Megalopta purpurata Smith, 1879

Santos, L. M. & Melo, G. A. R., 2014, Updating the taxonomy of the bee genus Megalopta (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Augochlorini) including revision of the Brazilian species, Journal of Natural History 49 (11), pp. 575-674 : 625

Megalopta purpurata Smith, 1879

( Figures 10A , 11F , 12C , 15D )

Megalopta purpurata Smith, 1879: 48 . Holotype male, Brazil: Amazonas , Tefé (‘Ega’) (BMNH, not directly examined).

Diagnosis

The male differs from those of M. guarani sp. n. and M. karitiana sp. n. by the digitiform medial protruding process of S4, in lateral view; from M. mapinguari sp. n and M. xavante sp. n. by the mesosoma homogeneously blackish ( Figures 11F , 12C ); also distinguished from M. mapinguari by medial protruding process of S4 lacking setae in the apex; from M. atlantica by the absence of rugulosities in basal area of metapostnotum ( Figure 12C ).

Description

Male. (15) Scape missed. (16) Flagellum missed ( Figure 10A ). (17) Metanotum with integument, in dorsal view, not hidden by short plumose pilosity ( Figure 11F ). (18) Basal area of metapostnotum blackish; its length less than half of metanotum ( Moure 1958); smooth, without rugulosities ( Figure 12C ). (19) Metepisternum with sparse pilosity, integument visible through pilosity; posterior upper margin of metepisternum unmodified, lacking a velvety process. (20). 1st and 2nd tarsomere of foreleg unobserved. (21) S3 with longitudinal sulcus, posterolateral margin notched. (22) S4 with medial protruding process, profile of process digitiform in lateral view; basal portion glabrous; posterolateral margin notched, notch not extending to basal half of sclerite.

Female. Unknown.

Comments

The type was not examined directly, but through photographs obtained from the British Museum ( BMNH). Its inclusion in the byroni species group was based on the following features: body coloration without metallic green reflections and S 4 in basal area with a digitiform medial protruding process. Some characteristics of this species were extracted from Moure’ s (1958) redescription .

Distribution

BRAZIL. Amazonas: Tefé ( Figure 15D ).

Figures

Figure 10. Males of Megalopta. (A, C) Frontal view of head; (B, D) frontal view of flagellomeres; (A) M. purpurata Smith (holotype) from Tefé, Brazil; (B) M. atlantica Santos & Silveira from Ipanema, Brazil; (C) M. yanomami sp. n. from Parauapebas, Brazil; (D) M. piraha sp. n. from Manaus, Brazil; (E) lateral view of sternum 4 of M. guarani sp. n. from Chapada dos Guimarães, Brazil; (F) posterolateral view of basal area of mesosoma M. guarani sp. n. from Chapada dos Guimarães, Brazil. Scale bar 1 mm, except in E, scale bar 0.1 mm.

Figure 11. Males of Megalopta. (A, C, D). Posterolateral view of mesosoma; (A) M. karitiana sp. n. from Ouro Preto do Oeste, Brazil; (B) ventral view of sternum 3‒4 of M. mapinguari sp. n. from Rio Branco, Brazil; (C) M. mapinguari sp. n. from Rio Branco, Brazil; (D) M. xavante sp. n. from Nova Xavantina, Brazil; (E) dorsal view of mesosoma of M. atlantica Santos & Silveira from Ipanema, Brazil; (F) posterior view of mesosoma of M. purpurata Smith (holotype) from Tefé, Brazil. Scale bar 1 mm.

Figure 12. Males of Megalopta. (A‒C) Habitus, dorsal view; (A) M. xavante sp. n. from Nova Xavantina, Brazil; (B) M. atlantica Santos & Silveira from Ipanema, Brazil; (C) M. purpurata (holotype) Smith from Tefé, Brazil; (D‒F) posterolateral view of mesosoma; (D) M. yanomami sp. n. from Parauapebas, Brazil; (E) M. piraha sp. n. from Manaus, Brazil; (F) M. munduruku sp. n. from Belterra, Brazil. Scale bar 1 mm.

Figure 15. Distribution records of Megalopta species. (A) M. chaperi Vachal; (B) M. guimaraesi Santos & Silveira (black circles) and M. mura sp. n. (grey squares); (C) M. piraha sp. n (grey squares) and M. yanomami sp. n. (black circles); (D) M. atlantica Santos & Silveira (grey square), M. guarani sp. n (triangle), M. xavante sp. n (hexagon), M. karitiana sp. n (black circle), M. mapinguari sp. n (black square) and M. purpurata Smith (grey circle).