Andrena (Micrandrena) lediveleci, WOOD, 2024

WOOD, T. J., 2024, Further revisions to the Palaearctic Andrena fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 5483 (1), pp. 1-150 : 109-114

Andrena (Micrandrena) lediveleci spec. nov.

Figures 68A–C; E ; 69A; C; E ; 70A–C; E; G .

HOLOTYPE: GREECE: W. Creta [West Crete], Rodopos Halbinsel [inferred 35.5984 oN, 23.7512 oE], 1.v.1973, ♀, leg. H. Teunissen, RMNH.

PARATYPES: GREECE: same information as holotype, 1♂, 1♀, leg. H. Teunissen, RMNH ; W. Creta, Akrotiri Halbinsel , 30.iv.1973, 2♂, leg. H. Teunissen, RMNH ; W. Creta, Tavranitis Flusz [Tavronitis], 1.v.1973, 2♂, leg. H. Teunissen, RMNH ; Crete, Asfendos , 750 m, 5.vi.2023, 1♀, leg. R. Le Divelec, TJWC ; Crete, Plateau Katharo [W of Katharon], 1160 m, 1.vi.2023, 4♀, leg. R. Le Divelec, RLDC ; Crete, Voukolies, W Kakopetros, 10.vi.2023, 5♀, leg. R. Le Divelec, OÖLM/ TJWC .

Description: Female: Body length: 4.5– 5 mm ( Figure 68A ). Head: Dark, 1.25 times wider than long ( Figure 68B ). Clypeus domed, densely but weakly punctate, punctures shallow, separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters, disappearing into underlying granular microreticulation, surface dull to weakly shining ( Figure 68C ). Process of labrum narrowly rounded triangular, as long as broad, surface dull. Gena equalling width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance ½ diameter of lateral ocellus. Frons with very weak microsculpture, more or less polished and shining, sparsely punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters ( Figure 68E ). Foveae moderately broad, occupying ⅓ space between compound eye and lateral ocellus, uniformly wide; foveae filled with whitish hairs. Face, gena, vertex, and scape covered with short whitish hairs. Antennae dark, A3 exceeding A4, shorter than A4+5.

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum finely shagreened, broadly shining, irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters ( Figure 69A ). Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum with fine granular microreticulation, dull to weakly shining. Dorsolateral parts of propodeum finely shagreened, weakly shining; propodeal triangle with slightly coarser granular shagreen, shining, propodeal triangle thus defined by change in surface sculpture ( Figure 69C ). Mesepisternum with moderately long densely plumose white hairs, scutum and scutellum with shorter, sparser, and less densely plumose white hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsal fringe composed of white plumose hairs, internal surface with long white hairs. Legs basally dark, tibiae and tarsi dark brown, pubescence whitish. Flocculus incomplete, composed of white plumose hairs; femoral and tibial scopae composed of whitish simple hairs. Hind tarsal claws with small inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation dark brown, nervulus antefurcal.

Metasoma: Tergal discs dark, tergal margins narrowly lightened hyaline brown ( Figure 69E ). Tergal discs with granular microreticulation, sculpture strongest basally, dull, becoming weaker apically, here weakly shining; terga impunctate. Tergal discs with scattered very short obscure hairs, T2–4 laterally with dense and narrow apical fringes of white hairs, obscuring underlying surface. Apical fringe of T5 laterally white, medially brown, hairs flanking pygidial plate brown. Pygidial plate narrowly triangular, surface flattened, dull.

Male: Body length: 4–5 mm ( Figure 70A ). Head: Dark, 1.3 times wider than long ( Figure 70B ). Clypeus domed, densely but weakly punctate, punctures shallow, separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters, disappearing into underlying granular microreticulation, surface dull to weakly shining. Process of labrum trapezoidal, 2 times wider than long. Gena equalling width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance ⅔ diameter of lateral ocellus. Head covered with moderately long white hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae basally dark, A5–13 ventrally lightened by presence of grey scales; A3 equalling A4, A4 quadrate, A5–13 all slightly longer than wide.

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum finely shagreened, weakly shining irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 1–3 puncture diameters ( Figure 70C ). Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum and propodeum structurally as in female. Mesosoma covered with long white hairs. Legs basally dark, becoming brown apically, pubescence whitish. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation dark brown, nervulus antefurcal.

