Plebeia (Plebeia) deceptrix Engel, 2022

Engel, Michael S., 2022, New species of the stingless bee genus Plebeia (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Melittology 2022 (114), pp. 1-28 : 2-6

Plebeia (Plebeia) deceptrix Engel , new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EC6C8DC1-691E-436D-A294-2E582FFE751D

( Figs. 1–7 )

DIAGNOSIS: The new species is noteworthy for the combination of its comparatively long malar space (0.4–0.6× flagellar diameter), a short and broad clypeus (width 2.7–2.9× length), a yellowish metasoma, and facial and mesosomal maculation as depicted in figures 2–6. It is somewhat similar to Plebeia roubiki (vide infra), which superficially resembles P. deceptrix at least in the yellow metasoma, but in P. roubiki the facial and mesosomal paterning is more extensive and yellowish (cf. Figs. 12, 13 ), the shorter malar space, and the narrower clypeus (vide metrics under P. roubiki , infra).

DESCRIPTION: ⚲: Total body length approximately 3.42–3.67 mm, forewing length (to base of humeral sclerite) 3.00– 3.17 mm. Head wider than long, width 1.43–1.47 mm, length 1.17–1.20 mm; compound eye length 0.92–0.93 mm; upper interorbital distance 0.93–0.97 mm, lower interorbital distance 0.83–0.85 mm. Scape length 0.47–0.50 mm. Malar area 0.4–0.6× flagellar diameter; clypeus broad, width 2.7–2.9× length. Preoccipital ridge rounded. Intertegular distance 0.97–1.03 mm. Hind wing with 5 distal hamuli.

Integument of head and mesosoma black to dark reddish brown; labiomaxillary complex yellow; mandible and labrum yellow except mandibular pale reddish brown apically; clypeus light yellowish brown to orange except sometimes fading to yellow in apicolateral corners and with black in basolateral corners at and above tangent of anterior tentorial pits, and often along apical margin; supraclypeal area light yellowish brown, sometimes with medial spot of brown; scape yellowish brown to orange ventrally except apically brown, dorsal surface dark brown, pedicel light brown, flagellomere I light yellowish brown ventrally, brown dorsally; remainder of flagellum brown to dark brown; lower paraocular area largely yellow to pale yellow, yellow forming a narrow triangle from anterior tentorial pit to anterior mandibular articulation and then tapering upward along inner orbit to about just below compound eye midlength (at upper tangent of glabrous scapal basins bordering upper portion of supraclypeal area and above antennal toruli); remainder of head black except blending to reddish brown on anterior portion of postgena. Pronotum light brown except nearly black along anterior rim and pale yellow posteriorly bordering mesoscutum, with yellow elongate ovoid spot laterally near and slightly above propleuron and yellow spot at anterolateral angles, pronotal lobe yellow; propleura yellow; mesoscutum black with thin stripes of pale yellow along lateral borders; axilla pale yellow; tegula translucent yellow; mesoscutellum dark reddish brown to black with yellow band medioapically, band with anterior medial indentation of brown, and narrow, elongate ovoid spots of yellow to yellowish brown laterally on mesoscutellum in mesoscutal-mesoscutellar transverse furrow; metanotum reddish brown; pleura dark reddish brown to black except yellow to yellowish brown on hypoepimeral area; propodeum reddish brown to black; legs largely yellow to light yellowish brown except blending toward light brown apically on ventral surfaces of femora and dorsally at apex near tibial joints, blending to brown or dark brown apically on tibiae, mesobasitarsus brown, metatibia with brown margins, and metabasitarsus with areas of brown to light brown; wing membranes hyaline and faintly infumate, veins brown to light brown; metasoma yellow.

Integument generally smooth and shining between minute, widely spaced punctures except as noted. Clypeus with coarser, shallow, faint, setiferous punctures separated by less than a puncture width; supraclypeal area sculptured as on clypeus; lower and upper face with minute, punctures separated by a puncture width or frequently less, integument between punctures smooth and shining, such punctures become gradually sparser near ocelli and ocellocular space, eventually becoming smaller and separated by 2–3× a puncture width in ocellocular space, although small impunctate strip bordering lateral ocellus; vertex with punctures larger, shallower, more irregular, and separated by a puncture width or often less, gena as on upper face; postgena smooth to faintly imbricate. Mesoscutum smooth, shining, with minute, setiferous punctures separated by 1–2.5× a puncture width, punctures somewhat more spaced along posterior border; punctures of mesoscutellum slightly larger and sparser, separated by 2–5× a puncture width, sparser posteriorly than anteriorly, integument otherwise smooth and shining between punctures; mesepisternum smooth, shining, with minute, setiferous punctures separated by 2–7× a puncture width, those anteriorly closer than those posteriorly, particularly sparse on hypoepimeral area and sparser ventrally; metepisternum smooth with somewhat shallower and coarser setiferous punctures, punctures separated by less than a puncture width; basal area of propodeum faintly microreticulate-imbricate, shining, glabrous; lateral surface of propodeum with shallower setiferous punctures; posterior surface of propodeum smooth and nearly glabrous. Metasoma impunctate and shining, tergum I smooth, remaining terga and sterna faintly and finely imbricate.

