Austronomia ustula ( Cockerell, 1911 )

Athul, Cherodath Sankar, Vishnu, Azhakath Viswambharan, Prakash, Anju Sara, Bijoy, Chenthamarakshan & Shaji, Edappilly Mathew, 2025, A checklist of Nomiinae (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) from Kerala, India: new distributional and floral association records, Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics 11 (3), pp. 601-623 : 606

Austronomia ustula ( Cockerell, 1911) ( Fig. 2E–F )

Nomia ustula Cockerell 1911:231 . Holotype ♂, Sri Lanka, Kandy , Comber – BMNH.

Material examined. 2♂♂ 1♀, India, Kerala, Thrissur, Chengaloor, near Kurumali River (10°23'36.0744"N, 76°18'16.4376"E), 11.Vii.2024, Swept, leg. : CSA; 1♂, Muriyad Kole wetland (10°21'59.9328"N, 76°14'54.4704"E), 9.ix.2023, Swept, leg. : AVV; 1♂, Alapad Kole wetland (10°26' 47.5332"N, 76°9'55.3212"E), 24.ii.2024 .

Brief diagnosis. ♂, Length 8 mm or smaller. Body length, colour and pubescence similar to A. pseudoscutellata . Hind femur moderately thickened, two pointed triangular plates pointing backwards between coxae of middle legs.

Remarks. Females of Austronomia goniognatha , A. pseudoscutellata , and A. ustula cannot be separated ( Pauly, 2009) based on the sole morphological characters; here in our study, we associated females with the males based on co-occurring males and females in the same locality multiple times during the surveys.

Distribution in India. Karnataka, Maharashtra ( Pauly, 2009; Pannure & Belavadi, 2017; Ascher & Pickering, 2025), Kerala (New record).

General distribution. Oriental – India, Sri Lanka ( Ascher & Pickering, 2025).

Floral association. Centrosema pubescens ( Fabaceae ), Cleome rutidosperma ( Cleomaceae ), Cyanthillium cinereum ( Asteraceae ), Mimosa pudica ( Fabaceae ), Sesamum radiatum ( Pedaliaceae ) (New records).

Figures

Figure 2. Nomiinae of Kerala, adults dorsal view. A. Austronomia capitata (Smith, 1875) ♂; B. Austronomia capitata (Smith, 1875) ♀; C. Austronomia goniognatha (Cockerell, 1919) ♂; D. Austronomia pseudoscutellata Pauly, 2009 ♂; E. Austronomia ustula (Cockerell, 1911) ♂; F. Austronomia ustula (Cockerell, 1911) ♀; G. Curvinomia strigata (Fabricius, 1793) ♀; H. Gnathonomia argenteobalteata (Cameron, 1902) ♂; I. Gnathonomia aurata (Bingham, 1897) ♂; J. Gnathonomia aurata (Bingham, 1897) ♀; K. Gnathonomia thoracica (Smith, 1875) ♂; L. Gnathonomia thoracica (Smith, 1875) ♀; M. Hoplonomia elliotii (Smith, 1875) ♂; N. Hoplonomia elliotii (Smith, 1875) ♀; O. Hoplonomia incerta (Gribodo, 1894) ♂. Scale bars = 2 mm.