Pseudaugochlora graminea (Fabricius)

Almeida, Eduardo A. B., 2008, Revision of the Brazilian Species of Pseudaugochlora Michener 1954 (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini), Zootaxa 1679, pp. 1-38 : 8-13

Pseudaugochlora graminea (Fabricius)

Megilla graminea Fabricius 1804: 334 . Type depository: ZMUC (examined).

Halictus nigromarginatus Spinola 1841: 137 . Type depository: unknown.

Halictus nigromarginalis Reed 1892: 231 . Lapsus calami .

Augochlora (Augochlora) binghami Cockerell 1897: 5 –6.; 1900: 361; 1905: 362; 1910: 490–491; 1913: 57. Type depository: USNM (examined).

Augochlora nigromaculata — Dominique 1898: 62. Lapsus calami .

Augochlora graminea — Cockerell 1900: 361; 1905:362. Friese 1921:86

Augochlora chapadae Cockerell 1900: 361 –362; Schrottky 1901:213. Type depository: CMNH (examined).

Augochlora (Augochloropsis) graminea — Schrottky 1902: 373 –375.

Halictus nigro­marginatus — Vachal 1904: 16, 18, 23; 1911:50.

Augochlora gramminea — Ihering 1904: 465 Lapsus calami .

Augochlora (Pseudaugochloropsis) nigromarginata — Schrottky 1909: 482; Cockerell 1910: 490 –491; 1913: 56. Augochloropsis nigromarginata — Strand 1910: 474.

Augochlora (Pseudaugochloropsis) binghami — Cockerell 1932: 11.

Pseudaugochloropsis nigromarginata — Moure 1940: 51; 1944:70.

Caenaugochlora (Pseudaugochlora) nigromarginata — Michener 1954: 77 –79. Pseudaugochloropsis graminea — Moure 1960: 105 –106. Eickwort 1967:233 –237. Moure and Hurd 1987:230. Caenaugochlora (Pseudaugochlora) graminea — Michener 1994: 376.

Pseudaugochlora graminea — Engel 2000: 49; Michener 2000: 394; Silveira et al. 2002: 181.

Description. FEMALE (Lectotype)

Color: metallic green with bluish highlights especially with oblique light except: yellow highlights on paraocular area, pronotum and propodeum; mandible dark brown, its apex black; labrum and apical margin of clypeus black; scape, flagellum dorsally, and pedicel blackish brown; ventral surface of flagellum dark brown; tegula mostly brown, its proximal area greenish; wing veins and pterostigma brown (C and R blackish); tarsi, internal face of femora and tibiae dark brown; trochanters dark brown with weak greenish highlights; external face of femora and tibiae blackish with weak greenish highlights; strigilis and hind tibial spurs light ferruginous; apical margin of T1 with broad blackish brown band, those of T2 and T3 darker, T4 with narrow blackish apical band; T2 with narrow pre­marginal band with bluish and lilac highlights; that on T3 similar, but brownish with weak bluish highlights; T5 around pseudopygidial area with lilac, purple and golden highlights; metasomal sterna brown with broad median transverse band green. Wings dusky­hyaline.

