Colletes knersvlaktei, Kuhlmann, 2007

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2007, Revision of the bees of the Colletes fasciatus-group in southern Africa (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 121-166 : 152-153

Colletes knersvlaktei sp. n.

Figs 28, 29 , 42

Etymology: Named for the Knersvlakte, a landscape around Vanrhynsdorp renowned for its rich succulent flora.

Diagnosis: Male is best identified by the unique shape of S7 ( Fig. 28 ).

Description:

Female. Unknown.

Male. Length 10–11 mm.

Vestiture: Face greyish white to white, with a few brown hairs intermixed on vertex; mesonotum with long, greyish white hairs, with a few brown hairs on posterior half; mesosomal sides and legs white, scutellum and metanotum with long, yellowish brown hairs, intermixed with black on scutellum; hind femora with a dense row of yellowish brown, erect hairs of equal length more or less on longitudinal axis basoventrally; T1 densely covered with long, erect, yellowish brown hairs; disc of T2 with shorter concolorous hairs; discs of T3–T6 with long, erect, blackish hairs; T1–T4 with narrow, very sparse, white posterior tergal fringes, very sparse on T5; S2–S5 with dense, long fringes, laterally broader than medially, discs with numerous long, erect, white hairs.

Integument: Completely black, except antenna brown ventrally, legs and tarsi partly reddish brown and terga very narrowly translucent posteriorly; malar area short, about 3/4 width of mandibular base; clypeus with very dense (<0.2 pd), small punctures; facial fovea narrow, maximum width about 1/2 antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum with fine, dense punctation (0.5–1 pd), integument between punctures glabrous, surrounded by relatively dense punctation (0.5–1 pd); upper sloping part of propodeal triangle with short, longitudinal carinae, vertical part slightly shagreened, shiny, with few short, indistinct more or less transverse carinae; mid and hind femora slightly swollen; hind basitarsus modified, slightly bent longitudinally, and broadened apically, with prominent, long, reddish bristles on dorsoapical edge; integument of terga finely granular and shiny, less pronounced on nearly smooth posterior tergal depression; S6 basolaterally with a flattened, thick, stout backwards directed spine; shape of S7 as illustrated ( Fig. 28 ) and shape of gonostylus as in Fig. 29 .

Holotype: ơ SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: Steinkopf, L. Schultze S., identified by Friese as Colletes schultzei (TMSA) .

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 1ơ Vanrhynsdorp, vii–viii.1927, G. v. Son ( TMSA); 1ơ Darling, 22.viii.1999, P.Goldblatt, on Ixia scillaris (SEMC) ; 1ơ Clanwilliam , 10 km N, 30.vii.1983, V . B. Whitehead, on Griellum, pink Ruschia (SAMC) ; 1ơ Eland’s Bay , 30.vii.1987, V . B. Whitehead ( SAMC); 1ơ Graafwater , 5 km W, 2.vi.1984, V . B. Whitehead ( SAMC); 1ơ Clanwilliam, Ramskop , 9.vii.1984, V . B. Whitehead, on pink Ruschia (CMK) ; 1ơ Graafwater , 5 km W, 21.vi.1984, V . B. Whitehead ( CMK) .

Distribution: Scattered records from much of the winter rainfall area ( Fig. 42 ).

Flower visiting: Ruschia sp. (Aizoaceae) , Ixia scillaris (Iridaceae) , Grielum sp. (Neuradaceae) .

Phenology: First record 2 nd June, last record 22 nd August.

Figures

Figs 28–39. Shapes of male S7 and gonostylus: (28, 29) C. knersvlaktei sp. n.; (30, 31) C. cyanonitidus sp. n.; (32, 33) C. nieuwoudtvillei sp. n.; (34, 35) C. katharinae sp. n.; (36, 37) C. denudatus; (38, 39) C. karooensis sp. n. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 42. Distribution of C. inornatus, C. karooensis, C. katharinae, C. knersvlaktei, C. latefasciatus and C. laticaudus.