Hylaeus (Deranchylaeus) rugipunctus ( Alfken, 1914 )

Dathe, Holger H., 2014, Studies on the systematics and taxonomy of the genus Hylaeus F. (8) Revision of the Afrotropic subgenus Hylaeus (Deranchylaeus) Bridwell (Hymenoptera: Anthophila, Colletidae), Zootaxa 3874 (1), pp. 1-84 : 67-69

Hylaeus (Deranchylaeus) rugipunctus ( Alfken, 1914)

Figures 26, 132–135

Prosopis rugipuncta Alfken, 1914: 192–193 . 1 ♀ 4 ♂, South Africa: Capland , Willowmore. Syntypes MNHU Berlin, ♂ labeled "Capland Willowmore 20.2.1904 Dr. Brauns" designated here as lectotypus; ♀ ♂ with same data designated as paralectotypes here.

Hylaeus rugipunctus (Alfken) : Cockerell 1942: 2 (as rugipuncta ); Eardley & Urban 2010: 35.

Hylaeus (Deranchylaeus) rugipunctus (Alfken) : Bridwell 1919: 147; Snelling 1985: 8.

Hylaeus (Deranchylaeus) simulans Cockerell, 1942: 2 , 14. 7 ♀, South Africa: Cape Province, Mossel Bay; Katberg 4000 ft. Typus ♀ NHM London, no. 17.a.1404.— Syn. n.

Hylaeus simulans Cockerell, 1942: 2 , 14; Eardley & Urban 2010: 36.

Hylaeus (Deranchylaeus) simulans Cockerell : Snelling 1985: 8.

Diagnosis

This is one of the larger species; the total length is 5 mm (males) or 6 mm (females). The punctation is strikingly strong. The head is short, the male mask is pale yellow, the supraclypeal area is black and the female has long paraocular stripes. The legs are black.

Characteristic features

Male. TL 4.4–5.8 (5.25) mm, WL 3.3–4.2 (3.76) mm.

Head. Proportions HL:HW 0.94, UFW:LFW 1.79; shape short trapezoid. Scapi black, slender, conoid, SL:SW 1.6; flagella long, yellow, brown above; mask light yellow, complete, except supraclypeus black. Clypeus with straight sides, CL:CW 1.53; frons and vertex with dense, coarse punctation. Labrum black, mandibles with brown tips.

Mesosoma. Pronotum with two stripes, calli black, tegulae each with a bright spot. Pronotum narrow expanded forward, anterior margin in the middle sharp-edged, dorsolateral angles blunt. Mesonotum and scutellum with coarse, dense punctation. Legs black, except pale stripes at foretibiae in front and bright tarsi; wings darkened, venation brown. Propodeum coarsely grid wrinkled; medial area with larger meshes, apically with transverse ridge.

Metasoma compact spindle-shaped, black. T1 with coarse, contiguous punctation, depression laterally with finer punctation, T2 similar T1, with almost impuncate depression, T3–T5 with shallow punctation; T1 with narrow white lateral fringes. Terminalia (Fig. 26): outline of genital capsule oval, gonoforcipes flat apically, S8 short compact, S7 without long comb teeth, comparable to H. capicola .

Female. TL 5.5–7.0 (6.16) mm, WL 4.0–5.0 (4.40) mm.

Head. Proportions HL:HW 0.93, UFW:LFW 1.65, outline short trapezoid. Face with narrow yellowish white paraocular stripes, sometimes with bright spot on clypeus. Clypeus CL:CW 1.27, shallow punctate; frons and vertex with rows of coarse punctures.

Mesosoma. Pilosity sparse, only longer at sides of metanotum; coloration: white stripe on pronotum, tegulae each with a bright spot. Pronotum narrow expanded forward, anterior margin edged, at most in a small central region sharp, dorsolateral angles blunt. Mesonotum and scutellum matt, punctation coarse, dense. Legs black; wings darkened, venation brown. Propodeum somewhat finer sculptured than in male, with ridge between lateral and terminal areas; surface of lateral and terminal areas with distinct punctation.

Metasoma black; sculpture smooth and shining. Punctation of T1 strong, partially running towards the middle margin finer, depression subcontiguous finely punctate; following terga with moderate, close punctation. T1 with white lateral fringes, T2 with interrupted white terminal band.

Distribution

South Africa ( Eardley & Urban 2010); Namibia, Uganda.

Specimens examined: 31 ♂, 10 ♀ coll. AMG, MNHU, NHML, OLBL, SAMC, SANC, TMSA.

NAMIBIA. Helmeringshausen 32 km SW, 26.05S 16.36E; Helmeringshausen 34 km on C13, 26.05S 16.38E; Hakos, Weissenfels farms, 23.18S 16.23E; Swakop river bed on road to Goanicontes, 22.41S 14.35E; Swakopmund, 33 km on road to Usakos, 22.34S 14.49E.

SOUTH AFRICA. Eastern Cape: Kango Mtn Resort, 33.31S 27.45E; Lady Grey; Mossel Bay; Willowmore.— Free State: North West, Bothaville 20 km W, Vaal riv.; Amattam Farm nr. Clarens, 28.32S 28.28E.— Gauteng: Roodeplaat, 25.36S 28.21E.— Limpopo: Mokolo Nature Reserve, Ellisras District, 23.58S 27.45E.—Northwest: Mafeking.— Western Cape: Barrydale; Klein Karoo, Ladismith; Mossel Bay; Tradouw Pass, Swellendam Distr.; Uniondale S, Alfreds Pass, 33.49S 23.11E, 300 m; Willow River, Ueltenhage.

UGANDA (not otherwise specified).

Flower visit

On flowers of Deverra denudata , Zygophyllum simplex , Galenia papulosa , Psilocaulon salicornioides , white flowers of Galenia sp. and Selago sp. (FW & SK Gess label record).

Remarks

The features listed refer in particular to the type material from southern areas of South Africa. Some females from more northern provinces (Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo) differ by an irregular, wrinkled punctation of T1. A similar form from Zimbabwe has additionally the pronotum with broad sharp lamellate anterior margin. However, the present material is not sufficient to evaluate these deviations taxonomically.