Mexalictus (Mexalictus) laurencei Dumesh, 2013

DUMESH, SHEILA, 2013, <p> <strong> Revision of the rare Mesoamerican bee genus <em> Mexalictus </ em> (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) with the description of </ strong> <br /> <strong> 21 new species </ strong> </ p>, Zootaxa 3708 (1), pp. 1-80 : 37-39

Mexalictus (Mexalictus) laurencei Dumesh , new species

( Figs. 122–125 )

Holotype. Male. MEXICO, Jalisco, Volcan Colima, north road, 1960.736 N 10356.980 W, 2700m, 7.x.2008, L. Packer [ PCYU]; barcode accession number 03763H05-MEX..

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from others by the following combination: gena large and posteriorly striate; supraclypeal area medioapically impunctate; 1 st recurrent vein entering 2 nd submarginal cell 1–2 vein widths from apex. This species is similar to M. genalis but differs in the presence of posterior striation of the gena, vertexal area densely punctate, striation on dorsal surface metapostnotum fine, obvious laterally and obscure centrally.

Description. Female: unknown.

Male (Holotype): Body length 7.9–8.0, wing length 5.7–6.0mm, head width 1.65–1.7mm, ITW 1.0– 1.05mm. Head and mesosoma metallic dark green, pubescence pale, whitish. Head: slightly elongate, L:W = 1.05–1.08:1; pubescence yellowish on head and vertex anteriorly. (1) Labrum and mandible: dark brown, basal area of mandible dark brown, mandible red apically; with subrectangular basal area, medial length equal to half of width, flattened basal elevation, raised apical lobe, narrow triangular distal process. (2) Clypeus: shiny, apical margin dark brown; slightly longer than supraclypeal area, extending about 0.95X its length below lower eye margin, weakly convex in lateral view, protuberance about equal to supraclypeal area. Punctures separated by 1pd basally, less dense apically. (3) Supraclypeal area: as wide as to slightly wider than long, largest width subequal to length from upper clypeal margin to lower margin of antennal sockets; weakly granular, slightly shiny centrally; convex, slightly protuberant, punctation dense basally and laterally, sparse medially, lateral areas with punctures separated by 1–2pd, central area with punctures scattered, slightly dulled between antennal sockets. (4) Lower paraocular area: shiny, becoming slightly dull towards supraclypeal area; punctures separated by 1pd becoming slightly sparser laterad to supraclypeal area; paraocular lobe finely and evenly punctate, punctures separated by 2–3pd. (5) Frontal area: frontal line carinate between antennae, slightly distinct above antennal sockets, with visible line continuing up to medial ocellus, shiny impunctate triangle nearly absent; compound eye more convex below than above; punctation coarse and crowded above antennae. (6) Vertexal area: shiny, with weak transverse depression; IOD = 1.7MOD, OOD = 1.6MOD, OVD = 1MOD; larger punctures separated by 2pd, smaller punctures closely spaced; punctuation more dense near eyes. (7) Genal and hypostomal areas: genal area narrower than eye in lateral view, about 0.75X, granular. (8) Antenna: dark brown, flagellum weakly reddish ventrally, scape, pedicel, and F1–F3 appearing darker than F4–F10; scape reaching posterior median ocellus, pedicel slightly longer than wide, F2 and F3 subequal in size, both wider than long and shorter than F1, flagellomeres slightly increasing in length distally, F10 longer than wide. Mesosoma: metallic reflections absent, (9) Pronotum: smooth, nearly impunctate, shiny; posterodorsal margin of pronotum with complete band of hairs, including pronotal lobe which is densely outlined. (10) Mesoscutum: weakly dulled throughout; densely and slightly coarsely punctate along margins and admedian line; punctures of 2 sizes, larger punctures deep, separated by 2–4pd, smaller punctures shallow and more dense, mostly on lateral and apical surfaces of mesoscutum. (11) Mesoscutellum: basally shiny with apical dulled; punctation similar to those of mesoscutum, large punctures very sparse, small punctures most dense