Augochlora (Augochlora) foxiana Cockerell, 1900

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 : 34-38

Augochlora (Augochlora) foxiana Cockerell, 1900

( Figures 17 A–D; 18A–D; 50B)

Augochlora foxiana Cockerell, 1900: 371 , lectotype, ♀ (CMNH 359) from Brazil, Mato Grosso, Chapada dos Guimarães. Sub-sequent designation by Moure & Hurd (1987: 261). Not examined.

Agapostemon aeneus Schrottky, 1902: 313 , holotype, ³ (whereabouts unknown) from Brazil, São Paulo, Botucatu .

Diagnosis. Besides having a tuberculate elevation on S1 and the T1 apex inflexed, this species is remarkable in having foveate punctures mesosoma and the lateral carinae on propodeum ending above propodeum half, as in Augochlora perimelas . From the latter, females can be separated by the crowded punctate to rugose preepisternum and mesofemoral brush with yellowish setae. Males have the femur strongly swollen, leaving an angulation on the posterior surface, and a distinctly dense brush of setae on post gena. In addition, this species usually has more greenish areas on mesosoma (sometimes the whole mesoscutum is green, without dark spots) and the head with less copper reflections in comparison to A. perimelas .

Comments. Although this species is very similar to A. perimelas that was originally described as a variety of foxiana by T. D. A. Cockerell, its description mentions the pale pubescence on the legs of females, a useful diagnostic feature. Despite some variations, the color pattern used by Cockerell to separate his subspecies is congruent with other diagnostic characters from both sexes which support the species separation.

Redescription. ♀. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.52–1.73 (x‾ = 1.62, n = 10); head length: 2.00–2.36 (x‾ = 2.14, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.60–0.70 (x‾ = 0.65, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.52–0.60 (x‾ = 0.56, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.36–0.42 (x‾ = 0.39, n = 10); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.16–1.40 (x‾ = 1.26, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.42–1.67 (x‾ = 1.58, n = 10); T1 width: 2.08–2.60 (x‾ = 2.35, n = 10); T2 width: 2.28–2.72 (x‾ = 2.50, n = 10); body length: 8.00–9.50 (x‾ = 8.60, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface black; basal elevation transverse. Mandible mostly black, subapical region brown; 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 copper reflection, apical black band = OD. punctate, punctures large and weak, mostly smooth in between, imbricate on basal margin; apex not prolonged over apical border. Epistomal angle acute, strongly protruding over clypeus. Supraclypeal area golden with copper reflection; densely punctate, imbricate in between. Lower paraocular area with copper and golden reflections; contiguously punctate; long setae (1–2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: mostly black, flagellum ventrally brown. Frons with golden and green reflections intermixed; contiguously punctate; not protuberant above antennal sockets. Preoccipital area strongly lamellate, lamella expanded near post gena. Gena green. 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 with a projected acute tip. Fore leg: coxa dark brown with weak green reflection; trochanter dark brown; femur dark brown with weak green reflection; ventral surface strongly rounded; long plumose setae (<4 OD); tibia dark brown; tarsus brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum mostly green with golden and blue iridescences, dorsally darkened; densely punctate on disc, I <PD, sparser on disc posterior to median line, punctures foveate, microreticulate in between, crowded punctate on lateral surfaces, anterior border punctate, microreticulate in between; setae length <OD. Scutellum with longitudinal furrow; green; densely punctate, with larger punctures in between; with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer dark setae (4 OD). Mesepisternum green with blue iridescence; preepisternum crowded punctate near pronotal lobe; hypoepimeral area contiguously to crowded punctate; below scrobe punctate, punctures foveate, I <PD, imbricate in between, ventrally crowded punctate; with tiny setae becoming longer ventrally. Mid leg: coxa dark brown; trochanter dark brown; ventral margin not swollen, almost straight; femur dark brown, flattened, mesofemoral brush yellowish; tibia dark brown; tarsus brown; white to yellowish setae on both. Tegula brown. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer dark setae (= 3 OD). Metepisternum green with blue iridescence; contiguously to crowded punctate, rugose above superior metapleural pit. Hind leg: coxa dark brown with weak green reflection, anterior and posterior surfaces ventrally separated by a smoothly curved area; trochanter dark brown; setae length = 4 OD; femur dark brown; tibia dark brown; tarsus brown; outer surfaces without dark setae. Metapostnotum green with blue iridescence; shorter than scutellum; entirely filled with radiating carinae. Propodeum green with blue iridescence; with tiny and long (2 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface foveate punctate to rugose; lateral carinae ending above propodeum half, mixing with foveate punctures; lateral surfaces imbricate among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface punctate, imbricate in between; black with green reflection; with few tiny decumbent setae among long setae. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate on disc, I> 2 PD, imbricate in between, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces; mostly black, lateral surfaces green; tiny setae dorsally, long setae (= OD) on lateral surfaces; apex inflexed, black. T2 mostly black, lateral surfaces green; sparsely punctate on disc, punctures weak, denser punctation on lateral surfaces, imbricate in between; marginal area with punctate portion shorter than apical black band on sublateral surfaces; tiny decumbent setae near base and on lateral surfaces, long setae (2 OD) on lateral surfaces. T3 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; black with weak green reflection; tiny setae apex not reaching apical margin sublaterally. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; black with weak green reflection; mostly with tiny decumbent setae, long setae (3 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 black; pseudopygidial area not covered by scale-like setae, colliculate integument exposed. Pygidial plate black, apex rounded. S1 without elevation; black with weak green reflection; long setae (> 3 OD) medially, margin tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly black, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; long setae (> 3 OD). S3–4 as S2. S5 apical margin widely rounded; dark brown; long setae (> 3 OD). S6 dark brown; long dark setae on apex.

