Sphecodes diablotinus, Gibbs, 2016

Gibbs, Jason, 2016, Bees of the family Halictidae Thomson, 1869 from Dominica, Lesser Antilles (Hymenoptera: Apoidea), European Journal of Taxonomy 180, pp. 1-50 : 20-24

Sphecodes diablotinus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D309231C-B957-4B22-924D-CD6C4766A93D

Figs 9 A–C, 10A–C, 13A, 14A–B

Diagnosis

The male of S. diablotinus sp. nov. can be recognized by the combination of face without tomentose setae ( Fig. 9A ) and body black. The female of S. diablotinus has the head and mesosoma black, orangered on T1–T4 ( Fig. 10B ); T2 is nearly impunctate, only sparse punctures are present basally. Both sexes of S. diablotinus sp. nov. have a distinctly smooth triangular area on the posterior margin of the mesepisternum ( Fig. 13A ). The male of S. albifacies sp. nov. is similar but has dense tomentum on the face ( Fig. 11A ). The female of S. albifacies sp. nov. is red on T1–T3 ( Fig. 12B ); T2 has distinct, albeit fine punctation basally. Both sexes have a narrow, indistinct smooth area on the posterior margin of the mesepisternum. Both sexes of Microsphecodes dominicanus (Stage, 1972) have testaceous colour on the mesosoma and reticulate-rugae over the entire metapostnotum ( Figs 15 B–C, 16B–C).

Etymology

The specific epithet is based on the local word “diablotin”, meaning “little devil”, used as a common name for the black-capped kestrel, Pterodroma hasitata (Kuhl, 1820) and the tallest peak on the island, Morne Diablotin.

Type material

Holotype

DOMINICA: Ƌ, St. Paul Parish , Parish of St. Joseph [sic], Springfield Estate, 15.34667° N, 61.3683° W, 430 m, 15–20 Mar. 2003, coll. M.E. Irwin & M. Shepard, Malaise trap ( BBSL).

Paratypes

DOMINICA: 3 ƋƋ, St. Paul Parish, topotypical ( BBSL); 1 Ƌ, ATR[E]C Springfield, Fifi trail, ‘site 2’, 15°21’ N, 61°22’ W, 398 m, 23 May–4 Jun. 2003, coll. T. Decker & W. Wells, Malaise trap, voucher #645 ( TAMUIC); 1 ♀, ATR[E]C Springfield, Fifi trail, ‘site 2’, 15°21’ N, 61°22’ W, 442 m, 24 May–4 Jun. 2003, coll. T. Decker & W. Wells, Malaise trap, voucher #645 ( TAMUIC); 1 ♀, St. Paul Parish, ATR[E]C Springfield, Checkhall River, ‘site 4’, 15°21’ N, 61°22’ W, 294 m, 24 May–4 Jun. 2003, coll. T. Decker & W. Wells, flight intercept trap, voucher #645 ( TAMUIC); 1 ♀, St. Joseph Parish, Clarke Hall, 21–31 Jan. 1965, coll. W.W. Wirth, Malaise trap ( NMNH).

Description

Male

MEASUREMENTS (n = 2). Length 3.8 mm; head length 1.0 mm; head width 1.2 mm; intertegular distance 0.8 mm.

COLOURATION. Body blackish-brown, except as follows. Mandible yellow with red apex. Clypeus distal half dark brown. Flagellum with ventral surface dark reddish brown. Tegula dark yellowish brown. Wing membrane faintly dusky with dark setae, venation and pterostigma brown. Legs dark brown, except medio- and distitarsi and portions of metabasitarsus reddish brown.

PUBESCENCE. Dull white. Sparse erect setae throughout, without tomentum on head.

SURFACE SCULPTURE. Face polished, punctation fine. Clypeus punctation dense (i = 1–1.5 pd). Supraclypeal area, lower and upper paraocular areas and frons densely punctate (i ± pd). Ocellocular area sparsely punctate (i = 1–2 pd). Gena and postgena polished, finely punctate-lineolate. Mesoscutum polished; punctation moderately coarse, relatively dense laterad of parapsidal lines (i = 1–1.5 pd), sparser on posterior and medial area of disc (i = 1–3 pd); mesoscutellum similar. Metanotum rugulose. Preëpisternum reticulate rugulose. Hypoepimeral area finely rugulose. Mesepisternum below scrobe finely rugulose, with smooth posterior triangle, minute punctures present in anteroventral third of triangle. Metepisternum rugulose. Metapostnotum with longitudinal carinulae reaching ¾ distance to posterior margin, posterior margin smooth. Propodeum posterior and lateral surfaces smooth with irregular sparse rugae. Metasomal terga polished, finely coriarious on apical impressed areas; punctation fine, obscure on basal portions (i = 1–2 pd), virtually absent on T1; apical impressed areas impunctate. Metasomal sterna coriarious and finely, sparsely punctate (i = 2–4 pd).

STRUCTURE. Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.85–0.86). Eyes weakly convergent below. Clypeus ½ below suborbital tangent. Frontal line deeply impressed below median ocellus. Gena narrower than eye. Hypostomal carinae subparallel. Occipital carina small but distinct. Pronotal dorsolateral angle orthogonal. Pronotal ridge carinate, interrupted by sulcus. Tegula ovoid. Submarginal cells two or three (1rs-m present or absent), if 1rs-m present then 2 nd submarginal cell narrow, posterior length approximately ½ anterior length of 3 rd submarginal cell. Distal hamuli arranged 2-2. Second tarsal segment narrow at base, length as long as 3 rd tarsus. Propodeum with lateral carina reaching ¾ distance to dorsal margin; oblique carina fine.