Pubescence: on clypeus, frons and vertex between ocelli brown; on supraclypeal area, most of paraocular area and upon postocellar ridge light brown; inferiorly on paraocular area and on gena white; on mesoscutum and scutellum fuscous; on metanotum, propodeum and mesepisternum whitish; on legs light brown, lighter on front leg; short hairs of T1–T4 whitish, long hairs dark brown; on T5 dark brown; on metasomal sterna whitish. On condylar groove and interspace of mandible long, simple and erect, shorter apicad, on outer surface shorter and semidecumbent; on labrum apparently absent (although apical margin hidden by mandibles); on disc of clypeus moderately long, fine and semierect to semidecumbent, on apical margin long, simple and erect; on paraocular area short, densely plumose and erect, intermixed with moderately long, fine to moderately plumose and semierect hairs; on anterior face of supraclypeal area very short, simple and erect, on the remainder short, densely plumose and semierect; on frons long, plumose and semierect; on vertex moderately long, moderately plumose and semierect; on gena long, plumose and semidecumbent, short, plumose and semierect close to eye margin; on postocellar ridge moderately long, moderately fine and semierect; on scape short, simple and semidecumbent, long and moderately fine near base; on pedicel minute and semidecumbent, with a median ring of long apically directed setae; on flagellum minute and semidecumbent; on dorsal surface of pronotum short, moderately plumose and erect, on pronotal dorsal carina longer; on mesoscutum moderately short, plumose and semierect, intermixed with very short and simple hairs; on scutellum long, plumose and erect, intermixed with simple and very short hairs; on metanotum long, densely plumose and erect to semierect, intermixed with simple and very short hairs; on metapostnotum absent; on posterior surface of propodeum and mesepisternum moderately long, densely plumose and semierect; on wings denser apically; on disc of T1 short and simple intermixed with moderately long, plumose and semierect hairs; on T2–T4 very short, intermixed with short and semidecumbent setae; on T5 moderately long, moderately plumose and decumbent; on metasomal sterna long and semidecumbent, shorter near apical margin. Scopa, except on tibia, constituted by long hairs, branched at approximately their distal half and forming a tangle; on hind tibia hairs are less dense and branched approximately at distal third.

Sculpture: integument smooth and shiny except: outer interspace of mandible longitudinally microgrooved except near base; basal area of labrum rough near edges, smoother near basal elevation; clypeus laterally with microgrooved zone, anteriorly rough; anterior face of supraclypeal area microrugulose, except for its anterior surface, medially; vertex by lateral ocellus microrugulose; scape microreticulate; mesoscutum microreticulate ( Fig.5 a), anteriorly rough; metanotum irregularly reticulate, microrugulose inside reticulations; metapostnotum reticulate, posteriorly microreticulate inside reticulations; upper corner of posterior surface of propodeum microrugulose; basitibial plate microreticulate.

Punctures: on outer interspace of mandible moderately fine and moderately dense, coarser near outer border; on basal area of labrum absent; on clypeus coarse and dense, intermixed with finer punctures; on anterior face of supraclypeal area fine and sparse, on the remainder beveled, moderately coarse and dense; on frons moderately fine and very dense; on paraocular area fine and moderately dense, beveled above antennal socket, intermixed with coarser and sparser beveled punctures; on vertex protuberant, fine and moderately sparse; on scape beveled fine and very sparse; on F1 beveled and very fine, on F2 beveled, moderately fine and sparse, on F3–F10 beveled fine and dense; on dorsal surface of pronotum very fine and moderately dense, intermixed with coarser beveled punctures; on disc of mesoscutum moderately fine and very dense, sparser between and upon mesoscutal bands; on scutellum fine and dense intermixed with coarser and sparser punctures; on metanotum minute and sparse on anterior third, moderately coarse and sparse on remainder of the disc; on metapostnotum absent; on posterior surface of propodeum beveled, moderately fine and dense, intermixed with coarser and moderately dense punctures; on the anterior declivous surface of T1 moderately fine and sparse, on disc of T1 moderately fine and dense, sparser toward anterior margin, finer toward posterior margin; on T2 as on T1, but finer; on T3 and T4 fine to very fine and moderately dense.

Structure: disc of clypeus not depressed; epistomal sulcus forming approximately orthogonal angle; frontal carina well marked; angle of the frontal line between supraclypeal and frontal areas gently declivous (approximately 140 — Fig.6 a); seven unevenly spaced hamuli on hind wing; left inner hind tibial spur with 5 teeth, right with 4 teeth; basal area of basitibial plate slightly elevated.

