Thrinchostoma petersi Blüthgen 1930

Pauly, Alain & Eardley, Connal, 2013, A Revision of Afrotropical Thrinchostoma de Saussure, 1890 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Halictidae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 12, pp. 1-76 : 43-49

Thrinchostoma petersi Blüthgen 1930

( Figs 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 )

Thrincostoma [!] (Thrincostoma [!]) petersi Blüthgen, 1930: 499 , 515–516, 535, ♂. Male holotype: Uganda: Kampala, 20.VI.1926, leg. Hancok (BMNH).

Thrinchostoma petersi Blüthgen : Cockerell, 1936: 9.

Thrinchostoma (Thrinchostoma) petersi Blüthgen : Michener, 1978: 524; Pauly, 1999: 155, 175.

Thrincostoma [!] (Thrincostoma [!]) wissmanni Blüthgen, 1930: 499 , 511–512, 534, ♂. Male lectotype: D.R. Congo, Congo da Lemba, III.1913, leg. R. Mayné (RMCA).

Thrinchostoma (Thrinchostoma) wissmanni Blüthgen : Michener, 1978: 525; Pauly, 1999: 155, 177. Syn. nov.

Thrinchostoma rubrocinctum Benoist, 1957: 879–880 , ♂. Male holotype: Senegal, Bignona, V.1946 (MNHNP). Syn. nov.

Thrinchostoma (Thrinchostoma) rubrocinctum Benoist : Pauly, 1999: 155, 176.

REMARKS

T. petersi : in the original description Blüthgen reported that the antennae of the holotype are broken. He supposes that this species is close to T. productum (= T. bequaerti ), but our examination of the type shows that this species actually corresponds to that which Benoist later described as T. rubrocinctum! Indeed , in the holotype of T. petersi the first two tergites are red and S5 is hairless and the same shape as in T. rubrocinctum .

T. wissmanni : it is superficially similar to T. kandti in colour but structurally is more similar to T. petersi . The apical lobe of the hind tibiae are longer and the S5 is more deeply curved. It seems that the type represents only a colour variety of T. petersi . As T. petersi and T. wissmanni are described in the same paper (Blüthgen, 1930), we have followed article 24 (a) of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (« If more than one name for a single taxon are published simultaneously, their relative priority is determined by the action of the first reviser ») and we consider T. wissmanni to be a synonym of T. petersi .

Most T. petersi specimens have the metasoma red, while in the type of T. wissmanni it is black-brown.

DIAGNOSIS. In the male the last segments of the antennae are bent at right angles. The apical margin of S5 is glabrous. The apical lobes of the hind tibiae are longer than in T. kandti . The first two tergites are usually red, rarely black ( var wissmanni ). Males with black metasomae can only be separated from T. kandti by the longer apical lobe of the hind tibiae and the S5 that is more strongly curved.

The female is often confused with that of T. torridum but it can be easily distinguished by the subgeneric character in which the hind calcaria are characterized by strong laminated teeth in the center. In West and Central Africa the female can be separated from other species, like T. productum , by its partly red metasoma. From other species with orange metasomae, like T. nachtigali , it can be separated by the black scape and less punctured T1.

MATERIAL.

GAMBIA. 2 km S. Kitty, 7 km SW Brikama Road Junction , at fresh water stream, UTM 28PCK17-61, 27.II.1977, 1♂ ( ZML) . – At road junction to Situ Sinjang, about 2 km SE Kafuta , loc. N°11, UTM 28PCK41-57, 1.III.1977, 1♂ ( ZML) . – Outside Abuko Nat. rés., at water works, swept in vegetation at lamin stream, UTM 28PCK215812, loc. 6, 18.XI.1977, 1♂ ( ZML) .

LIBERIA. Harbel, leg. J. Bequaert, 1♀ ( MCZ) .

BURKINA FASO. Sources du Kou , 13.X.1979, fl.71 = Asystasia gangetica , 1♀, leg. A. Pauly ( RBINS) . –

Rivière Lahissa, S. Koundougou, 5.X.1979, Aspilia helianthoides , 1♂, leg. A. Pauly ( RBINS) .

IVORY COAST. Grand Béréby , 18.XII.1979, piège Malaise, 2♀, leg. A. Pauly ( RBINS). – Lamto, Toumodi, 6°34’N 5°01’W, n°RR02 Fr, 1♀ ( MNHNP) .

TOGO. Sokodé , XII.1982, piège Malaise, 2♀, leg. A. Pauly ( RBINS) .

BENIN. Togbin , littoral, V.2005, 1♀, leg. G. Goergen ( IITA) . – Ina , 17.VIII.2001, 1♀, leg. L. Hautier ( FSAG) .

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE. Niari, village Passi-Passi, 4.III.2007, n°39 = Gossypium sp. , 2♂, leg. N. Boukaka, Darwin Project ( RU) (black form wissmanni ).

D.R. CONGO. Congo da Lemba , III.1913, 1♂ (paralectotype T. wissmanni ), leg. R. Mayné ( RMCA) . – P.N.G. (= Parc National de la Garamba ), II/cc/9, n°2446, 17.IX.1951, 1♂, leg. H. De Saeger ( RMCA) . – Lokandu, capt. Marée , I.1939, 1♂ ( RMCA) . – Equateur, Bokuma , 1953, 1♂, leg. R.P. Lootens ( RMCA) . – Haut-Zaire , Isiro ,

VIII.1978, piège Malaise , 1♂, leg. A. Pauly ( RBINS). – Equateur: Boketa, piège Malaise , 3.IX.1983, 1♀, 6.IX.1983, 1♀, 13.IX.1983, 1♂, leg. Liongo ( FSAG). – Bwamanda , 8.IX.1983, 1♀, leg. Liongo ( FSAG) .

ETHIOPIA. SOUTHERN. Lake Chamo , 5°55’N 37°32’E, 1138m, 21.IX.2012, 1♂, 1♀, leg. J.-L. Boevé & A. Pauly ( RBINS) . – Near Mago National Park , 5°45’N 36°22’E, 491m, 23.IX.2012, 1♀, leg. A. Pauly ( RBINS) .

Figures

Fig. 45. Thrinchostoma petersi, male holotype T. petersi in BMNH (a), male holotype of T. rubrocinctum in MNHNP (syn of T. petersi) (a, e, f), specimens male (c) and female (d) (Burkina-Faso).

Fig. 46. Thrinchostoma petersi, male holotype in BMNH.

Fig. 47. Thrinchostoma petersi, female (Burkina-Faso).

Fig. 48. Thrinchostoma wissmanni, male holotype in RMCA (syn of T. petersi).

Fig. 49. Distribution map of Thrinchostoma petersi.