Hylaeus (Hylaeana) dominicalis Gibbs, 2020

Gibbs, Jason, 2020, Hylaeus (Hylaeana) dominicalis, a new species and the first colletid bee recorded from Dominica, Lesser Antilles (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Hylaeinae), Journal of Melittology 2020 (93), pp. 1-6 : 2-4

Hylaeus (Hylaeana) dominicalis Gibbs , new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A2CBD058-BBBD-4E97-8AF8-2609337947A5

( Figs. 1–3 )

DIAGNOSIS: The new species was ascribed to H. ( Hylaeana ) based on the small size, fine omaular carina present only ventrally on the mesepisternum, metasomal terga without evident punctation, pronotal lobe ecarinate, mesosomal punctures relatively fine, and metasomal sterna weakly iridescent.

Hylaeus dominicalis can be distinguished from other Caribbean H. ( Hylaeana ) by the black clypeus (ferruginous in H. extrinsecus Snelling , H. formosus Krombein , and H. rawi Snelling ) with yellow medial spot (absent in H. rawi ), facial fovea close to the eye margin (well-removed in H. rawi ), tergum one without apicolateral hair patches (present in H. dictyotus (Vachal) and H. formosus ), metasomal terga black to dark brown (first and second tergites orange in H. royesi Raw ), metanotum with distinct punctures (obscure in H. extrinsecus ), and propodeum lateral surface dull due to microsculpture (moderately shiny in H. extrinsecus ). The female of H. phaeoscapus Snelling is unknown.

DESCRIPTION: ♀: Body length: 3.5–3.9 mm (mean = 3.7 mm, n = 6); head length: 1.02–1.06 mm (mean = 1.05 mm, n = 6); head width: 1.11–1.16 mm (mean = 1.13 mm, n = 6); intertegular distance = 0.87–0.91 mm (mean = 0.89 mm, n = 6).

Color: Body black, except with bright yellow markings on following: paraocular area to just below facial fovea, longitudinal spot on clypeus, gena proximal to mandible with small spot, dorsobasal patch on protibia, basal spot on mesotibia, and basal third of metatibia; pale yellow markings on following: transverse patch on pronotal collar and posterior margin of pronotal lobe; brown to reddish brown on following: ventral surface of flagellum, tarsi, and apical margins of metasomal terga. Metasomal sterna weakly iridescent. Wings faintly dusky, with brown venation.

Pubescence: Dull white throughout, except brownish yellow on metasomal tergum six and sternum six. Sparse and short on head and mesosoma, largely absent from metasoma. Slightly longer (> ocellar diameter) on mesoscutellum, metanotum, tibial apices, tarsi, apex of metasomal tergum and sternum five, and on disc of metasomal tergum and sternum six. Pro- and mesotarsal setae hamate.

Surface sculpture: Face tessellate-imbricate with faint, sparse punctures on clypeus, supraclypeal area, and lower paraocular area (i = 1–2.5 pd), punctures contiguous on frons and upper paraocular area. Gena lineolate, punctures moderately sparse (i = 1–2 pd). Mesosoma tessellate-imbricate with distinct punctures, contiguous on mesoscutum except sparser on posterior area (i ≤ pd), sparser on mesoscutellum (i = 1–2 d), metanotum (i ≤ pd), and pronotal lobe and mesepisternum (i <1.5 pd). Pronotum, metanotum, and posterior surface of propodeum reticulate-punctate. Propodeum with punctation contiguous on lateral surface. Metapostnotum scabriculous (irregularly wrinkled), except apex tessellate-imbricate. Metasoma finely coriarious, with extremely indistinct punctation.

Structure: Face round (length/width ratio = 0.92–0.94, mean = 0.92, n = 6), supraclypeal area slightly more than half clypeal length, malar space linear, mandible bidentate, gena narrower than eye in lateral view. Pronotum rounded, ecarinate. Omaulus weakly carinate ventrally. Propodeum lateral carina not evident, metapostnotum weakly delimited posteriorly.

VARIATION: There is some variation in color paterns such that some individuals have metabasitarsus mostly yellow, pronotal lobe entirely black, and/or tegula with a yellow spot.

♂: Unknown.

HOLOTYPE: ♀, Dominica: St. Paul Parish : Ponte Casse, D-smart Farm, 512 m, N15°22′23.4′′ W081°20′58.7′′ Malaise Trap, 13–20.vi.2016, leg. E. McAlister, NHMUK 010813911 .

PARATYPES: 5♀♀. Topotypical ( NHMUK 010813907–010813910 , 010813912 ) .

ETYMOLOGY: From the Latin, dominicalis , an adjective in the nominative singular, meaning “pertaining to Sunday”, based on the same root as Dominica.

Figures

Figures 1–3. Hylaeus (Hylaeana) dominicalis, new species, paratype female. 1. Lateral habitus. 2. Facial view. 3. Dorsal habitus.