Megachile (Litomegachile) droegei Sheffield & Genaro, 2013

Sheffield, Cory S. & Genaro, Julio A., 2013, A new species of Megachile (Litomegachile) from Cuba, the Antilles (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Journal of Melittology 2013 (19), pp. 1-17 : 4-9

Megachile (Litomegachile) droegei Sheffield & Genaro , new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1EA1AB80-D000-491B-B872-3D8001739123

( Figs. 2 , 3a , 4–5 )

DIAGNOSIS: Megachile droegei can be distinguished from other members of the subgenus Litomegachile by the yellowish pubescence on most of the body in both sexes ( Figs. 2 , 4 ), including the distinct yellowish tomentose area at the junction of the mesoscutum and mesoscutellum ( Figs. 2c , 4c ), and the basal concavity of T1 dull, with fine, appressed yellow pubescence ( Fig. 3a ). All other Litomegachile have whitish pubescence, and the surface of the basal concavity of T1 relatively shiny with long, sparse erect pubescence ( Fig. 3b ). The female of M. droegei can be further distinguished from other members of the subgenus Litomegachile by the combination of the following characters: mandible without angulation between the 3 rd and 4 th (inner) teeth, and the scopa with black hairs on S6 ( Fig. 2a ). It is most similar to M. pseudobrevis , M. onobrychidis , and M. brevis ; females of these species have mostly whitish pubescence and lack, or have scarcely visible tomentum at the junction of the mesoscutum and mesoscutellum; M. brevis has mostly pale scopal hairs on S6. Males of M. droegei can be further distinguished from other members of the brevis -group by having T6 without pale tomentum. They are most similar to M. onobrychidis which lacks the thin appressed pubescence and the dull surface of the basal concavity of T1.

DESCRIPTION: ♀: Length: 9.4–10.8 mm. Forewing length: 6.6–7.5 mm. Head width 3.9–4.2 mm; head length 3.0– 3.2 mm ( Fig. 2b ). Intertegular distance 2.6–2.8 mm; distance between outer margins of tegulae 3.5–3.8 mm.

Color. Integument black, except antennal flagellum, tegula and tibial spurs dark brown, apical edges of S2–S5 thinly hyaline (<MOD); wings subhyaline, veins dark brown to black.

Structure. Compound eyes convergent below ( Fig. 2b ); lateral ocelli slightly nearer edge of vertex than to compound eye (3.5:4); mandible distinctly 4-dentate, with an incomplete cutting edge between the 2 nd and 3 rd teeth, complete cutting edge between 3 rd and 4 th teeth; clypeal margin smooth, entire; gena narrower than compound eye in profile (3:5). F1 as long as broad, subequal in length to pedicel and F2, individually, F2 quadrate, F3–F9 longer than broad (5:4), apical flagellomere more elongate, almost twice as long as broad. T2 and T3 with postgradular grooves deep, grooves on T4 and T5 shallower but distinct, basal depressions carinate, apical margins of T2–T5 depressed laterally, very slightly so medially, T6 concave in profile ( Fig. 2a ).

Surface sculpture. Face with punctures fine and close, rather shallow on gena, deeper but rather fine and very close on vertex medially, more irregularly sized but still close on vertex laterally, quite coarse on clypeus, close laterally, more distinct medially and on supraclypeal area, with apical edge of clypeus shiny and impunctate. Mesoscutum with punctures deep, but rather fine and uniformly close, finer and close over most of mesoscutellum and pleura above, becoming rather coarse and slightly separated on pleura below, with distinct shiny interspaces; tegula finely and closely punctate throughout; propodeum with shallow, fine punctures with i=0.5-1pd; triangle dull, smooth and impunctate. Metasoma with punctures fine, minute and very close on T2, larger but still close (i<1pd) on T3–T5, becoming somewhat more sparse (i=1pd) basal to depression, fine and densely crowded on T6, becoming finely subrugose apically; basal sterna with punctures coarse and close, becoming slightly more separated on apical sterna, quite sparse on S6.

