Chlerogella clidemiae Engel

Engel, Michael S., 2003, A new species of the bee genus Chlerogella from Panama (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Zootaxa 286, pp. 1-4 : 2-4

Chlerogella clidemiae Engel , sp. nov. ( Figs. 1­3 )

Type material: holotype, Ψ, PANAMA: San Blas: 19km N of El Llano, 350m, 31 January 1985, G. de Nevers, on flowers of Clidemia crenulata [deposited in the Snow Entomological Collection, Division of Entomology, Natural History Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA].

Diagnosis. The new species is most similar to C. elongaticeps but differing by the more elongate malar space (see description), more widely spaced mesoscutal punctures (punctures separated by a puncture width in C. elongaticeps ), and greater number of metatibial spur teeth (three in C. elongaticeps ), mesoscutum light brown with faint copper highlights (dark brown with strong metallic green­copper highlights in C. elongaticeps ), and light brown to amber flagellum (brown to dark brown in C. elongaticeps ).

Description. As described for the genus (see Engel, 2000), with the following specific details: Total body length 9.08 mm; forewing length 5.6 mm. Head length 3.04 mm, width 1.58 mm. Clypeus beginning below lower tangent of compound eyes. Malar space 68% compound eye length (malar length 1.04 mm; eye length 1.52 mm) [malar space only 25% compound eye length in C. elongaticeps ]. Upper interorbital distance 0.8 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.5 mm. Intertegular distance 1.32 mm. Basal vein distad cu­a by 3 times vein width; 1rs­m distad 1m­cu by 2 times vein width; 2rs­m distad 2m­cu by 5 times vein width, 2rs­m relatively straight. First submarginal cell longer than second and third combined; second cell not narrowed anteriorly, anterior border of second as long as that of third; posterior border of third cell approximately twice as long as anterior border. Distal hamuli arranged 2­1­2. Inner metatibial spur with 5 teeth (excluding apex).

Clypeus and supraclypeal area smooth with weak punctures separated by 1­2 times width; head smooth with minute punctures separated by 1­2 times width. Postgena imbricate. Pronotum smooth; mesoscutum smooth with minute punctures separated by 1­2 times width, punctures becoming faint along anterior border; scutellum and metanotum as on mesoscutum except punctures not faint anteriorly. Pleura smooth with minute punctures separated by 2­6 times width. Propodeum faintly imbricate. Metasomal terga and sterna faintly imbricate.

Mandible amber with red apex. Labrum amber. Clypeal apex and apical half of malar space amber, remainder brown with a few copper highlights laterally; supraclypeal area brown with copper highlights; head dark brown. Scape and pedicel amber, flagellum light brown. Pronotum, mesoscutum, scutellum, and basal area of propodeum brown with faint copper highlights, remainder of mesosoma amber; tegula amber. Wings lightly yellowed; veins amber. Legs amber. Metasoma amber. Pubescence golden.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from Clidemia , the genus of flowers upon which the holotype was captured.

Floral records. The holotype of this species was collected on inflorescences of Clidemia crenulata Gleason (Melastomataceae) , a wide ranging shrub in Central America.

Acknowledgements. I am grateful to two anonymous reviewers for comments on the manuscript. This is contribution Nr. 3339 of the Division of Entomology, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, University of Kansas.

Figures

FIGURES 1 ­ 3. Photomicrographs of Chlerogella clidemiae Engel, sp. nov. (holotype). 1, lateral habitus of holotype; 2, frontal view of head; 3, lateral view of head.