Scrapter nigritarsis, Kuhlmann, 2014

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2014, Revision of the euryglossiform species of the Afrotropical bee genus Scrapter Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 95, pp. 1-69 : 37-41

Scrapter nigritarsis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:683368CE-FDA0-4A33-9BF9-3667D13AAF54

Figs 19–20

Diagnosis

The female of S. nigritarsis sp. nov. can be separated from other species of this group by the combination of the following characters: supraclypeal area and clypeus sparsely but distinctly punctate, mostly finely sculptured and slightly matt ( Fig. 19 C–D), scutum sparsely but relatively coarsely punctate, basal area of propodeum basally largely carinate ( Fig. 19B ), stigma brown, apical margins of metasomal terga black or only slightly brownish translucent, terga impunctate ( Fig. 19E ). The male is characterized by an unmodified antenna, simple and black hind tibia and hind basitarsus ( Fig. 20A ), almost hairless and impunctate abdominal terga ( Fig. 20C ) and form of S7 ( Fig. 20D ).

Etymology

Named for the black tarsi of the females.

Type material (2 specimens examined)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA: ♂, Worcester , Cape Province, 33°38’ S, 19°26’ E, Sept. 1928, R.E. Turner ( NHML), (identified as Scrapter albitarsis (Friese) , C.D. Eardley det. 1995).

Paratype

SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♀, same data as holotype (NHML) (identified as Scrapter albitarsis (Friese) , C.D. Eardley det. 1995).

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.5 mm.

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black, except part of mandibles dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with long, greyish, erect hair ( Fig. 19C ). Clypeus almost flat with dispersed large, shallow punctation (i = 1–2 d); surface between punctures apically smooth or only superficially sculptured, shiny, basally more heavily sculptured and matt ( Fig. 19 C–D). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally blackish-brown, ventrally yellowish-brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures strongly reticulate, matt; disc sparsely (i = 2–3 d), finely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 19B ). Metanotum about half as long as basal area of propodeum, apically with distinct, narrow carinate depression ( Fig. 19B ). Propodeum with distinct carination covering more than half of the basal area ( Fig. 19B ). Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, greyish, erect hair ( Fig. 19A ).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown.

LEGS. Integument black to dark reddish-brown; fore tibia basally with small yellow spot. Vestiture greyish-white, scopa greyish-white, dorsally blackish-brown.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga sometimes narrowly translucent dark reddishbrown ( Fig. 19E ). Discs of T1 and T2 without hair; following terga with sparse and short but increasingly more and longer hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga ( Fig. 19E ). Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae very sparse, brownish. Terga impunctate, superficially and ± densely sculptured, mostly shiny; T2–T4 with finely sculptured, narrow and indistinct apical tergal depression ( Fig. 19E ).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.4 mm.

HEAD. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black, except mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, greyish-white, erect hair. Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally dark brown, ventrally dark orange-brown ( Fig. 20A ).

MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc impunctate, strongly sculptured and matt. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, greyish, erect hair ( Fig. 20A ).

WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown.

LEGS. Integument black to dark reddish-brown; fore tibia anteriorly dominantly yellow to yellowishbrown ( Fig. 20A ). Hind tibia unmodified. Vestiture greyish-white.

METASOMA. Integument black, apical margins of terga partly translucent yellowish to dark reddishbrown ( Fig. 20C ). Disc of T1 without hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga ( Fig. 20C ). Terga impunctate, sculptured and slightly matt; terga with broad and superficially sculptured, more shiny apical tergal depression ( Fig. 20C ). S3–S5 without distinct apical hair fringes.

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 20B ), S7 ( Fig. 20D ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 20E ) as illustrated.

Distribution

The species is known from the type locality around Worcester.

Floral hosts

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

September.

Figures

Fig. 19. Scrapter nigritarsis sp. nov., ♀. A. Lateral view. B. Thorax (dorsal view, SEM). C. Head. D. Head (SEM). E. Metasoma (dorsal view). Scale bars: photos: 1 mm, SEM: 0.1 mm.

Fig. 20. Scrapter nigritarsis sp. nov., ♂. A. Lateral view. B. Genitalia (dorsal view, SEM). C. Metasoma (dorsal view). D. S7 (dorsal view, SEM). E. S8, apical end (SEM). Scale bars: photos: 1 mm, SEM: 0.1 mm.