Augochlora (Augochlora) braziliensis (Vachal, 1911)

Lepeco, Anderson & Gonçalves, Rodrigo Barbosa, 2020, A revision of the bee genus Augochlora Smith (Hymenoptera; Apoidea) in Southern South America, Zootaxa 4897 (1), pp. 1-97 : 18-21

Augochlora (Augochlora) braziliensis (Vachal, 1911)

( Figures 1J ; 2A ; 7 A–D; 8A–D; 51D)

Halictus braziliensis Vachal 1911: 21 , lectotype ♀ (MNHN, accession number EY25492 ) from Brazil. Subsequent designation by Moure & Hurd (1987: 258). Examined through photographs.

Odontochlora cephalica Moure 1941: 46 , holotype ♀ (DZUP) from Brazil, São Paulo, Praia Grande. Examined. New synonym.

Diagnosis. This species has a strong angulation separating the anterior and posterior surfaces on hind coxa ventrally on females; the F1 and F2 with similar length on males and a well-marked medial furrow on scutellum on both sexes, as in A. daphnis , A. esox , and A. hirsuta sp. nov. The latter two have more elongated heads and anteriorly projected hypostomal carinae, which is not the case for A. braziliensis . Differently from A. daphnis , this species has the lower paraocular area filled by tiny and weak crowded punctures on females and brownish areas on metasomal terga on both sexes. Males of A. braziliensis have the preepisternum crowded punctate, differently from A. daphnis , that has the preepisternum contiguously punctate.

Comments. Females of this species can present some degree of allometry, with larger specimens having enlarged heads and their gena often being swollen. We examined the type of O. cephalica and it corresponds to a macrocephalic specimen of this common species, what may have led Father J. S. Moure to describe it as a new species. Vachal described H. braziliensis for a series of non-macrocephalic females.

Redescription. ♀. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.49–2.60 (mean = 1.99, n = 10); head length: 2.04–3.12 (mean = 2.57, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.52–0.96 (mean = 0.75, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.42–0.72 (mean = 0.58, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.36–0.58 (mean = 0.46, n = 10); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.12– 1.68 (mean = 1.46, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.36–2.01 (mean = 1.69, n = 10); T1 width: 2.04–3.32 (mean = 2.63, n = 10); T2 width: 2.24–3.76 (mean = 2.93, n = 10); body length: 7.50–11.50 (mean = 9.65, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface black; basal elevation transverse. Mandible mostly black, subapical region brown and with basal green spot; medial portion not strongly constricted, minimum width between 0.7x and 0.9x basal width; preapical tooth large and sharp, produced near mandible apex; distal part of adductor ridge weakly swollen. Clypeus mostly green with golden reflection, apical black band <OD; punctate, punctures large and weak, smooth in between near apex, imbricate on basal and lateral margins; apex not prolonged over apical border. Epistomal angle acute, strongly protruding over clypeus. Supraclypeal area green with golden reflection; densely punctate, imbricate in between. Lower paraocular area with golden reflection; crowded punctate, punctures weak; long setae (1–2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape and pedicel dark brown, flagellum brown, ventrally pale. Frons with golden and blue iridescences intermixed; crowded punctate; not protuberant above antennal sockets. Preoccipital area strongly lamellate, lamella expanded near post gena. Gena with golden reflection. Post gena mostly darkened with golden and green reflections; microreticulate, some scattered weak punctures; setae length <2 OD. Hypostomal carina not projected anteriorly.

