Andrena ( Micrandrena ) aphroditae Pisanty, 2025

Pisanty, Gideon, Santerre, Rémi, Martin, Teresa, Cardinal, Sophie & Wood, Thomas J., 2025, Integrated taxonomic revision of the mining bee subgenus Andrena (Micrandrena) (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) in the Levant and Cyprus, Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny 83, pp. 573-655 : 573-655

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.3897/asp.83.e166986
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17516165
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/57481728-E09F-56EA-8DD1-06840D2BCB95
treatment provided by	Arthropod Systematics & Phylogeny by Pensoft
scientific name	Andrena ( Micrandrena ) aphroditae Pisanty
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

3.1.2.4. Andrena ( Micrandrena) aphroditae Pisanty sp. nov.

Figures 4 View Figure 4 , 18 B, H View Figure 18 , 21 I View Figure 21

Etymology.

Named after the Greek goddess Aphrodite, who is strongly associated with the island of Cyprus.

Diagnosis.

Within the Andrena minutula species group, A. aphroditae belongs to the species around A. spreta Pérez , which are characterized in the female by a clypeus which is non-rugose, weakly domed and partly to fully shagreened, a scutum which is shagreened to partly smooth, with fine, relatively sparse punctures, and terga which are mostly shagreened and impunctate. In the Levant and Cyprus, these include A. hebraica Pisanty & Wood sp. nov., A. minutuloides Perkins , A. spreta , A. tiaretta Warncke , and A. tkalcui Gusenleitner & Schwarz. Female Andrena aphroditae are distinguished from A. hebraica and A. tiaretta by the scutum and scutellum which are usually somewhat shiny and distinctly punctured (completely dull in A. hebraica ; dull and weakly punctured in A. tiaretta ; Figs 17 J View Figure 17 , 18 H View Figure 18 ), and the terga which are uniformly shagreened (tergum 3 and often also 2 distinctly shinier apically vs. basally in A. hebraica ). From Cypriot populations of A. spreta Pérez , female A. aphroditae can be distinguished by the clypeus which is more strongly domed and usually completely dull (Fig. 18 B View Figure 18 ; usually smooth apically in A. spreta ), dark flagellum (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ; often reddish distally in A. spreta ), usually shiny scutellum (usually dull in A. spreta ; Figs 17 K View Figure 17 , 18 H View Figure 18 ), brown stigma (yellowish in A. spreta ; Figs 4 A View Figure 4 , 17 M View Figure 17 ), and dark brown terminal fringe (Fig. 4 A, D View Figure 4 ; golden in Cypriot A. spreta ). Continental populations of A. spreta are much more morphologically variable, but on average they differ from A. aphroditae by the same characters, most of all in the clypeus and stigma. Compared to A. minutuloides , female A. aphroditae has weaker and much finer punctation on the clypeus (Fig. 18 B, C View Figure 18 ), as well as somewhat weaker, finer and denser punctation on the scutum (Fig. 18 H, I View Figure 18 ). Separation from female A. tkalcui is easily done by the much darker colouration of the flagellum and wing veins (Fig. 17 L View Figure 17 ), as well as the more strongly shagreened scutum (Figs 17 H View Figure 17 , 18 H View Figure 18 ) and weaker tergal apical hair bands. From the sympatric A. cervina Warncke , female A. aphroditae can be distinguished by the clypeus which is densely and finely punctured, often with hints of transverse striation on the basal half (more sparsely and coarsely punctured, without any transverse striation in A. cervina ; Figs 18 A, B View Figure 18 ), and the scutum and scutellum, which are usually somewhat shiny, distinctly and not very densely punctured (completely dull, superficially and very densely punctured in A. cervina ; Figs 18 G – H View Figure 18 ). The male genitalia (Fig. 21 I View Figure 21 ) provides good separation from all the above related species: the gonocoxites of A. spreta and A. tkalcui possess a distinct dorsal lobe (Fig. 20 F, J View Figure 20 ), the gonostyli of A. hebraica and A. tiaretta strongly converge apically (Fig. 21 G, J View Figure 21 ), the gonostyli of A. cervina have a strong inward kink near the apex (Fig. 20 O View Figure 20 ), and the penis valves of A. minutuloides and A. tiaretta are broader (Fig. 21 F, G View Figure 21 ). The males are further easily differentiated from A. spreta by the much smoother scutum and scutellum (Fig. 4 G View Figure 4 ) and the darker flagellum and stigma (Figs 4 E, F View Figure 4 , 17 M View Figure 17 ).

