Augochlora (Augochlora) francisca Schrottky, 1902

Lepeco, Anderson & Gonçalves, Rodrigo Barbosa, 2020, A revision of the bee genus Augochlora Smith (Hymenoptera; Apoidea) in Southern South America, Zootaxa 4897 (1), pp. 1-97 : 38-42

Augochlora (Augochlora) francisca Schrottky, 1902

( Figures 1E, K ; 19 A–D; 20A–D; 50C)

Augochlora francisca Schrottky, 1902: 391 . Lectotype, ♀ (MZUSP, accession number 17,637) from Brazil, São Paulo, Jundiaí and Campinas is presently designated to stabilize species taxonomy. Examined.

Odontochlora thetis Schrottky, 1909: 143 . Syntypes, ♀ (whereabouts unknown) from Paraguay, Alto Paraná, Puerto Bertoni .

Diagnosis. Augochlora francisca females have a long and slender projection on S1 and the rugose preepisternum. The females differ from the similar Augochlora scabrata sp. nov. by the body coloration, the T1 dorsal surface is black with purplish iridescences and by the mid trochanter ventral margin swollen near base. Males can be recognized from other Augochlora by the combination of the clypeal border hidden below clypeus apex, T1 anterior surface without abundant tiny setae among long setae and hypoempimeral area contiguously to crowded punctate. Frequently the males also present purplish iridescences on T1 dorsal surface.

Comments. We examined one female syntype of Augochlora francisca deposited in MZUSP and it belongs to a common species found in southeastern Brazil, the examined syntypes is designated as lectotype to stabilize the taxonomy of the species. The original description is also useful for species recognition. The synonymy with Odontochlora thetis was made by Moure (1940).

Redescription. ♀. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.67–2.63 (x‾ = 2.06, n = 10); head length: 2.20–3.20 (x‾ = 2.62, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.68–1.04 (x‾ = 0.82, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.52–0.80 (x‾ = 0.62, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.38–0.54 (x‾ = 0.45, n = 10); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.20–1.66 (x‾ = 1.40, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.49–2.08 (x‾ = 1.76, n = 10); T1 width: 2.08–3.20 (x‾ = 2.62, n = 10); T2 width: 2.36–3.56 (x‾ = 2.92, n = 10); body length: 7.50–13.00 (x‾ = 9.75, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface black; basal elevation transverse. Mandible mostly black, subapical region brown and with basal green spot; medial portion strongly constricted, with about half basal width; preapical tooth large and sharp, produced near mandible apex; distal part of adductor ridge weakly swollen. Clypeus mostly green with golden reflection, apical black band <OD; punctate, punctures large and weak, smooth in between; apex not prolonged over apical border. Epistomal angle acute, strongly protruding over clypeus. Supraclypeal area green with golden reflection; sparsely punctate, loosely imbricate in between. Lower paraocular area green; crowded punctate; long setae (1.5–3 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape and pedicel black, flagellum dark brown, ventrally pale. Frons with golden and green reflections intermixed; contiguously punctate; not protuberant above antennal sockets. Preoccipital area strongly lamellate, lamella expanded near post gena. Gena with golden reflection. Post gena darkened near hypostoma; microreticulate, some scattered weak punctures; setae length <3 OD. Hypostomal carina not projected anteriorly.

