Exebotrigona velteni Engel & Michener, 2013

Engel, Michael S. & Michener, Charles D., 2013, A minute stingless bee in Eocene Fushan amber from northeastern China (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Melittology 2013 (14), pp. 1-10 : 4-5

Exebotrigona velteni Engel & Michener , new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A8C24349-5316-4914-9E6C-D1C62016FE84

( Figs. 1–4 )

DIAGNOSIS: As for the genus (vide supra).

DESCRIPTION: ☿: As for the genus with the following additions: Total body length (as preserved) 2.36 mm. Forewing length 2.08 mm, width 0.76 mm. Head width 1.17 mm; interocellar distance 0.24 mm; ocellocular distance 0.21 mm. Mesoscutal width [measured just anterior to tegulae, sensu Brooks & Michener (1988)] 0.78 mm; intertegular distance 0.74 mm. Metatibia apical width 0.25 mm; inner surface with width of median convex zone 0.19 mm, bare anterior marginal zone width 0.06 mm; metabasitarsus width 0.17 mm, length 0.35 mm. Head impossible to see in facial view but the impression is wider than long with short malar areas. Body and legs, including tegulae and tarsi, dark, probably black; wings apparently clear.

♀: Unknown.

♂: Unknown.

HOLOTYPE: ☿, Eocene amber; Fushan coalfield, Liaoning, China; deposited in the collection of Jürgen Velten, Idstein, Germany.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is a patronym honoring Jürgen Velten for his generosity in permitting us to study this fascinating material from his collections.

COMMENTS: As shown in figure 1, with certain lighting, a pale band of reflection appears on the anterior and lateral margins of the mesoscutum. This is suggestive of integumental color patterns or of bands of pale tomentum of certain other bees. However, careful examination reveals no dense setal bands and probably no pigment pattern forming the marginal ‘bands’ appearing in figure 1 (cf. Figs. 2 and 3 ). This is merely a matter of reflected light in figure 1.

Figures

Figure 1. Dorsal photomicrograph of holotype worker of Exebotrigona velteni, new genus and species, in Eocene amber from the Fushan Coalfield. Metrics of individual provided in description.

Figures 2–4. Photomicrographs of holotype worker of Exebotrigona velteni, new genus and species, in Eocene amber from the Fushan Coalfield. 2. Left lateral habitus. 3. Right lateral habitus. 4. Detail of inner surface of metatibia and metatarsus (unclear areas are obscured by internal fractures from this particular view). Metrics of individual provided in description.