Epeolus ferrarii, Onuferko, Thomas M., 2018

Onuferko, Thomas M., 2018, A revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Epeolus Latreille for Nearctic species, north of Mexico (Hymenoptera, Apidae), ZooKeys 755, pp. 1-185 : 70-75

21. Epeolus ferrarii sp. n. Figs 45, 46

Diagnosis.

The following morphological features in combination (excluding any that are specific to the opposite sex of the one being diagnosed) can be used to tell E. ferrarii apart from all other North American Epeolus except E. canadensis and E. compactus : in females, F2 is at least 1.2 × as long as wide; the mesoscutum has a small anteromedial patch of pale tomentum; the axilla is small to intermediate in size, not extending much beyond the midlength of the mesoscutellum (extending to <2/3 its length) but the free portion is more than 1/4 as long as the entire medial length of the axilla, and the axilla (except sometimes the tip) and mesoscutellum are black; the mesopleuron is closely (most i<1d) and evenly punctate; and the T2 fascia lacks lobe-like anterolateral extensions of tomentum, although it is broader laterally. Epeolus ferrarii is most similar to E. compactus , and in both species the T1 discal patch is typically quadrangular with the basal and apical fasciae subparallel and separated by a distinct longitudinal band, but in E. compactus the T2-T4 fasciae are not evenly broad or tapering until separated medially (as in E. ferrarii ) but broadened medially into rounded lobes, which may be joined or separated. Epeolus canadensis differs from both species in that the T1 discal patch is distinctly triangular or semicircular (the basal fascia is conspicuously arched and fully continuous with the longitudinal band) and its medial longitudinal extent is more than 1/3 the lateral extent. In E. ferrarii the discal patch may be trapezoidal or almost semicircular, but if at all semicircular its medial longitudinal extent is at most 1/3 the lateral extent and the basal fascia and longitudinal band are at least joined at somewhat of an angle.

Description.

MALE: Length 7.1 mm; head length 1.9 mm; head width 2.6 mm; fore wing length 6.0 mm.

Integument coloration. Mostly black; notable exceptions as follows: partially to entirely ferruginous on mandible, antenna, pronotal lobe, tegula, legs, and pygidial plate. Mandible with apex and preapical tooth darker than all but basal quarter. Antenna brown except F1 extensively orange. Pronotal lobe and tegula pale ferruginous to amber. Wing membrane subhyaline, apically dusky. Legs from tibia to tarsus extensively reddish orange. Pygidial plate orange along apical margin, otherwise dark brown.

Pubescence. Face with tomentum densest around antennal socket. Tomentum slightly sparser on clypeus; upper paraocular and frontal areas, and vertexal area mostly exposed. Dorsum of mesosoma and metasoma with bands of off-white to pale yellow short appressed setae. Mesoscutum with anteromedial horseshoe-shaped patch of pale tomentum. Mesopleuron densely hairy, except for two sparsely hairy circular patches (one behind pronotal lobe, a larger one occupying much of ventrolateral half of mesopleuron). Metanotum with tomentum uninterrupted, pale yellow laterally and black medially. T1 with median elliptical verging on semicircular discal patch. T1-T3 with apical fasciae medially interrupted, narrowed (broader laterally), and removed from apical margin; T2 with fascia without anterolateral extensions of tomentum. T4-T6 with fasciae complete, those of T4 and T5 somewhat narrowed medially. S4 and S5 with long coppery to silvery subapical hairs, which individually are often darker apically.

Surface sculpture. Punctures dense. Labrum with larger punctures than clypeus, but punctures of both equally dense (i≤1d). Small impunctate shiny spot lateral to lateral ocellus. Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, and axilla coarsely and densely rugose-punctate. Tegula very densely punctate mesally (i<1d), less so laterally (i=1-2d). Mesopleuron with ventrolateral half coarsely and densely punctate (i<1d) to rugose; mesopleuron with punctures more or less equally dense throughout (only few i=1d ventrolaterally). Metasomal terga with punctures very fine, dense (i≈1d), evenly distributed on disc.

Structure. Labral apex with pair of small denticles, each preceded by longitudinal carina. Frontal keel not strongly raised. Scape with greatest length 1.8 × greatest width. F2 as long as wide (L/W ratio = 1.0). Preoccipital ridge not joining hypostomal carina, from which it is separated by about 1.5 MOD at its terminal (difficult to see in holotype; described from paratypes). Mesoscutellum weakly bigibbous. Axilla small to intermediate in size, its lateral margin (L) less than half as long as mesoscutellar width (W) (L/W ratio = 0.4) and tip not extending much beyond midlength of mesoscutellum (extending to <2/3 its length); axilla with tip clearly visible, but unattached to mesoscutellum for less than 2/5 the medial length of axilla; axilla with lateral margin relatively straight and without carina. Fore wing with three submarginal cells. Pygidial plate apically rounded, with large deep punctures closely clustered medially and sparser laterally, with the interspaces shining.