Description.

Female. Body length: 5–6.5 mm. Integumental colour: Body and legs black. Flagellum black, distal flagellomeres increasingly covered with minute greyish setae. Distal tarsomeres black to dark brown. Wings weakly infuscate, veins dark brown, stigma centrally dark to light brown (Fig. 4 A View Figure 4 ). Tergal marginal zones black (Fig. 4 D View Figure 4 ). — Pubescence: Clypeus with moderately dense, semi-erect, short and thin whitish hairs, underlying cuticle visible. Apex of clypeus with two small strands of long brown hair. Supraclypeal area with short, erect whitish hairs. Paraocular area, scape and area around antennal sockets with moderately dense, erect medium-lengthed white hair (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ). Facial fovea in dorsal view with light brown hairs on upper part of fovea, white hairs on lower half (Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 ). Frons with sparse, short to medium, erect, mixed black and white hairs. Ocellar triangle with few erect medium-lengthed black hairs. Preoccipital ridge with erect, short to long, whitish to brownish hairs. Genal area with few short black hairs behind upper margin of compound eye, elsewhere with semi-erect to erect whitish hairs, short on dorsal part, medium-lengthed on ventral part (Fig. 4 A, C View Figure 4 ). Discs of scutum and scutellum with sparse, inconspicuous minute to short whitish hairs, with few scattered longer erect hairs. Periphery of scutum with moderately dense, erect short whitish hairs. Posterior margin of scutellum with few erect, medium to long, whitish to brown hairs (Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 ). Mesepisternum with long white hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, posterodorsal fringe composed of long white plumose hairs, corbicular surface with few long, simple white hairs. Leg hair white to light brown, flocculus incomplete, white, tibial scopa composed of simple hairs, brownish posterobasally, elsewhere whitish (Fig. 4 A View Figure 4 ). Tergal discs 1–2 centrally essentially hairless, 3–4 gradually with minute inconspicuous whitish hairs. Lateral parts of tergal discs with sparse short white hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with distinct lateral bands of white hair extending onto following tergal discs, strong and dense on terga 2–3, weaker on tergum 4. Terminal fringe brownish, with few flanking white hairs (Fig. 4 D View Figure 4 ). — Head: 1.25 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, moderately crossed. Galea very finely shagreened (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ). Labral process trapezoidal, not much broader than long. Clypeus moderately domed, basal half fully shagreened and matt, often with hints of fine transverse striations, apical half fully shagreened and matt to partly shagreened and weakly shiny. Clypeus punctation moderately strong, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters, without impunctate midline (Figs 4 B View Figure 4 , 18 B View Figure 18 ). Frons and upper part of paraocular area densely longitudinally striated, essentially impunctate (Fig. 4 B, C View Figure 4 ). Flagellomere 1 0.9–1.0 times as long as 2 + 3, 2 almost as long as 3 (Fig. 4 B View Figure 4 ). Facial fovea moderately broad above, here 0.4–0.5 times as broad as antennocular distance, weakly tapering below, extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to base of clypeus, lower ⅔ separated from compound eye by narrow smooth cuticular strip (Fig. 4 B, C View Figure 4 ). Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 1.5 ocellus diameters. Ocelloccipital distance about ¾ ocellus diameter. Preoccipital ridge weakly to moderately carinate (Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 ). — Mesosoma: Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not elevated. Scutum largely shagreened, usually with some shiny, partly smooth areas centrally, punctation fine, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters. Scutellum similar but usually shinier, often completely smooth (Figs 4 C View Figure 4 , 18 H View Figure 18 ). Mesepisternum finely alveolate, anterior part overlayed with oblique punctures. Surface of propodeal corbicula reticulated, with sparse, coarse punctures around hair bases. Posterolateral part of propodeum finely rugose-areolate. Propodeal triangle weakly delineated, horizontal part strongly radially rugose near base, elsewhere rugose-areolate, vertical part very finely areolated (Fig. 4 C View Figure 4 ). Hind pretarsal claw with small inner tooth. Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 at its middle or slightly proximal to it. Nervulus interstitial (Fig. 4 A View Figure 4 ). — Metasoma: Tergal discs impunctate, 1–2 and usually 3 completely shagreened and matt, 4 and occasionally 3 slightly shinier and more weakly shagreened. Tergal marginal zones weakly depressed, 2–3 centrally occupying 0.4–0.5 of tergal length, shagreening as on discs, much weaker on tergum 4 (Fig. 4 D View Figure 4 ). Pygidial plate triangular, completely flat, smooth to superficially shagreened. — Male. Body length: 5–5.5 mm. — Integumental colour: As in female, but tergal marginal zones somewhat brownish (Fig. 4 E, H View Figure 4 ). — Pubescence: Clypeus with moderately dense, semi-erect, short to medium white hair. Paraocular area with short to medium erect hair, black near compound eye, whitish near antennal sockets. Scape with medium-lengthed white hairs (Fig. 4 F View Figure 4 ). Frons with short to medium, erect dark hairs. Preoccipital ridge with short to long erect white hairs. Genal area with erect black hair behind upper margin of compound eye, elsewhere with white hair, short dorsally, gradually long ventrally (Fig. 4 E – G View Figure 4 ). Scutum and scutellum with sparse short whitish hair, some medium to long erect hairs appear mostly on periphery (Fig. 4 G View Figure 4 ). Mesepisternum with very long white hairs (Fig. 4 E View Figure 4 ). Propodeum with long white hairs (Fig. 4 E, G View Figure 4 ). Femora and tibiae with white hair, tarsi with brownish-white hair (Fig. 4 E View Figure 4 ). Base of tergal disc 1 and lateral parts of all tergal discs with sparse, short to medium white hair. Rest of tergal discs with minute inconspicuous whitish hair. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with small lateral bands of white hair, extending onto following discs, very weak on tergum 4. Terminal fringe brownish-white (Fig. 4 H View Figure 4 ). — Head: 1.25 times broader than long. Labral process much broader than long, apical margin usually concave. Clypeus moderately domed, very shiny and almost completely smooth, punctation strong and dense, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters. Flagellomere 1 about as long as 3, much longer than 2 (Fig. 4 F View Figure 4 ). Ocelloccipital distance about 1.1 ocellus diameters. Preoccipital ridge moderately carinate (Fig. 4 G View Figure 4 ). — Mesosoma: Scutum shiny, superficially shagreened to smooth, punctation fine and sparse, distance between punctures 1–3 puncture diameters. Scutellum similar, but smoother and more sparsely punctured. Propodeal triangle strongly rugose-areolate on horizontal part, very finely so on vertical part, usually becoming radially rugose near base (Fig. 4 G View Figure 4 ). Hind pretarsal claw strongly bifurcated. Rest of mesosoma as in female. — Metasoma: As in female (Fig. 4 H View Figure 4 ). — Genitalia and hidden sterna: Gonocoxites without dorsal lobe or with only hint thereof. Gonostyli simple, finger-shaped, uniformly broad, blade flattened, rounded apically. Penis valves moderately narrow basally, basal ⅕ of visible area parallel-sided, the following ⅖ tapering apically, distal ⅖ narrow (Fig. 21 I View Figure 21 ). Sternum 8 columnar, broadening apically, apical margin blunted.

Distribution and habitat.

Endemic to Mediterranean shrublands in Cyprus.

Flight period.

Mid-February to mid-April.

Flower records.

Collected from Asteraceae ( Glebionis , Helichrysum ), Brassicaceae ( Sinapis ), Cistaceae ( Cistus ) and Lamiaceae ( Lavandula ).