Mesosoma. Pronotum dorsolateral angle orthogonal. Fore leg: coxa ventrally green; trochanter black; femur black; ventral surface slightly rounded; long plumose setae (<5 OD); tibia black; tarsus dark brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum green; densely punctate on disc, I <PD, microreticulate in between, contiguously punctate anteriorly and on lateral surfaces, anterior border punctate, microreticulate in between; setae length <2 OD. Scutellum medial furrow inconspicuous; green; contiguously punctate; with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer yellowish setae (4 OD). Mesepisternum green; preepisternum rugose; hypoepimeral area contiguously punctate; below scrobe contiguously punctate, ventrally crowded punctate; with long setae (3 OD). Mid leg: coxa black with green reflection; trochanter black; ventral margin swollen near base; femur black, not flattened, mesofemoral brush yellowish; tibia and tarsus black; white to yellowish setae on both. Tegula brown with anterior green spot. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer yellowish setae (= 4 OD). Metepisternum green; densely punctate, becoming crowded punctate to rugose above superior metapleural pit. Hind leg: coxa green, anterior and posterior surfaces ventrally separated by a smoothly curved area; trochanter black; setae length = 4 OD; femur black; tibia and tarsus dark brown; outer surfaces without dark setae. Metapostnotum green; shorter than scutellum; entirely with radiating carinae, medially somewhat rugose. Propodeum green; with tiny and long (4 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface with tiny and larger punctures intermixed, imbricate to rugulose in between; lateral carinae ending below propodeum half; lateral surfaces imbricate among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface punctate-puncticulate, smooth in between; mostly green with purplish iridescence, base darkened; only with long setae, tiny decumbent setae absent. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate on disc, I = 2 PD, tiny punctures, smooth in between, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces; mostly black with purplish iridescence, lateral surfaces green; tiny setae dorsally, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces; apex inflexed, black. T2 mostly green with purple iridescence, dorsally darkened; puncticulate, imbricate in between, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces; marginal area with punctate portion longer than apical black band on sublateral surfaces; tiny decumbent setae near base and lateral surfaces, long setae (3 OD) on lateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly black, lateral surfaces green; tiny setae apex not reaching apical margin sublaterally. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; black with blue iridescences; mostly with tiny decumbent setae, long setae (3 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 black; pseudopygidial area not covered by scale-like setae, colliculate integument exposed. Pygidial plate black, apex rounded. S1 with a long and slender spiniform projection; black with weak green reflection; long setae (> 3 OD) medially, margin tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly black, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; long setae (> 3 OD). S3–4 as S2. S5 apical margin widely rounded; brown; long setae (> 3 OD). S6 black; long dark setae on apex.

Description. Ƌ. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.52–2.00 (x‾ = 1.75, n = 8); head length: 2.16–2.72 (x‾ = 2.40, n = 8); clypeus width: 0.60–0.74 (x‾ = 0.67, n = 8); clypeus length: 0.56–0.72 (x‾ = 0.64, n = 8); clypeoantennal distance: 0.34–0.48 (x‾ = 0.42, n = 8); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.16–1.38 (x‾ = 1.26, n = 8); inter-tegular distance: 1.46–1.83 (x‾ = 1.63, n = 8); T1 width: 1.84–2.44 (x‾ = 2.15, n = 8); T2 width: 2.00–2.60 (x‾ = 2.30, n = 8); scape length: 0.62–0.76 (x‾ = 0.69, n = 8); body length: 8.00–11.00 (x‾ = 9.62, n = 8).

Head. Labrum basal surface black. Mandible mostly dark brown, base with green spot. Clypeus golden with copper reflection, apical border hidden below, black; densely punctate, I = 0.5 PD, punctures large, mostly smooth in between, imbricate on basal margin; setae length = 2 OD. Epistomal angle acute, protruding over clypeus. Supraclypeal area copper; densely punctate, loosely imbricate in between. Paraocular area green; densely punctate, smooth in between; long setae (3 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape black; pedicel shorter than F1; mostly black, apex brownish; F1 ventrally light brown; shorter than F2; F3 as long as wide; remaining flagellomeres mostly dark brown, ventrally light brown. Frons with green and blue iridescences intermixed; contiguously to crowded punctate; setae length = 1–2 OD. Gena green. Post gena with golden reflections; loosely imbricate, some scattered weak punctures; abundant long setae up to 4 OD.

