Neocorynura pseudobaccha (Cockerell, 1901)

Smith-Pardo, Allan H., 2010, Taxonomic review of the species of Neocorynura (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini) inhabiting Argentina and Paraguay, Zootaxa 2507, pp. 44-68 : 56-59

Neocorynura pseudobaccha (Cockerell, 1901)

( Figs. 5 , 8 )

Corynura pseudobaccha Cockerell, 1901: 219

Neocorynura pseudobaccha ; Moure & Hurd, 1987: 226 (taxonomic position as Neocorynura ).

Comments. Traditionally, Neocorynura pseudobaccha has been considered as a synonym of N. jucunda ( Smith, 1879) by several authors, including some of the most current catalogs on bees ( Moure 2007). Moure and Hurd (1987) recognized the species N. pseudobaccha and placed Neocorynura jucunda ( Cacosoma jucundum Smith, 1879 ) as synonym because, according to these authors, the name Cacosoma jucundum Smith, 1879 became a junior secondary homonym of Halictus jucundus Smith, 1853 when it was transferred to Halictus by Ducke in 1906. Halictus is in a different tribe and other authors have not placed jucundum Smith, 1979 in that genus. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN 1999), Art. 5.9.3 is somewhat subjective as to usage, but the name “ jucundum Smith, 1879 ” appears to be valid and available (as “ jucunda ”) for the Neocorynura .

After revising the holotypes of the two names, I believe that N. pseudobaccha should be considered a separate species from N. jucunda , because there are several important differences in the external morphology, in addition to significant differences in the male genitalia and in distribution. Based on this evidence, I propose herein to resurrect the name N. pseudobaccha (Cockerell, 1901) and to recognize it as a separate species from N. jucunda ( Smith, 1879) .

Diagnosis. Females of Neocorynura pseudobaccha can be easily recognized by their particular color pattern: head and mesosoma metallic green and metasoma metallic reddish orange. This species can be distinguished by from N. gaucha by its clypeus mostly smooth; the margins of pronotum sharp and lamellate forming a pointed angle; and the base of propodeum areolate medially and sulcate on the sides. Males of N. pseudobaccha differ from males of N. jucunda in the length of T1 (three times as long as wide in the former and only twice in the latter), the absence of metallic bands at the bases of T2 and T 4 in the N. pseudobaccha (present in N. jucunda ) and the integument of T3 densely punctate in N. pseudobaccha (punctures separated by less than 1PD in between) and more sparsely punctate in N. jucunda (punctures separated by more than 1PD in between).

Female. Body length 9.7 mm; forewing length 6.1 mm. Head width 2.0 mm, length 1.8 mm. F1 as long as F2. Paraocular lobe semi-obtuse (≈120°). Mesoscutum slightly wider than long; metanotum more than half length of mesoscutellum. Mesotibial spur serrate and more than half length of mesobasitarsus; inner metatibial spur pectinate with 5 teeth, the last two slightly fused. Marginal cell semi-truncate; 1m-cu separate from 1rs-m; 2m-cu basad 2rs-m by a vein width; first submarginal cell longer than combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells; second submarginal rectangular; anterior border of second submarginal cell as long as anterior border of third submarginal cell; pterostigma large, margin in marginal cell convex; hamuli spaced 3-1-1-2 along anterior margin of hind wing. Basal area of propodeum mostly rugose, sulcate laterally, and integument between sulci imbricate. Metasoma semi-petiolate (slightly longer than wide).

Labrum slightly striate, with small, more or less narrow central process. Clypeus imbricate along margins, smooth elsewhere, with very coarse punctures separated by less than PD; supraclypeal area imbricate with punctures smaller and widely distributed; subantennal and lower ocular areas imbricate; frons and remainder of face with more numerous punctures, integument between punctures slightly imbricate; vertex sculptured as frons; gena and postgena smooth with small, faint punctures and striate. Scape imbricate, with minute punctures separately by about 4 PD. Pronotum mostly smooth; propleura striate and imbricate. Mesoscutum densely punctate, punctures coarse and separated by less than 1 PD, integument between punctures smooth; mesoscutellum smooth and punctate, punctures of different diameter. Metanotum smooth, densely punctate, punctures small. Metanotum smooth, densely punctate, more so than mesoscutellum; mesopleura strongly punctate, punctures twice as wide as those on mesoscutellum, integument between punctures smooth. Tegula faintly imbricate. Basal area of propodeum striate and imbricate in between.

