Caenaugochlora (Metaugochlora), 2014

Engel, Michael S., 2014, Three new species of the genus Caenaugochlora from Central America and Colombia (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Journal of Melittology 2014 (41), pp. 1-15 : 12-13

Metaugochlora Engel , new subgenus

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:830D604F-7863-4259-A898-C2DD1E1FCAFC

TYPE SPECIES: Caenaugochlora (Caenaugochlora) bennetti Gonçalves & Engel, 2010 .

DIAGNOSIS: Compound eyes setose (usually setose in Caenaugochlora s.str., only minute setae present in Ctenaugochlora); preoccipital ridge carinate (sharply angled in Caenaugochlora s.str. except C. macswaini Michener and C. elpidia Engel; carinate in Ctenaugochlora); female metabasitibial plate with strong anterior and posterior borders (as in Caenaugochlora s.str., anterior border obsolescent in Ctenaugochlora); female inner metatibial spur pectinate, with less than 10 long branches (as in Caenaugochlora s.str., densely pectinate with more than 10 long branches in Ctenaugochlora); striae of basal area of propodeum not reaching apical margin (as in Caenaugochlora s.str., striae reach the apical margin in Ctenaugochlora); male metasomal sternum IV with long, lateral, postgradular projections bearing elongate setae at their apices (such projections absent in Caenaugochlora s.str. and Ctenaugochlora); male genitalia with parapenial lobe broad (narrow elsewhere in genus).

ETYMOLOGY: The subgeneric name is a combination of the Greek meta, meaning, “between” or “among” and implying change, and Augochlora , type genus of the tribe. The gender of the name is feminine.

INCLUDED SPECIES: Caenaugochlora (Metaugochlora) bennetti Gonçalves & Engel and C. (M.) quichua Gonçalves & Engel, both from the Andes of Ecuador.

COMMENTS: Although the author previously hesitated to remove these species from Caenaugochlora s.str. ( Gonçalves & Engel, 2010 ), it no longer seems as though such an overly conservative decision was well founded. A new key to the subgenera of Caenaugochlora is here provided.