Colletes solari Balboa & Ayala, 2017

Ayala, Ricardo, 2017, New dark species of the bee genus Colletes (Hymenoptera, Colletidae) from Mexico and Guatemala, Zootaxa 4320 (3), pp. 401-425 : 418-422

Colletes solari Balboa & Ayala new species

Figs. 50–56

Diagnosis. The species C. solari can be separated from other Colletes species by the following diagnostic characters: compound eyes are strongly emarginate, more conspicuously so in the male ( Fig. 53 ) and T2–T5 with a slight golden iridescence when backlit. In contrast with C. bombiformi s or C. nigerrima , the clypeus in C. solari is less projected and the discal area is not depressed ( Fig. 53 ). In addition, the following apomorphies define C.

solari : two apical processes on both sides of the distal margin of clypeus (more conspicuous on males); malar area and clypeus longer than wide ( Fig. 53 ); a pad-shaped elevation on the anterior margin of the mesoscutum (stronger in males, Fig. 52 ), which is divided by the mesoscutal median line; integument on pad-shaped projection is dull and with faint and small reticulate striae; all apical bands of terga slim and golden in the female and whitish in the male ( Figs. 50, 51 ); thick striae on the posterior area of the propodeal triangle; the frons and area near the antennal sockets with thick striae with coarse appearance; all femora are dilated, especially in males ( Fig. 51 ); anterior femur with whitish pubescence in the proximal half and black hairs in the distal half; males with a ridge-shaped elevation on the frons below the median ocellus.

Description. Holotype ♀: Bees with black and shiny integument, slim apical bands with golden hairs on terga ( Fig. 50 ). Facial pubescence long and pale, with black hairs along internal margins of compound eyes; but pale with yellow hairs surrounding antennal sockets and supraclypeal area. Body length 11.15 mm (n=1), anterior wing with 7.69 mm (holotype measurements). Head: Mandible with black and shiny integument; condylar groove with reddish integument; mandibular apex slightly sharp. Preapical tooth width and round; slightly wider than mandibular apex. Malar area five times longer than width; with black and shiny integument and thin longitudinal striae. Labrum black and shiny; with median elevation and wide and deep longitudinal grooves throughout. Clypeus black and shiny; projected on discal area; with thin longitudinal striae except on distal margin; with shallow and sparse punctures, becoming bigger close to distal margin; proximal margin concave, distal margin with deep notch; anterior tentorial pits conspicuous. Supraclypeal area black but less shiny than clypeus; with a conic elevation, close to frons. Paraocular area heavily punctate; punctures small and uniform; denser close to upper internal margin of compound eyes. Facial fovea narrow and deep, along internal margin of compound eye. Vertex depressed; with two sizes, sparsely punctures; with faint striae close to interocellar margin. Vertex at compounds eyes level; with shallow punctures, bigger on interocellar area. Genal area black and shiny; pubescence pale with some black hairs intermixed; with thin, dense striae, more conspicuous at malar area. Upper internal margin of compound eye with a small but conspicuous depression. Antenna with scape, pedicel, F1 and posterior margin of F2 black; remaining flagellomeres brown. F1 twice the length of F2; F2 and F3 subequal. Scape, pedicel, F1, posterior margin of F2 with dense, smaller punctures than other flagellomeres. Mesosoma: Scutum and propodeum with whitish pubescence and black hairs intermixed, while metasoma and sides of mesosma with black plumose hairs. Pronotum with smooth and reddish brown integument and thin and small striae on both margins. Prothoracic spine underdeveloped. Anterior margin of scutum with a pad-shaped elevation ( Fig. 52 ) divided by mesoscutal median line; integument black and shiny with thin striae. Scutum black and shiny; whitish pubescence intermixed with black hairs, shorter than pubescence on sides of mesosoma; punctures small, shallow, dense; smaller between tegula and parapsidal line, but sparse on discal area of scutum. Scutellum black and dull; with smaller and shallow punctures than scutum; pubescence black mixed with some whitish hairs. Metanotum with black integument, duller than scutellum but with similar sized and sparse punctures. Basal area of propodeum whit thin and irregular striae directed horizontally; central stria thicker, V-shaped. Anterior area of propodeal triangle black and dull, with slim horizontal striae closer to posterior area of propodeal triangle, remaining part with reticulate striae. Rest of propodeum dull and covered in thin horizontal striae; punctures smaller, more shallow than scutum; whitish long pubescence intermixed with some black hairs. Sides of mesosoma with plumose pubescence, long and black; some black hairs can be seen on sterna; with a very small reticle over entire structure. Pronotal lobe with a tuft of pale and short hairs. Upper surface of mesepisternum with shinier integument than remaining part of mesosoma sides; punctures becoming denser on discal area. Sides of mesosoma with small, shallow punctures, more separated dorsally on mesepisternum. Wings: Tegula brown, shiny; small and dense punctures on anterior end; remaining part of tegula with small, sparse punctures, and thin striae forming reticle; discal area of tegula with flattened plateau-like elevation; pubescence black with some whitish hairs, more conspicuous on anterior end, which is acute whilst posterior end is rounded. Wings hyaline with lightly smoky tonality and iridescence after third submarginal vein. All veins brownish ( Fig. 50 ). First, second, and third submarginal cells with lengths of 1.15mm, 0.73 mm, and 0.53 mm, respectively. Marginal cell length 1.92 mm. Legs: Black integument and pubescence, becoming yellow on posterior femur, middle and posterior distitarsi. Malus pectinate with dark brownish integument. Velum hyaline. Anterior femur with plumose pubescence, longer than in middle femur. Middle femur with fringe of brown hardened hairs close to trochanter. Apex of middle tibia with short tuft of yellowish hairs. Posterior femur with yellow pubescence. Posterior tibia two and a half times longer than wide. Posterior basitarsus three times longer than wide. Claws apically bifurcate, with dark brownish integument and reddish on apex. Metasoma: All terga black, but lees shiny than in mesosoma. T1–T3 with golden iridescence when seen backlit. T1–T5 with slim and continuous apical bands of yellow hairs. Marginal zones of T2–T5 less shiny with sparse punctures. Pregradular area of T1 shallowly depressed, with longitudinal sulcus. T1 with whitish pubescence more conspicuous on sides and pregradular area; punctation small, very dense, shallow. T2–T5 with smaller, less deep punctures than T1; T2– T5 with small and conspicuous reticle. S1–S5 dark brownish; with marginal zones, convex at center; pregradular areas with pale pubescence and some yellow hairs intermixed; punctures smaller and less dense than on terga; with thin reticle.

