Hoplitis (Hoplitis) andreasmuelleri Fateryga & Proshchalykin, 2024

Fateryga, Alexander V., Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu. & Abakumov, Evgeny V., 2024, A new species and new records of Hoplitis Klug (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) from Russia, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 97, pp. 1417-1433 : 1417-1433

Hoplitis (Hoplitis) andreasmuelleri Fateryga & Proshchalykin sp. nov.

Figs 2 , 3

Diagnosis.

Among the western Palaearctic Hoplitis species of the subgenus Hoplitis s. str., the female of H. andreasmuelleri (Fig. 2 A ) is unequivocally characterised by the following combination of characters: i) sternum 6 lateroapically with distinct submarginal carina and medioapically elongated into a very short triangular tooth; ii) proboscis not reaching to trochanter of hind leg in repose and second segment of labial palpus distinctly shorter than maximal length of mesosoma measured in lateral view (Fig. 2 A ); iii) clypeus and galea of proboscis normally haired, without apically curved or wavy pollen-collecting bristles; iv) lateral lobes of pronotum not inflated; v) apex of inner tibial spur of hind leg strongly curved at an angle of 30 to 40 degrees, spur yellowish (Fig. 2 C ); vi) clypeus medially without uninterrupted sharp and narrow longitudinal carina, basally with a small impunctate triangular area (Fig. 2 B ); vii) disc of tergum 5 covered with moderately dense and appressed whitish pilosity (Fig. 2 E ); viii) when seen from behind, longest erect hairs on median half of tergum 1 only about 1 / 7 to 1 / 8 as long as maximal length of lateral hair tuft; ix) punctation of lateroapical part of scutum with interspaces reaching the diameter of one puncture; x) metasomal scopa whitish (Fig. 2 A ); xi) tarsi of all legs predominately ferruginous (Fig. 2 A ); xii) antenna completely black (Fig. 2 B ); xiii) marginal zone of terga 1–5 with sparse and often interrupted band of whitish hairs (Fig. 2 D ). The male of H. andreasmuelleri (Fig. 3 A ) is easily diagnosed by the following combination of characters: i) apical margin of tergum 7 medially rounded (Fig. 3 D ); ii) second segment of labial palpus longer than compound eye (Fig. 3 A ); iii) antenna black (Fig. 3 B, C ); iv) last article of antenna about 1.7 × as long as basally wide (Fig. 3 B ); v) in dorsal view, posterior side of the last article of antenna strongly widened towards apex (Fig. 3 C ); vi) antennal article 3 about 1.3 × as long as apically wide and longer than article 4 (Fig. 3 B, C ); vii) ventral margin of antennal articles 3–4 distinctly widened distally (Fig. 3 B ); viii) antennal articles 4–5 as wide as article 3 apically and in dorsal view wider than articles 6–12 (Fig. 3 C ); ix) lateral lobes of bilobed membranous appendage at apical margin of sternum 6 moderately haired, distinctly wider than long, laterally elongated into a distinct rounded tip and medially not separated from each other by an emargination (Fig. 3 E ); x) apical margin of the sclerotised base of sternum 6 with two very narrow and diverging median tufts of few long hairs, which surpass the centre of the membranous appendage of sternum 6; xi) marginal zone of sterna 4–5 reddish and very densely punctured with interspaces much narrower than the diameter of one puncture (Fig. 3 E ).

Differential diagnosis.

Among other species of Hoplitis (Hoplitis) known from Dagestan, viz. H. (H). adunca (Panzer, 1798) , H. (H). anthocopoides (Schenck, 1853) , H. (H). dagestanica Fateryga, Müller & Proshchalykin, 2023 , H. (H). linguaria ( Morawitz, 1875) , and H. (H). manicata Morice, 1901 from the H. adunca species group and H. (H). astragali Fateryga, Müller & Proshchalykin, 2023 from the H. monstrabilis species group ( Fateryga and Proshchalykin 2024), the new species is the most closely related to H. dagestanica . Females of H. andreasmuelleri can be easily distinguished from those of H. dagestanica by black antenna (flagellum partly dark reddish-brown anteriorly in H. dagestanica ), a small impunctate triangular area at the base of clypeus (absent in H. dagestanica ), ferruginous tarsi (brown in H. dagestanica ), sparse and often interrupted apical band of hairs on terga 1–5 (denser uninterrupted band in H. dagestanica ), and whitish scopa (yellowish in H. dagestanica ). Males of H. andreasmuelleri can be easily distinguished from those of H. dagestanica by black antenna (flagellum predominantly dark reddish-brown in H. dagestanica ), last antennal article not tapering towards apex (tapering towards apex with ventral margin slightly concave in H. dagestanica ), antennal articles 5–12 not modified (with roundish bump or small pointed tubercle near distal end of posterior side in H. dagestanica ), ferruginous tarsi (brown in H. dagestanica ), and lateral lobes of bilobed membranous appendage at apical margin of sternum 6 laterally elongated into a rounded tip and medially not separated from each other by an emargination (laterally elongated into a more or less acute tip and separated from each other by a shallow median emargination in H. dagestanica ).