Mandible dark brown, tip hyaline. Labrum dark brown; clypeus mostly metallic green with anterior margin dark brown; remainder of head metallic green with yellowish reflections. Mesosoma metallic green. Legs mostly light brown. Metasoma mostly metallic orange-red, except T1, with a basal area metallic green; base and lateral regions of T2–T3 metallic yellow; T4 metallic red, and posterior margins metallic yellow; T5 brown with metallic reflections.

Mandible with brown, unbranched setae, 0.5–1.5 OD in length, scattered. Labrum mostly bare with a row of coarse, brown, unbranched setae along anterior margin. Clypeus with light brown, poorly branched setae, minute—1.0 OD in length, sparsely distributed. Supraclypeal area as on clypeus, except setae shorter (maximum length 0.5 OD); subantennal area and frons with white to light brown, branched setae, 0.5–1.0 OD in length more or less densely distributed and with some sparse, coarse and poorly branched setae 1.0–1.5 OD in length among the white ones. Scape mostly with minute brown, poorly branched setae sparsely distributed, few longer setae (0.5–1.0 OD) close to scape base. Vertex as on frons, except for some coarse, brown setae sparsely distributed; gena with minute, white setae densely distributed close to compound eyes, more sparsely elsewhere; postgena with white, branched setae, 1.0–2.0 OD in length scattered. Pronotum densely covered with minute, whitish setae with some coarse, light brown and branched setae along pronotal carina.

Mesoscutum with minute, brown setae densely distributed. Mesoscutellum with minute, light brown setae scattered and with some coarser, darker, poorly branched setae, 0.5–2.0 OD in length sparsely distributed between the white setae. Metanotum more densely covered with minute, light brown setae and with longer (0.5–1.5 OD), branched setae, mostly along sides. Base of propodeum mostly bare, rest of surface with minute, white setae, densely distributed on posterior sides, longer setae (1.0 OD) close to spiracles. Proepisternum and mesepisternum with coarse, light to dark brown setae, 1.0–2.0 OD in length, scattered among minute, whitish setae; metepisternum densely covered with minute, brown setae with long (2.0–3.0 OD in length) scattered among minute ones. Procoxa with coarse, light brown setae, poorly branched, and 1.0–1.5 OD in length scattered among minute, light brown ones; protrochanter mostly bare but with some coarse, light brown, unbranched setae, 1.0–3.0 OD in length along posterior margin mixed with some minute, light brown setae; profemur with outer side mostly covered with light brown, poorly branched setae, sparsely distributed and 0.5–2.0 OD in length (longer ones close to trochanter), inner surface more densely covered with minute, whitish setae; protibia with outer side mostly covered with minute light brown setae, densely distributed, inner surface more densely covered with longer setae (minute—1.0 OD); tarsi as in protibia; mesocoxa covered with minute, whitish setae, with few coarse, light brown, unbranched setae, 1.0–1.5 OD in length close to articulation with mesotrochanter; mesotrochanter with light to dark brown, unbranched setae, 1.0–1.5 OD in length mixed with some minute, light brown setae; mesofemur inner side with coarse, light brown setae, 0.5 OD in length and densely distributed in anterior angle and forming a patch, rest of surface with coarse, dark brown, poorly branched setae, minute—2.0 OD in length, sparsely distributed; mesotibia densely covered with unbranched setae, minute—0.5 OD in length, those on posterior margin dark brown on base and white on tip; mesotarsi as protarsi; metacoxae as procoxae, except setae more abundant; metatrochanter more or less densely covered with coarse, light brown, branched setae, 1.0–1.5 OD in length; metafemur with coarse, dark to light brown setae, long (some as long as 5.0 OD) somehow bending and forming scopae; metatibia sparsely covered with coarse, poorly branched, dark brown, 1.0–1.5 OD in length setae, sparsely distributed in external side, and light brown, 1.0–2.0 OD in length, branched setae, more densely distributed on internal side and margins. T1 with coarse, light brown, poorly branched setae, 1.0–1.5 OD in length and sparsely distributed; T2 and T3 densely covered with minute, light brown setae, with some coarser and poorly branched setae sparsely distributed; T4 as T2 and T3 except, coarser setae more abundant and almost 2.0 OD in length; T5 densely covered with coarse, brown setae, minute—2.5 OD in length, some branched and sparsely distributed among unbranched ones, lateral region with longer ones (1.5–2.0 OD).

Redescription: Male. As described for the female except as follows: Body length 8.8 mm; forewing length 5.5 mm. Head width 1.7 mm, length 1.5 mm. F2 longer than F1. Mandible slender and pointed and without preapical teeth. Labral surface smooth. Paraocular lobe more angular. Mesoscutum slightly wider than long. Basitibial plate absent; inner metatibial spur serrated and one fourth the length of metabasitarsus. Hamuli with a spacing pattern 3-1-3. Basal area of propodeum areolate. Metasoma with a slightly more elongate appearance; S6, S7, S8, and genital capsule as in Fig. 5 .