Metasoma: Terga structurally as in female ( Figure 70E ). Tergal discs with scattered very short obscure hairs, T2–4 laterally with dense and narrow apical fringes of white hairs, obscuring underlying surface. T6–7 with whitish hairs overlying pygidial plate of T7. S8 more or less columnar, apex truncate, ventral surface densely covered by fan of brown hairs. Genital capsule elongate, gonocoxae produced into rounded points, gonostyli elongate, flattened over majority of their surface, spatulate, outer margin with slight rounded bump in apical ⅓ ( Figure 70G ). Penis valves basally moderately broad, occupying ½ space between gonostyli, regularly tapering apically.

Diagnosis. Andrena lediveleci can be recognised as a member of the former fumida -species group of subgenus Micrandrena (former subgenus Fumandrena Warncke, 1968 , see Pisanty et al. 2022b) due to the small body size, propodeal triangle with uniform granular shagreen, without raised carinae or rugae ( Figure 69C ), hind tarsal claw with an inner tooth, and facial foveae relatively narrow (occupying <½ of the space between the compound eye and lateral ocellus, Figure 68E ) but of a uniform width dorsally and ventrally. Due to the closely punctate clypeus and the distinctive elongate genital capsule ( Figure 70G ), it is closest to A. (Micrandrena) sandanskia Warncke, 1973 which is known from Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey ( Wood 2023a), but which has never been reported from Crete.

Although the two genital capsules are very similar, the two species can be separated sculpturally. In the female sex, A. lediveleci can be recognised due to the comparatively weakly punctate clypeus, punctures disappearing into underlying sculpture ( Figure 68C ; in A. sandanskia with the clypeus clearly punctate, Figure 68D ), the weakly and comparatively more sparsely punctate frons, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters, not strongly contrasting the weakly shining underlying surface ( Figure 68E ; in A. sandanskia with the frons densely and clearly punctate, punctures separated by 1 puncture diameters, clearly contrasting the dull underlying surface, Figure 68F ), the finely sculptured scutum which is broadly shining and comparatively sparsely punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters ( Figure 69A ; in A. sandanskia with the scutum with uniform granular shagreen, dull to weakly shining, more densely punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters, Figure 69B ), the terga which have clear dense apical hair fringes laterally on T2–4 ( Figure 69E ; in A. sandanskia with only sparse hairs on the tergal margins, not forming dense hairbands, Figure 69F ), and the slightly smaller body size of 4.5– 5 mm (in A. sandanskia typically 5–6 mm).

Males can be recognised by the same characters, specifically the less strongly sculptured scutum (compare Figures 70C–D ), the terga with narrow hair fringes laterally on T2–4 (compare Figures 70E–F ), and the slightly smaller body size of 4–4.5 mm (in A. sandanskia typically 5–5.5 mm). The genital capsule also has the outer margin of the gonostyli comparatively straight ( Figure 70G ), whereas in A. sandanskia the outer margin is slightly concave ( Figure 70H ).

Remarks. Individuals were collected from Sedum spp. ( Crassulaceae ), which is also the suspected pollen host of A. sandanskia (unpublished data). Further study is required.

Etymology. Named after my colleague Romain Le Divelec (University of Mons, Belgium) who collected the species and made ecological observations of the species on Crete, and who works on the taxonomy of many different groups of bees and wasps, with a current focus on Hylaeus ( Colletidae ).

Distribution. Greece (Crete).

Figures

FIGURE 68. Andrena (Micrandrena) lediveleci spec. nov. female. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Clypeus detail, frontal view; E. Head, dorsal view. Andrena (Micrandrena) sandanskia Warncke, 1973 female. D. Clypeus detail, frontal view; F. Head, dorsal view.

FIGURE 69. Andrena (Micrandrena) lediveleci spec. nov. female. A. Scutum, dorsal view; C. Propodeum, dorsal view; E. Terga, dorsal view. Andrena (Micrandrena) sandanskia Warncke, 1973 female. B. Scutum, dorsal view; D. Propodeum, dorsal view; F. Terga, dorsal view.

FIGURE 70. Andrena (Micrandrena) lediveleci spec. nov. male. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Scutum, dorsal view; E. Terga, dorsal view; G. Genital capsule, dorsal view. Andrena (Micrandrena) sandanskia Warncke, 1973 male. D. Scutum, dorsal view; F. Terga, dorsal view; H. Genital capsule, dorsal view.