Mesosoma. Pronotum dorsolateral angle orthogonal. Fore leg: coxa brown with weak green reflection; trochanter dark brown; femur brown with green reflection; ventral surface slightly rounded; long plumose setae (<4 OD); tibia and tarsus brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum green with golden reflection; contiguously punctate, anterior border rugulose; setae length = OD. Scutellum with a strongly marked medial furrow; green with golden reflections; densely punctate, I <PD; with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer dark setae (4 OD). Mesepisternum green; preepisternum rugose; hypoepimeral area contiguously to crowded punctate; below scrobe contiguously to crowded punctate; with long setae (2 OD). Mid leg: coxa dark brown; trochanter brown with weak green reflection; ventral margin swollen near base; femur brown, flattened, mesofemoral brush yellowish; tibia and tarsus brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Tegula light brown with anterior green spot. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer yellowish setae (= 3 OD). Metepisternum green; weakly punctate, becoming crowded punctate to rugose above superior metapleural pit. Hind leg: coxa brown with weak green reflection, anterior and posterior surfaces ventrally separated by a strong angulation; trochanter brown; setae length = 4 OD; femur brown; tibia and tarsus brown; outer surfaces without dark setae. Metapostnotum green; shorter than scutellum; entirely with radiating carinae, medially somewhat rugose. Propodeum green; with tiny and long (3 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface with tiny and larger punctures intermixed, imbricate in between; lateral carinae ending below propodeum half; lateral surfaces imbricate among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface punctate, smooth in between; mostly green with golden reflection, base dark-ened; with dense coverage of tiny decumbent setae among long setae. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate on disc, I> 2 PD, tiny punctures, imbricate in between, denser punctation on lateral surfaces; mostly green, dorsally with brownish spot, dull; tiny setae dorsally, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces; apex not inflexed, brown. T2 mostly green with blue iridescence, dorsally with brownish spot, dull; minutely punctate, imbricate in between; marginal area with punctate portion longer than apical brown band on sublateral surfaces; tiny decumbent setae near base and on lateral surfaces, long setae (3 OD) on lateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly green with blue iridescence, apical band brown; tiny setae apex not reaching apical margin sublaterally. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly blue with green reflection, apical band brown; mostly with tiny decumbent setae, long setae (3 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 black; pseudopygidial area not covered by scalelike setae, colliculate integument exposed. Pygidial plate black, apex rounded. S1 with a short spiniform projection; brown; long setae (> 2 OD) medially, margin tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly brown, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; long setae (> 3 OD). S3–4 as S2. S5 apical margin widely rounded; brown; long setae (> 3 OD). S6 brown; long dark setae on apex.

Description. ³. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.39–2.08 (x‾ = 1.64, n = 10); head length: 2.08–2.76 (x‾ = 2.33, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.52–0.74 (x‾ = 0.62, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.56–0.74 (x‾ = 0.64, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.36–0.48 (x‾ = 0.40, n = 10); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.12–1.50 (x‾ = 1.24, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.39–1.92 (x‾ = 1.58, n = 10); T1 width: 1.76–2.76 (x‾ = 2.09, n = 10); T2 width: 1.92–2.88 (x‾ = 2.30, n = 10); scape length: 0.60–0.82 (x‾ = 0.71, n = 10); body length: 7.50–11.00 (x‾ = 9.05, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface yellowish. Mandible mostly yellowish, apex brown and base with green spot. Clypeus mostly green with golden reflection, apex yellowish, apical border exposed, yellowish; densely punctate, I = 0.5 PD, punctures large, mostly smooth in between, imbricate on basal margin; setae length = 2 OD. Epistomal angle acute, protruding over clypeus. Supraclypeal area green; densely punctate, imbricate in between. Paraocular area green; densely punctate, punctures small, imbricate in between; long setae (2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape dark brown; pedicel as long as F1; dark brown; F1 brown; as long as F2; F3 wider than long; remaining flagellomeres mostly dark brown, ventrally light brown. Frons with green and blue iridescences intermixed; contiguously to crowded punctate; setae length <OD. Gena green. Post gena with golden and purplish iridescences, darkened near hypostoma; loosely imbricate, some scattered punctures; abundant long setae up to 2 OD.

