Pseudoanthidium enslini ( Alfken, 1928 )

Kasparek, Max, 2021, The bee genus Pseudoanthidium: revision of the subgenus Exanthidium with the description of a new species (Apoidea: Megachilidae), Fragmenta entomologica 53 (2), pp. 333-346 : 336-337

Pseudoanthidium enslini ( Alfken, 1928)

Anthidium enslini Alfken, 1928 (female, male, Egypt) Type material (examined). 1 ♀, 1 ♂, EGYPT: 01-05 May 1927, E. Enslin leg., TYPUS / “Smlg. Alfken“ / „ Anthidium enslini Alfken det. J.D.Alfken 1927“ (collection site not on label, but it is Luxor according to Alfken’s original description)

(ZMB). Both specimens are labelled as “TYPUS”. The male is designated as lectotype (lectotype designated here). 1 ♀, EGYPT: Luxor, 01.-05 May 1927, Dr. Enslin, “ Anthidium enslini Alfk. , det. J. D. Alfken 1927“, Paratype .

Other material examined. 1 ♀, EGYPT: Fayoum, H. Priesner leg. (ms3617, CMK). Collection date not available. H. Priesner was active in Egypt from 1928 to 1957 (www.zobodat.at) .

Material not examined. Warncke (1980) mentions Kom Ombo and Fayoum. The record from Fayoum probably refers to Priesner’s material mentioned above. ALGERIA: 1 ♂, Amsel, 30 km S Tamanrasset, 01 Apr 1989 (leg. M. Schwarz) (Aguib 2014; Aguib et al. 2010). This material could not be located in the collection of M. Schwarz. See also material listed under A. guichardi .

The species is structurally very similar to A. guichardi , from which it differs by its reduced areas of yellow maculation. Both sexes have e.g. a black scutum and a yellow band on T1 interrupted in the middle, while in A. guichardi the scutum has an anterior and lateral yellow maculation and the disc of T1 is entirely yellow.

Female ( Figs 4-5 ). 6-7 mm. Head yellow except for the upper face being black from between antennal sockets to behind the posterior ocelli; black maculation with ochreous transition zone to yellow; clypeus flat, apical fourth slightly turned inward; apical margin emarginate, covered by dense pubescence; mandible yellow with one large apical and four almost equally-sized black teeth; subantennal suture slightly arcuate outwards; preoccipital ridge angulate; scape ochreous, pedicel and flagella 1-4 light reddish-brown, remaining flagella dark reddish-brown.

Mesosoma : Black with strong lateral gutter; pronotal lobe yellow with strong lamella; mesepisternum with small to medium-sized yellow macula; scutellum whitish-yellow with black base, posterolaterally angulate with thin transparent lamella; posteromedially slightly depressed. Axilla whitish-yellow, triangular.

Metasoma: T1-T6 with whitish-yellow bands broadly interrupted on T1 and contiguous or subcontiguous on T2-T4; marginal zones semitransparent, light brown, turned upwards; T6 strongly depressed in the centre; apical margin with narrow dark brown margin and a small brown protrusion with a V-shaped incision in the middle; large dark brown maculation medially. Scopa dark brown; legs yellow, hind tibia and basitarsus rounded (carina absent).

Male ( Figs 4-5 ). 8.5 mm. Head black with yellow maculation. Yellow are clypeus, lower paraocular area, upper paraocular area not reaching top of eye, supraclypeal area and preoccipital band reaching middle of eye; antenna as in female.

Mesosoma : As in female, but mesepisternum entirely black.

Metasoma: T1-T5 black with lateral yellow bands, not reaching the centre on T1, subcontiguous on T2-T4, medially wedged on T5; apical margins semitransparent; T3-T4 laterally bulging, T5 with a short lateral tooth, T6 laterally bulging with a long, transparent, curved lateral tooth; T7 produced to two longish lobes with transparent margins and a deep U-shaped emargination in between; S 3 bearing long hairs with hooked tips; S 6 laterally carinate and turned upwards, bearing a wide median emargination.

Biology. Recorded in Egypt in early May. No further information available.

Distribution ( Fig. 15 ). Found in Egypt at Fayoum (al-Fayyum) and Luxor (al-Uqsur). Warncke (1980) also mentioned Kom Ombo in Upper Egypt and Aguib et al. (2010) and Aguib (2014) reported the species from the Hoggar Mountains in Algeria. A report from the United Arab Emirates likely refers to P. guichardi (see there).

Figures

Fig. 4 – Pseudoanthidium enslini, dorsal habitus. A, Female, Egypt (CMK); B, Male, Egypt (holotype) (ZMB).

Fig. 5 – Pseudoanthidium enslini. Male holotype and female paratype. A, Female face; B, Male face; C-D, Apical terga female; E, Apical terga male; F, Apical sterna (ventral view).

Fig. 15 – Distribution of Pseudoanthidium deserticolum sp.n., P. enslini, P. pictipes, and P. wahrmanicum.