Stelis lamelliterga, 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 : 532-533

Stelis lamelliterga , n. sp.

( Figs. 3 , 13 , 23 , 33 )

Diagnosis. Among Nearctic Stelis, S. lameliterga is most similar to S. occidentalis (see above), from which it differs by the larger size, greater extent of the tergal maculations, coarser punctation, distinct impunctate area posteriorly on the mesepisternum, short apical spines of the tibiae, and the presence of apical lamellae on T4 and T 5 in addition to T1 – T 3.

Description. Female. Length 6 mm, forewing length 4.5 mm. Black; forewing lightly stained apically in marginal cell; mandible reddish subapically; T1 – T4 with white band laterally, bands on T3, T4 largest. Pubescence white, moderate on head, mesosoma; terga less pubescent, apical terga with long erect hair, sterna moderately pubescent, hair uniformly distributed; legs with dense appressed hair mixed with larger erect setae. Punctation of clypeus fine, but contiguous; punctures on frons, vertex, gena more separate; mesosoma with median separate punctures; mesepisternum with posterior impunctate area at least as wide as two puncture widths; basal zone of propodeum wide, with a number of small, irregular cells laterally, medially pitted; spiracular opening not in a pit, posterior face of propodeum impunctate medially; terga shiny with moderate to large dense punctures, T6 more coarsely pitted, punctures separated by shiny integument; T1 – T5 with prominent apical lamellae overhanging margins, distinctly upturned on T2 – T5; sterna more coarsely pitted, dull. Head slightly broader (>1.0, <1.1) than long; mouthparts short, not extending beyond fossa in repose; gena as wide as eye in lateral view; IOD <(0.9X) OOD> (2X) OPD> (1.4X) LOPD, IOD> (2.1X) LMOD, DLID>(1.1X) BLID; pronotal lobe carinate; anterior surface of mesepisternum not concave; apical spines on fore, midtibiae short, spines shorter than distance between them, anterior apical spine of hind tibia relatively long, distinct; TIB>(1.8X) BAT<(0.9X) TAR; second recurrent vein ending beyond second transverse cubital; pseudomargin of T6 with carina slightly upturned, rounded medioapically ( Fig. 13 ); basal depression on S5 wide, incurved medially.

Male. Length 5.5 to 6 mm. Essentially as in female except: T6 with strong apical flange; T7 with prominent medioapical spine, lateral angle occasionally forming blunt tooth; S2 bowed, apical margin sharply depressed; S3 with hair fringe ( Fig. 23 ); S4 with small median comb as wide as 1/ 7x width of sternum, thick narrow hairbrush basad of comb ( Fig. 33 ); S5 with sharp, deep V-shaped notch on apical margin; S6 rounded apically; S7 bifurcate or truncate.

Type material. Holotype female. “ USA UT Kane Co. 1.0 mi N Kitchen Corral Spr 12S E400956 N4120946”/ ” Hymenopappus filifolius ”/” 29 May 2002 K. Fordney” (BBSL467313). Paratypes, UTAH, Kane Co: 1 Ƥ, same data as holotype except purple Penstemon ; 1 Ƥ, same data as holotype except Brassicaceae , L Topham; 1 Ƥ, Mollie's Nipple, 4.1 mi E, 30 May 2002, Penstemon , J Wilson; 1 3, No Mans Mesa, 12S E399982 N 4133804, Hymenopappus filifolius , C Davidson; 1 3, same except Heterotheca villosa , L Topham; Garfield Co: 1 Ƥ, Calf Creek, 12S E464360 N 4179560, 7 Jun 2002, Heterotheca villosa , J Wilson; 1 Ƥ, Posey Lake, 2.5 mi SSW, 12S E445360 N4187910, 19 Jun 2000, C Davidson; 2 3, Alvey Wash, 5 km S Escalante, 2080m, 24 May 2002, ME Irwin, FD Parker; Sevier Co: 2 Ƥ, Salina Cyn. , 17 Jun 1957, GF Knowlton; ARIZONA: 2 3, 3 Ƥ, White Mountains, 19 Jun 1950, LD Beamer; COLORADO, El Paso Co: 1 3, Solar Trails Center, 29 Jun 1982, FM Brown; NEVADA, Lincoln Co: 2 3, 1 Ƥ, Sams Camp Wash, 4600’, T8S R69E S13, reared Heriades timberlakei nest, RC Bechtel; 1 3, same except reared Ashmeadiella cactorum nest; NEW MEXICO, Catron Co: 1 Ƥ, Sawtooth Mts., NW end, 8 mi WNW Pie Town, 19 May 1989, T Griswold. Holotype deposited at BBSL, paratypes at EMEC, UCM, SEMC, and BBSL.

Variation. A single specimen has the second recurrent vein interstitial with the second transverse cubital.

Distribution. Largely restricted to the Colorado Plateau in the western United States.

Biology. FDP has reared this parasite from nests of Heriades timberlakei Michener and Ashmeadiella cactorum (Cockerell) , both cavity-nesters that use resin in their cell partitions and nest entrance plugs.

Etymology. From the Latin lamella, small plate, for the distinctive apical plates of the terga.

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.