Liotrigona baleensis Pauly & Hora, 1787

Pauly, Alain & Hora, Zewdu Ararso, 1787, Apini and Meliponini from Ethiopia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae: Apinae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 16, pp. 1-35 : 21-23

Liotrigona baleensis Pauly & Hora sp. nov.

(Figs 21-23)

DIAGNOSE. Similar to L. bottegoi but setae of scutum longer, especially on the anterior margin, punctuation of scutum relatively stronger and intermediate legs darker.

DESCRIPTION. Body lenght 2,5-3 mm. Black. Fore legs orange, mid legs mostly dark brown, hind legs dark brown (Fig. 21b). Head covered with with grey, ramified and scale like setae (Fig. 21c). Scutum moderatly punctuate (Fig. 21d). Head L/l = 0.88 (Fig. 21c).

MATERIAL.

Holotype worker: ETHIOPIA, OROMIA Region, South of Bale Mountains, Sof’Omar , 6°13'06"N 39°46'18"E, 31.I.2011, Aloe berhana , leg. GTI project ( RBINS).

Paratypes: idem holotype, 4 workers ( RBINS, HBRC) .

Material identified. The following specimens are perhaps of the same species but not considered as paratypes as they occurs in a distant country. D.R. CONGO. Katanga, Tenke , 30.VII-3.VIII.1931, 2D, leg. T.D. Cockerell ( RMCAT) . – Katanga, Kakungwe , 27.v.1924, 1D, leg. Ch. Seydel ( RMCAT) . - Elzboike , 11.IX.1931, 1D, leg. J.Ogilvie ( RMCAT) . - Lulua , 1929, 1D leg. Dr. Walker ( RMCAT) .

a - dorsal habitus b - lateral habitus

c - head d - scutum and scutellum

Fig. 21. Liotrigona baleensis sp. nov., holotype and paratype from Sof’Omar.

a - Distribution in Africa b - Distribution in Ethiopia

Fig. 23. Distribution maps of Liotrigona baleensis .