Augochlora (Oxystoglossella) eucnemis ( Vachal, 1911 )

Lepeco, Anderson & Gonçalves, Rodrigo Barbosa, 2020, New species of Augochlora (Oxystoglossella) Eickwort (Hymenoptera; Apoidea) from Northeastern Brazil with an identification key for the region, Zootaxa 4802 (2), pp. 261-293 : 274-277

Augochlora (Oxystoglossella) eucnemis ( Vachal, 1911)

( Figs. 3B ; 10 A-D; 11A-D; 18B; 19A)

Halictus eucnemis Vachal, 1911 , holotype ♀ (MNHP) from Brazil, Pernambuco. Examined through photographs.

Diagnosis. Both sexes have a punctate preepisternum, females do not have a projection on S1, and males have a parallel sided hind basitarsus, all features shared with A. aurinasis . This species differs from A. aurinasis by having punctures more spaced on head and mesoscutum, by lacking golden reflections on the body (bluish instead), and by the posterior margin of metapostnotum smooth on males.

Comments. Moure & Hurd (1987) indicated that Halictus eucnemis could be considered a junior synonym of Augochlora thalia Smith, 1879 and later Moure (2007) formally proposed this synonymy. We examined the photographs of the types of Halictus eucnemis and Augochlora thalia and concluded that they correspond to separate species, restricted to Northeastern Brazil and Amazon, respectively. Augochlora thalia female is more similar to A. morrae and A. bipunctata sp. nov., with rugose preepisternum and copper-red reflections on metasoma.

Description. ♀. Measurements. Eye notch width: 1.30–1.49 (mean = 1.39, n = 3); head length: 1.80–1.96 (mean = 1.85, n = 3); clypeus width: 0.42–0.52 (mean = 0.45, n = 3); clypeus length: 0.42–0.48 (mean = 0.46, n = 3); clypeoantennal distance: 0.32–0.36 (mean = 0.35, n = 3); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.04–1.12 (mean = 1.07, n = 3); intertegular distance: 1.18–1.24 (mean = 1.21, n = 3); T1 width: 1.52–1.80 (mean = 1.64, n = 3); T2 width: 1.76–2.00 (mean = 1.88, n = 3); body length: 6.50–7.00 (mean = 6.66, n = 3).

Head. Labrum basal surface brown; basal elevation well defined, orbicular. Mandible mostly brown, apex and base black; preapical tooth far from apex. Clypeus mostly green with golden reflection, apical black band = OD; punctate, punctures large and weak, smooth in between; long setae (3.0 OD) on apical margin, shorter on basal margin. Epistomal angle acute, protruding into clypeus. Supraclypeal area green with golden reflection; densely punctate, loosely imbricate in between. Parocular area with golden reflection; densely punctate, i <0.5 PD; long setae (1.0–2.0 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae mostly black, flagellum ventrally brown; longer setae (= OD) on scape base. Frons with blue iridescence; densely punctate, i <PD; setae length 1.0–2.0 OD. Vertex contiguously punctate, punctures weak. Preoccipital area weakly lamellate, lamella not expanded near post gena. Gena with golden reflection; weakly punctate. Postgena with golden reflection, darkened near hypostoma; microreticulate to weakly striate, some scattered weak punctures; setae length <3.0 OD. Hypostomal carina lamellate, slightly projected anteriorly.

