Chlerogella tychoi Engel, 2010

Engel, Michael, 2010, Revision of the Bee Genus Chlerogella (Hymenoptera, Halictidae), Part II: South American Species and Generic Diagnosis, ZooKeys 47 (47), pp. 1-100 : 80-83

Chlerogella tychoi Engel , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:68EB9F61-66A9-48C9-A75E-A74F0C6F2BFD

Figs 132–134, Map 4

Holotype. ♀, COLOMBIA: Dept. Valle, Central de Anchicaya , 30 km E. Buenaventura, tropical, very wet forest, 560 m, 10.vi.1975 [10 June 1975], malaise trap, R.C. Wilkerson ( SEMC).

Figures Ι32–Ι34. Holotype female of Chlerogella tychoi sp. n. Ι32 Lateral habitus Ι33 Facial aspect Ι34 Lateral aspect of head.

Diagnosis. Chlerogella tychoi superficially resembles C. terpsichore , also from southwestern Colombia, but differs notably in the much longer malar space (Fig. 133), structure of the inner metatibial spur, and coloration of the procoxae.

Description. Female: Total body length 7.7 mm; forewing length 5.0 mm. Head length 2.45 mm, width 1.56 mm. Clypeus beginning below lower tangent of compound eyes. Malar space 47.6% compound eye length (malar length 0.68 mm; compound eye length 1.43 mm) (Figs 133–134). Upper interorbital distance 0.73 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.47 mm. Upper portion of pronotum slightly swollen, medially about 1.5 times ocellar diameter in length; ventral portion of preëpisternal sulcus not broad, similar to scrobal sulcus and upper portion of preëpisternal sulcus;

Figures Ι35–Ι40. Male terminalia for Colombian Chlerogella species. Ι35 Chlerogella terpsichore sp. n., hidden and fused sterna VII and VIII Ι36 C. terpsichore sp. n., genital capsule (left is dorsal aspect, right is ventral aspect) Ι37 C. picketti sp. n., hidden and fused sterna VII and VIII Ι38 C. picketti sp. n., genital capsule (left is dorsal aspect, right is ventral aspect) Ι39 C. cyranoi sp. n., hidden and fused sterna VII and VIII Ι40 C. cyranoi sp. n., genital capsule (left is dorsal aspect, right is ventral aspect). All scale bars = 1 mm.

intertegular distance 1.20 mm; mesoscutellum weakly convex, not bigibbous. Basal vein distad cu-a by two times vein width; 1rs-m distad 1m-cu by two times vein width; 2rs-m distad 2m-cu by six times vein width, 2rs-m weakly arched; first submarginal cell longer than combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells; second submarginal cell slightly narrowed anteriorly, anterior border of second submarginal cell along Rs about as along as that of third submarginal cell; posterior border of third submarginal cell about two times longer than anterior border. Distal hamuli arranged 2-1-2. Inner metatibial spur with eight branches (not including apical portion of rachis).

Clypeus and supraclypeal area smooth with weak punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width; face with small punctures separated by a puncture width or less; similar punctures and integument in ocellocular area and vertex; gena smooth with minute punctures separated by 1–4 times a puncture width; postgena imbricate and impunctate. Pronotum faintly imbricate with minute, scattered punctures; mesoscutum smooth with small punctures separated by a puncture width or less except outside of parapsidal lines separated by 0.5–2 times a puncture width; mesoscutellum smooth with minute punctures separated by a puncture width or less; metanotum faintly imbricate with minute punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width. Preëpisternum faintly imbricate with shallow punctures separated by 0.5–2 times a puncture width; mesepisternum smooth blending to faintly imbricate ventrally, with minute and shallow punctures separated by 3–6 times a puncture width, punctures weak; metepisternum faintly imbricate. Propodeum strongly imbricate. Metasoma finely imbricate.

Mandible amber except reddish brown at apex; labrum amber; clypeal apex dark brown, remainder of clypeus and head brilliant metallic green. Antenna dark brown except basal two-thirds of scape amber. Mesosoma brilliant metallic green except pronotal lobe amber brown (Fig. 132); tegula translucent amber. Wing membranes largely hyaline, faintly tinged with yellow; veins brown except C and Sc+R dark brown. Legs amber except procoxa brilliant metallic green. Metasomal TI, TII, SI, and SII amber, remainder of terga and sterna dark brown.

Pubescence golden.

Male: Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym honoring Danish nobleman and astronomer Tycho Brahe, the Latinized name adopted by Tyge Ottesen Brahe de Knudstrup (1546–1601). During his life Tycho painstakingly catalogued celestial movements, data later used by individuals such as his assistant Johannes Kepler. As a student Tycho lost part of his nose in a duel and he apparently wore a prosthetic nose made of silver and gold, although speculation and evidence exists to suggest it was perhaps made of copper.

Comments. The holotype is in somewhat poor condition and was captured in a malaise trap with Lepidoptera. The metasoma and portions of the legs had become detached and were, at some point in the past, glued to edges of the locality label. An attempt was made to remove some of the numerous lepidopteran scales covering the individual but despite considerable cleaning there remains a preponderance of scales, however, they no longer obscure any surfaces or structures.