Pubescence. Mostly yellow on body; hairs dark, short and sparse on vertex laterally, sparse and somewhat yellowish-brown over most of clypeus and supraclypeal area, becoming dense and entirely yellow on face around bases of antennae; mesoscutum sparsely pubescent, with short erect dark hairs visible in anterior half, long, dense and yellow at periphery, becoming somewhat paler on mesosoma ventrally, distinctly tomentose at mesoscutal-mesoscutellar suture, with two thin rows of posteriorly converging hairs on anterior half of mesoscutum ( Fig. 2c ). T3–T5 with dark, erect hairs basal to pale apical fasciae; T6 entire dark pubescent; T1 with very thin, subappressed plumose hairs on anterior surface. S2–S5 with scopa pale yellow to white, black apicolaterally on S5, black on S6 ( Fig. 2a ).

♂: Length: 8.0– 9.1 mm. Forewing length: 6.0– 6.4 mm. Head width 3.5–3.8 mm; head length 2.6–2.8 mm ( Fig. 4b ). Intertegular distance 2.4–2.7 mm; distance between outer margins of tegulae 3.2–3.5 mm.

Color. Integument black, flagellum reddish-brown beneath, tegula and apical tarsomere dark brown, spurs dark yellowish-brown, apical edge of S2–S5 hyaline (1 MOD); wings subhyaline, veins dark brown to black.

Structure. Compound eyes convergent below ( Fig. 4b ); lateral ocelli as near to compound eye as to edge of vertex; mandible 3-dentate, lower process of mandible slender, acute, subbasal in position; clypeal margin shiny and impunctate, broadly and shallowly emarginated medially; gena narrower than compound eye (3:5). F1 as long as broad, subequal in length to pedicel, slightly shorter than F2, F2 quadrate, F3–F8 longer than broad (5:4), apical segments more so (3:2), apical flagellomere more elongate, almost twice as long as broad. Front coxal spine short, distinct, longer than broad, subacute. T2 and T3 with deep postgradular grooves, grooves shallower but distinct on T4 and T5, basal depressions subcarinate; apical margins of T2–T5 slightly depressed laterally, very slightly so medially; T6 vertical in position, preapical carina conspicuous with rather deep, semicircular median emargination, finely and irregularly denticulate on each side, median carinate teeth of apical margin of segment rounded, equidistant to each other as to small lateral acute teeth; T7 visible, subtriangular, much broader than long, pointed medially. S4 with apical margin slightly emarginate medially; S5 with pregradular area very thin medially, postgradular area broadly rounded to subtruncate basally, apical rim laterally produced ( Fig. 5c ); S6 with apical lobe produced medially, with lateral edges acutely angulate, postgradular setal patch contiguous ( Fig. 5b ); S8 with lateral edges subparallel medially, evenly rounded apically ( Fig. 5a ). Genitalia with gonocoxite not protuberant at base, constricted above it; gonostylus unmodified, evenly rounded and slightly outcurved apically ( Figs. 5d, 5e ).

Surface sculpture. Face with punctures fine and close, rather shallow on gena, deeper and rather fine and close on vertex medially, more irregular sized but still close on vertex laterally, quite coarse but close on clypeus, becoming finer and closer in apical half, fine and close on supraclypeal area, apical edge of clypeus shiny and impunctate. Mesoscutum with punctures deep, rather fine and uniformly close, finer and close over most of mesoscutellum and on pleura above, becoming rather coarse and slightly separated on pleura below, with distinct shiny interspaces; tegula finely and closely punctate throughout; propodeum with shallow, fine punctures with i=0.5– 1pd; triangle dull, smooth and impunctate. Metasoma with punctures fine over most of surface, minute and very close on T2, larger but still close (i<1pd) on T3, larger and more elongate on T4–T5 with shiny i≤1pd, fine and densely crowded on T6; S1–S2 with punctures coarse and well-spaced (i=1–2pd), becoming more sparse (i=3–4pd) on S3–S4.

Pubescence. Mostly pale yellow on body; dense and entirely yellow on face below level of median ocellus; mesoscutum sparsely pale pubescent, especially in posterior half, becoming long, dense and yellow at periphery, somewhat paler on mesosoma ventrally, thick subappressed pubescence at mesoscutal-mesoscutellar suture ( Fig. 4c ). T3–T5 with some dark, erect hairs basal to pale apical fasciae, T6 with sparse, erect dark hairs and very thin, scarcely visible pale tomentum; T1 with very thin, subappressed plumose hairs on anterior surface.

HOLOTYPE: ♀ ( Fig. 2 ), CUBA: Guantánamo Bay , 19.9521N 75.0916W, 8-9 May 2010 (S Brady) [ USGS-DRO 169904 // BeeBOL, CCDB-12076 C12, BEECF701-11 [DNA barcode accession #s:] [deposited in the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC].