Mesosoma. Pronotum lateral angle obtuse; dorsal surface green with golden reflection. Fore leg: coxa ventrally green; trochanter black; femur mostly black, apically light brown; long plumose setae (<4.0 OD); tibia and tarsus light brown. Mesoscutum green with golden reflection; sparsely punctate on disc, i> PD, punctures small, denser punctuation on lateral surfaces; setae length <2.0 OD. Scutellum green with golden reflection; mostly densely punctate, sparser on sublateral surfaces, smooth in between; longer setae (4.0 OD) near apex. Mesepisternum green with golden reflection; preepisternum punctate; hypoepimeral area punctate, i <PD, smooth in between; below scrobe punctate, i <PD, smooth in between, ventrally conflected. Mid leg: coxa and trochanter black; femur mostly black, apically light brown; tibia and tarsus light brown. Tegula brown with anterior green spot. Fore wing marginal cell apex truncate, appendiculate. Metanotum with tiny setae near base, scattered long setae (<4.0 OD). Metepisternum green with golden reflection. Hind leg: coxa green, ventrally rounded; trochanter black with weak green reflection; long plumose setae (3.0 OD); femur mostly black, apically light brown; tibia and tarsus light brown. Metapostnotum green with golden reflection; as long as scutellum; plane, mostly rugose, carinate on lateral surfaces, posterior surface smooth. Propodeum green with golden reflection; long plumose setae (4.0 OD) intermixed with tiny decumbent setae; posterior surface sparsely punctate, mostly smooth in between; lateral surfaces mostly striate, densely punctate anteriorly, smooth in between.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface densely punctate, smooth in between; green; setae up to an OD intermixed with tomentose setae. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate, imbricate in between, denser punctuation on lateral surfaces; mostly green with golden reflection; tiny setae dorsally, long setae (2.0 OD) on lateral surfaces. T2 weakly puncticulate, smooth in between; mostly green with golden reflection; marginal area dark brown; mostly with tiny decumbent setae, long setae (2.0 OD) near margin and lateral surfaces. T3 weakly puncticulate, smooth in between; mostly green with golden reflection, apex dark brown; mostly with tiny decumbent setae reaching apical margin, long setae (2.0 OD) near margin and lateral on surfaces. T4 weakly puncticulate, smooth in between; mostly green with golden reflection, apex dark brown; mostly with tiny decumbent setae, long setae (3.0 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 black; prepygidial area covered with dense scale-like setae. S1 projection absent; black; with long plumose setae (> 3.0 OD) medially, margin with tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly black, apical band brownish; with long plumose setae (> 3.0 OD). S3–4 as S2. S5 apical margin widely rounded; black; long plumose setae (> 3.0 OD). S6 black; long dark setae on apex.

Description. ♂. Measurements. Eye notch width: 1.02–1.27 (mean = 1.18, n = 7); head length: 1.36–1.72 (mean = 1.62, n = 7); clypeus width: 0.30–0.38 (mean = 0.36, n = 7); clypeus length: 0.40–0.46 (mean = 0.43, n = 7); clypeoantennal distance: 0.24–0.30 (mean = 0.29, n = 7); clypeus ocellar distance: 0.82–1.00 (mean = 0.95, n = 7); intertegular distance: 0.87–1.08 (mean = 1.01, n = 7); T1 width: 1.00–1.40 (mean = 1.26, n = 7); T2 width: 1.08–1.52 (mean = 1.35, n = 7); scape length: 0.28–0.42 (mean = 0.38, n = 7); body length: 5.00–6.50 (mean = 5.93, n = 7).

Head. Labrum basal surface pale, yellowish. Mandible mostly yellowish, apex brown. Clypeus mostly green with golden reflection, apex yellowish; densely punctate, i = 0.5 PD, punctures large, smooth in between; setae length = 2.0 OD. Supraclypeal area green with golden reflection. Parocular area with golden reflection; densely punctate, smooth in between; long setae (= OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape black; pedicel mostly black, apex light brown; F1 dark brown; remaining flagellomeres mostly black, ventrally light brown. Frons with blue iridescence; contiguously punctate; setae length = 1.0–2.0 OD. Vertex weakly punctate to striate. Preoccipital area lamellate. Gena with golden reflection; punctate, punctures weak. Postgena with golden reflection, darkened near hypostoma; imbricate to striate, some scattered punctures; setae length <3.0 OD.

