Schwarziana chapadensis, Melo, 2015

Melo, Gabriel A. R., 2015, New species of the stingless bee genus Schwarziana (Hymenoptera, Apidae), Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 59 (4), pp. 290-293 : 292-293

Schwarziana chapadensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis and comments

This new species is unusual among other species of Schwarziana for the wide malar space and for the distance between the clypeus and the eye, which gives the workers’ head an elongate aspect ( Fig. 5 ), and for the relatively short pilosity on the mesepisternum. It is currently known only from the upper lands of the Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás, in central Brazil ( Figs. 5–8 ).

Description

Holotype worker. Approximate body length: 6.5 mm; maximum head width: 2.58 mm; length of forewing: 6.3 mm; maximum width of T2 : 2.38 mm. Color: head and mesosoma predominantly dark brown to black, with the following yellow maculae: a broad triangle occupying the lower parocular area; an ill-defined longitudinal spot on the upper clypeus and a transverse band on the supraclypeal area; a spot on the lower gena, adjacent to the mandible basis; a narrow band on each side of the pronotal collar; entire dorsal portion of axilla; an ill-defined band along each side of the posterior margin of scutellum. Anterior surface of flagella reddish brown; apical margin of mandible, pronotal lobe and metanotum, dark reddish brown. Wing veins and pterostigma light brown; wing membrane very lightly yellow infumated. Metasoma almost entirely reddish brown; anterior portion of T1 with central concavity dark brown; disk of T4 and T5 with transverse irregularly shaped dark brown band, on T4 band not reaching lateral portions of sclerite; central portion of sterna brown; last segment entirely dark brown. Pubescence: predominantly pale brown to white on head; tibiae and tarsi with dark brown setae; erect pilosity relatively short compared to that of other species of Schwarziana . Clypeus densely covered with decumbent pubescence, erect setae very short and sparse, their length barely surpassing that of decumbent hairs; upper frons and vertex with brown erect pilosity, longest setae on vertex about 0.42–0.46 mm in length; erect setae on scape extremely short. Erect pilosity on mesoscutum sparse and relatively short, longest setae about 0.18–0.22 mm in length; on scutellum, about twice as long as those on mesoscutum. Lateral pilosity of mesepisternum relatively short and not very dense, leaving the integument clearly visible, longest setae about 0.25–0.30 mm in length, distinctly shorter than maximum width of fore tibia. Metapostnotum entirely glabrous. Terga with very short pubescence; conspicuous erect pubescence restricted to vertical anterior portion and anterior margin of dorsal portion of T1 ; short pubescence on T2 restricted mostly to its posterior half,lateral portions with pale brown erect setae, their length about 0.06 mm; erect setae becoming gradually darker and longer on T3 – T5 ; longest erect setae on T6 with about 0.2 mm in length. Integumental surface: clypeus finely punctured, punctures spaced by 0.5–1 pd; surface between punctures smooth on disk and becoming gradually reticulated laterally and toward upper portion of clypeus. Lower parocular area smooth and shiny, except for fine piligerous punctures. Frons, mesoscutum and mesepisternum very finely rugulose and dull. Interspaces between punctures on dorsal surface of scutellum mostly smooth and shiny, posteriorly becoming gradually reticulated and dull. Metapostnotum with conspicuous reticulation, but shiny. Structure (measurements in mm): head about 1.1× wider than long (2.58:2.35); inner orbits slightly converging below (upper to lower interorbital distance, 1.63:1.45); clypeus 1.5× wider than long (1.20:0.80); F2 as long as wide (0.18:0.18), F3 about 1.1× longer than wide (0.20:0.18); minimum distance between clypeus and eye about 1.3× the width of F2 (0.24:0.18); malar space about as long as F2 width (0.18:0.18); eye about 2.6× longer than its maximum width (1.78:0.68), in lateral view about as wide as gena (0.50:0.50). Intertegular distance subequal to mesoscutum length (1.85:1.73); scutellum about 2.3× wider than long (1.25:0.55). Corbicular depression occupying over three-fifths of hind tibia, anterior border of apex of tibia distinctly and abruptly elevated in relation to remainder of surface; anterior margin of hind tibia basically following a straight line in outer view.

Variation

The color of the metasoma is variable (as in Schwarziana quadripunctata and in other genera of stingless bees), being entirely dark brown or mostly reddish brown. The yellow marks on the clypeus and supraclypeal area can be entirely lacking.

Figures

Figs. 5–8. Schwarziana chapadensis sp. nov., paratype, worker. (5) Head, frontal view. (6) Detail of lower frons and clypeus. (7) Habitus, lateral view. (8) Detail of scutellum, dorsal view.