Andrena (Aciandrena) ifranensis, Wood, 2023

Wood, Thomas James, 2023, Revisions to the Andrena fauna of north-western Africa with a focus on Morocco (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 916 (1), pp. 1-85 : 29-32

Andrena (Aciandrena) ifranensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A22D6009-1532-4BD7-B772-40A39F7F3748

Figs 19–20

Diagnosis

Andrena ifranensis sp. nov. can be recognised as a member of Aciandrena due to its small body size ( Fig. 19A ), strongly antefurcal nervulus ( Fig. 19A ), narrow facial foveae ( Fig. 19B–C ), the propodeal triangle with uniform granular shagreen ( Fig. 19E ), shagreened impunctate terga ( Fig. 19F ), hind tarsal claws lacking an inner tooth in the female sex, and simple male genital capsule ( Fig. 20D ). The species is not similar to any western Mediterranean species of Aciandrena , and is more similar to A. chelma Warncke, 1975 ( Greece) and A. pulicaria Warncke, 1975 (? Greece; Turkey; Iran; the distinction between these two species remains obscure) due to its relatively elongate face and domed clypeus ( Fig. 19B ), frons with weak green-bronze reflections, shagreened terga, and the short triangular process of the labrum. However, the tergal shagreenation is weaker, the male face is black ( Fig. 20B ; not yellow), and the male genital capsule is different ( Fig. 20D ; more compact, lacking a kink on the inner margin of the gonostyli). Genetically, A. ifranensis placed closest to A. curviocciput ( Israel, Lebanon, Turkey) which is morphologically similar (also with black-faced male) but differs by the slightly longer ocelloccipital distance ( Fig. 19C ; ocelloccipital distance essentially zero in A. curviocciput ) and the different male genital capsule ( Fig. 20D; A . curviocciput with clear emargination in outer margin of gonostyli). Andrena ifranensis should therefore be recognised as unique within the western Aciandrena fauna; it may represent a relictual species isolated from a group of eastern species (nearest morphological relative 2500 km away in the Greek Peloponnese), but additional genetic sampling from other species of Aciandrena is necessary to support this position.

Etymology

Named after the locus typicus of Ifrane, the high altitude town at the heart of the Middle Atlas.

Material examined

Holotype

MOROCCO • 1 ♀; E of Ifrane ; 26 Apr. 2017; L. Černý leg.; BOLD: WPATW974-23 ; OÖLM.

Paratypes

MOROCCO • 1 ♀; Ifrane env.; 9 May 1997; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♂; 10 km E of Ifrane ; 1 Jun. 1980; K. Warncke leg.; OÖLM .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 5.5–6 mm ( Fig. 19A ).

HEAD. Dark, 1.1 times as wide as long ( Fig. 19B ). Clypeus domed, with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining, becoming smooth and shining along apical margin; clypeus with irregular scattered punctures, punctures separated by 0.5–3 puncture diameters. Process of labrum triangular, slightly broader than long. Supraclypeal plate weakly elevated, medially flattened, surface with fine granular shagreen, shining. Gena equalling diameter of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance very short, at most ¼ diameter of lateral ocellus ( Fig. 19C ). Foveae narrow, dorsally occupying ½ of space between lateral ocellus and compound eye, ventrally narrowing further, slightly diverging from inner margin of compound eye by distance less than their breadth; foveae filled with light brownish hairs. Frons with extremely subtle hints of weak metallic bronze-green colouration. Face, gena, frons, and scape with short whitish hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae dark basally, A4–12 ventrally lightened by presence of grey scales, A3 exceeding A4, slightly shorter than A4+5.

MESOSOMA. Scutum and scutellum with fine granular shagreen, shining, surface with fine and scattered punctation, punctures separated by 1–3puncture diameters( Fig.19D ).Pronotum rounded.Mesepisternum with slightly coarser granular shagreen, less strongly shining. Dorsolateral parts of propodeum with fine granular shagreen, contrasting propodeal triangle, this with large, granular, ‘scale-like’ shagreen, laterally not delineated by carinae ( Fig. 19E ). Mesepisternum with moderately long whitish hairs, scutum and scutellum almost hairless, with very short and scattered hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, sparse, composed of weakly plumose whitish hairs, internal surface with occasional long white, simple hairs. Legs dark basally, apical tarsal segments lightened dark orange-brown, pubescence light brown. Flocculus incomplete, composed of plumose hairs; flocculus and femoral scopa with white hairs, tibial scopa with whitish to light golden hairs. Hind tibial claws simple, without inner tooth. Wings predominantly hyaline, with faint hints of scattered brownish infuscation; stigma dark orange, venation orange-brown, nervulus antefurcal.

METASOMA. Terga dark, marginal areas broadly lightened hyaline-orange ( Fig. 19F ). Tergal discs with strong granular microreticulation basally, weakly shining, sculpture becoming weaker apically, on tergal margins weakly shagreened and more strongly shining. Tergal discs essentially impunctate, obscure punctures disappearing into background sculpture. Terga with at most scattered, very short hairs; apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden orange. Pygidial plate narrow pointed triangular, internal surface flattened, with large punctures, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameter.

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 5 mm ( Fig. 20A ).

HEAD. Dark, 1.1 times as wide as long ( Fig. 20B ). Clypeus domed, with fine granular shagreen in basal ½, apically smooth and shining, with weak and scattered punctures, punctures separated by 1–4 puncture diameters. Process of labrum narrow trapezoidal, slightly broader than long. Supraclypeal plate with weak and obscure striations. Gena equalling diameter of compound eye, surface with weak striations; ocelloccipital distance very short, at most ¼ diameter of lateral ocellus. Face, vertex, and scape with long brown hairs, longest exceeding length of scape; gena ventrally with very long whitish hairs. Antennae dark basally, A4–13 lightened brown ventrally; A3 slightly exceeding A4, shorter than A4+5.

MESOSOMA. Mesosoma structurally as in female. Mesepisternum with very long whitish hairs, much longer than length of scape; hairs becoming sparser and darker on scutum, scutellum, and propodeum, here light brown to whitish. Legs dark basally, apical tarsal segments lightened dark brownish, pubescence brownish to whitish. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation dark orange, nervulus antefurcal.

METASOMA. Terga dark, marginal areas lightened hyaline brown-yellow ( Fig. 20C ). Tergal discs with strong granular microreticulation on T1–2, dull, sculpture becoming progressively weaker on apical segments, T4–5 with fine granular shagreen, shining. Tergal discs essentially impunctate, obscure punctures disappearing into background sculpture. Terga with short and obscure whitish hairs, base of T1 with slightly longer hairs, T2–3 with hints of lateral apical hair fringes. S8 columnar, slightly broadened apically, ventral surface densely covered with light brown hairs. Genital capsule compact, gonocoxae strongly produced into rounded teeth apically ( Fig. 20D ). Gonostyli strongly flattened in apical ½, spatulate, outer margin with slight obtuse angle medially. Penis valves narrow, occupying at most ½ of space between gonostyli, apically narrowing further.

Distribution

Morocco, high altitude sites in the Middle Atlas around Ifrane.

Figures

Fig. 19. Andrena (Aciandrena) ifranensis sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (OÖLM). A. Lateral habitus. B. Face, frontal view. C. Head, dorsal view. D. Scutum, dorsal view. E. Propodeum, dorsal view. F. Terga, dorsal view.

Fig. 20. Andrena (Aciandrena) ifranensis sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (OÖLM). A. Lateral habitus. B. Face, frontal view. C. Terga, dorsal view. D. Genital capsule, dorsal view.