Assignment to species group.

Due to the presence of a submarginal carina on female sternum 6 and the apically rounded male tergum 7, H. andreasmuelleri is clearly a member of the H. adunca species group.

Description.

Due to the uniform morphology of the numerous species of Hoplitis (Hoplitis) , the following description is restricted to characters, that are relevant for the recognition of the new species.

Female. Body length 9–10 mm. Head: Head about 0.9 × as long as wide (Fig. 2 B ). Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital margin about 1.6 × as long as ocellar diameter. Second segment of labial palpus about 2.3 × as long as first segment and about 1.4 × as long as compound eye (Fig. 2 A ). Proboscis reaching coxa of mid leg when folded. Mandible three-toothed, its preapical zone weakly reddish. Clypeus densely punctured with interspaces rarely surpassing the diameter of half a puncture, basally with a small impunctate triangular area continuing to a short and indistinct polished midline (Fig. 2 B ). Antennal article 3 almost 1.5 × as long as apically wide and about 1.5 × as long as article 4. Antenna completely black (Fig. 2 B ). Mesosoma: Tegula dark brown except for black anterior third and black inner margin. Scutum and scutellum densely punctured with interspaces rarely surpassing the diameter of one puncture except lateroapically on scutum, where interspaces reach the diameter of one puncture. Basal area of propodeum shagreened throughout. Posterior surface of propodeum shagreened with scattered indistinct punctures. Propodeal pit polished. Tibial spur of fore leg elongated into tip, which is slightly longer than basally wide and angularly stepped from more basal part of spur. Tibial spurs of hind leg yellowish; inner spur slightly tapering towards apex, which is strongly curved at an angle of 30 to 40 degrees (Fig. 2 C ); outer spur slightly shorter than inner spur, its apex curved at an angle of about 45 degrees. Tarsi of all legs ferruginous except basal black parts on outer sides of basitarsi (Fig. 2 A ). Metasoma: Punctation of tergal discs moderately dense with interspaces reaching the diameter of two to four punctures on discs 1–3 (Fig. 2 D ). Marginal zone of terga 1–5 covered with sparse band of whitish hairs, which may be interrupted medially in worn specimens (Fig. 2 D ). Tergal discs 1–4 with sparse short erect pilosity of whitish hairs, which are shorter than antennal article 2. When seen from behind, longest erect hairs on median half of tergum 1 only about 1 / 7 to 1 / 8 as long as maximal length of lateral hair tuft. Disc of terga 5–6 covered with moderately dense and appressed whitish pilosity (Fig. 2 E ). Sternum 6 lateroapically with distinct submarginal carina and medioapically with a very short triangular tooth. Scopa whitish.

