Rhynostelis chrysogaster, Parizotto & Melo, 2020

Parizotto, Daniele R. & Melo, Gabriel A. R., 2020, Revision of the rare anthidiine bee genus Rhynostelis Moure & Urban (Hymenoptera, Apidae), Revista Brasileira de Entomologia (e 20190029) 64 (2), pp. 1-7 : 4-5

Rhynostelis chrysogaster sp. nov.

( Figs. 1-5 )

Diagnosis. Clypeus and supraclypeal area protuberant, ending in a short medial tubercle on upper margin of clypeus; base of the mandible with broad and strongly-raised laminar projection ( Figs. 1 and 2 ); axillae projecting posteriorly, somewhat triangular; scutellum distinctly projected posteriorly and forming a strong medial emargination ( Fig.3 ); tergal pilosity yellowish ferruginous ( Fig. 4 ).

Description. Holotype female. Approximate body length 13.3 mm; forewing length 10.8 mm; head width 4.6 mm; eye length 2.7 mm.

Color. Head integument yellow except: distal margin of mandible and apical tooth blackish; irregular black band above clypeus extending upwards, including ocelli, and connecting with black spot on vertex above compound eyes. Antenna light brown with dorsal surface of scape yellow; apex of pedicel and first flagellomere ferruginous ( Figs.1 and 2 ). Pronotal lobe with a large yellow macula; scutum black with large reverse U-shaped yellow maculae; scutellum with two yellow bands on apex; axilla yellow; metanotum black; propodeum yellow except for the black propodeal spiracle ( Fig.3 ). Mesepisternum mostly yellow, only with three irregular black maculae. Metepisternum largely yellow on its dorsal half and black ventrally. Tegula amber and fore wing membrane brown infumated, especially along costal margin ( Fig. 3 ). Legs almost totally yellow; fore coxae with half basal brown; fore and mid tibiae with darkish area on inner surface; hind legs with irregular darkish maculae on inner surface of femur and outer surface of tibia. Terga black with yellow maculae; yellow band on T1 broad, slightly narrower at middle; T2-T5 with even broader yellow band, T2 with two small brown spots medially; T4-T5 with larger translucent ferruginous margin; distal tergum yellow with a median subapical blackish spot ( Figs. 3 and 4 ). Sterna yellow, with large translucent margin on S1-S5.

Pubescence. Yellowish with long hairs (longer than ocellus diameter). Pilosity longer and denser between ocelli, above antennal sockets and on clypeus ( Fig. 2 ). Hairs on mesepisternum and legs longer than those on mesoscutum, slightly curved on pronotal lobe and apex of scutellum. Fore and mid legs with coxae and trochanter covered by denser pilosity. Terga covered by dense yellowish ferruginous pilosity ( Fig. 4 ). S1-S5 with sparse light yellow hairs along posterior margin; S6 with light yellow hairs covering entire tergum. Sculpturing. Head with shallow punctures, sparser on clypeal protuberance and supraclypeal area. Mesosoma with integument microreticulated, mesoscutum with punctures deep and confluent, separated only by their crests, slightly sparser on yellow areas; mesespisternum with larger and sparser punctures, distance between punctures at least one-half of puncture diameter. Scutellum with punctures sparser than those on mesoscutum; with large punctures intercalated with small punctures, separated by least a puncture diameter. Terga microreticulated; punctures on disc of T1-T5 fine and shallow; punctures on yellow bands larger and sparser than those on black areas; distal tergum with deeper and larger punctures. Structure. Mandible with condylar carina simple; antero-basal protuberance, near anterior articulation, broad and strongly raised, spatulate. Supraclypeal area with protuberant medial carina continuing onto clypeus, ending as a short medial protuberance on upper margin of clypeus ( Figs. 1, 2 and 5 ). Axilla somewhat triangular and separated from scutellum by deep emargination; scutellum with strong medial emargination along posterior margin ( Fig. 3 ).

Male unknown.

Type material. Holotype female ( HNHM), “Amer. cent.\ Chiriqui ” “Hungarian Natural \History Museum\ Hymenoptera Coll \ Budapest ”. The holotype is in perfect condition, except for the partially damaged flagellomeres 3-5 of right antenna.

Distribution. Currently known only from Chiriqui, Panamá.

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the golden pilosity of its metasoma, from the Greek chrysos, gold, and gaster, abdomen.

Figures

Figures 1-5. Rhynostelis chrysogaster sp. nov., holotype female. 1, head, frontal view; 2, head, posterodorsal view; 3, habitus, dorsal view; 4, metasoma, dorsal view; 5, habitus, lateral view. Scale line = 2.0 mm (Figs. 1, 2 and 4). Scale line = 5.0 mm (Figs.3, 5).