Colletes opacicollis FRIESE , 1909

Kuhlmann, M., 2018, Lectotype designation for the South African bee Colletes opacicollis FRIESE, 1909 (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Colletidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 50 (2), pp. 1255-1258 : 1256-1258

Colletes opacicollis FRIESE, 1909

Colletes opacicollis FRIESE, 1909 – FRIESE 1909: 122-123.

Lectotype (♀) (designated here): (in handwriting): "Capland, Cradock, 92, Wartmann" / (in Friese´s handwriting): " Colletes opacicollis Fr. ♀, 1908 Friese det. " / (orange label): "Typus" / (red label): " Lectotype Colletes opacicollis Fr. ♀, M. Kuhlmann det. 2018" ( Natural History Museum , Vienna).

D i a g n o s i s: Colletes opacicollis is provisionally placed in a species-group that currently comprises C. cinctellus FRIESE , C. tulbaghensis KUHLMANN , C. zuluensis FRIESE and two undescribed species but the male or molecular data is required to identify its closest relatives. The species is most similar to C. tulbaghensis but has distinctly broader apical tergal hair bands (Figs 5-8). These broad apical tergal hair bands distinguish the female of C. opacicollis from most sub-Saharan Colletes except some species of the C. fasciatus -group ( KUHLMANN 2007) but those have a shorter T1 and a very large convex clypeus. Furthermore C. opacicollis differs from C. tulbaghensis by the following characters: head broader, clypeus more flattened and with finer punctation (Figs 2, 4), pilosity on vertex, scutum and scutellum without intermixed blackish hairs (Figs 1-4), disc of T1 with coarser punctation, punctures of variable size (smallest punctures about 1/3 the diameter of largest) (Figs 6, 8).

D e s c r i p t i o n

F e m a l e: Body length: 12.0 mm. Head distinctly wider than long (Fig. 2). Integument black, mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long yellowishwhite, erect hair, on vertex hair darker (Fig. 2). Clypeus flattened, without longitudinal median depression; supraclypeal area rectangular, large and convex in profile. Clypeus finely, evenly and densely punctate (i <0.5d); surface between punctures smooth and shiny, inconspicuous pair of apical clypeal depressions (Fig. 2). Malar area medially narrow, about 1/4 as long as width of mandible base, finely striate and matt. Antenna black, ventrally dark brown. Scutum relatively coarsely and densely but indistinctly punctate (i <0.5d), on the disc more dispersed, between punctures strongly shagreened and matt. Sculpture of scutellum like scutum. Thorax densely covered with moderately long yellowish-brown hair (Fig. 1). Wings slightly yellowish, venation brown. Legs dark reddish-brown, vestiture and scope light yellowish-white (Fig. 1). Integument of metasoma black, on T1-2 apical tergal depressions translucent reddish to yellowish, on T3-5 margin colourless transparent; T1-2 with slight oily-bluish shine (Figs 5, 6). T1 laterally with dense long, white hair, on disc pilosity rubbed off, so no information available. Disc of T2-5 densely covered with very fine, short, appressed, grey hair. Apical tergal depressions with short appressed white hair forming very broad apical hair bands (Figs 5, 6). Disc of T1 with relatively fine and dense (i = 0.5-1.0d) punctation, punctures of variable

Figs 1-4: Colletes opacicollis FRIESE ♀ (1) habitus; (2) head; C. tulbaghensis KUHLMANN ♀ (3) habitus; (4) head. Figs 5-8: Colletes opacicollis FRIESE ♀ (5) metasoma; (6) metasomal terga T1 - T2 ; C. tulbaghensis KUHLMANN ♀ (7) metasoma; (8) metasomal terga T1 - T2 .

size (smallest punctures about 1/3 the diameter of largest), between punctures smooth and shiny. On T2-5 punctation successively finer and dense (i <0.5d) (Figs 5, 6). Terga apically slightly depressed, depression superficially shagreened and finely punctate.

M a l e: Unknown.

R e m a r k s: The lectotype is in reasonably good condition: right antenna and left hind wing are missing, lower half of left mid femur apparently eaten away by Anthrenus, metasoma glued back to mesosoma and hair on disc of T1 rubbed off.