Andrena (Notandrena) foeniculae Wood, 2020

Wood, Thomas James, Cross, Ian & Baldock, David W., 2020, Updates to the bee fauna of Portugal with the description of three new Iberian Andrena species (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila), Zootaxa 4790 (2), pp. 201-228 : 208-211

Andrena (Notandrena) foeniculae Wood spec. nov.

Holotype: PORTUGAL: Ribatejo , Tomar, Aqueduto do Convento de Cristo, 39.6077, -8.4380, 18.ix.2019, 1♀, leg. Cross. Deposited in the OÖLM.

Paratypes: PORTUGAL: Algarve , Lagos, Salema, 9.ix.2018, 1♀, leg. Cross ; Parque Natural da Arrábida , San- tana, Estr. Fonte de Carvalho, 3.viii.2019, 1♀, leg. Wood ; SPAIN: Malaga , Almogía, 2 km z. van dorp, 29.ix.1992, leg. W. Klein. Paratypes are retained in the collections of T. J. Wood, I. Cross, and in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden .

Diagnosis: Seven species of Notandrena are known from Iberia— A. chrysosceles (Kirby, 1802) , A. erythrocnemis Morawitz, 1870 (reported as A. griseobalteata Dours, 1872 by Ortiz-Sánchez 2011), A. fulvicornis Schenck, 1853 , A. langadensis Warncke, 1965 , A. nitidiuscula Schenck, 1853 , A. pallitarsis Pérez, 1903 , and A. urdula Warncke, 1965 . Andrena foeniculae can instantly be separated from all these taxa by its small body size (8 mm, smaller than A. erythrocnemis , A. langadensis , and A. urdula which average 11–12 mm in length) in combination with the structure of the vertex, where the hind ocelli are separated from the hind margin of the vertex by greater than an ocellar diameter ( Figure 17 ). This space is slightly depressed, shiny, and sparsely punctured. Within the smaller species it additionally has black legs (orange in A. chrysosceles ) and lacks the distinctive shortened dorsal scopal hairs of A. pallitarsis . It is therefore closest to A. fulvicornis and A. nitidiuscula which both have short vertexes which are clearly less than the diameter of a lateral ocelli ( Figures 19 and 21 ). Additionally, the mid line in the front half of the scutum is only weakly impressed ( Figure 18 ), like A. fulvicornis ( Figure 20 ), in contrast to A. nitidiuscula where it is clearly depressed ( Figure 22 ).

Description: Female: Body length 8 mm ( Figure 15 ). Head: Head 1.5 times wider than long. Clypeus domed, particularly below antennal insertions where it joins the protruding supraclypeal area. Clypeus moderately punctured, punctures separated by a distance of 1 puncture diameter except for the very centre where a faint impunctate line is present. Process of labrum wide and short, three times wider than long, fore margin widely but weakly emarginate. Pubescence of head uniformly white, sparse except on paraocular areas where it is moderately thick. Fovea not noticeably widened or narrowed, occupying half the paraocular area. Vertex noticeably elongated, distance from a lateral ocellus to hind margin of vertex 1.5 ocellar diameters, clearly longer than one ocellar diameter ( Figure 17 ). Vertex slightly depressed sparsely punctate with large punctures, punctures separated by 2–3 puncture diameters, thus contrasting strongly with the punctures at the apex of the fovea which are dense and separated by less than a puncture diameter ( Figure 17 ). Gena moderately wide, slightly wider than the width of the compound eye. Top of gena joining vertex clearly shiny and thickened, the hind margin of vertex therefore forming a U-shaped curve ( Figure 17 ). Mesosoma: Scutum moderately but irregularly punctured, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters, punctures around edges denser, separated by less than a puncture diameter. Underlying surface shagreened, weakly shining. Central line in anterior half of scutum only weakly impressed. Scutellum very sparsely punctured in centre, punctures largely confined to edges and very slightly impressed central line. Scutum, scutellum, episternum, and propodeum with sparse whitish hairs. Propodeal corbiculae with a few long, simple hairs. Dorsal surface of propodeum reticulate. Propodeal triangle marked with weak carina, basal two thirds of propodeal triangle with stronger and more pronounced reticulation to slightly rugose. Legs black, pubescence whitish except for apex of tarsi 2 and inner faces of basitarti which are brownish orange. Scopal hairs white. Metasoma: Terga dark with apical quarter to third of marginal area translucent brown ( Figure 16 ). T2–4 deeply punctate with punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter. T1 similarly densely punctate on the marginal zone, punctures on disc more sparse, separated by 2–3 diameters, declivity impunctate. Underlying surface of T1–4 smooth and shiny, T5 with weaker punctures, underlying surface strongly shagreened. Terga with apical bands of short white pubescence around half the length of the marginal areas. T1 with only flecks at corners, band on T2 widely interrupted, those on T3–4 complete. General pubescence of terga and sterna white with the exception of dark brown central hairs of T5 and T6 flanking pygidial plate. Pygidial plate flat and broad with slightly raised margins, densely punctate in a semi-circular pattern, punctures almost touching.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution: Central and southern Portugal and southern Spain.

Floral preferences: The species has exclusively been collected from Foeniculum vulgare . Pollen analysis of two loads were composed of pure Foeniculum pollen. The species is highly likely to be broadly oligolectic on Apiaceae like other summer-only active Notandrena such as A. erythrocnemis , A. nitidiuscula , and A. pallitarsis ( Dylewska 1987; Westrich 1989; Schmid-Egger & Scheuchl 1997, Table 1 ). Searching of other flowering Apiaceae during August and September may reveal other pollen hosts, though Foeniculum is by far and away the dominant flowering Apiaceae in southern Iberia during this time.

Discussion: In Iberia, A. chrysosceles , A. erythrocnemis , and A. pallitarsis are restricted to the area around the Pyrenees ( Gusenleitner & Schwarz 2002). Furthermore, A. langadensis and A. urdula fly only in the spring, leaving only A. nitidiuscula and A. fulvicornis active in the heat of the summer ( Table 1 ). Against this context, it makes sense that this new species is closer to these summer-active taxa rather than A. langadensis and A. urdula which are, in addition to their spring phenology, geographically restricted (in Iberia) to central Spain (Warncke 1976).

Etymology: The specific epithet foeniculae comes from its only currently known host plant, Foeniculum vulgare . In Portugal, this is one of the most common late summer flowering plants, attracting great numbers of aculeates late into September.

Figures

FIGURES 15–22. Andrena foeniculae spec. nov. 15. female profile, 16. female terga, 17. female vertex, 18. female scutum. Andrena fulvicornis Schenck, 1853, 19. female vertex, 20. female scutum. Andrena nitidiuscula Schenck, 1853, 21. female vertex 22. female scutum.