Andrena (Leucandrena) banchan, Xu, Huanli & Tadauchi, Osamu, 2009

Xu, Huanli & Tadauchi, Osamu, 2009, A revision of the subgenus Leucandrena of the genus Andrena of eastern Asia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 2145, pp. 36-46 : 43-45

6. Andrena (Leucandrena) banchan n. sp.

(Figs.6–10)

Female: BL 10.0–11.0 mm, WL 9.0– 9.2 mm (n=6).

Color: Flagellum reddish yellow beneath; mandible with apical half reddened; wing membranes subhyaline, weakly brown, veins and pterostigma reddish brown; tibial spurs reddish yellow; posterior depressions of metasomal terga dark reddish brown.

Pubescence: Hairs on head and thorax rather dense, whitish to yellow; those on clypeus 400–600 µ, dull white; those on vertex 600–800 µ, yellow mixed with sparse brown; those on genal area whitish; facial fovea brown above, whitish below. Hairs on mesoscutum and scutellum 400–700 µ, yellow; those on mesepisternum 700 µ, whitish; propodeal corbicula completely developed with anterior fringes, internal area without hairs; trochanteral floccus perfect, whitish; femoral floccus dense; tibial scopal hairs moderately long, simple, yellowish brown above, pale white below. Hairs on metasomal terga short except tergum 1, dense, erect, whitish; terga 2–4 with complete white hair bands; caudal fimbria brown; sterna 2–5 with weak, not wellformed white subapical fimbriae.

Structure: Head: HL/HW = 0.78. HW: MsW: MtW = 3.5: 3.2: 3.3. Vertex roughened above lateral ocelli, weakly tessellate and shiny near top of eye. OOD: POD: OCD = 0.7: 0.5: 0.2. F1> F2+3, F2 slightly shorter than F3, intermediate segments as broad as long. Eyes with inner margins paralleled. Facial fovea broad, exceeding below a line at lower margin of antennal fossae, FVL = 1.5 mm, FVW = 0.5 mm. Supraclypeal area shagreened. Face above antennal fossae with crowded longitudinal rugulae and coarse interrugal PP, dulling surface. Facial quadrangle broader than long (about 2.6: 2.3). Clypeus well convex, densely tessellate basally and laterally, weakly tessellate medioapically, weakly shiny with distinct crowded PP ø 20–30 µ, IS <0.5, PP smaller and weaker basally, CPL = 1.0 mm. Process of labrum trapezoidal, deeply emarginate apically. Labrum apical to process without median cristae. Lower paraocular area as in clypeus with PP ø 20 µ, IS <0.5. Subgenal coronet present. Malar space long, about 3/5 the length of the basal mandibular width. Genal area as broad as eye, GW: EW = 0.8: 0.8, surface reticularly tessellate, shiny with close minute PP near eye. Mesosoma: Pronotum with distinct humeral angle and ridge, space between ridge and posterior pronotal lobe with paralleling rugulae, dorsal face densely tessellate. Mesoscutum densely tessellate peripherally, weakly tessellate and shiny medially; surface with sparse PP ø 10–20 µ, IS = 1–1.5. Scutellum densely tessellate posteriorly, smooth and shiny anteriorly with weak close PP, IS <1. Propodeal enclosure small, well defined, evenly granulate, basal margin with short, weak rugulae; dorsal face of propodeum densely tessellate with weak minute PP, dulled. Mesepisternum densely tessellate, PP obscure. Middle basitarsi broader than hind ones as in Cnemidandrena. Vein 1st m-cu meeting second submarginal cell beyond middle of cell. Metasoma: Metasomal terga densely tessellate, impunctate; posterior depressions of terga narrow, not well indicated; pygidial plate V-shaped, small, internal with raised triangular area. Sterna 2–5 weakly tessellate, shiny with close minute PP at apical areas, broadly impunctate basally.

Male: BL 9.5–10.0 mm, WL 8.0– 8.3 mm (n=2).

Color: Flagellum reddish brown beneath; mandible reddened apically; wing membranes subhyaline, veins and pterostigma reddish brown; tibial spurs yellowish; posterior depressions of metasomal terga reddish brown.

Pubescence: Generally dull white to dull yellow except as follows: Hairs on antennal area and vertex brown partly; metasomal terga 2–5 with complete whitish hair bands; sterna 2–5 with short, well–formed white subapical fimbriae.

Structure: Head: HL/HW = 0.8. HW: MsW: MtW = 3.0: 2.5: 2.8. Vertex as in female. OOD: POD: OCD = 0.6: 0.4: 0.2. F1> F2, F2 <F3. Eyes with inner margins subparalleled. Supraclypeal area convex, roughened by fine punctation. Face above antennal fossae with weak longitudinal rugulae and coarse interrugal PP. Facial quadrangle as broad as long (about 2.1: 2.1). Clypeus weakly convex and tessellate, broadly shiny, surface with distinct crowded PP ø 20 µ, IS <0.5, CPL = 0.9 mm. Process of labrum small, deeply emarginate apically. Labrum apical to process flat, smooth and shiny. Mandibles decussate. Lower paraocular area as in clypeus. Malar space about two–fifth as long as basal mandibular width. Genal area weakly angulate posteromedially, GW: EW = 2.0: 1.7, surface finely tessellate posteriorly, weakly tessellate and shiny near eye with sparse minute PP. Mesosoma: Pronotum with distinct humeral angle and ridge, sculpturing as in female. Mesoscutum densely tessellate, surface dulled. Scutellum as in mesoscutum but weakly shiny anteriorly with weak, sparse minute PP. Propodeum and mesepisternum sculptured as in female. Wing venation as in female. Metasoma: Metasomal terga sculptured as in female except terga 4–5 finely tessellate, narrowly shiny; pygidial plate small, spear-like apically. Sterna 2–5 weakly tessellate, shiny with scattered minute PP; sternum 6 not reflected.

FIGURES 6–10. Male terminalia of A. banchan sp.nov.: 6. Dorsal view of genitalia; 7. Ventral view of genitalia; 8. Lateral view of genitalia; 9. 7th sternum; 10. 8th sternum.

Type material: Holotype female, Rikeze, 3,800 m, Xizang Autn. Region, China, 20. v. 1961 (L–y. Wang); Paratypes: Same locality and collector as the holotype, 4 females and 1 male, 20. v. 1961; 1 female, 17. v. 1961; 1 male, 13. v. 1961.

Remarks: This species is separated from the other species of this subgenus in both sexes by the elongated malar space and the emarginate labral process.

Distribution: China (Xizang Autn. Region).

Floral association: Not available.

Etymology: Banchan is the Chinese spelling of the name of the highest ethical leader of Tibet.