Homalictus versifrons ( Perkins & Cheesman, 1928 )

Dorey, James B., Schwarz, Michael P. & Stevens, Mark I., 2019, Review of the bee genus Homalictus Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) from Fiji with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 4674 (1), pp. 1-46 : 16-18

Homalictus versifrons ( Perkins & Cheesman, 1928)

( Fig. 10 )

Halictus versifrons Perkins & Cheesman, 1928: 22 .

Homalictus versifrons (Perkins & Cheesman) — Michener 1965: 181.

Material examined (1 ♂). Holotype—Fiji, a single ♂, i.1905 (after Perkins & Cheesman 1928). Located and exam- ined in NHMUK. [Specimen collection number] NHMUK013455808 .

Diagnosis. Male: In combination: Antennal sockets and paraocular area strongly depressed, striae on frons are mostly transverse. Additionally, the abdomen is “shining blackish brown and metallic ( Perkins & Cheesman 1928), which appears to be unique amongst the Fijian Homalictus described here.

Description. Male: Measurements: UID 0.67 mm. LID 0.52 mm. AOD 0.17 mm. IAD 0.12 mm. OAD 0.35 mm. IOD 0.16 mm. OOD 0.19 mm. GW 0.16 mm. EW 0.33 mm. BL 3.8 mm. ML 0.16 mm. SL 0.42 mm. FL 2.97 mm.

Colouration: Clypeus, supraclypeal area, frons, paraocular area and propodeum dorsally golden green and metallic. Scutum mostly purple. Scutellum strongly iridescent purple and pink. Metasoma brown.

Sculpturing: Paraocular area striae not straight. Frons striae transverse tapering towards frontal line. Supraclypeal area mostly moderately colliculate, finely colliculate medially. Clypeus finely and moderately colliculate. Clypeus not depressed medially. Scutum anteriorly finely and moderately colliculate and lineolate; medially and posteriorly finely colliculate. Punctures on scutum and scutellum sparse. Propodeum; dorsally coarsely strigate-rugose and moderately colliculate between grooves; laterally ventral and anterior striae curve towards each other and can meet; posteriorly moderately fine colliculate.

Morphology: Scape extends to posterior margin of medial ocellus. Interantennal distance about equal to diameter of socket. Labrum simple. Vertex has very few punctures small and open. Area posterior of vertex strong striae strong and close. Region around antennal sockets extending to paraocular area depressed. Posterior margin of scutum shape mostly straight. Dorsal subapical crest of gonocoxite weakly developed compared to H. fijiensis ( Michener 1979) .

Comments. Only a single specimen of this species is available and it is kept at the NHMUK, and type locality is simply recorded as “ Fiji ” by Perkins & Cheesman (1928). Michener (1979) collected from the telecom tower at 1,100 m asl (Nadarivatu) where he found this species to be quite numerous. Seventeen pinned specimens labelled as H. versifrons (1 ♂ and 16 ♀) are at SEMC, all but one female of which we have been able to examine. None of these specimens matched the description of H. versifrons although, without DNA, association of males and females is unlikely. The 16 females that were examined keyed to H. tuiwawae , H. nadarivatu , H. kaicolo and two undescribed species. We have not collected any individuals that are consistent with the description for this species and it is therefore omitted from any phylogenetic analysis.

Distribution. Fiji.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Homalictus versifrons male (a) dorsal habitus, (b) lateral habitus, (c) dorso posterior, (d) anteriorly frontal face and (e) ventral genitalia.