Sphecodopsis corona, Pöllein & Kuhlmann, 2025

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 : 78-82

Sphecodopsis corona sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E625F4C2-AE83-4931-A92D-0C378EDA189F

Figs 59–62

Diagnosis

The female of S. chrysea sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch three times as long as its apical width, more or less spatulate, shape as shown in Fig. 60C; body length 3.5–5.8 mm; T1–T3 completely and T4–6 to a variable extent red ( Fig. 59B); fore tibia and tarsi usually black, sometimes with small reddish spots ( Fig. 59A); T6 covered with only thin golden hair ( Fig. 60B); head and mesosoma with light hair ( Fig. 59C–D); propodeum densely covered with short white or yellowish-white hair ( Fig. 60A); T5 apically sparsely covered with short white hair ( Fig. 60B); T6 almost truncate apically, covered with short golden hair but without a fringe ( Fig. 60B). The male can be separated from that of all other species by the combination of the following characters: T1–T4 completely and T5–T7 to a variable extent red ( Fig. 61B); fore legs usually black, sometimes with small reddish spots ( Fig. 61A); propodeum covered with white or golden hair ( Fig. 61E); head and mesosoma with golden hair ( Fig. 61C–D); T7 more densely covered with short golden hair ( Fig. 61F); gonostylus inclined inward, penis valves narrower, slightly shorter than gonostylus ( Fig. 62C); S8 narrowly rounded apically ( Fig. 62B).

Etymology

The name, in apposition, is reminiscent of the fact that the species has crown-like golden hairs on the vertex and that much of the revisionary study was done during the covid-19 pandemic.

Type material (8 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; W Cape, Knersvlakte, Sukkulent Karoo , 30 km N of Vanrhynsdorp; 31°22′23″ S, 18°42′37″ E; 146 m a.s.l.; 6 Sep. 2003; KT leg.; SAMC.

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 4 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; 5–6 Sep. 2003; RCMK .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.3–5.2 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with short, golden hair mixed with short, white hair. Face with dense (i=0.5–1 d), coarse and deep punctation ( Fig. 59C). Surface between punctures matt. Antenna black. MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum slightly shiny.Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i= 0.5–1 d) and finely but coarsely punctate ( Fig. 59D). Propodeum with dense (i=0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 60A). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, golden hair ( Fig. 59D). Metanotum and propodeum very sparsely covered with short, golden hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Figs 59D, 60A).

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown ( Fig. 59A).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with short, white hair ( Fig. 59A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 red, T4–6 to a variable extent red, from T4 basal half red to completely red. T1 and T2 with few short, white and golden hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 59B). T5 marginal zone covered with short, golden hairs. T6 slightly rounded apically, densely covered with short, golden hair ( Fig. 60B). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 60C) as illustrated.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.0– 4.8 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or dark reddish-brown. Face covered with short, golden hair mixed with short, white hair. Face with dense (i=0.5–1 d), coarse and deep punctation ( Fig. 61C). Surface between punctures matt. Antenna reddish-brown to brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum slightly shiny.Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i= 0.5–1 d) and finely but coarsely punctate ( Fig. 61D). Propodeum with dense (i=0.5– 1 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 61E). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, golden hair ( Fig. 61D). Metanotum and propodeum very sparsely covered with short, golden hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Fig. 61D–E).

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown ( Fig. 61A).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with short, white hair ( Fig. 61A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T4 red; T5–T7 to a variable extent red, from T5 only basal quarter red and rest black to T5–T7 completely red. T1 and T2 with few short, white and golden hairs, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 61B). T7 covered with short, golden hair ( Fig. 61F).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 62C), S7 ( Fig. 62A) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 62B) as illustrated.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality in the Knersvlakte.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

September.

Comment

Four specimens from the Fynbos biome adjacent to the collecting site of S. chrysea sp. nov. in the Knersvlakte display slight morphological differences: T6 of S. cf. 1 corona is more truncate and with denser hair apically, T5 laterally and on the marginal zone is more densely covered with short, golden hairs.

At present the taxonomic status of these specimens is unclear so we do not assign them to S. chrysea sp. nov. but make their collection data available to enable further investigation:

Sphecodopsis cf. 1 corona : SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; N Cape, Fynbos, 15 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Flower Engelsepunt ; 31°14′31″ S, 18°59′08″ E; 830 m a.s.l.; 7 Oct. 2003; KT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Flower Avontuur, Fynbos ; 31°16′18″ S, 19°02′55″ E; 770 m a.s.l.; 9 Sep. 2018; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East; 31°21′56″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 19 Aug. 2004; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville, Wild Flower Reserve , dolerite hills; 31°22′10″ S, 19°08′50″ E; 770 m a.s.l.; 17 Sep. 2007; KT leg.; RCMK .