Mesosoma. Pronotum lateral angle orthogonal. Fore leg: coxa ventrally green; trochanter black with weak green reflection; femur black with green reflection; slightly swollen; tibia and tarsus light brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum green with blue iridescences; densely punctate on disc, I <PD, sparser posterior to median line, contiguously punctate lateral surfaces, microreticulate in between, anterior border contiguously punctate; setae length = 1–1.5 OD. Scutellum medial furrow inconspicuous; green; mostly punctate, punctures coarse, denser punctation medially; longer setae (3 OD) near apex. Mesepisternum green; preepisternum crowded punctate near pronotal lobe; hypoepimeral area densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, imbricate in between; below scrobe densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, imbricate in between. Mid leg: coxa black; trochanter black with weak green reflection; setae length = 5 OD; femur black with green reflection; not swollen; tibia and basitarsus light brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Tegula light brown with anterior green spot. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer white setae (= 4 OD). Metepisternum green; contiguously punctate, crowded punctate to striate near hind wing. Hind leg: coxa and trochanter green; femur dark brown with weak green reflection; tibia brown, anterior surface without abundant tiny setae among long setae; basitarsus more than 6.5x longer than maximum width, parallel sided; brown. Metapostnotum green; as long as metanotum; plane; entirely filled with radiating carinae. Propodeum green; with tiny and long (3 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface contiguously punctate; lateral carinae lamellate, ending below propodeum half; lateral surfaces imbricate among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface punctate-puncticulate, I = 2 PD, smooth in between; mostly green with golden reflection, base darkened; only with long setae, tiny decumbent setae absent. T1 dorsal surface punctate, I = PD, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces, with an impunctate area near apical margin medially; mostly green with purplish and golden iridescences; tiny setae on disc, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces; apex inflexed, black. T2 mostly blue with green reflection, dorsally darkened; punctate, I = PD, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces, mostly smooth in between, loosely imbricate on lateral surfaces; marginal area with punctate portion longer than apical black band on sublateral surfaces; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) near margin and lateral surfaces, pre-marginal setae ending far from apical margin on sub-lateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly blue with green reflection, dorsally darkened, apical band black; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) near marginal area and on lateral surfaces. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly blue with green reflection, apical band black; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 mostly blue, apical band black; long setae (2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. T6 black; mostly with long setae (<3 OD). T7 light brown. S1 without elevation; mostly green, apex brown; with long plumose setae (2 OD) medially, margin with tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly black with weak green reflection, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (3 OD), tiny setae on apex. S3 as S2. S4 mostly black with weak green reflection, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin slightly rounded; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (2 OD), tiny setae on apex. S5 mostly black, apex brown; not depressed transversally on median surface; homogeneously pilose, without glabrous patch medially. S6 black; setae length = OD, tiny setae on apex. S7 lateral apodemes longer than half S8 width. S8 anterior projection less than four times longer than apical width; posterior margin weakly projected.

Genitalia: gonobase 3 times wider than long; gonobase ventral arms slightly curved on apex. Gonocoxite about 2 times longer than wide. Gonostylus, dorsal surface pubescent, tiny setae. Ventral process of gonostylus: inner lobe spatulate, expanded; with tiny setae and bristles intermixed; outer lobe with short setae with length = 0.4x inner lobe size. Gonapophysis ventral prong poorly produced; dorsal bridge margin almost straight; ventral bridge absent; apodeme narrow and weakly hooked.

Distribution. The species is found on the Brazilian states of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Paraíba, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and S„o Paulo. The species is also found in Paraguay.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–C) Female mandible, anterior view. A) Augochlora aurinasis (Vachal); B) Augochlora daphnis Smith; C) Augochlora genalis sp. nov. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. D–G) Female mid trochanter, anterior view. D) Augochlora nausicaa (Schrottky); E) Augochlora francisca (Schrottky); F) Augochlora phoemonoe (Schrottky); G) Augochlora mulleri Cockerell. H–L) Female metasoma, anterior portion (T1 and S1), lateral view. H) Augochlora thusnelda (Schrottky); I) Augochlora nausicaa (Schrottky); J) Augochlora braziliensis (Vachal); K) Augochlora francisca Schrottky; L) Augochlora phoemonoe (Schrottky). D–L not in scale.

FIGURE 19. Female of Augochlora francisca Schrottky. A) habitus, B) dorsal view of metasoma, C) frontal view of head, D) dorsal view of mesosoma. Scale bar: 1.0 mm, all at same scale.