Chilicola (Oroediscelis) luna Dumesh and Packer, 2019

Packer, Laurence & Dumesh, Sheila, 2019, Fifteen new species of Chilicola (Oroediscelis) (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Xeromelissinae) with illustrated keys to the males and females of the subgenus, Zootaxa 4559 (1), pp. 1-56 : 30-31

Chilicola (Oroediscelis) luna Dumesh and Packer , new species

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( Figs. 76–78 , 155 )

Diagnosis. The female of this species is unique in its triply punctate metasomal terga, with very large and shallow punctures scattered among denser and smaller punctures of two distinct sizes, mostly evident on T2–T4 ( Fig. 78 ). It can further be differentiated by the strongly carinate frontal line, which begins in the upper half of the supraclypeal area and extends to 1.5 MOD below the median ocellus. Some other species ( C. deborahae , C. bigibosa , C. gibbosa , and C. benoistiana ) have the frontal line carinate, but not nearly as strongly so, and usually not extending much above the antennal socket.

Description. Female. Length 7.3mm; forewing length 4.9 mm, head width 1.75 mm.

Head: 1.1 X as long as wide, 78:70; black. Face below antennae strongly imbricate, most strongly on lower 1/ 2 of supraclypeal area and upper 1/2 of clypeus; face below antennae deeply punctate, i=1–2.5 d; frontal area densely and evenly punctate, i<d, punctures slightly shallower above antennae; facial fovea shiny, punctures much smaller and sparser than on adjacent frontal area. Malar space slightly more than half as long as wide (8.5:16). Longest hairs on face above antennal sockets, 2.8MOD, slightly longer on vertex <3 MOD; genal beard ~4 MOD.

Mesosoma: pronotum and anteromedial portion of mesoscutum doubly punctate, small punctures dense, i~d, larger punctures scattered (i>3d); rest of mesoscutum with punctures distinct, i=1–2 d; mesoscutellum shiny, punctures distinct, i=0.5–1.5 d with scattered minute punctures; metanotum shiny, punctures sparse, with few scattered minute punctures, i=1.5–3 d; mesepisternum shiny but faintly imbricate, with numerous minute punctures among larger ones, i=1–3 d; metepisternum shiny, minutely striate above, with large punctures on anterior margin, finer below, i=0.5–1 d. Mesoscutum with longest hairs <1 MOD; mesepisternum with longest hairs ventrally ~3.5 MOD. Stigma shorter than marginal cell on costal margin, 31:45; apex of marginal cell abruptly curving from anterior wing margin, almost truncate; distal stigma perpendicular just apical to first submarginal crossvein. Metapostnotum with median stria and those adjacent long, ~3/4 length of metapostnotum, more lateral striae shorter, ~2/3 length of metapostnotum; lateral surface of propodeum weakly imbricate but shiny, punctures shallow, large at midlength dorsally, smaller elsewhere, denser anteriorly, i=1–2 d.

Metasoma: terga imbricate except for shiny apical impressed areas which are>2 MOD in length; T1–T3 triply punctate, minute punctures more abundant than large ones on disc (i=1–1.5 d), larger punctures sparse, i>4d, largest punctures shallow and present only laterally, i>1–4 d; T4 with sparse punctures, i>3d; apical impressed areas very sparsely and minutely punctate, i=3–6d.

Male: unknown.

Material studied. Holotype female: PERU, Ancash Dept, Cordillera Negra above Huaraz , 16.v.1996, 3000– 4000m, J.G. Rozen, A.U. Ugarte [ AMNH] [See Figs. 184–185 for distribution map].

Etymology. The species is named after the abnormally large punctures on the metasomal terga which resemble lunar craters.

Comments. This species is the only one in the subgenus with such large punctures on the metasomal terga, or any other body part.

Figures

FIGURES 76–78. Chilicola luna. 76. female lateral habitus (holotype); 77. female face (holotype); 78. T2–T4 to show punctures of two sizes (fewer large crater-like punctures among many small punctures).

FIGURES 155–156. T1–T4 to show punctation: 155. T2 with large punctures as well as moderate and small ones, T1 with sparse punctation (C. luna holotype); 156. T2 lacking large punctures but with moderate and small punctures both present, T1 with dense punctation (C. huarPe holotype).

FIGURES 184–185. Distribution maps of newly described Chilicola (Oroediscelis) species. 184. Large scale map of South America showing distribution of new species; 185. Small scale map of northern Argentina to show distribution within the country.