TERMINALIA. As shown in Fig. 14 A–B.

Female

MEASUREMENTS (n = 2). Length 4.5–4.6 mm (mean = 4.5); head length 1.1 mm (mean = 1.1); head width 1.3–1.5 mm (mean = 1.4); intertegular distance 0.7–0.8 mm (mean = 0.8).

COLOURATION. Body blackish-brown, except as follows. Mandible yellow with red apex. Flagellum with ventral surface dark reddish brown. Tegula dark reddish brown. Wing membrane faintly dusky, with dark setae, venation and pterostigma brown. Legs dark brown, except medio- and distitarsi and portions of metabasitarsus reddish brown. Metasoma T1–T4 reddish orange, T5–T6 and apex of T4 dark brown.

PUBESCENCE. Dull white. Sparse erect setae throughout. Subappressed tomentum on the following: paraocular area below eye emargination, gena, pronotum dorsolateral angle, pronotal lobe, and preëpisternum. Mesofemur and mesotibia without pollen brush. Metafemur without scopa. Metatibia with thick setae on dorsal margin. Penicillis absent. Posterior propodeal surface with sparse short setae below longer erect setae. Metasomal sterna without scopa.

SURFACE SCULPTURE. Face polished, punctation fine. Clypeus punctation dense (i = 1–1.5 pd). Supraclypeal area, lower and upper paraocular areas and frons densely punctate (i ± pd). Ocellocular area sparsely punctate (i = 1–2 pd). Postgena polished, gena finely punctate-lineolate. Mesoscutum polished; punctation moderately coarse, relatively dense laterad of parapsidal lines (i = 1–1.5 pd), sparser on posterior and medial area of disc (i = 1–2 pd); mesoscutellum similar, submedial patch nearly impunctate. Metanotum rugulose. Preëpisternum reticulate rugulose. Hypoepimeral area finely rugulose. Mesepisternum below scrobe finely rugulose, with smooth posterior triangle expanding ventrally, minute punctures present in anteroventral third of triangle. Metepisternum rugulose. Metapostnotum with longitudinal carinulae reaching ¾ distance to posterior margin, posterior margin smooth. Propodeum posterior and lateral surfaces reticulate rugulose. T1–T2 polished nearly impunctate, T3–T5 weakly coriarious, basal areas with very fine obscure punctation (i = 1–3 pd), virtually absent on T1; apical impressed areas impunctate. Metasomal sterna coriarious and finely, sparsely punctate (i = 2–4 pd).

STRUCTURE. Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.81–0.82). Eyes weakly convergent below. Labrum broad, without apical projection or dorsal keel. Clypeus ½ below suborbital tangent. Mandible simple, without preapical tooth. Gena narrower than eye. Hypostomal carinae subparallel. Occipital carina small but distinct. Flagellum 1 distinctly broader than long on dorsal surface, shorter than pedicel. Pronotal dorsolateral angle acute. Pronotal ridge carinate, interrupted by sulcus. Tegula ovoid. Submarginal cells three (1rs-m present), 2 nd submarginal cell narrow, posterior length slightly less than anterior length of 3 rd submarginal cell. Distal hamuli arranged 2-2. Inner metatibial spur minutely serrate. Basitibial plate indistinct, represented by minute glabrous spot. Metatarsus 2 narrow at base, length as long as metatarsus 3. Propodeum with lateral carina diverging dorsally, reaching ½ distance to dorsal margin; oblique carina indistinct. T5 without evident pseudopygidial area, T6 with narrow pygidial plate.

Remarks

Hosts of S. diablotinus sp. nov. and S. albifacies sp. nov. are unknown, but are presumably among the Lasioglossum (Dialictus) species included herein. Both Sphecodes species have been collected at the same locality as L. kalinago sp. nov., L. dominicense sp. nov. and Habralictus gonzalezi .

Figures

Fig. 9. Sphecodes diablotinus sp. nov. Holotype (A–B) and paratype (C), ƋƋ. A. Face. B. Lateral habitus. C. Dorsum of mesosoma. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 10. Sphecodes diablotinus sp. nov. Paratypes, ♀♀. A. Face. B. Lateral habitus. C. Dorsum of mesosoma. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 13. Mesepisternum of species of Sphecodes Latreille, 1804 from Dominica. Arrows indicate smooth area on posterior margin. A. Sphecodes diablotinus sp. nov. B. S. albifacies sp. nov.

Fig. 11. Sphecodes albifacies sp. nov. Holotype (A) and paratype (B–C), ƋƋ. A. Face. B. Lateral habitus. C. Dorsum of mesosoma. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 12. Sphecodes albifacies sp. nov. Paratype, ♀. A. Face. B. Lateral habitus. C. Dorsum of mesosoma. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 15. Microsphecodes dominicanus (Stage, 1972), ♀. A. Face. B. Lateral habitus. C. Dorsum of mesosoma. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 14. — Genital capsule of Sphecodes diablotinus sp. nov. Paratype, Ƌ. A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. — Genital capsule of Sphecodes albifacies sp. nov. Paratype, Ƌ. C. Dorsal view. D. Ventral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.