FEMALE: Description as for male except for usual secondary sexual characters and as follows: F2 slightly but not noticeably longer than wide (L/W ratio = 1.1); T5 with large, nearly continuous patch of pale tomentum bordering and separate from pseudopygidial area present only in female; T5 with pseudopygidial area lunate, its apex more than twice as wide as medial length, indicated by silvery setae on impressed disc of apicomedial region elevated from rest of tergum; S4 and S5 with much shorter hairs (S5 with apical fimbria of coppery to silvery hairs extending beyond apex of sternum by ~1/3 MOD); pygidial plate apically truncate, with small, denser punctures.

Etymology.

This species is named in honor of my colleague, Rafael Ferrari, with whom I collected this species in Southwestern New Mexico, USA.

Distribution.

Arizona and New Mexico to southeastern Mexico (Fig. 46).

Ecology.

HOST RECORDS: The host species of E. ferrarii is/are presently unknown.

FLORAL RECORDS: Labels of examined voucher specimens indicate a floral association with Melilotus albus .

Discussion.

Epeolus ferrarii is a cryptic species that most closely resembles E. canadensis and E. compactus , and can only be differentiated from these two species on the basis of very subtle differences in the patterns of pubescence on the metasomal terga. Its status as a separate species is supported by a separate BIN, but unusually its nearest neighbor is E. splendidus (a very different species, although presumably in the same species group), from which E. ferrarii exhibits a large barcode sequence divergence (3.9%). Although most species of Epeolus were described from a female name-bearing type, a male specimen is designated as the holotype of E. ferrarii because a barcode-compliant sequence is associated with it and because the collection locality is more precise than for the available female specimens, one of which is herein designated as the allotype.

Material studied.

Type material. Primary: USA: New Mexico: 47 km S Animas (31.5438°N; 108.8757°W) (Co Rd C001), 30.viii.2015, R. Ferrari and T.M. Onuferko (holotype ♂ [CCDB-24583 H08], PCYU).

Secondary: Guatemala: Zacapa: San Lorenzo, xi.1986, M. Sharkey (paratype ♂, CNC).

Mexico: Chiapas: Yerbabuena (20 mi N Bochil), 21.v.1969, W.R.M. Mason (paratype ♂, CNC); Hidalgo: 2 mi N Pachuca, 24.viii.1962, M.G. Naumann (paratype ♀, KUNHM); Nuevo León: Cola de Caballo, 20.vi.1976, D. Weems (paratype ♂, FSCA); Puebla: 5 mi NE Teziutlán, 20.vi.1961, Univ. Kans. Mex. Expedition (paratype ♀, KUNHM); Veracruz: 10 km N Coscomatepec, 09.vii.1974, J.A. Chemsak, E. and J. Linsley, and J. Powell (paratype ♀, EMEC).

USA: Arizona: Southwestern Research Station (5 mi W Portal, Cochise County), 01.viii.1956, C. and M. Cazier (paratype ♀, AMNH), 02.viii.1956, C. and M. Cazier (paratype ♀, AMNH); New Mexico: 47 km S Animas (31.5438°N; 108.8757°W) (Co Rd C001), 30.viii.2015, R. Ferrari and T.M. Onuferko (paratypes 2♂ (1 barcoded [CCDB-24580 G07]), PCYU), 30.viii.2015, C. Parsons (paratype ♂, PCYU); 5 mi N Alamogordo (Otero County), 24.iv.1965, O.W. Richards (paratype ♀, NHMUK); Granite Gap (18 mi N Rodeo, Hidalgo County), 07.ix.1976, R.M. Bohart (allotype ♀, UCBME), 07.ix.1976, R.M. Bohart (paratypes 1♀, 1♂, UCBME); Texas: 23 mi W Fort Davis, 01.vi.1959, W.R.M. Mason (paratype ♀, CNC); Big Bend National Park, 04.vi.1970, C.W. O’Brien (paratype ♀, LACM); Grapevine Spring (Big Bend National Park), 20.v.1959, W.R.M. Mason (paratype ♀, CNC); Dugout Wells (Big Bend National Park), 22.v.1959, J.F. McAlpine (paratypes 3♀, CNC); Sanderson, 28-29.iv.1959, W.R.M. Mason (paratype ♀, CNC).

DNA barcoded material with BIN-compliant sequences.

Available. BOLD:ADD6263. See Type material for specimens examined and sequenced (indicated by unique CCDB-plate and well number).