Stelis joanae, Parker, Frank D. & Griswold, Terry, 2013

Parker, Frank D. & Griswold, Terry, 2013, New species of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Stelis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae, Anthidiini) from the Nearctic Region, Zootaxa 3646 (5), pp. 529-544 : 530-531

Stelis joanae , n. sp.

( Figs. 1 , 11 , 21 , 31 )

Diagnosis. Stelis joanae can be distinguished from other Nearctic Stelis s. str. in both sexes by the combination of the second recurrent vein, which is distal to the second transverse cubital; T1 – T5 with impunctate raised margins and complete apical hyaline bands that include not only the impunctate margin but also extend onto the disc where they grade into brown then black bands partially obscured by distinct apical pubescent bands (absent in worn material); wing veins reddish basally; and tegula lighter colored than the scutum. Stelis coarctatus Crawford, S. lamelliterga n. sp., S. occidentalis n. sp. also have hyaline tergal lamellae, but the distal parts of the discs are not hyaline and the wings are not reddish basally. Tergal marks are superficially similar in S. shoshone n. sp., but the pale apical bands of the terga are opaque white in that species, and the impunctate apical margins and pubescent bands are absent. In addition, the tegula is dark and the second recurrent vein is basal to the second transverse cubital in S. shoshone .

Description. Female. Length 7 mm; forewing 5.5 mm long. Black; mandible medially, labrum apically, pronotal lobe, tegula, base of wings, junctions of femora and tibiae, tibiae and tarsi apically, T1 – T5 preapically, S1 – S5 preapically reddish brown; flagellomeres light brown; T1 – T5 with wide hyaline apical margins grading into reddish brown basally; wings apically brown, marginal cell darker anteriorly. Pubescence white, moderately dense, hair plumose, mostly erect; denser on face, mesepisternum, posterior margin of scutellum, metanotum, coxae ventrally, trochanters; T1 – T5 with apical bands of short plumose hairs partially obscuring integument; T6 ( Fig. 11 ), sterna with short recumbent hair, apical margins of S1 – S5 with longer, plumose hair bands; S6 with surface obscured by short recumbent pubescence; S6 fringed with short hair. Punctation dense, coarse, integument between punctures shiny except T6 and? S6. Mouthparts rather short, slightly exceeding fossa in repose; eyes converging below, DLID>(1.6X) BLID; head wider (1.3X) than long; eye wider (2.6X) than gena in lateral view; IOD = OOD> (2X) OPD = LOPD, IOD> (2.3X) LMOD; anterior surface of mesepisternum concave; pronotal lobe carinate; fore, midtibiae with apical spines short, forming wide arc, those on hindtibia obscure; TIB>(1.8X) BAT<(0.9X) TAR; second recurrent vein ending distal to second submarginal cell; scutellum overhanging metanotum, reaching base of propodeum; pseudomargin of T6 truncate, true margin projecting beneath, rounded, lamellate; S6 broadly rounded, T6 widely overlapping S6 laterally.

Male. Similar to female except: T6, T7 with short medioapical spines, apical margin of S2 depressed, shallowly emarginate; S3 with median basin-like depression, with large tubercle on apical margin extending basad 1/4 length of sternum ( Fig. 21 ); S4 with wide (9X length) comb, medially with oval depression lacking usual lateral ridge, bordered laterally by shiny oblong region ( Fig. 31 ); apical margins of S3 and S4 with thick, long fringes.

Type material. Holotype female. USA: “NEVADA Clark Co. Grand Gulch Rd, 22 air mi S Mesquite, 11/ 21- V- [19]83 FD/JH Parker”. Paratypes. NEVADA, Clark Co: 1 Ƥ, 1 3, same data as holotype; Churchill Co: 1 Ƥ, 5 3, Hazen, 6 mi E, 31 May 1995, FD Parker; 1 3, Sand Mountain, 25 mi SE Fallon, 25 Apr 1980, RW Rust, Astragalus ; 1 Ƥ, Blow Sand Mountain, 28 mi SSE Fallon, 14 Jun 1980, RW Rust; 8 3, 16 Ƥ, Fallon, 22 mi S, 29 May 1995, FD Parker; 18 3, 17 Ƥ, same except 10 Jun 1995; 1 3, 2 Ƥ, same except 8 May 1996, Astragalus . Holotype and paratypes deposited in BBSL.

Distribution. Known only from sand dune habitats in desert areas of northwestern and southern Nevada and the Kelso Dunes of adjacent California.

Biology. This species was originally represented by only one specimens collected from Astragalus flowers ( Fabaceae ) in northern Nevada and a pair from Psoralea flowers ( Fabaceae ) in southern Nevada. Subsequently (1995), FDP collected numerous individuals of both sexes in northern Nevada as these parasites searched around clumps of Indian rice grass where its apparent host bee, Atoposmia timberlakei (Cockerell) , was nesting. One nest of the host bee was excavated and cells were found clumped amongst the tuberous roots of this common range plant, but none of the three cells contained this cleptoparasite. Neither the apparent host, nor this cleptoparasite, has been observed since at this northern Nevada location.

Etymology. This species is named after Mrs. Joanne H. Botsford, who collected some of the type series and who donated many hours of her time, carefully tabulating data from FDP’s trapnest studies.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Female habitus in profile view. 1. Stelis joanae, 2. S. occidentalis, 3. S. lamelliterga, 4. S. broemelingi, 5. S. paiute, 6. S. anthocopae, 7. S. imperialis, 8. S. anasazi, 9. S. shoshone, 10. S. alta. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 20. Apex of female metasoma in posterior view. 11. Stelis joanae, 12. S. occidentalis, 13. S. lamelliterga, 14. S. broemelingi, 15. S. paiute, 16. S. anthocopae, 17. S. imperialis, 18. S. anasazi, 19. S. shoshone, 20. S. alta. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 21 – 30. Male S 3 in ventral view. 21. Stelis joanae, 22. S. occidentalis, 23. S. lamelliterga, 24. S. broemelingi, 25. S. paiute, 26. S. anthocopae, 27. S. imperialis, 28. S. anasazi, 29. S. shoshone, 30. S. alta. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 31 – 40. Male S 4 in ventral view. 31. Stelis joanae, 32. S. occidentalis, 33. S. lamelliterga, 34. S. broemelingi, 35. S. paiute, 36. S. anthocopae, 37. S. imperialis, 38. S. anasazi, 39. S. shoshone, 40. S. alta. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.