Male. Body length 9.5–10.5 mm. Head: Head about 0.8 × as long as wide. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital margin about 1.3 × as long as ocellar diameter. Second segment of labial palpus about 2.15 × as long as first segment and 1.2 × as long as compound eye (Fig. 3 A ). Proboscis reaching coxa of mid leg when folded. Mandible two-toothed and predominantly black, sometimes with dark reddish-brown preapical zone. Clypeus rather strongly convex in profile, its punctation very fine and dense without polished interspaces. Apical margin of clypeus shallowly emarginate and crenulate. Antennal article 1 about 2.2 × as long as maximally wide (Fig. 3 B ). Antennal article 3 about 1.3 × as long as apically wide and almost 1.6 × as long as article 4; antennal articles 3–4 with ventral margin distinctly widened distally (Fig. 3 B ). Antennal articles 4–5 as wide as article 3 apically and in dorsal view wider than articles 6–12 (Fig. 3 C ). Last article of antenna about 1.7 × as long as basally wide (Fig. 3 B ); in dorsal view, its posterior side strongly widened towards apex (Fig. 3 C ). Antenna black (Fig. 3 B, C ). Mesosoma: Tegula brownish-red except for black anterior third and black inner margin. Scutum and scutellum densely punctured with interspaces rarely surpassing the diameter of one puncture except laterally on scutum, where interspaces may reach the diameter of one and a half punctures. Basal area of propodeum shagreened throughout. Posterior surface of propodeum shagreened with scattered punctures. Propodeal pit polished. Tibial spur of fore leg elongated into tip, which is as long as basally wide and angularly stepped from more basal part of spur. Tibial spurs of hind leg yellowish, tapering towards apex and apically curved. Tarsi of all legs ferruginous (Fig. 3 A ). Metasoma: Punctation of tergal discs moderately dense with interspaces reaching the diameter of one to three punctures on discs 1–4. Marginal zone of terga 1–5 covered with rather dense band of whitish to yellowish-white hairs (Fig. 3 D ), which may be interrupted on terga 1–3 in worn specimens. Tergum 6 laterally toothed, its marginal zone reddish, ciliated with yellowish hairs, apically crenulate and medially very slightly emarginate to straight (Fig. 3 D ). Apical margin of tergum 7 medially rounded (Fig. 3 D ). Marginal zone of sterna 2–5 reddish and very densely punctured with interspaces much narrower than the diameter of one puncture (Fig. 3 E ). Apical margin of sterna 1–4 almost straight and of sternum 5 weakly rounded and medially shallowly emarginate (Fig. 3 E ). Marginal zone of sterna 2–4 with loose whitish to yellowish hair band (Fig. 3 E ). Sterna 2–5 with preapical transverse swelling, which is sparsely punctured and medioapically emarginate (Fig. 3 E ). Sternum 6 basally with pair of membranous flaps. Lobes of bilobed membranous appendage at apical margin of sternum 6 moderately haired, distinctly wider than long, laterally elongated into a distinct rounded tip and medially not separated from each other, forming an entire structure (Fig. 3 E ). Apical margin of the sclerotised base of sternum 6 with two very narrow and diverging median tufts of few long hairs, which surpass the centre of the membranous appendage of sternum 6. Gonoforceps very narrow, slightly bent inwards and downwards in its apical third and apically with dense and short tuft of yellowish-white hairs (Fig. 3 F ). Outer margin of penis valve ciliated with yellowish-white bristles, of which the longest are one and a half times longer than the maximal valve width (Fig. 3 F ).

Material examined.

Holotype: Russia. • Dagestan: vicinity of Kurush , 41°15'59"N, 47°49'33"E, 26.VI.2023, ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ ZISP] . Paratypes: Russia. • Dagestan: vicinity of Kurush , 41°15'59"N, 47°49'33"E, 26.VI.2023, 1 ♀, on Vicia alpestris , leg. A. Fateryga [ ZISP] ; • ibid., 26.VI.2023, 3 ♂, leg. A. Fateryga [ CAFK, ETHZ, FSCV] ; ibid., 26.VI.2023, 3 ♀, leg. M. Proshchalykin [ CAFK, ETHZ, FSCV] .

Etymology.

It is a pleasure to name this species after our colleague Andreas Müller (Zurich, Switzerland), the leading expert on osmiine bees.

Distribution.

Russia: European part (North Caucasus). The species is currently known only from the type locality in Dagestan.

Remarks.

The species was collected in Samurskiy National Park, on alpine meadow slopes of the Chekhychay River valley (Samur River basin) below the village of Kurush (Dokuzparinskiy District of the Republic of Dagestan), about 2330 m a. s. l. (Fig. 4 A ). One female was collected visiting flowers of Vicia alpestris Steven (Fig. 4 B ), while three other females were collected by sweeping patches of another species, Vicia sosnowskyi Ekutim. ( Fabaceae ). Males were collected on the ground between patches of both plant species. These data suggest a preference for the genus Vicia L. by H. andreasmuelleri , perhaps representing narrow oligolecty on a single plant genus ( Müller and Kuhlmann 2008). However, more flower visitation data including microscopical analysis of pollen contained in the female scopae are needed to clarify the species’ degree of host plant specialization, although many members of the H. adunca species group exclusively or predominantly exploit Fabaceae for pollen ( Müller 2016, 2024; Sedivy et al. 2012 b).

Figures

Figure 2. Hoplitis andreasmuelleri Fateryga & Proshchalykin, sp. nov., ♀, paratype A habitus in lateral view B head in front view C part of hind leg with inner tibial spur D terga 1–2 in dorsal view E terga 5–6 in dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 3. Hoplitis andreasmuelleri Fateryga & Proshchalykin, sp. nov., ♂, holotype (A) and paratype (B – F) A habitus in lateral view B antenna in front view C antenna in dorsal view D terga 4–6 in dorsal view E sterna 5–6 and tergum 7 in ventral view F genitalia in dorsal view. Scale bars 1 mm.

Figure 4. Habitat of Hoplitis andreasmuelleri Fateryga & Proshchalykin, sp. nov. in Chekhychay River valley, Samurskiy National Park, Dagestan A overview B slope with flowering Vicia alpestris Steven.