Andrena (Taeniandrena) benoisti Wood & Praz, 2021

Wood, Thomas J., Ghisbain, Guillaume, Michez, Denis & Praz, Christophe J., 2021, Revisions to the faunas of Andrena of the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco with the descriptions of four new species (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 758, pp. 147-193 : 162-164

Andrena (Taeniandrena) benoisti Wood & Praz sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7B5423C4-E358-4C5D-8C92-6A6074033347

Figs 3 , 20, 22, 24, 26 , 28, 30, 32, 34

Diagnosis

Andrena benoisti Wood & Praz sp. nov. can be recognised within the subgenus Taeniandrena by the combination of dense punctures on the base of T2, strong punctures on the disc of T1 (very similar to A. wilkella ), thick hairbands that are only narrowly interrupted on T2 and complete on T3+4 ( Fig. 26 , thin and widely interrupted on T2+ 3 in A. wilkella ), and the sculpturing of the scutum, which is shagreened except for the centre where it has a circular shining area that strongly contrasts with the remaining surface which is dull ( Fig. 24 ).

The males can be recognised by the ratio of the antennal segments where A3 is clearly shorter than A 4 in length ( Fig. 30 ), the terga are strongly and densely punctate, the tergal margins are depressed with a thin, shiny, puncture-free apical zone, and T2–4 have thick hairbands, medially interrupted on T2, complete on T3+4 ( Fig. 32 ). They are therefore closest to A. wilkella , but the thicker and more complete hair bands in combination with its larger body size (10–11 mm against 8–9 mm) allows for differentiation. Genetically, A. benoisti sp. nov. is placed as the sister of A. wilkella , a position that is corroborated by their morphological similarity.

Etymology

Named after Raymond Benoist, the French botanist and entomologist who described Andrena beaumonti stat. rev. from Morocco, this name being incorrectly applied at the subspecific level to the taxon we describe here.

Material examined

Holotype PORTUGAL • ♀; Minho , Confurco, Várzea Cova; 41.4978° N, 8.0765° W; 14 May 2019; Wood leg.; BOLD accession number: HYMAA239-21; OÖLM (illustrated Figs 20, 22, 24, 26 ).

Paratypes PORTUGAL • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Minho, Ruivães , N103; 12 May 2019; Wood leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♂; Minho , 1.5 km E of Lindoso; 13 May 2019; Wood leg.; TJWC • 1 ♂; Minho, Serra do Gerês , 5 km W of Paradela; 12 May 2019; Wood leg.; OÖLM (illustrated Figs 28, 30, 32, 34 ) • 1 ♀; Trás-os-Montes, Curalha , A24 and N103 intersection; 16 May 2019; Wood leg.; TJWC • 1 ♀; Trás-os-Montes, Chaves, Estr. Braga , Rio Tâmega ; 16 May 2019; Wood leg.; TJWC .

SPAIN • 1 ♂; Cáceres , W of Garganta la Olla; 1000 m a.s.l.; 9 May 1999; H. and J.E. Wiering leg.; NMNL • 4 ♂♂; Cáceres , Piornal; 1050 m a.s.l.; 13 May 1999; H. and J.E. Wiering leg.; NMNL • 1 ♂; Cáceres , Madrigal de la Vera; 500 m a.s.l.; 9 May 1999; H. and J.E. Wiering leg.; NMNL • 3 ♂♂; Ávila , Sierra de Gredos, La Plataforma ; 1700 m a.s.l.; 19 May 1995; H. and J.E. Wiering leg.; NMNL • 1 ♂; Ávila , Navarredonda de la Sierra en Pico de Almanzor; 1400–1600 m a.s.l.; 5 Jun. 1976; P. Oosterbroek leg.; NMNL • 1 ♀; Ávila , Sierra de Gredos Puerto del Pico; 2 Jul. 1988; M. Schwarz leg. • 2 ♂♂; Ávila , 2 km E of Hoyos Del Espino; 22 May 1995; H. and J.E. Wiering leg.; NMNL • 11 ♂♂; Ávila , Hoyos del Espino; 1400 m a.s.l.; 18–22 May 1995; H. and J.E. Wiering leg.; NMNL • 1 ♂; Gredos , Hoyos de Collado; 6 Jun. 1983; H. Teunissen leg.; NMNL • 1 ♂; Ávila , 6 km E of Parador del Gredos; 1 Jun. 1976; P. Oosterbroek leg.; NMNL .

Other material (unspecified, listed as Andrena wilkella beaumonti by Warncke 1976)

PORTUGAL • Coimbra, Pinhal de Marrocos; Ponte da Portella.

SPAIN • Parador Nacional de Gredos ; Zamora , Alcubilla de Nogales ; Cáceres , Banos do Montemayor ; Cáceres Tornavacas; Madrid, Cercedilla; Madrid, Ciempozuelos; Madrid, El Chaparral; Madrid, El Escorial; Madrid, El Paular; Madrid, Sierra de Guadarrama; Madrid, Vaciamadrid .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 11–12 mm ( Fig. 20 ).

