Andrena (Pallandrena) scheuchli, Dubitzky, Andreas, 2006

Dubitzky, Andreas, 2006, New palearctic species of the bee genus Andrena (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 1284, pp. 1-27 : 22-23

Andrena (Pallandrena) scheuchli sp. n.

( Figs 1 D, F, H)

Female. BL: 9.5–9.9 mm (9.7 mm). FWL: 7.0– 7.1 mm (7.05 mm).

Structure. Head oval, about 1.3 times broader than long in frontal view ( Fig. 1 D). Mandibles apically bidentate. PLR smooth and shiny, trapezoid with median triangular emargination apically. Clypeus dull to weakly shiny, about twice as broad as long, strongly tesselate to finely wrinkled with distinct punctation (1). Supraclypeal area and POA similar to clypeus. Frons shiny with distinct longitudinal notches between honeycomb­like punctation. Vertex shiny, smooth to finely wrinkled. Hind margin of vertex rounded, strongly tesselate, dull to weakly shiny with indistinct large punctation. Distance from hind margin of LO to hind margin of vertex about 1.5 times as wide as OD ( Fig. 1 F). GA slightly broader (1.2 times) than compound eye in lateral view, with large dense punctation (<1). FOV teardrop­shaped, extremely broad at least 2.5 times OD, reaching from lower margin of antennal insertion to apical margin of LO ( Figs 1 F, H). Almost no free space between inner margin of compound eye and FOV. AS 3 about 1.6 times longer than broad, distinctly longer than AS 4 and AS 5 together. AS 4 about half as long as broad, AS 5 slightly longer than half width. AS 6– AS 11 slightly shorter than broad, AS 12 about 1.3 times longer than broad. Pronotum weakly tesselate, dull to slightly shiny with inconspicuous punctation (1). Scutum smooth and shiny on disc, area near front and hind margin weakly tesselate, with distinct strong punctation (max. 1). Structure of scutellum similar to scutum but more strongly tesselate. Metanotum finely wrinkled, dull to weakly shiny with inconspicuous dense (<1) punctation. Propodeal triangle shiny with fine coarse wrinkles. DLP tesselate, upper parts granulate to slightly wrinkled, mainly dull, with indistinct punctation. Mesepisterna tesselate, with dense (<1) wrinkled punctation. Legs slender, with bidentate claws and basally broadened inner spur of hind tibia. T1–4 smooth to weakly tesselate, shiny. T1 with distinct punctation (>1), T2–4 with more dense (max. 1) distinct punctation on disc as well as marginal zone. T5 densely tesselate, dull, with large dense (1) punctation. Marginal zone of T2 distinctly shorter than half length of T, marginal zone of T3–4 about half as long as T. Dorsolateral convexity of T2–4 strongly developed, distinctly stepped. Pygidial plate strongly tesselate, dull, apically truncate. S weakly tesselate, shiny, with distinct large punctation (max. 1).

Integument colour. Head and thorax black with lead­like metallic shimmer. Mandibles apically reddened. Antennal flagellum ( AS 4– AS 12) yellowish­brown on underside. Legs black to blackish­brown. Distal tarsal segments dark brownish. Claws yellowish­grey basally, reddish­brown apically. Spurs bright yellowish­grey. Tegulae brownish transparent. Veins of wings dark brownish grey, stigma bright brownish with dark brownish grey margins. T1 completely black except bright reddish marginal zone. T2 bright reddish except black median maculation on disc. T3 bright reddish with large broad black maculation on disc. T4 nearly completely black with two reddish maculations laterobasally and yellowish transparent marginal zone. T5 completely black except brownish transparent marginal zone. Pygidial plate black with indistinct dark reddishbrown maculation in the middle. S1 completely blackish­brown S2 and 3 blackish­brown except bright reddish­brown maculations laterobasally. S4–6 mainly blackish­brown.

Pubescence. Pubescence of head and thorax of medium­long to long silvery­white hairs similar to A. christineae . FOV bright brownish if seen from above. Propodeal corbicula absent, regularly pubescence of branched white hairs instead. T1–4 with short to medium­long white hairs like in A. christineae . Prepygidial and pygidial fimbria bright greyish­brown. Flocculus of trochanter as well as femoral and tibial scopa of hind leg with silvery­white, long, curly­branched hairs. S2–5 with inconspicuously short sparse hairs on disc and medium­long to long hair fringes along apical margin.

Male. Unknown.

Diagnosis. Andrena scheuchli is placed in subgenus Pallandrena by the same characters as listed for Andrena (Pallandrena) christineae . Within Pallandrena the new species is most similar to A. christineae , from which it can be distinguished by the following characters (character states of A. christineae given in parentheses): FOV extremely broad, at least 2.5 times as broad as OD (FOV distinctly narrower, only 1.8 times OD); vertex partly smooth and shiny (vertex completely granulate, dull); scutum and scutellum weakly tesselate to smooth, strongly shiny, with distinct punctation (strongly tesselate, dull, punctation indistinct) T nearly smooth, strongly shiny, with distinct coarse punctation (tesselate, weakly shiny, with indistinct fine punctation); T3 on disc with transverse extended black maculation nearly as broad as T (disc of T3 with black maculation only medially). From all other members of the subgenus Pallandrena, the new species is clearly distinguished by its extremely broad FOV.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Erwin Scheuchl for his important contributions to bee taxonomy of central Europe and for his excellent taxonomic knowledge of palearctic Andrena .

Type material. Holotype: Ψ, Turkmenistan, Kugitang­Mts., Hodschapil (1400– 1500m), 3.V.1995, leg. K. Schönitzer ( ZSM); Paratype: Ψ, same data as holotype.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Head and head structures, part I. A: Profile of male of A. planti sp. n.; B: Profile of female of A. susanneae sp. n.; C: Portrait of female of A. christineae sp. n.; D: Portrait of female of A. scheuchli sp. n.; E: Dorsal view of female head of A. christineae sp. n.; F: Dorsal view of female head of A. scheuchli sp. n.; G: Left FOV of female of A. christineae sp. n.; H: Left FOV of female of A. scheuchli sp. n. Dotted lines in Figs E – H indicate outline of FOV. Scale bars: 500 µm (A – F), 250 µm (G – H).