Redescription. Ƌ. Measurements. Maximum interocular distance: 1.30–1.58 (x‾ = 1.42, n = 10); head length: 1.80–2.20 (x‾ = 2.03, n = 10); clypeus width: 0.50–0.62 (x‾ = 0.58, n = 10); clypeus length: 0.50–0.62 (x‾ = 0.58, n = 10); clypeoantennal distance: 0.30–0.38 (x‾ = 0.35, n = 10); clypeus ocellar distance: 1.04–1.30 (x‾ = 1.15, n = 10); intertegular distance: 1.21–1.61 (x‾ = 1.41, n = 10); T1 width: 1.56–2.20 (x‾ = 1.91, n = 10); T2 width: 1.76–2.32 (x‾ = 2.02, n = 10); scape length: 0.50–0.60 (x‾ = 0.55, n = 10); body length: 8.00–9.50 (x‾ = 8.50, n = 10).

Head. Labrum basal surface yellowish. Mandible mostly yellowish, apex brown. 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 with copper and golden reflections; densely punctate, imbricate in between. Paraocular area golden with green reflection; densely punctate, punctures coarse, smooth in between; long setae (2 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. Antennae: scape dark brown; pedicel as long as F1; light brown; F1 ventrally light brown; shorter than F2; F3 as long as wide; remaining flagellomeres mostly brown, ventrally light brown. Frons with golden and blue iridescences intermixed; contiguously to crowded punctate; setae length = 1–2 OD. Gena with copper and golden reflections. Post gena with golden reflection, darkened near hypostoma; loosely imbricate, some scattered punctures; very abundant long setae up to 5 OD.

Mesosoma. Pronotum lateral angle with a projected acute tip. Fore leg: coxa brown, weak green reflection; trochanter light brown; femur light brown with green reflection; strongly swollen, posterior margin angulose; tibia and tarsus yellow; white to yellowish setae on both. Mesoscutum mostly dark, marginally green; mostly crowded punctate, densely punctate on disc, I <PD, punctures foveate, microreticulate in between; setae length = 1–1.5 OD. Scutellum medial furrow inconspicuous; mostly green, with dark spots; mostly punctate, punctures coarse, denser punctation medially; longer setae (4 OD) near apex. Mesepisternum green with blue iridescence; preepisternum crowded punctate near pronotal lobe; hypoepimeral area contiguously punctate to crowded punctate; below scrobe densely punctate, I = 0.5 PD, punctures foveate, imbricate in between. Mid leg: coxa brown; trochanter brown; setae length 3 OD; femur brown with green reflection; swollen; tibia and basitarsus yellow; white to yellowish setae on both. Tegula light brown. Metanotum with dense tiny setae intermixed with longer dark setae (= 3 OD). Metepisternum green with blue iridescence; punctate, smooth in between, crowded punctate to striate near hind wing. Hind leg: coxa brown with weak green reflection; trochanter brown; femur brown; tibia light brown, anterior surface without abundant tiny setae among long setae; basitarsus more than 6.5x longer than maximum width, parallel sided; dark brown. Metapostnotum blue; as long as metanotum; slightly concave; entirely filled with radiating carinae. Propodeum green with blue iridescence; with tiny and long (3 OD) setae intermixed; posterior surface foveate punctate to rugose; lateral carinae ending above propodeum half, mixing with foveate punctures; lateral surfaces imbricate among punctures.

Metasoma. T1 anterior surface sparsely punctate, I = 3 PD, smooth in between; dark brown; only with long setae, tiny decumbent setae absent. T1 dorsal surface sparsely punctate, I> PD, coarser and denser punctation on lateral surfaces, with an impunctate area near apical margin medially; mostly dark brown, lateral surfaces blue; tiny setae on disc, lateral surfaces with longer setae (2 OD); apex inflexed, black. T2 mostly dark brown, lateral surfaces blue; sparsely punctate on disc, I = 2 PD, denser punctation on lateral surfaces, mostly smooth in between, imbricate on lateral surfaces; marginal area with punctate portion shorter than apical black 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, imbricate in between; mostly dark brown with weak blue iridescence, apical band dark brown; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (2 OD) near margin and lateral surfaces. T4 weakly punctate, imbricate in between; dark brown with weak blue iridescence; mostly with tiny setae, long setae (3 OD) scattered on disc and lateral surfaces. T5 dark brown; long setae (3 OD) intermixed with tiny setae. T6 brown; mostly with long setae (<3 OD). T7 light brown. S1 without elevation; light brown; with long plumose setae (2 OD) medially, margin with tiny decumbent setae. S2 mostly light brown, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin sharp; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (3 OD), tiny setae on apex. S3 mostly dark brown with weak blue iridescence, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin slightly rounded; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (3 OD), tiny setae on apex. S4 mostly dark brown, apical band yellowish; medioapical margin almost straight; punctate, microreticulate in between; with long plumose setae (3 OD), tiny setae on apex. S5 dark 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 acuminate.

Genitalia: gonobase 3 times wider than long; gonobase ventral arms slightly curved on apex. Gonocoxite 2 times longer than wide. Gonostylus, dorsal surface glabrous. Ventral process of gonostylus: inner lobe spatulate, slightly expanded; with tiny setae and bristles intermixed; outer lobe with short setae with length = 0.4x inner lobe size. Gonapophysis ventral prong poorly produced; dorsal bridge margin almost straight; ventral bridge absent; apodeme narrow and weakly hooked.

Distribution. This species is found in Brazil, in the states of Espírito Santo, Goiás, Paraná, Mato Grosso, Rondônia, and S„o Paulo.

Figures

FIGURE 17. Female of Augochlora foxiana Cockerell. 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.