Colletes chiapensis 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 : 409-411

Colletes chiapensis Balboa & Ayala new species

Figs. 22–28

Diagnosis. The species can be recognized by having clypeus with weak striae fading towards posterior margin ( Fig. 24 ), F2 smaller than F1 or F3, F3 smaller than F1 ( Fig. 23 ), supraclypeal area with flat elevation, thin longitudinal striae and sparse punctures ( Figs. 23, 24 ), facial fovea narrowed on lower part and broadened near the interior margin of compound eye. This species is morphologically similar to C. isthmicus Swenk, 1930 , but can be separated by having more punctures on T1, less blue iridescence, and lighter and thin apical bands.

Description. Holotype ♀: Bee with black integument, pubescence light brown with black hairs intermixed ( Fig. 22 ). Body length 9.5 mm (8.89 – 9.5 mm, n=3), forewing length 7.5 mm (7.37 – 7.5 mm, n=3). Head: Mandible with reddish and rounded apex and black basal area. Small subapical teeth, projected alongside inner margin of mandible. Malar area three times wider than longer. Labrum shiny and black with an elevation divided by a longitudinal and thin sulcus. Distal margin of clypeus with large notch. Clypeus slightly convex with few punctures and flat on discal area; weak striae fading towards proximal margin. Supraclypeal area with flat elevation, thin striae, and small and dense lateral punctures. Facial pubescence whitish with black hairs on interior margins of eyes, frons and vertex. Paraocular area with small and contiguous punctures; larger on frontal and interocellar areas ( Figs. 23, 24 ). Interocellar area with punctures smaller than frontal and paraocular areas. Facial fovea broadened near frons ( Fig. 26 ) with sparse, shallow, and separated punctures. Genal area shiny black with small and dense punctures, smaller when closer to compound eye; whitish hairs, longer toward mandible. Mesosoma: Integument shiny black. Pronotum with thin striae all over surface and small punctures on anterior margin. Prothoracic spine small and wide with acute apex. Scutum with small and contiguous punctures that increase in size towards posterior margin; discal area without punctures. Brown pubescence with black hairs. Scutellum with small punctures, except anterior margin; pubescence brown with black hairs more conspicuous on both sides and posterior margin. Metanotum black with small and coarse punctures, in contrast with scutum and scutellum. Basal area of propodeum with irregular striae not forming pits. Propodeum black with broad and irregular striae, and very small and shallow punctures between striae ( Fig. 25 ); pubescence brown with black hairs intermixed. Sides of mesosoma with whitish pubescence and few black hairs near pronotal lobe; dense punctures separated by less than half their diameter, and smaller toward episternum. Pronotal lobe with tuft of whitish hairs. Metepisternum black and shiner close to scrobe; punctures less dense than those on pronotal lobe. Wings: Tegula brown with few sparse, small, and shallow punctures; anterior and posterior margins rounded. Hyaline and smoky wings with iridescence on apical area; veins and stigma black ( Fig. 22 ). Legs: Integument black. Pubescence of coxa, trochanter, and femur whitish; tibia and basitarsus brown. Light brown malus. Middle femur with tuft of light bristles. Posterior tibia with simple, thick, and dark hairs on external margin. Spurs of posterior tibia simple, dented, and brown. Claws bifurcate distally, basal part light brown and distal part reddish. Metasoma: Integument black and shiny. T1 with blue iridescence and small and shallow punctures, denser on sides; marginal zone with dark brown hairs; anterior margin with lateral tufts of light hairs. T2 with gradulus and without iridescence. T1–T5 with light and broad apical bands. T2–T5 with smaller and denser punctures than in T1 ( Fig. 27 ). S1–S4 with light pubescence and small and dense punctures. S6 with reddish brown integument ( Fig. 28 ).

Type material. Holotype ♀: Mexico: Chiapas: Oxchuc, El Calvario. 16.7907, -92.3452; 30-VI-2013; 1980 m; M. Santiz. Paratypes : 1♀: Oxchuc, El Calvario. 16.7907, -92.3452; 30-VI-2013; 1980 m; M. Santiz . 1♀: Guatemala: Huehuetenango: San Antonio Huista, Cantinil. 15.61016, -91.74186; 01-V-2010; 1192 m; L. Aguilar. Holotype and allotype deposited at CNIN , paratypes at ECO–TAP–E.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the Chiapas province where the species was collected.

Distribution. The species is known from two localities in the northern mountains of Chiapas and one locality in Guatemala inside the Cuchumatanes mountain range. It is associated with pine-oak forests that dominate the region; unfortunately, most of these forests have been transformed to coffee plantations ( Fig. 58 ).

Remarks. In some female specimens, the elevation on supraclypeal area may have some deep but sparse punctures. Scutellum punctures in some specimens are less deep and more separated.

Figures

FIGURES 22 – 28. Colletes chiaPensis Balboa & Ayala sp. n. 22 — female holotype: habitus, lateral view; 23 — female holotype: antennae; 24 — female paratype: head; 25 — female paratype: propodeum; 26 — female paratype: paraocular area and vertex; 27 — female holotype: dorsal view of metasoma; 28 — female holotype: S 6.

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.