Colletes pseudomirabilis Kuhlmann & Proshchalykin

Kuhlmann, Michael & Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu., 2014, New and little known bees of the genus Colletes Latreille 1802 (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) from Central Asia, Zootaxa 3846 (4), pp. 591-596 : 594-595

Colletes pseudomirabilis Kuhlmann & Proshchalykin sp. nov.

( Figs 1 a–d)

Diagnosis. Colletes pseudomirabilis cannot be assigned to any of the Colletes species-groups. Due the abundant white pilosity C. pseudomirabilis reminds of a species of the C. squamosus -group but the distinct dorsal incision of the male gonocoxite (secondarily fused in all species of the species-groups of C. nigricans , C. carinatus , C. hylaeiformis , C. caspicus and C. squamosus ) clearly contradicts this assumption. Pilosity and punctation of abdominal terga and the elongate malar area are distantly similar to the C. flavicornis -group but the shape of S7 does not fit here. The closest relative seems to be the recently described and morphologically isolated C. mirabilis as both share the principle shape of S7, gonostylus, slightly emarginate T7 and the densely, finely but distinctly punctate terga. The male of C. pseudomirabilis can easily be recognized by the characteristic shape of S7 ( Fig. 1 d) in combination with the pilosity and punctation of T1–2 ( Fig. 1 b).

Description.

Female. Unknown.

Male. Bl = 9.0 mm. Head. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black except part of mandible dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, white, erect hairs. Malar area medially about 2/3 as long as width of mandible base, finely striate. Antenna black, ventrally yellowish-brown. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth and shiny; disc very sparsely punctate (i> 5d) with small punctures. Scutellum anteriorly impunctate but with dense punctation apically, surface smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, white erect hairs ( Fig. 1 a). Wings. Hyaline; wing venation yellowish-brown. Legs. Integument dark reddish-brown. Vestiture white. Metasoma. Integument black except depressed apical tergal margins yellowish translucent ( Fig. 1 b). T1 on its anterior 2/3 densely covered with white short, appressed hairs and entire T1 sparsely beset with much longer erect hairs; T2 with broad basal hair band; discs of T2–4 covered with very fine and short erect greyish hairs that are hardly visible but make the discs appear slightly greyish while the sculpture of the terga is still visible; apical tergal hair bands broad ( Fig. 1 b). T1 apically distinctly depressed, following terga less so. T1 with very dense and fine punctation (i <0.5d), between punctures smooth and shiny; punctation on following terga successively finer and indistinct ( Fig. 1 b); T7 apically slightly emarginate. Terminalia. Genitalia and S7 as illustrated ( Figs. 1 c–d).

Type material (1 specimen). Holotype, male, Turkmenistan: Badkhyzskii Nature Reserve, Eroilanduz Lake [61º50'E 35º40'N], 8.V.1990, S. Belokobylskij ( ZISP).

Etymology. The species name highlights the morphological similarity with C. mirabilis .

General distribution. Only known for the type locality in Turkmenistan.

Floral hosts. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Colletes pseudomirabilis Kuhlmann & Proshchalykin sp. nov., male: a. specimen, lateral view; b. T 1 and T 2; c. gonostylus (lateral view); d. S 7 (dorsal view). Scale bar: 1 mm.