Halopanurgus Wood, Patiny & Bossert, 2022

Wood, Thomas J., Patiny, Sebastien & Bossert, Silas, 2022, An unexpected new genus of panurgine bees (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae) from Europe discovered after phylogenomic analysis, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 89, pp. 183-210 : 183

Halopanurgus Wood, Patiny & Bossert gen. nov.

Type species.

Camptopoeum baldocki Wood & Cross, 2017

Diagnosis.

Halopanurgus can be recognised as a panurgine because of its black body with yellow maculations on the head, mesosoma, and metasoma, its small size (4-5 mm), its two submarginal cells, apically truncate marginal cell, poorly developed femoral scopa, two subantennal sutures, and weak facial fovea, these shining, hairless. It is best diagnosed with reference to other similar small, yellow-marked genera with two submarginal cells, as broad characters like those used for tribal classification by Michener (2007) are not universally applicable and are not supported by the new phylogeny ( Bossert et al. 2022).

Halopanurgus can be confused with Camptopoeum because of the similar structure of the male S7 and genital capsule. Camptopoeum has S7 as broad as long or slightly longer than broad, almost parallel sided, and with a broad apical notch (Fig. 14 ), and the genital capsule is parallel sided, with simple gonostyli and penis valves (Figs 6-7 ). In Halopanurgus S7 is broader, but still apically notched (Fig. 12 ) and the gonocoxae are produced into strong triangular points apically (Figs 3 - 4 ). In Camptopoeum no such points are present; the inner margin of the gonocoxae is clearly smooth and inwardly curved (in both subgenera Camptopoeum s. str. and Epimethea , Figs 6-7 ).

Separation from Flavipanurgus is simple in the male sex, as Flavipanurgus has S7 clearly broader than long, and deeply excavated apicomedially (Figs 15-16 ). The genital capsule is also different with the gonocoxae lacking apical points and the gonostyli are flattened, apically widened, and spatulate (Figs 8-10 , 31-32 ). In the female sex, separation is easy for H. baldocki because of its very long glossa (clearly longer than the length of the face, Figs 29-29 , the first segment of the labial palpus exceeding the length of segments 2-4 together), but in H. fuzetus the length of the glossa cannot be used as the glossa is very short (clearly shorter than the length of the face, Fig. 22 ), with the first labial palpus not exceeding the length of segments 2-4 together. Instead, the puncturing of the face must be used, with punctures fine and weak in Halopanurgus , subtle, not strongly contrasting with the underlying integument. In Flavipanurgus , the face is strongly and clearly punctate, punctures clearly visible against the integument. This difference is most clearly seen on the frons (compare Figs 22-23 ).

Halopanurgus can be rapidly separated from Simpanurgus because it lacks distinctively flattened fore tarsi and clavate antennae (Figs 26-27 ), and from Avpanurgus because of its ‘Y’ shaped S7 (Fig. 13 ) and the genital capsule is very different, lacking the greatly expanded gonocoxae that cover almost the entire dorsal surface (Fig. 5 ). Note, both Simpanurgus and Avpanurgus are known only from the male sex, so diagnosis in females is not currently possible. As no genetic sequences are available for Simpanurgus or Avpanurgus their broader placement is uncertain. As Simpanurgus may be more closely related to Flavipanurgus than to Halopanurgus , description of the latter at a subgeneric level would necessitate taking a firm position on all these genera. Given this uncertainty, Halopanurgus is described as a genus; future studies may revise the status of these genera when suitable evidence becomes available. Lastly, Halopanurgus can be separated from Panurgus by the presence of yellow markings on the body; these are never present in Panurgus . Moreover, the scopae of Halopanurgus species are composed of simple hairs, lacking the branched hairs which are conspicuously present in Panurgus species.

Description.

Small (4-5 mm) black bees with extensive yellow maculations on head, mesosoma, and metasoma; pronotal lobe, metanotum, and at least some parts of terga always yellow marked, otherwise variable. Male with at least clypeus always yellow, centrally with two small black maculations (Fig. 20 ). Head broader than long, compound eyes with inner margins parallel. Subantennal sutures essentially straight, outer suture only weakly arched outwards. Facial fovea narrow, slightly narrower than width of lateral ocellus, hairless, equalling length of scape. Ocelloccipital distance short, subequal to width of lateral ocellus.

Face with fine and weak punctures, not strongly contrasting underlying integument (Figs 20 , 22 ). Process of labrum square, as long as wide. Mesoscutum with scattered, fine, and short white hairs; mesepisternum and propodeum with slightly longer white hairs, equally scattered and fine. Forewing with stigma longer than wide, not parallel sided, inner margin weakly curved; two submarginal cells, first submarginal cell longer than second; first recurrent vein entering second submarginal cell; marginal cell apically truncate. Hind tibial spurs unmodified, straight. Basitibial plate present, oval, margins slightly raised; tibial scopa with simple hairs. Tarsal claws with minute inner tooth. Genital capsule simple, gonocoxae apically produced into posteriorly projecting points (Figs 3 - 4 , see also illustrations in Wood and Cross 2017).

Etymology.

The name is a combination of the prefix Halo - (Greek for salt) with the genus name Panurgus because of the pronounced affinity for saline soils shown by the two constituent species, both being restricted to saltmarshes, coastal sands, and inland saline lagoons (Wood & Cross 2017; Cross & Wood 2018; Fidalgo 2021; TJW unpublished data). The gender is masculine.

Included species.

Halopanurgus baldocki (Wood and Cross, 2017) comb. nov. (Figs 28-29 , Spain and Portugal, see Fidalgo 2021) and Halopanurgus fuzetus (Patiny, 1999) comb. nov. (Fig. 30 , Spain and Portugal).

Figures

Figure 3. Male genital capsule of Halopanurgus baldocki, with arrow indicating the apical part of the gonocoxa which is produced into a strong triangular point.

Figures 12 - 19. Panurgine male sternum seven 12 Halopanurgus baldocki 13 Avpanurgus flavofasciatus 14 Camptopoeum (Epimethea) variegatum 15 Flavipanurgus flavus 16 Flavipanurgus kastiliensis 17 Panurgus (Panurgus) calcaratus 18 Panurgus (Panurgus) dentipes 19 Panurgus (Pachycephalopanurgus) farinosus.

Figures 4 - 11. Panurgine male genitalia 4 Halopanurgus baldocki 5 Avpanurgus flavofasciatus 6 Camptopoeum (Camptopoeum) frontale 7 Camptopoeum (Epimethea) variegatum 8 Flavipanurgus flavus 9 Flavipanurgus venustus 10 Flavipanurgus kastiliensis 11 Panurgus (Panurgus) calcaratus.

Figures 31 - 32. Flavipanurgus male genitalia 31 Flavipanurgus granadensis 32 Flavipanurgus merceti.

Figures 28 - 29. Halopanurgus baldocki comb. nov. profile 28 female 29 male.

Figures 20 - 27. Panurgine faces 20 Halopanurgus baldocki comb. nov. male 21 Avpanurgus flavofasciatus male 22 Halopanurgus fuzetus comb. nov. female 23 Flavipanurgus granadensis female 24 Flavipanurgus kastiliensis male 25 Simpanurgus phyllopodus male, including 26 male antennae and 27 male fore tarsi.