Andrena (Aciandrena) triangulivalvis Wood, 2020

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 : 63-65

Andrena (Aciandrena) triangulivalvis Wood, 2020

Fig. 35

Andrena (Aciandrena) triangulivalvis Wood in Wood et al., 2020: 36 , figs 9–12, ♂ ( Morocco, OÖLM).

Diagnosis

Andrena triangulivalvis can be recognised as a member of Aciandrena due to its small body size ( Fig. 35A ), narrow foveae ( Fig. 35B ), propodeal triangle with fine granular shagreen ( Fig. 35C ), hind tarsal claws lacking an inner tooth in the female sex, and more or less impunctate terga ( Fig. 35D ). It has weak metallic green-bronze reflections on the frons, which places it close to A. bendai sp. nov., A. ifranensis sp. nov., and A. quieta sp. nov. It can be separated from all these species by the structure of the head; the head is relatively elongate (for an Aciandrena ), only 1.1 times as broad as long ( Fig. 35B ; shorter, 1.2–1.25 times as broad as long in A. bendai and A. quieta ), the clypeus is weakly domed and smooth and shining over almost its entire area (domed but uniformly shagreened in A. bendai and A. ifranensis ), and the frons has at most very weak and obscure longitudinal striations ( Fig. 35B ; with clear longitudinal striations in A. quieta , Fig. 18F ). The tergal margins are also broadly lightened hyaline-orange ( Fig. 35D ), excluding A. bendai ( Fig. 18G ) and A. quieta ( Fig. 23F ), which have the tergal margins only narrowly lightened. In the male sex, the genital capsule is very different to all North African species of Aciandrena , with strongly expanded penis valves forming a triangular shape ( Wood et al. 2020).

Material examined

MOROCCO • 2 ♀♀; 30 km E of Midelt ; 13 May 1995; Mi. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; 70 km S of Oujda ; 8 Apr. 1995; Ma. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; TJWC • 2 ♀♀; Fès-Meknès, Boulemane, R 503, 7 km SE of Boulemane ; 1900 m a.s.l.; 22 May 2022; T.J. Wood leg.; TJWC • 1 ♀; Rissani / Tafilalet; 800 m a.s.l.; 24 May 1984; W. Perraudin leg.; OÖLM .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 5–6 mm ( Fig. 35A ).

HEAD. Dark, 1.1 times as wide as long ( Fig. 35B ). Clypeus weakly domed, basally with fine granular shagreenation, smooth and shining over almost entire area; surface clearly punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters. Process of labrum small, triangular, slightly broader than long. Supraclypeal plate weakly domed, with very weak and obscure striations. Lower paraocular areas punctate, adjacent to antennal insertions regularly punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters; becoming more densely punctate adjacent to compound eye, here punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameter. Gena slightly exceeding diameter of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance ⅓ of diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae dorsally occupying ½ of space between lateral ocellus and compound eye, ventrally strongly narrowing to ½ of this width, diverging from inner margin of compound eye, separated by narrow shining strip equal to ventral width of fovea; foveae filled with light brown hairs. Frons with weak and obscure longitudinal striations, medially with weakly raised carina running between anterior ocellus and supraclypeal plate; frons with weak green-bronze reflections. Face, gena, frons, and scape with whitish to light brownish hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae dark basally, A5–12 ventrally extensively lightened orange; A3 equalling A4+5.

MESOSOMA. Scutum and scutellum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining, with irregular fine punctation, punctures separated by 1–4 puncture diameters. Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum and dorsolateral parts of propodeum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining; propodeal triangle with larger granular ‘scale-like’ shagreen, laterally not delineated by raised carinae ( Fig. 35C ). Mesepisternum with moderately long whitish hairs, scutum and scutellum 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, hind tarsi lightened orange, pubescence light brown to whitish. Flocculus complete, 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 hyaline, stigma and venation orange, nervulus weakly antefurcal.

METASOMA.Terga dark, at most with hints of obscure metallic reflections, marginal areas broadly lightened orange basally, hyaline-yellow apically, light colouration covering entire marginal area ( Fig. 35D ). Disc of T1 with strong granular microreticulation, weakly shining, sculpture becoming progressively weaker on subsequent terga, T5 with fine shagreen, more strongly shining. Tergal discs essentially impunctate, obscure punctures disappearing into background sculpture. Terga with at most scattered very short hairs; T2–3 laterally with weakly indicated and widely interrupted apical hairbands of short whitish hairs, T4 with band complete, not obscuring underlying surface; apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden orange. Pygidial plate narrowly triangular, internal surface obscurely shagreened, dull.

Distribution

Eastern Morocco in semi-desert or cold steppe habitats, around the towns of Rissani, Boudenib, Midelt, Boulemane, and Ain Bni Mathar (provinces of Drâa-Tafilalet, Fès-Meknès, and Oriental; Wood et al. 2020).

Figures

Fig. 35. Andrena (Aciandrena) triangulivalvis Wood, 2020, ♀ (OÖLM). A. Lateral habitus. B. Face, frontal view. C. Propodeum, dorsal view. D. Terga, dorsal view.

Fig. 18. Andrena (Aciandrena) bendai sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NMPC). A. Lateral habitus. B. Propodeum, dorsal view. C. Face, frontal view. E. Frons, dorso-frontal view. G. Terga, dorsal view. — Andrena (Aciandrena) spolata Warncke, 1968, ♀ (TJWC). D. Face, frontal view. H. Terga, dorsal view. — Andrena (Aciandrena) quieta sp. nov., ♀ (NMPC). F. Frons, dorso-frontal view.

Fig. 23. Andrena (Aciandrena) quieta sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NMPC). A. Lateral habitus. B. Face, frontal view. C. Face, lateral view. D. Head, dorsal view. E. Propodeum, dorsal view. F. Terga, dorsal view.