Measurements (mm). Approximate length of body = 8.9, anterior wing = 6.3. Length and width of head = 2.17, 2.60. Maximum, inferior and superior distances between eyes = 1.76, 1.22, 1.29. IOC, OOC = 0.27, 0.34; MOD, LOD = 0.19, 0.17. Length and diameter of scape = 0.96, 0.16. Length of pedicel, F1, F2, F3 and F10 = 0.14, 0.15, 0.16, 0.19, 0.29. Diameter of F5 = 0.18. Length and width of mesoscutum = 1.64, 1.84. Length and width of prestigma = 0.27, 0.18. Length and width of pterostigma = 0.77, 0.18. Length and width of marginal cell = 1.43, 0.42.

MALE (“P.E.M.Guimarães; São Gonçalo MG, BRASIL, 26/12/1997, P.E.M.Guimarães”, “1972–5989”, “ Pseudaugochlora graminea ( Fabricius, 1804) F.A.Silveira , det. 1998” — UFMG)

Differs from female as follows:

Color: mandible, labrum and apical area of clypeus yellow with brown borders; scape blackish brown with yellowish highlights; ventral surface of flagellum light brown; pedicel and flagellum dorsally blackish; tarsi black, apex of tarsomeres brown; femora, tibiae and trochanters green with blue highlights, their apices blackish; tibial spurs and strigilis light yellow; apical margin of T1–T5 black, pre­marginal band of T2 weakly bluish; metasomal sterna dark brown with greenish blue highlights.

Pubescence: predominantly light yellow, lighter ventrally (white on some parts); dark brown on S4–S6. On disc of labrum, between and anterior to the two basal elevations, very short and erect; on scape moderately long and moderately plumose; on frons, supraclypeal area and on metasomal terga longer than on female; tufts of setae on S4 and S5 as shown in Fig.2 a: S4 with a Y­shaped hair patch, hair apices on the stem of this patch entangled and unordered ( Fig.2 a), S5 with two lateromedial tufts ( Fig.2 a); on S6 moderately long, forming an apical fringe.

Sculpture: integument smooth, except: outer interspace of mandible weakly microrugulose, almost smooth; on metanotum irregularly rugulose; on propodeum reticulate, but lacking posterior microreticulate band; upper corner of posterior surface of propodeum rugulose.

Punctures: on outer interspace of mandible absent; on clypeus deeper than on females; on scutellum moderately coarse and dense; on metanotum fine and moderately sparse; on disc of T1 moderately fine and moderately dense; very fine and sparse near posterior margin of T1 and on other terga.

Structure: epistomal sulcus forming approximately orthogonal angle (more rounded than in female); F11 hooked ( Fig.1 a); frontal carina discrete and present only on supraclypeal area; angle of the frontal line between supraclypeal and frontal areas gently declivous (approximately 140, as in Fig.6 a); seven unevenly spaced hamuli on hind wing; apical margin of S4 emarginate, posterior marginal area of S4 and S5 depressed; S7, S8 and genitalia as in Figs.3 a, 4a.

Measurements (mm). Approximate length of body = 10.5; anterior wing = 8.3. Length and width of head = 2.47, 2.77. Maximum, inferior and superior distances between eyes = 1.86, 1.09, 1.44. IOC, OOC = 0.31, 0.41; MOD, LOD = 0.22, 0.18. Length and diameter of scape = 0.71, 0.26. Length of pedicel, F1, F2, F3 and F10 = 0.12, 0.15, 0.25, 0.25, 0.33. Diameter of F5 = 0.23. Length and width of mesoscutum = 1.91, 2.15. Length and width of prestigma = 0.28, 0.21. Length and width of pterostigma = 0.85, 0.24. Length and width of marginal cell = 1.78, 0.51.

