Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) delphiae, Gibbs & Bass & Morgan, 2022

Gibbs, Jason, Bass, Amber & Morgan, Katherine, 2022, Habralictus and Lasioglossum of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Lesser Antilles (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Halictidae), ZooKeys 1089, pp. 125-167 : 125

Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) delphiae sp. nov.

Fig. 9

Holotype.

Saint Lucia. • Savannes [Bay] Mangrove Res., 13.766, -60.915 [13 45.97 60 54.88], 0-5 m, 3.V.2009, leg. C.M. Delphia (♀ MTEC, to be deposited in the USNM).

Paratypes.

Saint Lucia • Micoud District • Escap Community Fond Bay at beach, [13 83.16 60 89.30], 1 m, 8.V.2009, leg. C.M. Delphia, J.B. Runyon (♀ MTEC).

Diagnosis.

Lasioglossum delphiae is easily distinguishable as a member of the subgenus Lasioglossum Habralictellus . It has two submarginal cells (1rs-m absent). It closely resembles L. (H.) roseauense from Dominica. Lasioglossum delphiae has the mesoscutellum very weakly sculptured, almost polished with distinct, sparse punctures (mesoscutellum dull, sculpturing stronger, similar to that of mesoscutum in L. roseauense ) and the metasomal terga have orange bands basally (all dark in L. roseauense ). There is more yellow on the foreleg of L. delphiae than L. roseauense , although such colour characters may not be reliable given the limited material available.

Description.

Female (n = 2). Length 4.5 mm; head length 1.1-1.2 mm; head width 1.2-1.3 mm; intertegular distance 0.9-1.04 mm; wing length 1.7-1.8 mm.

Colouration. Head and mesosoma dull metallic golden-green, metapostnotum blue-green. Clypeal apex reddish brown. Labrum reddish brown to orange. Mandible orange with black base and red apex. Scape brown apically, orange basally. Flagellum brown, F3-F11 orange-brown ventrally. Pronotal lobe reddish brown. Tegula amber. Wing membrane hyaline, veins brown. Legs brown, except orange on pro- and mesotrochanters, protibia, protarsi, ventral surface of mesotibia, mesotarsi 2-5, and apices of metafemur and metatibia. Metasomal terga reddish brown with orange patches basally on terga.

Pubescence. Body with sparse pilosity, dull white to faintly yellowish. Tomentum on pronotal dorsolateral angles and lobe. Mesoscutal pilosity sparse erect. Wing setae dark. Acarinarial fan absent, only sparse erect setae on anterior face of T1. Terga with only sparse setae, without apical fringes or basal tomentum.

Surface sculpture. Clypeal punctures sparse (IS = 1-2.5 PD), interspaces weakly imbricate almost polished on apical half, basally tessellate-granular. Supraclypeal punctures sparse (IS = 1-3 PD), interspaces finely reticulate-granular. Paraocular area punctures sparse (IS = 1-2.5 PD), interspaces granular. Frons punctures indistinct, sparse (IS = 1-3 PD). Vertex granular. Gena lineolate, postgena lineolate. Tegula finely punctate on anterior half (IS = 1-2.5 PD), interspaces imbricate, posterior half glabrous. Mesoscutal punctures sparse (IS = 2-3.5 PD), interspaces tessellate; mesoscutellar punctures coarser, sparse (IS = 2-4 PD), interspaces shiny imbricate. Metanotum granular. Metapostnotum transversely lineolate at base, imbricate along apical margins. Preëpisternum tessellate-granular. Hypoepimeral area indistinctly punctate, interspaces tessellate-granular. Mesepisternum indistinct, sparsely punctate (IS = 1-3 PD), interspaces tessellate-granular. Metepisternum lineolate dorsally, imbricate ventrally. Propodeal lateral face tessellate-imbricate, sparsely punctate; posterior face imbricate, sparsely punctate. T1 anterior face polished, dorsally coriarious. T2-T5 sparsely punctate, interspaces coriarious.

Structure. Face length/width ratio 0.77 (0.01 SD). UOD/LOD ratio 1.18 ( ± 0 SD). Clypeus projecting ~70% below suborbital tangent; apicolateral denticles low rounded knobs. Supraclypeal area length/width ratio 0.7 ( ± 0.01 SD). Hypostomal carinae parallel. Pronotal angle obtuse. Mesoscutum length/width ratio 0.83 ( ± 0.04 SD); mesoscutum/mesoscutellum length ratio 2.7 ( ± 0.09 SD); mesoscutellum/metanotum length ratio 1.98 ( ± 0.1 SD); metanotum/metapostnotum length ratio 0.57 ( ± 0.06 SD). Propodeum lateral carinae reaching halfway to dorsal margin; oblique carina absent. Tegula shape ovoid. Forewing with two submarginal cells. Distal hamuli arranged 2-1-2. Inner metatibial spur pectinate, with four branches not including apex of rachis, proximal branch much longer than width of rachis. Metasoma ovoid, apical impressed area medially ~ 1/2 longitudinal length of basal area.

Etymology.

The species is named for Casey Delphia for her kind support of JG’s studies of Caribbean bees generally and in appreciation for collecting the specimens above and bringing them to his attention.

Notes.

Lasioglossum delphiae was collected from dry forest/beach habitats near the coast (C. Delphia, in litt.).

Figures

Figure 9. Lasioglossum (Habralictellus) delphiae sp. nov., paratype female A dorsal habitus B head, frontal view C lateral habitus.