Sphecodopsis kuhlmanni Eardley, 2007

Pöllein, Daniela & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2025, Taxonomic revision of the southern African bee genus Sphecodopsis Bischoff, 1923 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 980, pp. 1-157 : 106-112

Sphecodopsis kuhlmanni Eardley, 2007

Figs 81–84

Sphecodopsis kuhlmanni Eardley, 2007: 194–196 , holotype ♂ (type locality: Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East, South Africa) (SANC), examined.

Diagnosis

The female of S. kuhlmanni can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch about as long as its apical width and without a small tip distally, notch narrow, shape as shown in Fig. 82D ; metasoma partially red ( Fig. 81B ); fore tibia and tarsi completely or largely red to largely black with only small reddish spots ( Fig. 81A ); head wider than long, vertex flat ( Fig. 81C ); T5 apically without fringe ( Fig. 82C ); T6 almost truncate apically, covered with black hair ( Fig. 81C–E ); head and mesoscutum with short black hair, interspersed with lighter hair ( Fig. 81C–E ); mesoscutum shiny, sparsely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 81D–E ); Thin patch of white hair above base of antenna ( Fig. 81C ); propodeum laterally and metapostnotum with abundant white hair in upper corners ( Fig. 82A–B ). The male can be separated from that of all other species by the combination of the following characters: metasoma at least partially red ( Fig. 83B ); fore tibia and tarsi completely red or light red to largely black with small reddish spots ( Fig. 83A ); head and mesosoma with black hair, sometimes mixed with lighter hair ( Fig. 83C–D ); mesoscutum sparsely (i=1–3 d), finely and shallowly punctate, very shiny ( Fig. 83D ); metapostnotum slightly wider than high, with more abundant hair in upper corners and matt ( Fig. 83E ); gonostylus straight, broad, rounded posteriorly ( Fig. 84C–D ).

Additional material examined (160 specimens)

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; 10 km SSE of Steinkopf, roadside ; 29°19′56″ S, 17°46′28″ E; 970 m a.s.l.; 12 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; Remhoogte , plain; 30°14′ S, 18°09′ E; 7 Sep. 2003; CM leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; Leliefontein , slope, white trap; 30°14′ S, 18°09′ E; 7 Sep. 2003; CM leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; Leliefontein , slope, yellow + white trap; 30°14′ S, 18°09′ E; 23 Sep. 2003; CM leg.; SANC • 1 ♂; Remhoogte , slope; 30°14′ S, 18°10′ E; 15 Sep. 2003; CM leg.; RCMK • 3 ♀♀; 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur , dolerite hill ; 31°16′02″ S, 19°04′05″ E; 830 m a.s.l.; 27 Aug. 2008; HE leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; N Cape Prov., Vanrhynsdorp, Water Fall ; 31°17′ S, 18°53′ E; 19 Sep. 2007; CE leg.; SANC • 1 ♂; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East ; 31°21′55″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 10 Aug. 2004; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East ; 31°21′56″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 3 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; on Oxalis sp. ; RCMK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 7 Sep. 2003; RCMK • 9 ♀♀, 8 ♂♂; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East ; 31°21′56″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; RCMK • 16 ♀♀, 10 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 12 Aug. 2004; RCMK • 10 ♀♀, 24 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 13 Aug. 2004; RCMK • 6 ♀♀, 5 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 19 Aug. 2004; RCMK • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 21 Aug. 2004; RCMK • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville, Wild Flower Reserve , dolerite flats ; 31°22′01″ S, 19°08′32″ E; 740 m a.s.l.; 29 Aug. 2008; MK leg.; on Alonsoa unilabiata ; RCMK • 3 ♀♀; Nieuwoudtville, Wild Flower Reserve , dolerite hills ; 31°22′10″ S, 19°08′50″ E; 770 m a.s.l.; 19 Aug. 2007; KT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀, 4 ♂♂; Nieuwoudtville, path to Farm Glen Lyon , slope; 31°23′25″ S, 19°08′28″ E; 737 m a.s.l.; 3 Sep. 2007; KT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; Nieuwoudtville, Farm Glen Lyon , Renosterveld ; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 10 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀, 3 ♂♂; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, Renosterveld ; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; 1 ind. on Eriocephalus ericoides ; RCMK • 3 ♀♀; Nieuwoudtville, Hantam Bot. Gard., Kamel Koppie ; 31°24′48″ S, 19°09′23″ E; 760 m a.s.l.; 12 Sep. 2008; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; N Cape, Oorlogskloof farm , Wide gate 1 Site (8.06 km 158° SSE of Nieuwoudtville), wheat; 31°25′52″ S, 19°10′12″ E; 12–19 Oct. 2000; SvN and HGR leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; N Cape, Oorlogskloof farm , Wide gate 2 Site (8.24 km 158° SSE of Nieuwoudtville), wheat; 31°25′58″ S, 19°10′13″ E; 12–19 Oct. 2000; SvN and HGR leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; 18 km S of Calvinia on R355, 200 m S of Farm Boskloof; 31°38′36″ S, 19°44′36″ E; 1000 m a.s.l.; 22 Sep. 2022; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; Keiski Mts , 3 km E of Farm M’Vera, shale; 31°45′29″ S, 19°54′13″ E; 1190 m a.s.l.; 30 Aug. 2016; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 28 Sep. 2022; RCMK • 1 ♀; Keiski Mts , 5 km S of Farm Nooiensrivier, dolerite hill ; 31°45′54″ S, 19°50′17″ E; 1270 m a.s.l.; 4 Sep. 2010; MK leg.; RCMK • 5 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 29 Aug. 2011; RCMK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; Roggeveld Mts , 2 km S of Farm Perdekloof, rivier , dolerite ; 31°47′35″ S, 19°58′16″ E; 1220 m a.s.l.; 1 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 2 Sep. 2017; RCMK • 1 ♂; Ouberg Pass, 27 km SE of Vanrhynsdorp, Fynbos ; 31°48′07″ S, 18°55′00″ E; 380 m a.s.l.; 23 Aug. 2012; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; Roggeveld Mts , 2 km SE of Farm Allemansdam, burnt area; 31°49′32″ S, 19°59′55″ E; 1290 m a.s.l.; 2 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 24 Aug. 2018; RCMK • 4 ♀♀, 7 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 29 Aug. 2018; RCMK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 10 Sep. 2018; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 20 Sep. 2022; RCMK • 1 ♂; Roggeveld Mts, 1.5 km S of Farm Allemansdam, Renosterveld ; 31°49′25″ S, 19°59′38″ E; 1285 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2018; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; C. P., Lamberts Bay ; 32°04′ S, 18°20′ E; 4 Oct. 1974; RW leg.; SANC • 2 ♂♂; Roggeveld Mts , 2 km S of Farm Houdenbek, roadside ; 32°18′03″ S, 20°23′16″ E; 1280 m a.s.l.; 16 Sep. 2018; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; Farm Kanolfontein , 20 km W of Sutherland, roadside ; 32°24′43″ S, 20°27′28″ E; 1385 m a.s.l.; 7 Sep. 2012; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; Willowmore, Capland ; [33°18′ S, 23°30′ E]; 19 May. 1903; DrB leg.; SANC .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.2–7.2 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair and patch of white, long hair above base of antenna. Face with dense (i =0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i= 0.5–2.5 d) punctation ( Fig. 81C ). Surface between punctures shiny. Antenna reddish-brown to dark brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum sparsely (i= 1–3 d), finely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 81D–E ). Propodeum densely (i=0.25–0.5 d), finely and shallowly punctate, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 82A–B ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, yellowish-white hair ( Fig. 81D–

E). Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, yellowish-white hair, metapostnotum only with hair in upper corners ( Fig. 82A–B ).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown ( Fig. 81A ).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter reddish-brown to black, trochanter apically red, tibia and tarsi to a variable extent red, from completely red to entirely dark-brown or black. Coxa, trochanter and femur covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, white hair. Tibia and tarsi very sparsely covered with long, black hair and covered with shorter white hair; very loose patches of white pubescence apically on the tibia, less on anterior leg ( Fig. 81A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 to a variable extent red, from T1 only marginal zone red to T3 completely red; T4–T6 black. T1 and T2 sparsely covered with short, white and black hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer black hair ( Fig. 81B ). T6 narrow and almost straight apically, with short, golden hair mixed with few long, black hairs, apical margin with very short, dense, golden hair ( Fig. 82C ). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 82D ) as illustrated.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.2–7.1 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair and patch of white long hair above base of antenna. Face with dense (i =0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i= 0.5–2.5 d) punctation ( Fig. 83C ). Surface between punctures shiny. Antenna reddish-brown to dark brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum sparsely (i=1–3 d), finely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 83D ). Propodeum densely (i= 0.25–0.5 d), finely and shallowly punctate, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 83E ).Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, yellowish-white hair ( Fig. 83D ). Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, yellowish-white hair, metapostnotum with hair only in upper corners ( Fig. 83D–E ).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation brown and stigma dark brown to black ( Fig. 83A ).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter reddish-brown to black, trochanter apically red, tibia and tarsi to a variable extent red, from completely red to completely dark-brown or black. Coxa, trochanter and femur covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter white hair. Tibia and tarsi very sparsely covered with long, black hair and with shorter white hair; very loose patches of white pubescence apically on the tibia, less so on anterior leg ( Fig. 83A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 to a variable extent red, from only T2 basal half red to T1 and T2 completely red and T3 basal quarter red; T4–T7 black. T1 and T2 sparsely covered with short, white and black hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer black hair ( Fig. 83B ). T7 covered with short, white hair and longer, black hair ( Fig. 83F ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 84C–D ), S7 ( Fig. 84A ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 84B ) as illustrated.

Distribution

Found throughout Namaqualand to the southern Roggeveld Mts with an isolated record from Willowmore ( Eardley 2007).

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

May, August–October ( Eardley 2007).

Comment

Sphecodopsis kuhlmanni is variable in size, punctation of the mesoscutum and hair on the propodeum ( Figs 81D–E , 82A–B ).

Figures

Fig. 81. Sphecodopsis kuhlmanni Eardley, 2007, ♀ (Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve, RCMK). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view). E. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum variation (dorsal view).

Fig. 82. Sphecodopsis kuhlmanni Eardley, 2007, ♀ (Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve, RCMK). A. Propodeum. B. Propodeum variation. C. T5 and T6. D. S6.

Fig. 83. Sphecodopsis kuhlmanni Eardley, 2007, ♂ (Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve, RCMK). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view). E. Propodeum. F. T4–T7 (dorsal view).

Fig. 84. Sphecodopsis kuhlmanni Eardley, 2007, ♂ (Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve, RCMK). A. S7 (dorsal view). B. S8 (dorsal view). C. Genital (dorsal view). D. Genital (lateral view).