ALLOTYPE: ♂, CUBA: GTMO [Guantánamo], 19.9291N 75.1162W, 9 Nov 2010 (SW Droege) [ USGS-DRO 192513 ; DNA barcode accession #s: CCDB-12076 D07, BEECF708-11 ] [deposited in the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History , Washington, DC].

PARATYPES: 1♀, CUBA: GTMO [Guantánamo], 19.9053N 75.1637W, 10 Nov 2010 (S Brady) [ USGS-DRO 192844 ; DNA barcode accession #s: CCDB-12076 D03, BEECF704-11 ] ; 1♀, CUBA: Guantánamo Bay , 19.9156N 75.1475W, 12 Jun 2011 (SW Droege) [ USGS-DRO 289154 ] ; 1♀, CUBA: Guantánamo Bay , 19.99172N 75.1016W, 11 Jun 2011 (SW Droege) [ USGS-DRO 289194 ] ; 1♂, CUBA: Guantánamo Bay , 19.8922N 75.1692W, 10 Jun 2011 (SW Droege) [ USGS-DRO 216462 ] [deposited in the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC] .

2♀♀, CUBA: Guantánamo Bay , 19.9521N 75.0916W, 8-9 May 2010 (S Brady) [ USGS-DRO 169923 , DNA barcode accession #s: CCDB-12076 D01, BEECF702-11 ], [ USGS-DRO 169912 , DNA barcode accession #s: CCDB-12076 D02, BEECF703-11 ] ; 1♂, CUBA, GTMO [Guantánamo], 19.9291N 75.1162W, 9 Nov 2010 (SW Droege) [ USGS-DRO 192476 , DNA barcode accession #s: CCDB-12076 D05, BEECF706-11 ] [deposited in the American Museum of Natural History , New York, NY] .

1♀, CUBA: Guantánamo Bay , 19.9521N 75.0916W, 8-9 May 2010 (S Brady) [ USGS-DRO 169913 ; DNA barcode accession #s: CCDB-12076 D04, BEECF705-11 ] ; 1♂, CUBA: Guantánamo Bay , 19.923N 75.1027W, 9 Jun 2011 (SW Droege) [ USGS-DRO 288745 ] [deposited in the USDA Bee Biology and Systematics Lab, Logan, UT] .

1♀, CUBA: Guantánamo Bay , 19.9183N 75.162W, 12 Jun 2011 (SW Droege) [ USGS-DRO 288803 ] ; 1♂, CUBA: GTMO [Guantánamo], 19.9291N 75.1162W, 9 Nov 2010 (SW Droege) [ USGS-DRO 192467 , DNA barcode accession #s: CCDB-12076 D06, BEECF707-11 ] [deposited in the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Regina, SK, Canada] .

DISTRIBUTION: Megachile droegei is known only from the Guantánamo Bay area of Cuba ( Fig. 1 ). Specimen data available at http://dx.doi.org/10.5886/5fgt2a9k.

COMMENTS: The species is bi-voltine/multi-voltine as it has been collected in May/ June and November.

ETYMOLOGY: It is our pleasure to name this species after Sam Droege, United States Geological Survey, for his outstanding efforts to promote and disseminate knowledge of bees.

Figures

Figure 1. Cuba. a. Map of the island of Cuba (Google Earth); red arrow showing Guantánamo Bay area. b, c. Habitat views of the type locality for Megachile (Litomegachile) droegei, new species (photographs courtesy Sam Droege).

Figure 2. Megachile (Litomegachile) droegei, new species, female. a. Lateral. b. Face. c. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum; anterior arrow shows lines of thin, yellow pubescence; posterior arrow shows tomentum at suture.

Figure 3. Basal concavity of T1 of female. a. Megachile (Litomegachile) droegei, new species, with a dull surface and fine, appressed yellow pubescence. b. M. (L.) mendica Cresson, with the surface of the concavity relatively shiny with long, sparse erect pubescence.

Figure 4. Megachile (Litomegachile) droegei, new species, male. a. Lateral. b. Face. c. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum; arrow shows tomentum at suture.

Figure 5. Hidden sterna and genitalia of Megachile (Litomegachile) droegei, new species, male. a. Ster- num 8 (S8). b. Sternum 6 (S6). c. Sternum 5 (S5). d. Genitalia, dorsal. e. Genitalia, ventral.