Variation: The color of individuals of P. g r a m i n e a is extremely variable; the most common color patterns are green with yellowish and bluish highlights, some specimens have bronze highlights (some have head and mesosoma completely bronze), some have lilac and reddish orange highlights and some specimens are strongly bluish, some females are predominantly light green and have brown apical margins of the metasomal terga. Color of antenna varies from black to light brown. Pubescence on the frons varies from yellowish light brown to dark brown. The microreticulate area on the clypeus of female most commonly does not form a continuous U­shaped band along the epistomal sulcus, it generally is interrupted medially; in two females (Cuiabá [Mato Grosso] and one from Itatiaia [Rio de Janeiro]) this area covers more than half of the clypeus; in some specimens it is restricted to the upper corner of the clypeus and a very narrow band along the lateral margin. The apical portion of clypeus may appear depressed but, if so, never as strongly as in P. indistincta or P. c a l ­ laina. The anterior face of the supraclypeal area of females may be rugulose in some cases and almost smooth in others (the lateral margin is always rough, but not rugulose). The upper corner of the posterior surface of the propodeum varies from rugulose to microrugulose. The area on the mesoscutum of female sparsely puntate can be small (restricted to a small posterior area on the mesoscutum) or it may reach the mesoscutal line, as in P. callaina . Some females have fine punctures on the disc of T1, intermixed with coarser punctures ( Figs.7 b,c), resembling the pattern of punctation on the disc of T1 observed in P. simulata and P. erythrogaster ( Figs.7 d–f); however, the punctation of P. g r a m i n e a is denser and coarser than in those species. Examples of localities from where females with finer punctation were examined include Esteio (Rio Grande do Sul), Cáceres (Mato Grosso), and Tupuruquara (Amazonas), indicating this kind of morphology is not geographically structured in Brazil. The hook of F11 of the male forms a generally slightly oblique angle (as in Fig.1 a), sometimes it is approximately orthogonal (as in Fig.1 c). The mesoscutum of the male may have areas with sparser punctures or be almost uniform in puncture density. Slight variation in shape and relative length of parts of the genitalia and hidden sterna of the male were observed but, for the most part were not interpreted to be taxonomically significant (additional comments below).

Distribution in Brazil: P. g r a m i n e a occurs in all geographic regions of Brazil and appears to be present in a wide range of biomes (it is recorded from the states of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Bahia, Distrito Federal, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, and Tocantins). It is not known from a few states, probably mostly due to historical sampling biases.

Comments: As for the material of Pseudaugochlora examined for this study, most specimens from the Amazonian region were identified as P. graminea , although one male from the state of Amazonas (CCRP) has the gonocoxite and the gonostylus modified in relation to typical P. g r a m i n e a. Moreover, the shape of the hooked F 11 in males is slightly different in specimens from the western portion of the Brazilian Amazon (especially in the state of Acre). Since no other differences could be noticed in external morphology neither of males nor of females from that region, it seemed premature to describe new species from the Amazon. P. graminea is distributed from Argentina to Texas, USA ( Moure & Hurd 1987). Increased knowledge of morphological variation of this species in Central and northern South America may indicate whether it should be considered as one single species with a wide range and extensive morphological variation, or broken down into smaller units.

For the most part, intraspecific variation in the morphology of the male genitalia appeared to be as profound as interspecific variation among P. g r a m i n e a, P. callaina , P. erythrogaster , P. indistincta , and P. s i m u ­ lata. Therefore only the genitalia of P. graminea are illustrated ( Fig.4 a).

Period of activity: every month of the year.

Lectotype (female): “ M. graminea Am. Mer. Nohmus [according to Moure (1960): " America Meridionalis"];” “ TYPE ” “ LECTOTYPE [" LECTOTYPE " is handwritten over " PARATYPE "] Pseudaugochloropsis graminea (F) J. S. Moure 1958”. Type depository: ZMUC (examined).

Paralectotypes: another female also deposited in the Lund Collection (Copenhagen) and two other females in the Fabricius Collection (Zoologisches Institut, Kiel), designated by Moure (1960), were not examined.