apically and along medial line; with a medial carinate line raised, extending to apical. (12) Metanotum: entirely dulled, with sparse punctures similar in diameter to those of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum. (13) Mesopleuron: obscurely punctate, not shiny or very weakly shiny, granular, with punctuation sparse to absent; hypoepimeral area and central episternum mostly impunctate, smooth. (14) Metapleuron: transversely striate basally, otherwise weakly granular and somewhat shiny. (15) Metapostnotum and propodeum: length of metapostnotum slightly larger than apical width, apically angulate, dorsally bare, strongly granular basally with fine longitudinal striation extending farther basally, weak or absent medially; propodeum laterally and posteriorly granular, weakly shiny. (16) Wings: clear, veins and stigma brown, membrane slightly infuscate; first recurrent vein meeting at or 1 vein width basad of second transcubital vein; second submarginal cell with anterior margin length of posterior margin. (17) Tegula: dark brown; punctate anteriorly, with few long branched hairs distally, posteriorly transparent, with hyaline, dull anterior margin. (18) Foreleg: dark brown; hairs pale golden on tarsi, metafemoral brush and anterior tibia; coxa, trochanter, and femur with branching shorter erect hairs; pubescence on tibia and basitarsus dense, hairs long, not branched. (19) Middle leg: as foreleg, hairs brownish on outer surfaces of tibia and basitarsus as well as basitibial plate; tibia with lateral patch of pale, long and dense pubescence on apical 2/3. (20) Hind leg: as middle leg, coxa and trochanter with long, branching, pale pubescence; femoral scopa well formed with long branching hairs; tibia densely pubescent, hairs long and erect; basitarsus with several branched hairs, pubescence less dense than on tibia; femur 3X as long as greatest width; tibia 4X as long as greatest width; basitarsus 3.5X as long as greatest width; tibial spurs translucent yellow, apically darkened; inner hind tibial spur curved, rather coarsely serrate with 8 blunt teeth apically, laterally darkened. Metasoma: reflections on metasomal terga weak to absent, (21) Terga: brown apically; basal regions punctate, apical regions nearly impunctate; purple-black basally, T1 entirely shiny and polished, sometimes with a horizontal medial dulled area; T2–T5 with apical regions shiny and polished, basal regions dulled and somewhat rough in appearance; metallic reflections mostly evident on T3–T5, more distinct posteriorly; pubescence pale on T1–T4, darker on T5, reddish to dark brown apical and pseudopygidial area; hairs long and sparse on anterior surface of T1, short dorsally, and absent between dorsal and lateral surfaces, hairs longer apically on premarginal areas of T2–T4, longer apically than basally; posterior marginal areas with fine plumose hairs directed laterally; T1 smooth and shiny, branching pubescence present laterally and anteriorly; T2 relatively bare with short, erect pubescence; T3 least shiny, sparse erect hairs, longer pubescence along midline, about 3 X as long as other pubescence; T4 bearing only long branched pubescence, apical impressed areas translucent; T5 with dense pubescence, branched hairs longer than unbranched; black anteriorly, golden posteriorly. (22) Sterna: ventral hairs long, plumose and pale, brownish on anterior surface of S5–S6, long pubescence on S1 near crossing with mesosoma; S2–S4 largest segments. (23) Terminalia: see Figs. 124 and 125 .

Material examined. MEXICO, Jalisco, Volcan Colima, north road, 1960.736 N 10356.980 W, 2700m, 7.x.2008, L. Packer (holotype male [ PCYU], barcode label 03763H05- MEX).

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Laurence Packer, the collector of the sole specimen of this species, for his support throughout this study.

Figures

FIGURES 122–125. Mexalictus laurencei Dumesh, n. sp., 122. Male lateral habitus, 123. Male head, 124. Male genital capsule, dorsal view, 125. Male genital capsule, ventral view. Scale bars = 1mm.