Type material.

HOLOTYPE: CYPRUS ● 1 ♀; Pano Panagia env.; 34.921–928 ° N 32.631–640 ° E; [ 700–850 m a. s. l.]; 15 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467594 . – PARATYPES: CYPRUS ● 1 ♀; Agia Erini; 11 Apr. [19] 37; Mavromoustakis leg.; SMNHTAU ● 2 ♀; Akamas Pen. ; 35.018– 031°N 32.34– 36°E; 7 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 466866 , 466867 GoogleMaps ● 1 ♀; Akamas Pen .; 35.019–26°N 32.326–52°E; 8 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467010 ● 3 ♂; Larnaca [District], Larnaca Salt Lake ; 1 m a. s. l.; 18 Feb. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS ● 2 ♂; Limassol [District], Anogyra ; 468 m a. s. l.; 27 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 4 ♀, 3 ♂; Limassol, Arakapas, 2 km W from village ; 454 m a. s. l.; 8 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 1 ♂; Limassol, Palódia, Ayia Irini Monastry ; 34.7441°N 32.976°E; 192 m a. s. l.; 7 Mar. 2024; R. Santerre leg.; on Sinapis alba ; BOLD accession no. RSCMC 032-25; UMONS GoogleMaps ● 3 ♂; Limassol, Palodia, SE village ; 257 m a. s. l.; 8 Mar. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS ● 1 ♀; Limassol, Parekklisia , 5 km N from village; 243 m a. s. l.; 14 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 1 ♂; Moniatis ; 34.870–82°N 32.877–92°E; 9 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; BOLD accession no. ANDCY 037-25; SMNHTAU 426933 ● 2 ♂; Nicosia [District], Agios Epifanios , 2.5 km S from village; 605 m a. s. l.; 9 Mar. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS ● 1 ♂; Nicosia, Agios Ioannis, NW village ; 319 m a. s. l.; 9 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 1 ♂; Nicosia, Athalassa Forest Park ; 165 m a. s. l.; 14 Feb. 2025; ibid. ● 7 ♂; Nicosia, Lympia , 4 km E from village; 225 m a. s. l.; 14 Feb. 2025; ibid. ● 1 ♀, 1 ♂; Nicosia, Lythrodontas , 1.5 km N from village; 428 m a. s. l.; 14 Mar. 2025; ibid. ● 1 ♂; Nicosia, Mosfiloti , 2 km N from village; 197 m a. s. l.; ibid. ● 1 ♀; Pano Panagia ; 34.9213°N 32.6310°E; 15 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; pan trap; SMNHTAU 467757 GoogleMaps ● 2 ♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 467675 GoogleMaps ● 2 ♀, 1 ♂; ibid.; OLML GoogleMaps ● 2 ♀; Pano Panagia env. ; 34.921–928 ° N 32.631–640 ° E; 12 Apr. 2025; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 467284 , 467322 ● 2 ♂; ibid.; SMNHTAU 467309 , 467323 ● 3 ♀; ibid.; 15 Apr. 2025; SMNHTAU 467592 , 467599, 467600 ● 1 ♂; Paphos [District], Evretou Dam ; 239 m a. s. l.; 2 Mar. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS ● 1 ♂; Paphos, Neo Chorio, Botanical Garden ; 47 m a. s. l.; ibid. ● 1 ♀; Pissouri; 34.662–6°N 32.687–98°E; 250 m a. s. l.; 14 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; on Brassicaceae ; SMNHTAU 427171 ● 2 ♀; Trimiklini ; 34.85–6°N 32.91–3°E; 600–700 m a. s. l.; 11 Apr. 2023; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU 427055 , 427057 ● 1 ♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDCY 039 -25; SMNHTAU 427023 ● 1 ♀; ibid.; BOLD accession no. ANDCY 040 -25; SMNHTAU 427056 ● 1 ♂; Sov. [ereign] Base Area, Dasaki Achnas, S from village ; 57 m a. s. l.; 15 Feb. 2025; R. Santerre leg.; UMONS .