly smooth and shiny; integument between granulation smooth and shiny. Shape of S7 as in Fig. 24 and shape of gonostylus as illustrated ( Fig. 25 ).

Type material examined: Colletes laticaudus , ^holotype: ‘B.M. Type Hym. 17.a.1433, Colletes laticaudus CKLL. Type, S. Africa, R.E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1928-480, Cape Province, Matjesfontein, 6-15.x.1928 ’ (BMNH).

Additional material examined: 11^11ơ. SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: 1ơ Hester Malan Nat. Res. , 19.viii.1986, M. Struck, on Ruschia elineata (TMSA) ; 1ơ 2.viii.1986, idem, ( CMK) ; 2^Hester Malan Nat. Res. , 3.x.1987, M. Struck, on Ruschia cymosa (SANC, CMK) ; 2^30.ix.1986, idem ( SANC) ; 1^Hester Malan Nat. Res. , 12.viii.1985, M. Struck, on Conicosia elongata (SANC) ; Western Cape: 1ơ Vanrhynsdorp , 2 km N, 27.vii.1985, V. B. Whitehead, on pink mesem ( SAMC) ; 1^Leliefontein , 17.ix.2003, C. Mayer ( CMK) ; 1^Worcester , 300 m, 8.x.1966, C.D. Michener ( CMK) ; 1^Worcester , 30.ix.1966, C.D. Michener ( CMK) ; 2^Ladismith , 24.ix.1948, C. Jacot-Guillarmod ( AMGS) ; Eastern Cape: 1ơ Willowmore , 25.viii.1918, Dr Brauns ( TMSA) ; 1^25.viii.1906, 1ơ 5.viii.1920, 2ơ 20.viii.1909, 1ơ 10.ix.1918, 2ơ 15.viii.1917, 1ơ 20.viii.1920, idem ( CMK) .

Distribution: Scattered records from much of the winter rainfall area, eastwards to Willowmore ( Fig. 42 ).

Flower visiting: Conicosia elongata , Ruschia cymosa , Ruschia elineata (Aizoaceae) .

Phenology: First record 27 th July, last record 15 th October.

Figures

Figs 1–4. (1) Colletes albohirtus, clypeus of female, frontal view; (2) C. genalis, scopa on hind leg of female, dorsal view; (3) C. laticaudus, partly reduced scopa on hind leg of female, dorsal view; (4) C. karooensis sp. n., reduced scopa on hind leg of female, dorsal view. Scale bars: Fig. 1 = 0.5 mm; Figs 2–4 = 0.2 mm.

Figs 18–27. Shapes of male S7 and gonostylus: (18, 19) C. albohirtus; (20, 21) C. aureocinctus; (22, 23) C. fasciatus; (24, 25) C. laticaudus; (26, 27) C. schultzei. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 42. Distribution of C. inornatus, C. karooensis, C. katharinae, C. knersvlaktei, C. latefasciatus and C. laticaudus.