Additional material examined: approximately 1100 specimens were studied and their collecting localities are listed below organized by Brazilian state: Acre: Acrelândia, Rio Branco; Amapá: Oiapoque; Amazonas: Camanaus (Rio Negro), Itacoatiara (estrada de Manaus, km 64), Manaus, Puraquequara Tupuruquara, São Paulo de Oliveira, 15km jusante de Camaruã Parus (64 25’W, 0 5 40’S); Bahia: Anagé, Cruz das Almas, Itambé, Itapetinga, Jequié, Maracás, Mucuri; Distrito Federal: Água Limpa, Brasília; Espírito Santo: Bairro Guandu, Domingos Martins, Guarapari, Linhares (Parque Sorotema), Santa Tereza, S.J.Petrópolis, Viana; Goiás: Catalão, Santa Bárbara, São Domingos; Maranhão: São Luís; Mato Grosso: Cáceres, Chapada dos Guimarães, Cuiabá, Serra do Roncador; Mato Grosso do Sul: Miranda; Minas Gerais: Aimorés, Barbacena, Belo Horizonte, Bocaiúva, Brasilândia de Minas, Brumadinho, Coronel Fabriciano (Acesita), Felixlândia, Ibiá, Itamarandiba, Jaíba, Marliéria, Moeda, Paineiras, Paraopeba, Passos, Sabará, Santa Juliana, Santana do Riacho, São Gonçalo, São Gotardo, Taiobeiras, Uberaba, Uberlândia, Varginha, Viçosa; Pará: Conceição do Araguia, Fordlândia (Rio Tapajós), Gorotire (Gradaus), Óbidos (Colônia Rio Branco), “BR 174 km 70 ( PDBFF)”; Paraíba: Buraquinho, João Pessoa, Mamanguape (Reserva Biológica Guaribas); Paraná: Caviuna, Curitiba, Foz do Iguaçú, Maringá, Rolândia; Rio Grande do Sul: Esteio; Rio de Janeiro: Angra dos Reis, Gávea Pequena, Guanabara, Ilha do Governador, Itatiaia, Represa Rio Grande, Rio de Janeiro (Floresta da Tijuca), São Bento (Duque de Caxias); Rondônia: Guajará Mirim, Ouro Preto do Oeste, Porto Velho, Vilhena; Roraima: "Ireng R. to"; Santa Catarina: Blumenau, Itajaí, Joenvile, Nova Teutonia; São Paulo: Araraquara, Batatais, George Oeterer, Porto Cabral (R. Paraná), Rio Claro, São Carlos, São Paulo, Sertãozinho; Tocantins: Dianápolis.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distal flagellomeres of male antenna: (a) P. graminea (Fabricius 1804); (b) P. callaina Almeida, sp. n.; (c) P. erythrogaster Almeida, sp. n.; (d) P. flammula Almeida, sp. n.; (e) P. pandora (Smith 1853). Scale = 0.3 mm.

FIGURE 2. Ventral view of metasoma of male: (a) P. g r a m i n e a (Fabricius 1804); (b) P. callaina Almeida, sp. n.; (c) P. flammula Almeida, sp. n.; (d) P. pandora (Smith 1853). Pubescence, except tufts on S 4 and S 5, ommited. Scale = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 3. Seventh and eighth metasomal sterna (S 7 and S 8) of male: (a) P. graminea (Fabricius 1804); (b) P. callaina Almeida, sp. n.; (c) P. f l a m m u l a Almeida, sp. n.; (d) P. pandora (Smith 1853). Scale = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 4. Genital capsule of male: (a) P. graminea (Fabricius 1804); (b) P. flammula Almeida, sp. n.; (c) P. pandora (Smith 1853). Scale = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 5. Integument of mesoscutum of female: (a) P. graminea (Fabricius 1804); (b) P. flammula Almeida, sp. n. Scale = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 6. Fronto­lateral view of head of female: (a) P. graminea (Fabricius 1804); (b) P. flammula Almeida, sp. n. a. s. = antennal socket; m. o. = median ocellus. Scale = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 7. Six punctation patterns (a – f) observed on disc of T 1 of females of Pseudaugochlora spp.