Trichocolletes rufibasis (Cockerell)

Batley, Michael, 2012, Revision of the Australian Bee Genus Trichocolletes Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Paracolletini), Records of the Australian Museum (Rec. Aust. Mus.) 64 (1), pp. 1-50 : 34-35

Trichocolletes rufibasis (Cockerell)

Figs 6 , 39, 72, 112

Paracolletes rufibasis Cockerell, 1929a, p. 204 (male). Trichocolletes (Trichocolletes) rufibasis .— Michener, 1965, p. 80.

Specimens examined. The holotype ♂, Eradu, Western Australia, Nicolson , AM (K.95635) and the following. South Australia: 8♀, Lake Gilles Natl Park (33.06°S 136.67°E), 13 Nov. 1975, T . F. Houston & J. A. Herridge, on Daviesia nudula, SAM (32-024523–30). Western Australia: 2♂, 22 km N Bullfinch , 7 Sep. 1979, T . F. Houston, on flowers of Swainsona microphylla, WAM (13990–91); 5♀, 22 km N Bullfinch , 2–3 Oct. 1981, T . F. Houston, on flowers of Mirbelia depressa, WAM (13992–96); ♂, ♀, Charles Darwin Reserve , Sep. 2009, R . Leys, AM (K.344826–27) ; ♂, 25 km S Cue , 31 Aug. 1981, G. A. Holloway, AM (K.344531) ; ♂, 18 km E Hyden (32.4170°S 119.0989°E), 10 Oct. 2009, M. Batley, AM (K.344825) ; 3♂, Kalamunda , WAM (13785–87) ; 4♀, Kalbarri , 29 Aug. 1970, K. T . Richards, WAA (80836,38,46,47) ; 7♂, 2♀, McDermid Rock , 27 Sep.–3 Oct. 1978, T . F. Houston et al., on flowers of Daviesia costata,WAM (13971–7,13997,19121); ♂, Mt Jackson , 5–11 Sep. 1979, T . F. Houston, on flowers of Dryandra arborea, WAM (13998); ♂, 14 km NW Narrogin (32.8761°S 117.0425°E), 9 Oct. 2009, M. Batley, AM (K.344824) ; ♂, 4♀, National Park , WAM (13769–72) ; 3♂, 2♀, Neerabup Nat.Park 15 km NW Wanneroo, 16 Oct.1994, T . F. Houston et al., on flowers of Daviesia, WAM (13595–99); 8♀, Lake Gilles Natl Park (33.06°S 136.67°E), 13 Nov. 1975, T . F. Houston & J. A. Herridge, on Daviesia nudula, SAM (32-024523–30); ♂, 16 km S Norseman (32.3403°S 121.7575°E), 7 Oct. 2009, M. Batley, AM (K.344823) ; 30♂, 7♀, 7 km SSW Norseman, 19 Sep. 1981, I. D. Naumann & J. C. Cardale , ANIC ; ♂, Tallering Stn , 1 Sep. 1976, R . P. McMillan, WAM (13788).

Batley & Houston: Australian bee genus Trichocolletes 35

Diagnosis

Eyes not hairy; metasomal bands gold; metasoma usually with large areas of orange-brown on T1,2; malar space very short. Male metasoma noticeably slender; S7 with sinuate posterior margin ( Fig. 72 ). Female clypeus usually flattened sagittaly.

Variation

The species is rather variable in colour. A long series of specimens collected near Norseman contained examples with and without orange-brown on the metasoma while all eight specimens collected at Kalamunda National Park were without orange-brown and had silver metasomal bands. The body lengths of the latter specimens were on average 1 mm greater than for the former. Females from Bullfinch and Lake Gilles had red-brown rather than orange-brown markings and the clypeus was not flattened. When associated males are available, the last two may warrant classification as a separate species or subspecies. Variation in the shape of the posterior margin of S7 of males was also observed between specimens having of the typical colour form.

Descriptions

Male (holotype).— Head width 3.65 mm, body length 11.6 mm. Relative dimensions: HW 50, HL 39, UID 30, UFW 31, LID 28, DMA 26, HVO 5, WOC 13, MOD 4, OOD 9, IAD 9, ASD 3, AOD 8, ML 19, BMW 7, MSL 0.5, SL 14, SW 3, FL c. 51.— Eyes not hairy; head broad, inner orbits converging ventrally; malar area short (length c. 0.1× basal mandibular width); flagellum as long as head width; middle flagellomeres c. 1.6× as long as wide. Legs slender; hind tarsus 1.2× as long as hind tibia; length basitarsus 4.8× width. Genital capsule like that for T. orientalis n.sp., but penis valves slightly shorter and broader (Fig. 39); S7 (WAM 13971) lateral lobes triangular with strongly rounded corners and sinuate posterior margin, basal teeth obsolete ( Fig. 72 ).— Labrum, scape, large part of clypeus ventrally, mandible, anterior and posterior regions of T1, anterior half T2, anterior quarter of T3, distal ends of femora and all of tibiae and tarsi orange-brown; coxae, trochanters and most of femora dark brown; flagellum mid to dark brown, F2–8 paler ventrally. T1–5 with gold bands; T7 red-brown medially.— Scutum dull with strong pit-reticulation almost obscuring punctures.— Face densely covered with long, erect, bright orange hair; scutum with thin cover of long, dull orange, finely-branched hair; fore basitarsus without plume; other legs with sparse hair.

Female (WAM 13975), not previously described.— Head width 3.85 mm, body length 11.5 mm. Relative dimensions: HW 50, HL 39, UID 30, UFW 32, LID 30, DMA 28, HVO 5, WOC 14, MOD 4, OOD 8, IAD 8, ASD 3, AOD 9, ML 19, BMW 7, MSL 0.5, SL 15, SW 3, FL c. 33.— Eyes not hairy; head broad, orbits slightly convergent ventrally; clypeus sagittaly flattened; supraclypeal area prominent; malar space short (length c. 0.1× basal mandibular width); middle flagellomeres slightly longer than wide; inner hind tibial spur with c. 9 teeth; tarsal claws with large, triangular inner ramus; pygidial plate entire or with minute apical emargination and broad, low medial elevation.— Labrum, ventral rim of clypeus, most of mandible, anterior half of T1,2 orange-brown; posterior half T1,2 and legs dark brown; S2 yellow-brown; remaining sterna brown. T1–4 with pale gold bands.— Clypeus reticulate with close to dense, large punctures, supraclypeal area densely punctate; scutum with strong pit-reticulation obscuring punctures.— Paraocular areas and frons covered with long, plumose, orange hair, paler ventrally and tipped with dark brown near ocelli. Scutum openly covered with short, plumose, orange-brown hair with dark tips; hind tibial scopa brown to dark brown, with a little white along anterior margin; prepygidial fimbria dark brown.

Remarks. The holotype is smaller than average, with most males slightly over 12 mm in length. This species closely resembles T. soror (see below).

This species is referred to as F271/M237, F255/M229 and F263/M 234 in Houston (2000).

Distribution. Southwestern Australia (AW, COO, GAW, GS, JF, MAL, MUR, SWA, YAL) ( Fig. 112 ).

Figures

Figs 5–9. Parts of antennae of male Trichocolletes illustrating: (5) swollen and (6) non-swollen scapes; (7) modified F1 and F11; (8) crenulate flagellum and (9) modified F11.

Figs 68–79. Seventh sternum of Trichocolletes males.

Figs 104–115. Known distribution of Trichocolletes species.