HEAD. 1.3 times as wide as long ( Fig. 22 ). Clypeus flattened, densely but shallowly and weakly punctured, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameters, faint impunctate line visible centrally, underlying surface shagreened, dull, slightly shining apically. Lower face and gena with whitish hairs, becoming light brown to golden on scape, upper face, and vertex, hairs not exceeding length of scape. Antennae dark, A5–12 slightly lightened grey below. Foveae broad, occupying almost all area between lateral ocellus and top of compound eye, filled with short brown hairs.

MESOSOMA. Scutum densely punctured over most of surface, underlying surface dull, punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter except becoming sparser centrally and posteriorly forming circular shape, here punctures separated by 2 puncture diameters, underling surface weakly shagreened, shining, contrasting remaining surface ( Fig. 24 ). Scutellum shiny, densely punctate centrally, separated by 0.5 puncture diameters, punctures sparser laterally. Episternum with slightly raised reticulation, underlying surface dull, reticulation reaches lateral faces of propodeum but weakly, disappearing before propodeal triangle, this marked by change in surface sculpturing, internal surface with fine, sparse, and slightly raised reticulation. Scutum and scutellum with short, orange-brown, semi-squamiform hairs, episternum with longer light brownish to white hairs, becoming orange-brown on propodeum. Legs dark, hind basitarsi fully and hind tibiae partially orange, general pubescence light brown. Flocculus and femoral scopa whitish, tibial scopa golden. Wings hyaline, venation and stigma golden, nervulus postfurcal.

METASOMA. Terga dark, apical part of marginal areas lightened semi-translucent brown ( Fig. 26 ). T1 with clear punctures on disc, separated by 0.5 puncture diameters, extending to tergal margin, becoming sparser, separated by 1–1.5 puncture diameters. T2–4 densely and uniformly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters. T1 with very widely separated hair patches on margin, T2–4 with thick hair bands, on T2 interrupted, on T3+4 complete. Terminal fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden, pygidial plate rounded with slightly raised longitudinal area centrally.

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 10–11 mm ( Fig. 28 ).

HEAD. 1.3 times as wide as long. Clypeus flattened, densely punctate, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameters with exception of clear longitudinal impunctate line, underlying surface shiny. Gena, face, vertex, and scape with long whitish to light brownish hairs, equalling or exceeding scape in length. Antennae dark, A3 1.3 times as long as A4 ( Fig. 30 ).

MESOSOMA. Scutum, scutellum, episternum, and propodeum structurally as in female, though propodeal reticulation a little more extensive.All parts of mesosoma with long light brown to golden hairs, equalling or exceeding scape in length. Legs dark, Hind tibiae entirely and hind tarsi apically coloured dark orange, pubescence whitish to light brown. Wings hyaline, venation dark orange, nervulus postfurcal.

METASOMA. Terga dark, apical margins slightly depressed, apical part of marginal areas lightened semitranslucent brown ( Fig. 32 ). T1–5 with discs increasing densely punctate, on T1 punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter, almost contiguous on T5, underlying surface shagreened, weakly shining. Tergal discs with loose light to dark brown hairs, T2–4 with thick hair bands, on T2 widely interrupted, on T3+4 complete. S8 broadened apically, densely and uniformly hairy. Genitalia simple, gonocoxa with inner margins parallel, only slightly deviating apically, apical corners rounded ( Fig. 34 ). Penis valve moderately broad, parallel sided basally before strongly tapering apically, gonostyli with broad bases, apical blades clearly longer than wide.

Distribution

From the Sistema Central around Madrid westwards through the Sierra de Gredos into central Portugal, and north into northern Portugal, Galicia, and Zamora ( Fig. 3 ). Both A. benoisti sp. nov. and A. gredana stat. nov. show a remarkably similar distribution and occurring at many of the same localities (see also Warncke 1976), particularly in the Sistema Central from which true A. wilkella seems to be absent.

Figures

Fig. 3.Distribution of Andrena (Taeniandrena) benoisti Wood & Prazsp. nov. [blue dots], A. (T.) wilkella (Kirby, 1802) [black dots], A. (T.) gredana Warncke, 1975 stat. nov. [red dots], and A. (T.) levante Wood & Praz sp. nov. [green dots] in Iberia. Not to scale.

Figs 20–27. 20, 22, 24, 26. Andrena benoisti Wood & Praz sp. nov. (TJWC). 20. Female profile. 22. Female face. 24. Female scutum. 26. Female terga. — 21, 23, 25, 27. Andrena beaumonti stat. rev. (TJWC). 21. Female profile. 23. Female face. 25. Female scutum. 27. Female terga. Not to scale.

Figs 28–35. 28, 30, 32, 34. Andrena benoisti Wood & Praz sp. nov. (TJWC). 28. Male profile. 30. Male antennae. 32. Male terga. 34. Male genitalia. — 29, 31, 33, 35. Andrena beaumonti stat. rev. (TJWC). 29. Male profile. 31. Male antennae. 33. Male terga. 35. Male genitalia. Not to scale.