Thygater minarum Urban 1999

Freitas, Felipe V. & Silveira, Fernando A., 2017, Synopsis of the bee genus Thygater Holmberg 1884 (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, with the description of a new species and a key to all Brazilian species, Zootaxa 4238 (1), pp. 1-29 : 18

Thygater minarum Urban 1999

( Figs. 2 .B; 3.C; 11)

Thygater (Thygater) minarum Urban 1999 ; Urban, Moure & Melo 2012.

Diagnosis. Both the pilosity and integument of female T. minarum are black, except for the ferruginous integument and pilosity on sterna and on T4 – T6 ( Fig. 11 .B, C), a unique combination of integument and pilosity color in the genus. Male T. minarum are very similar to those of T. anae , T. analis , T. carijo and T. palliventris , from which they can be distinguished by the basal clypeal depression, which occupies 1/3 of the clypeal length ( Fig. 11 .D) (1/5 of the clypeal length in the other species—Figs. 5.D; 13.D). Moreover, the apical emargination of T 7 in T. minarum is shallow, forming two flat, broadly rounded lobes (forming two triangular lobes in T. anae , T. analis and T. palliventris )( Fig. 2 ). Male T. minarum can also be distinguished from those of other related species by its peculiar S7, with extremely thick setae along the base of its lobes ( Fig. 3 .C).

Description ♀ (holotype): Integument black, except lighter on tarsomeres; yellowish on T1 – T3 and S6; translucent-amber on apex of marginal zones of terga and on of S1 – S5; wings dark with black veins. On clypeus finely punctate; on mesosoma lightly reticulate, punctures moderately sparse (puncture distance slightly larger than a dp); on disc of mesoscutum smooth, punctation sparser; on metasoma reticulate, sparsely punctate (1,5 dp), smooth and dull on marginal zones of terga; translucent-amber on apex of marginal zones of terga short, shorter than F2; translucent-amber on apex of marginal zones of S1 – S5 as long as F2. Pilosity on head predominantly white with fuscous patches on paraocular area and all vertex; on mesosoma entirely white, sparse on mesoscutum, denser on mesepisternum; on metasoma black on T1 – T3 and bright yellow on T4 – T6; sparse, the integument exposed except on T5, very dense; on sterna sparse with complete marginal fringes; on S3 – S5 bright yellow with denser tufts laterally; on S6 bright yellow, but short and dense. Structure —malar area as long as basal mandibular width; clypeus slightly convex on disc, its basal depression as long as clypeal length; S6 with mid-longitudinal elevation on its apical half.

♂: Integument black, except yellow on labrum; on labrum sparsely punctate; on clypeus reticulate, sparsely punctate; on disc of scutellum with glabrous area and finer reticulation; metasoma entirely reticulate; T1-T5 with narrow translucent-amber on apex of marginal zones. Pilosity: on head white, except black on inferior paraocular area and vertex; on mesosoma, relatively sparse; predominantly black, with white hairs on axilla, front legs and mid and hind trochanters; on metasoma, white on anterior vertical surface of T1 and on disc of T5 – T7, black on pregradular surface of T2 – T7, on dorsal surface of T1 and on disc of T2 – T4; on sterna whitish, very thin, short and sparse, medially on disc, forming fringes of long, plumose hairs, laterally on S2 – S4; on S6 minute and simple on a mid-longitudinal band delimiting a basal triangular and lateral oval glabrous areas. Structure —malar area about half as long as basal mandibular width; clypeus with long basal depression, occupying 1/3 of clypeal length; apex of T7 shallowly emarginate, forming two broadly flat rounded lobes; apical margin of S5 simple, without projections; S6 without carinae.

Holotype (female): “ 1013 – 61 ” “Viçosa MG; Brasil 15/02/87; G.A.R. Melo” “ Thygater ; minarum ; Urban,.99” “holótipo” [DZUP]—examined.

Habitat: It seems to be associated to forest environments and their vicinities, both in lowlands and on mountains above 1000 m.

Additional material examined: (26 specimens, 5 ♀♀ and 21 ♂♂). BRAZIL — BAHIA : 8 km from Camac — Serra Bonita— 21/01/2011, G. Melo, 6♂ [ DZUP]. Prado — 05/11/1971, C. Elias, 7♂ [DZUP]. MINAS GERAIS: Lima Duarte —Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca 17/03/2007, A.A. Azevedo 1♀ [ UFMG] . Sabar — Bairro Morada da Serra 11/05/2002, R.B. Martines 1♀ [ UFMG] ; Chácara do Lessa 17/03/2001, R.B. Martines 1♀ [ UFMG] . Santa Maria do Salto — 13/02/2009, A. Nemésio, 7♂♂ ; 14/02/2009, A. Nemésio 1♂; Viçosa — 07/02/1990, M. Thiengo 1♀ [UFV]; Mata do paraíso— 03/02/2001, M.R. Vianna 1♀ [UFPR].

Distribution in Minas Gerais: In this state, Thygater minarum is known only from the southeastern portion of the Atlantic Forest domain. Among the localities where it was recorded in the state, Viçosa is its type locality ( Urban 1999).

Flower records: Melastomataceae — Tibouchina sp., Sabar—MG [UFMG].

Figures

FIGURE 2. Dorsal view of metasoma of males. A — Thygater analis, B — T. minarum (the arrows indicate the alternative states of the apical emargination of T 7, mentioned in the couplet 5 of the key to males).

FIGURE 3. Ventral view of S 7 of males of: A — T. analis, B — T. anae, C — T. minarum, D — T. palliventris, E — T. paranaensis and F — T. danunciae. adl: anterior margin of distal lobe; apl: anterior margin of proximal lobe; dl: distal lobe; lpl: lateral margin of proximal lobe.

FIGURE 11. T. minarum — ♀: A — frontal view, B — lateral view (the arrow indicates the third submarginal cell, about as long as second, measured on its anterior margin, mentioned in couplet 12 of the key to males and couplet 1 of the key to females), C — dorsal view (UFMG 27534); ♂: D — frontal view, E — lateral view, F — dorsal view (UFMG 53643). Scale bar = 1 mm.