Plebeia (Plebeia) mutisi Engel, 2022

Engel, Michael S., 2022, New species of the stingless bee genus Plebeia (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Melittology 2022 (114), pp. 1-28 : 22-23

Plebeia (Plebeia) mutisi Engel , new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CC8E49DF-B920-4707-8997-A3A222563A4D

( Figs. 42–44 )

DIAGNOSIS: Plebeia mutisi is somewhat similar to P. amydra (vide supra), as both have poorly developed facial maculation ( Fig. 44 ). The former differs from P. amydra by its smaller body size (cf. metrics for P. amydra , supra), narrower clypeus (cf. metrics for P. amydra , supra), and typically lighter coloration ( Figs. 42–44 ).

DESCRIPTION: As described for P. amydra (vide supra), with the following modifications: ⚲: Total body length approximately 3.67–3.92 mm, forewing length (to base of humeral sclerite) 3.54–3.83 mm. Head wider than long, width 1.63–1.67 mm, length 1.33–1.40 mm; compound eye length 1.03–1.10 mm; upper interorbital distance 1.02– 1.05 mm, lower interorbital distance 0.83–0.87 mm. Scape length 0.53–0.67 mm. Malar area 0.25–0.3× flagellar diameter; clypeus broad, width 1.5–1.8× length. Preoccipital ridge carinate. Intertegular distance 1.10–1.17 mm. Hind wing with 5 distal hamuli.

Integument of head and mesosoma dark brown to black; labiomaxillary complex dark brown to light brown; mandible and labrum dark brown except in lighter morphs more orange brown; clypeus dark brown with mesal spot or line of brown to yellowish brown, with apicolateral corners with small spots of brown to light brown, except lighter individuals with yellowish brown over majority of clypeus aside from basolateral corners of dark brown; supraclypeal area yellowish brown to brown; scape dark brown, sometimes yellowish brown in lighter individuals, pedicel and flagellum brown to dark brown; paraocular borders from tangent of antennal toruli ventrally yellowish brown to brown, otherwise area dark brown. Mesosoma dark brown to black except as noted: pronotal lobe yellowish brown to yellow; mesoscutum with thin stripes of yellowish brown to yellow along lateral borders; axilla yellow to brown; tegula translucent brown to light brown; mesoscutellum with yellow to pale brown medioapical margin; legs largely brown to dark brown except in lighter forms those areas of brown largely yellowish brown with more yellow at joints; metasoma dark brown to nearly black, except in some individuals lighter on proximal terga and sterna or even brown throughout with darker brown on marginal zones.

Lower and upper face with minute punctures separated by 2–3× a puncture width below, blending to 2–4× a puncture width above. Mesoscutum smooth, shining, with minute punctures separated by 1–3× a puncture width, punctures more spaced posteriorly and denser anteriorly; punctures of mesoscutellum similar but sparser, integument otherwise smooth and shining between punctures.

Pubescence generally white to translucent, sometimes slightly tinged pale yellowish; clypeus with abundant, minute, subdecumbent, minutely feathery setae, such setae across supraclypeal area and lower face although sparser on supraclypeal area, such setae present on remainder of face although slightly sparser than on lower face, intermixed with sparse, minute, erect, simple setae, by vertex replaced by fuscous to somewhat tawny bristles; scape with sparse minute, appressed, simple setae intermixed with erect, simple bristles typically slightly shorter than diameter of scape. Metasomal tergum I largely glabrous; discs of terga II–V nearly glabrous, with short decumbent to suberect, simple setae laterally and apically, such setae progressively longer and more numerous on terga II–VI.

♀: Latet.

♂: Latet.

HOLOTYPE: ⚲, Colombia: Cundinamarca, La Mesa, La Esperanza , 4°41’38.37’’N, 74°25’49.31’’W, 1330 m, 17-Apr-2021, V. H. Gonzalez ( SEMC).

PARATYPES (7⚲⚲): 7⚲⚲, Colombia: Cundinamarca, La Mesa, La Esperanza , 4°41’38.37’’N, 74°25’49.31’’W, 1330 m, 17-Apr-2021, V . H. Gonzalez ( SEMC) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet honors José Celestino Bruno Mutis y Bosio (1732– 1808), priest, botanist, and explorer who led the New Kingdom of Granada’s (Nuevo Reino de Granada) Botanical Expeditions, which were initially launched from the region of La Mesa in 1783. Mutis was a key aid to Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859) during his own exploration of Spanish America, meeting with Mutis in Bogota in 1801.

Figures

Figures 42–44. Worker of Plebeia (Plebeia) mutisi, new species. 42. Lateral habitus. 43. Dorsal habitus. 44. Facial view.