Scrapter exiguus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: ADCF3C72-3BCC-4B21-98FC-7594D0298BCA

Figs 6–7

Diagnosis

The female of S. exiguus sp. nov. can be separated from other species of this group by the combination of the following characters: supraclypeal area, clypeus (Fig. 6 C–D) and mesepisternum shiny, only partly and superficially reticulate, scutum sparsely punctate, looking almost impunctate and shiny (Fig. 6 E–F), stigma brown, apical margins of metasomal terga black (Fig. 6B). The male is characterized by an unmodified antenna, simple and black hind tibia, hind basitarsus yellowish (Fig. 7A), S7 with apicolateral lobes and apical emargination narrow and deep (Fig. 7D).

Etymology

The name “exiguus” (lat. small) refers to the small size and the inconspicuous appearance of the species. Scrapter exiguus sp. nov. was named by the winners of the competition “Build and observe” organized by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the Science Year 2012 “Project Earth: Our Future”. The first prize was awarded to the most original wild bee “hotel” (artifical nesting site), built by the study group “Tierpark AG” at the grammar school in Nordhorn (NW Germany) and involved (in alphabetical order) Melina Hages, Anna Hensen, Theresa Honikel, Marleen Kleinert and Anna-Lena Steussloff.

Type material (44 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA: ♀, W. Cape, Knersvlakte, Sukkulent Karoo, 30 km N of Vanrhynsdorp, 146 m, 31°22'23" S, 18°42'37" E, 5–6 Sep. 2003, K. Timmermann (SANC).

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA: 11 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, same data as holotype, (SANC 4 ♀♀, 1 ♂, NHML 4 ♀♀, RCMK 3 ♀♀, 1 ♂); 1 ♂, idem, 22 Aug. 2003, KT (NHML); 3 ♂♂, idem, 5 Sep. 2003, KT (NHML 1 ♂, RCMK 2 ♂♂); 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, idem, 6 Sep. 2003, KT (RCMK); 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂, idem, 11 Sep. 2003, KT (NHML 1 ♀, SANC 2 ♂♂); 1 ♀, Leliefontein, plain, blue trap, 30.23360° S, 18.16459° E, 7 Sep. 2002, C. Mayer (RCMK); 1 ♀, Remhoogte, plain, white trap, 30.23530° S, 18.16568° E, 23 Sep. 2003, C. Mayer (RCMK); 2 ♀♀, W. Cape, Knersvlakte, Sukkulent Karoo, 40 km N of Vanrhynsdorp, Farm Kalkgat, 140 m, 31°07'04" S, 18°55'18" E, 10 Sep. 2003, KT (RCMK); 2 ♂♂, idem, 14 Sep. 2003, KT (NHML, RCMK); 1 ♀, 35 km W of Springbok, 29°37' S, 17°31' E, 28 Sep. 1997, MK (RCMK); 1 ♀, N. Cape, S of Kliphoogte, 466 m, 29°03' S, 17°24' E, 14 Sep. 2011, L. Packer (PCYU); 1 ♀, N. Cape, 21.6 km E of Springbok, 1006 m, 29°34' S, 18°04' E, 26 Sep. 2011, L. Packer (PCYU); 1 ♀, Knersvlakte, along Gemsbokrivier-Pad, 120–195 m, 31°23'57" S, 18°54'11" E, 14 Sep. 2007, MK (RCMK); 1 ♀, Gemsbokrivier-Pad, 4.5 km NE of Grootdrif, road side, 170 m, 31°25'54" E, 18°55'16" E, 15 Aug. 2011, MK (RCMK); 3 ♀♀, idem, 20 Aug. 2011, MK (RCMK); 1 ♀, W. Cape, Farm Kaaps SE of Drif, Knersvlakte, 31°26´01´´ S, 18°47´34´´ E, 22 Sep. 1999, MK (RCMK); 1 ♀, Knersvlakte, path along Gemsbokrivier, 195 m, 31°26´40´´ S, 18°56´23´´ E, 14 Sep. 2007, KT (RCMK); 3 ♀♀, idem, 21 Sep. 2007, KT (RCMK).

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.4–4.8 mm.

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black, except part of mandibles dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with long, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 6C). Clypeus almost flat with dispersed large, shallow punctation (i = 1–2 d); surface between punctures apically smooth or only superficially sculptured, shiny, basally more heavily sculptured and matt (Fig. 6 C–D). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally blackish-brown, ventrally yellowish-brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth or with superficial sculpture, shiny; disc very sparsely (i = 3–5 d), finely and shallowly punctate (Fig. 6 E–F). Metanotum about 3/4 as long as basal area of propodeum, apically with distinct narrow carinate depression (Fig. 6F). Propodeum basally without carination (Fig. 6F). Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 6A).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown.

LEGS. Integument black to dark reddish-brown; fore tibia anteriorly dominantly yellowish-brown. Vestiture greyish-white, scopa greyish-white, dorsally blackish-brown.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga sometimes narrowly translucent dark reddishbrown (Fig. 6B). Discs of T1 and T2 without hair; following terga with increasingly more and longer hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga (Fig. 6B). Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae sparse, yellowish-brown. T1 impunctate, superficially to ± densely sculptured and mostly shiny; following terga usually with stronger sculpture, sometimes with very fine, dispersed and superficial punctation; T2–T4 with finely sculptured, relatively broad apical tergal depression (Fig. 6B).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.3–4.8 mm.

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black, except mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, greyish-white, erect hair. Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally dark brown, ventrally yellowish-brown except last three flagellar segments completely or largely brown (Fig. 7A).

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc almost impunctate, strongly reticulate and matt. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 7A).

WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown.

LEGS. Integument black, tarsi, fore tibia anteriorly (posteriorly brown), mid and hind tibia basally and apically yellow to yellowish-brown (Fig. 7A). Hind tibia unmodified. Vestiture greyish-white.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga partly translucent dark reddish-brown (Fig. 7C). Disc of T1 without hair; T2–T4 basally with a broad and dense band of very fine, short, erect, silverish hair covering about half of the terga; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga (Fig. 7C). Terga impunctate, sculptured and slightly matt; terga with broad and slightly sculptured apical tergal depression (Fig. 7C). S3–S5 with sparse apical hair fringes.

TERMINALIA. Genitalia (Fig. 7B), S7 (Fig. 7D) and terminal plate of S8 (Fig. 7E) as illustrated.

Distribution

The species is known from a few places across Namaqualand.

Floral hosts

Aizoaceae: Galenia sarcophylla .

Seasonal activity

August–September.