Allotype ♂: Similar to female; with yellow pubescence on clypeus; supraclypeal area and frons with two lines of black hairs, each one on interior margin of compound eye. All femora dilated. Body length of 11.15 mm (10.88 – 11.15 mm, n=4); forewing 8.46 (7.87 – 8.46 mm, n=4) mm. Head: Black, shiny. Mandible simple with preapical tooth and apex reddish, but black at base. Malar area six times longer than wider. Labrum twice wider than long; black and shiny; with small and superficial punctures, more conspicuous on discal area; with a flattened median elevation and a few longitudinal shallow grooves on discal area. Face with long and dense pubescence, yellowish on clypeus, pubescence on paraocular area and frons pale towards vertex. Clypeus black and bright; slightly projected but with discal area flattened; with very thin longitudinal striae reaching proximal margin and distal margin ( Fig. 53 ); punctures of clypeus bigger than any other part of face, denser on lower lateral areas of clypeus; Supraclypeal area with dense punctures and conic projection close to frons; punctures smaller compared to other parts of head ( Fig. 53 ). Paraocular area with small and uniform punctures, less dense at antennal sockets and frons, which has coarse and irregular striae. Facial fovea bright, similar to female. Compound eyes strongly emarginate ( Fig. 53 ). Vertex depressed between inter-ocelar area and upper margin of eyes; with small and spars punctures. Ocelli above eye level. Scape, pedicel and F1 black, rest of flagellomeres dark-brownish. F1 smaller than other flagellomeres. Mesosoma: Black, bright, with punctures similar to female, but reticulate on sides of mesosoma less conspicuous. Wings: Tegula similar to female. Hyaline smoky wings ( Fig. 51 ). All veins dark brownish. First, second, and third submarginal veins with lengths of 1.15 mm, 0.61 mm, and 0.57 mm (0.87 – 1.15 mm; 0.54 – 0.61 mm; 0.49 – 0.57 mm, n=4), respectively. Marginal cell with 2.11 mm long (1.93 – 2.11 mm, n=4). Legs: Dark brownish, without tuft of bristles on middle femur. All femora swollen and dilated ( Fig. 51 ). Anterior femur with whitish pubescence on proximal half and blackish on distal half. Middle and posterior femora with no conspicuous pubescence. Posterior femur with black pubescence turning pale when illuminated from behind. Anterior tibia with tuft of black hairs on apex of posterior surface. Posterior tibia and basitarsus four times longer than wide. Metasoma: Similar to female but with whitish apical bands and sterna pubescence longer ( Fig. 51 ). Posterior margins of sterna less convex on center when compared to female. Genitalia, S7, and S8 as in Figures 54–56 .

Type material. Holotype ♀: México: Jalisco, Talpa, Cumbre de Guadalupe . 20.16791, -104.7128; 6-XI-2012; 2119 m, J. Mérida. Allotype ♂: Chiapas, Oxchuc, Tzopilja. 16.82755, - 92.31024W; 27-IX-2013; 2211 m; M. Santiz. Paratypes : 1♂: 22-X-2013; J. López. 1♂: 27-IX-2013: J. López. 1♂: Retiro. 16.78602, 92.36720; 13-X- 2013; 2231 m; M. Santiz. Holotype and allotype deposited at CNIN, paratypes at ECO–TAP–E.

Etymology. This new species is dedicated to Carlos Cesar Balboa del Solar, father of the first author.

Distribution. Colletes solari is distributed in the pine forest remnants of Talpa, Jalisco, towards the pine-oak forests of Altos de Chiapas province. This species probably has a wider distribution, following those vegetal communities of Transmexican Volcanic Belt ( Fig. 58 ).

Remarks. In some male specimens, the wing tonality may be amber and the legs have a brownish integument. Likewise, the central stria of the basal area of the propodeum may be simple.

Figures

FIGURES 50 – 56. Colletes solari Balboa & Ayala sp. n. 50 — female holotype: habitus, lateral view; 51 — male allotype: habitus, lateral view; 52 — male paratype: detail of anterior margin of scutum; 53 — male paratype: head; 54 — male allotype: S 7; 55 — male allotype: S 8; 56 — male allotype: genital capsule.

FIGURES 57 – 58. 57 — Map of collecting localities for Colletes jobeli, C. isabelae, C. jaliscoensis and C. nigerrima. 58 — Map of collecting localities for C. solari, C. tzotzilis, C. chiaPensis, and C. guatemalensis.