Pubescence generally white to yellowish; clypeus with abundant, short, subdecumbent, minutely feathery setae, such setae present across supraclypeal area and entire face although becoming suberect on uppermost face; scape with minute, appressed, simple setae, intermixed with short, sparse, erect simple setae ventrally, such erect setae shorter than diameter of scape; vertex with feathery setae becoming sparse, replaced by scatered erect, simple setae and some appressed to subdecumbent largely simple setae; gena with setae similar to those of face; postgena with sparsely scatered, moderately long, erect, simple setae. Mesoscutum with abundant, fine, subdecumbent to suberect, laterally directed (directed away from midline), simple setae, such setae with a few minute branches posteriorly, along lateral and anterior borders such setae shorter, more erect, and minutely branched, anteriorly numerous elongate, erect setae with minute branches along rachis; mesoscutellum with scatered, fine, suberect to erect, short, simple setae, posteriorly with abundant elongate, erect setae and bristles with minute branches along one side of rachis; mesepisternum with short, decumbent to suberect, plumose setae, such setae dense anteriorly and becoming sparser ventrally and posteriorly, intermixed with short, erect, largely simple setae, such setae sparse anteriorly and more noticeably posteriorly, becoming more numerous and longer ventrally; hypoepimeral area with plumose setae numerous on upper three quarters; metepisternum with dense, short, decumbent, plumose setae, largely obscuring integument; basal area of propodeum glabrous, posterior surface largely glabrous except sparse, erect, simple setae, lateral surface as on metepisternum except intermixed with sparse, elongate, erect, simple setae/bristles. Setae and bristles of legs largely simple and yellow except tawny in places (e.g., retrolateral surface of metabasitarsus); metatibial fringe setae elongate, simple except setae at superior distal angle minutely branched; penicillum, inferior parapenicillum, and rastellum more amber golden to fuscous. Setae of metasomal terga rather sparse, discs of terga I–II nearly glabrous, with minute, decumbent, simple setae laterally; remaining terga with sparse, short, erect to suberect, simple setae, such setae progressively longer on terga III–VI; sternal discs with long, erect, simple setae, otherwise with sparse, simple, short, subappressed setae.

♀: Latet.

♂: Latet.

HOLOTYPE: ⚲, Peru: Dept. Loreto, 1.5 km N Teniente Lopez , 2°35.66’S, 76°06.92’W, 18 July 1993, 210– 240 m, Richard Leschen, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC).

PARATYPES (6⚲⚲): 5⚲⚲, Peru: Dept. Loreto, 1.5 km N Teniente Lopez , 2°35.66’S, 76°06.92’W, 18 July 1993, 210– 240 m, Richard Leschen, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC); 1 ⚲, Peru: Dept. Loreto, Campamento San Jacinto , 2°18.75’S, 75°61.77’W, 11 July 1993, 175– 215 m, Richard Leschen, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC) .

NON-TYPE MATERIAL:1⚲, Brasil: Rondonia, 62 km S Ariquemes, Faz. Rancho Grande, nr. Cacaolandia , 10°32’0’’S, 62°48’0’’W, 29 Dec 1995, D. Kistner, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC) ; 1⚲, Ecuador: Sucumbios, Sacha Lodge , 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270 m, 22-II–4-III 1994 [22 February–4 March 1994], Hibbs, ex: malaise ( SEMC) ; 2⚲⚲, Ecuador: Sucumbios, Sacha Lodge , 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270 m, 13–23-III 1994 [13–23 March 1994], Hibbs, ex: malaise ( SEMC) ; 1⚲, Ecuador: Sucumbios, Sacha Lodge , 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270 m, 14–24-III 1994 [14–24 March 1994], Hibbs, ex: malaise ( SEMC) ; 1⚲, Ecuador: Sucumbios, Sacha Lodge , 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270 m, 3–13-IV 1994 [3–13 April 1994], Hibbs, ex: malaise ( SEMC) ; 1⚲, Ecuador: Sucumbios, Sacha Lodge , 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270 m, 3-IV–4- V 1994 [3 April–4 May 1994], Hibbs, ex: malaise ( SEMC) ; 1⚲, Ecuador: Sucumbios, Sacha Lodge , 0.5°S, 76.5°W, 270 m, 31-X–10-XI 1994 [31 October–10 November 1994], Hibbs, ex: malaise ( SEMC) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is the Latin adjective dēceptrĪX , meaning, “one who deceives”, and refers to the cryptic nature of the species.

Figures

Figures 1–3. Holotype worker of Plebeia (Plebeia) deceptrix, new species. 1. Lateral habitus. 2. Dorsal habitus. 3. Facial view.

Figures 4–7. Workers of Plebeia (Plebeia) deceptrix, new species. 4–6. Variations in mesosomal maculation. 7. Prolateral surfaces of metatibia and metatarsus.

Figures 11–13. Holotype worker of Plebeia (Plebeia) roubiki, new species. 11. Lateral habitus. 12. Dorsal habitus. 13. Facial view.