Mesosoma. Pronotum lateral angle orthogonal. Fore leg: coxa ventrally green; trochanter brown with weak green reflection; femur brown with green reflection; not swollen; tibia and tarsus light brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum green with golden reflection; densely punctate on disc, I <PD, contiguously punctate on lateral surfaces, anterior border punctate, imbricate in between; setae length = 1–1.5 OD. Scutellum with a strongly marked medial furrow; green; mostly punctate, punctures coarse, denser punctation medially; longer setae (4 OD) near apex. Mesepisternum green; preepisternum crowded punctate near pronotal lobe; hypoepimeral area densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, smooth in between; below scrobe densely punctate, I <0.5 PD, smooth in between. Mid leg: coxa brown; trochanter brown with weak green reflection; setae length 3 OD; femur brown with weak green reflection; not swollen; tibia and basitarsus light brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Tegula yellowish with anterior green spot. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer white setae (= 3 OD). Metepisternum green; punctate, smooth in between, crowded punctate to striate near hind wing. Hind leg: coxa green; trochanter dark brown with green reflection; femur dark brown with green reflection; tibia light brown, anterior surface with abundant tiny setae among long setae; basitarsus more than 6.5x longer than maximum width, parallel sided; brown. Metapostnotum green; as long as metanotum; plane; entirely filled with radiating carinae. Propodeum green with golden reflection; with tiny and long (3 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface densely punctate, smooth in between; lateral carinae lamellate, ending below propodeum half; lateral surfaces smooth among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface sparsely punctate, I = 3 PD, smooth in between; mostly green, base darkened; with few tiny decumbent setae among long setae. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate, I> PD, tiny punctures, with an impunctate area near apical margin medially; mostly green, dorsally with brown spot; tiny setae on disc, lateral surfaces with longer setae (2 OD); apex not inflexed, brown. T2 mostly green with blue iridescence, dorsally with brown spot; minutely punctate, I = PD, densely puncticulate near base, smooth in between; marginal area with punctate portion longer than apical brown band on sublateral surfaces; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (= OD) near margin and lateral surfaces, pre-marginal setae ending far from apical margin on sub-lateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, smooth in between; mostly green with blue iridescence, apical band brown; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (= OD) near margin and lateral surfaces. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; mostly blue with green reflection, apical band brown; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 mostly blue, apical band brown; long setae (2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. T6 brown; mostly with long setae (<2 OD). T7 light brown. S1 with a tuberculate elevation; mostly green, apex brown; with long plumose setae (= OD) medially, margin with tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly brown, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (3 OD), tiny setae on apex. S3 as S2. S4 mostly brown, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin slightly rounded; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (3 OD), tiny setae on apex. S5 brown; not depressed transversally on median surface; homogeneously pilose, without glabrous patch medially. S6 brown; setae length = OD, tiny setae on apex. S7 lateral apodemes shorter than half S8 width. S8 anterior projection more than four times longer than apical width; posterior margin weakly projected.

Genitalia: gonobase 3 times wider than long; gonobase ventral arms slightly curved on apex. Gonocoxite about 1.5 times longer than wide. Gonostylus, dorsal surface glabrous. Ventral process of gonostylus: inner lobe slender; with short setae; outer lobe with short setae with length = 0.8x inner lobe size. Gonapophysis ventral prong well produced, broad; dorsal bridge margin excavate; ventral bridge absent; apodeme broad and weakly hooked.

Distribution. Augochlora braziliensis is a very common species in the southern and southeastern coast of Brazil, but can also be found westwards. Brazil (Bahia, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina, and S„o Paulo).

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–C) Female mandible, anterior view. A) Augochlora aurinasis (Vachal); B) Augochlora daphnis Smith; C) Augochlora genalis sp. nov. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. D–G) Female mid trochanter, anterior view. D) Augochlora nausicaa (Schrottky); E) Augochlora francisca (Schrottky); F) Augochlora phoemonoe (Schrottky); G) Augochlora mulleri Cockerell. H–L) Female metasoma, anterior portion (T1 and S1), lateral view. H) Augochlora thusnelda (Schrottky); I) Augochlora nausicaa (Schrottky); J) Augochlora braziliensis (Vachal); K) Augochlora francisca Schrottky; L) Augochlora phoemonoe (Schrottky). D–L not in scale.

FIGURE 2. Male T1. A) Augochlora braziliensis Vachal; B) Augochlora thusnelda (Schrottky). Scale bar: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 7. Female of Augochlora braziliensis (Vachal). A) habitus, B) frontal view of head, C) dorsal view of mesosoma, D) dorsal view of metasoma. Scale bar: 1.0 mm, all at same scale.