Mandible without grooves on outer surface, slightly carinate along posterior margin, anterior margin continuous. Subantennal and lower ocular areas densely punctate, punctures separated by 1 PD among them. Posterior side of propodeum with coarse punctures.

Clypeus and supraclypeal area metallic green; rest of the head metallic blue; scape dark brown with metallic yellow reflections. Tegula slightly more translucent. Legs with coxae, trochanters, and femurs dark brown; tibia and tarsi light brown. T1–T4 with basal area metallic blue.

Mandible with some coarse, light brown, branched setae, 0.5 OD in length. Labrum mostly bare. Postgena with some long setae (0.5–2.0 OD in length) more sparsely distributed. Metanotum in general with longer setae (0.5–1.5 OD) sparsely distributed. Legs (especially hind legs) in general less pubescent. Metasomal pubescence as in the female except setae light brown and densely distributed with a basal band of minute, white setae on T2–T4; sterna with less pubescence, setae more scattered on S1–S3.

Type material: Chapada [ Brazil]. Jan [January].

In 1957 Moure labeled this male from Chapada, Mato Grosso, Brazil as the Lectoholotype; this specimen was later designated and labeled as such by Moure and Hurd (1987: 226) and it is deposited at the CMNH. I had the chance to examine the type specimen and compare it with the material on loan from Argentina and Paraguay listed below.

Additional examined material. ARGENTINA: Misiones: Iguazú. 8-III-1997 (1 Ƥ AMNH). Salta: La Caldera. 2-1996. Albeza Coll. (1 Ƥ AMNH). PARAGUAY: Caaguazú, 12-1958, F.H. Walz (2 ƤƤ SEMC, 1 Ƥ CAS). Caazapa: Estancia Condesa/ Toro Blanco, San Rafael Reserve: 26°19’11’’S 55°39’57’’W. 8-10 Dec. 2000. Z. Fallin Coll. (1 Ƥ SEMC); Villarrica [Departamento of Guairá], 12-1950. Foerster Coll. (1 Ƥ SEMC); Colonia Independencia, 1-12-1951. J. Foerster Coll. (1 Ƥ SEMC); Paso Yobai, 5-1951. F. H. Shade Coll. (1 Ƥ SEMC); Idem, except XI-1951. J. Foerster Coll. (2 ƤƤ SEMC); 300m, 12-15-1950. Foerster Coll. (1 Ƥ SEMC). Itapuá: Itapuá Yataí, Prop. [Property] Hostettler Family, 100m, 26°38’17’’S 55°39’50’’W, 25 Nov. 2000. Z. Fallin Coll. (2 ƤƤ SEMC). San Pedro: Cororo, Rio Ypane. XI-27/30 -1983. W. Wasbauer Coll. (3 ƤƤ BBSL); Idem, except XI-28/30 -1983. Malaise Trap. (1 3 BBSL); 28.80° S, 56.07° W., 195m. Hwy 3 E. of Santa Rosa. Rio Verde, Yagua Rete Forest. 24-12-1995 / 17-1-1996. Malaise Trap. J. Beierl Coll. (1 3 LACM).

In addition to the localities above, Moure and Hurd (1987) list the following for the distribution of the species: Brazilian states of Pará, Amazonas, Mato Grosso, and Goiás; Bolivia: without specific locality; and the Peruvian department of Marcapata. Smith-Pardo (2005a) also lists the following for the species: Argentina: Jujuy; Brazil: São Paulo, and Paraná (Punto Cabral); Paraguay: Alto Paraná [probably meaning Alto Paraguay], and Departamento Central; Bolivia: Cochabamba, and Beni.

Variation. Overall there is variation in the integument coloration, particularly mesosoma : from darker metallic green to yellowish-green and the metasoma: from dark red to light orange. Males vary in their size from 7.5 to 9.3mm body length. In addition, there is also variation in the coloration of the mesosomal integument, from light (specimens from Argentina and San Pedro) to dark metallic blue.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Neocorynura pseudobaccha (Cockerell, 1901): lateral habitus of the female (top left), lateral habitus of male (bottom left); male terminalia: a: genital capsule: ventral (left half) and dorsal (right half), b: lateral view of genital capsule, c: fused S 7 + S 8. Scale = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 8. Geographic distribution of the species of Neocorynura inhabiting Argentina and Paraguay.