Mesosoma. Pronotum dorsal surface green with golden reflection. Pronotal lobe punctate, loosely imbricate in between. Fore leg: coxa ventrally green; trochanter black; femur light brown with green reflection; slightly swollen; tibia and tarsus yellow. Mesoscutum green with golden reflection; punctate on disc, i = PD, smooth in between, denser punctuation on lateral margins; setae length = 0.5–1.0 OD. Scutellum without longitudinal furrow; green with golden reflection; mostly densely punctate, sparser on sublateral surfaces, smooth in between; longer setae (3.0 OD) near apex. Mesepisternum green with golden reflection; preepisternum densely punctate, ventrally conflected; hypoepimeral area densely punctate, i <0.5 PD, smooth in between; below scrobe densely punctate, i <PD, smooth in between; Mid leg: coxa black; trochanter dark brown with green reflection; setae length = OD; femur to slightly swollen; tibia and tarsus yellow. Tegula light brown; Metanotum contiguously punctate, laterally rugulose; tiny setae near base, scattered long setae (3.0 OD). Metepisternum green with golden reflection; punctate, smooth in between, striate near hind wing. Hind leg: coxa green; trochanter dark brown with green reflection; setae length <OD; femur yellow; tibia yellow, with abundant tiny setae among long setae; tarsus yellow; basitarsus more than 6.0 times longer than wide. Metapostnotum green with golden reflection; as long as scutellum; plane, mostly rugose, carinate on lateral surfaces, posterior surface smooth. Propodeum green with golden reflection; long plumose setae (2.0 OD) intermixed with tiny decumbent setae; posterior surface sparsely punctate, smooth in between; lateral surfaces mostly sparsely punctate, smooth in between, denser punctuation anteriorly.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface sparsely punctate, smooth in between; mostly golden, base darkened; long setae only, up to 2.0 OD. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate, i> PD, punctures weak; mostly green with golden reflection; tiny setae at disc, lateral surfaces with longer setae (= OD). T2 minutely punctate on disc, i = 2.0 PD, denser punctuation on lateral surfaces, imbricate in between; mostly green with golden reflection; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (= OD) on lateral surfaces, premarginal setae ending near apical margin on sublateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly green with golden reflection; marginal area dark brown; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (= OD) near margin and lateral surfaces. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly green with golden reflection; marginal area dark brown; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2.0 OD) near margin and lateral surfaces. T5 mostly green; apex brown; long setae (2.0 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. T6 dark brown; mostly with long setae (<2.0 OD). T7 dark brown. S1 black with weak green reflection; with long plumose setae (2.0 OD) medially, margin with tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly black, apical band yellowish; with long plumose setae (= OD), tiny setae on apex. S3–4 as S2. S5 not depressed medially; mostly black, apical band yellowish; setae length <2.0 OD. S6 black; setae length = OD, tiny setae on apex. S7 lateral apodemes shorter than half S8 width. S8 anterior projection> 6.0 times longer than apical width.

Genitalia. Gonobase 2.0 times wider than long. Gonocoxite about 2.0 times longer than wide. Gonostylus: basal process projected, forming a lobe; inner lobe of ventral process digitiform, small, with tiny setae; outer lobe of ventral process with setae longer than ventral process size. Volsellar lower margin straight. Gonapophysis lateral angles not enlarged; ventral prong well produced; dorsal bridge margin straight; apodeme narrow and strongly hooked.

Distribution. Augochlora eucnemis is only known for Northeastern Brazil: states of Bahia, Paraíba and Pernambuco.

Examined material. Brazil, BA, DZUP, 1♀ 2♂ “Anangé-Bahia Brasil\ 25 IV.1976 \ C.Elias & Enoque col.”, 1♀ 5♂ “MARACÁS - BA\ BRASIL IX-65\ F.M.Oliveira ”. PB, 1♀ “JUAZEIRINHO-PB\ Brasil 15/ix/55\ A. G. A. Silva leg”. PE, 1♀ “ Pernambuco \3/XI/55” .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Female face in detail. A) Augochlora aurinasis; B) Augochlora eucnemis. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 10. Female of Augochlora eucnemis: 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.