Stelis (Dolichostelis) costaricensis Friese

Gonzalez, Victor H., Ascher, John S. & Engel, Michael S., 2012, A new Stelis (Dolichostelis) from northern Colombia (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): first records for South America and a synopsis of the bee fauna from the Caribbean region of Colombia, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 46 (47 - 48), pp. 2919-2934 : 2925-2926

Stelis (Dolichostelis) costaricensis Friese

New records

Colombia: Valle del Cauca: one female, Loboguerrero , 740 m, 25 September 1976, Bell, Breed and Michener; one male, idem, 4 February 1977, M.D. Breed and C.D. Michener ( SEMC). one male, one female , Valle del Cauca, Mun. Candelaria, Finca San Luis (1010 m), tropical dry forest, 4–7 July 1975, malaise trap, R.C. Wilkerson ( BBSL) .

Comments

This species was known previously from Mexico to Costa Rica ( Table 1).

Key to species of Stelis subgenus Dolichostelis

Modified from Parker and Bohart (1979). Note that the male of S. vallenata is unknown.

1. Clypeus with distal margin distinctly tuberculate medially; paraocular area next to inner margin of compound eye, above lower tangent of torulus, dull and impunctate; male without median apical pair of teeth on fourth sternum........................................... S. perpulchra Crawford Clypeus with distal margin at most sinuous, not distinctly tuberculate; paraocular area smooth and shiny, punctate throughout as on remaining areas of face; male with large pair of ventrally directed median apical teeth on fourth sternum................................................................ 2

2. Lateral ocellus enlarged, distinctly wider than width of antennal flagellum; ocello-ocular distance at most 1.5 times lateral ocellar diameter; mesepisternum and legs often largely maculate........................... 3 Lateral ocellus not enlarged, about as wide as antennal flagellum or slightly wider (1.1 times at most); ocello-ocular distance at least 1.7 times lateral ocellar diameter; mesepisternum and legs immaculate or at most with reduced, diffuse maculations..................................................... 5

3. Frons below median ocellus with large punctures, each puncture about one-third width of flagellum........................... S. louisae Cockerell Frons below median ocellus with smaller punctures, each puncture about one-fifth width of flagellum............................................. 4

4. Distance between lateral and median ocelli about three-quarters diameter of lateral ocellus; second tergum with yellow band about equal to those of other terga............................................... S. laticincta Cockerell Distance between lateral and median ocelli about half diameter of lateral ocellus; second tergum with yellow band much less developed, narrower medially, than on other terga............................. S. rudbeckiarum Cockerell

5. First tergum black or with small incomplete yellow band only; second tergum entirely black; mesoscutum with reduced maculations, often with short band on anterior margin................................. S. costaricensis Friese First tergum with complete yellow band; second tergum with at least a lateral band; mesoscutum with anterolateral and lateral margins with a continuous band.................................................................. 6

6. Lateral margin of axilla distinctly extending beyond line created by mesoscutum and mesoscutellum; female sixth tergum black, immaculate (Texas, USA to Costa Rica)......................................... S. costalis Cresson Lateral margin of axilla not distinctly extending beyond line created by mesoscutum and mesoscutellum; female sixth tergum with complete yellow band ( Colombia)........................................... S. vallenata sp. nov.

Bee diversity

This preliminary survey reports approximately 125 identified species in 48 genera, representing all five extant families of bees. This number of species represents about 20% of the total number of known bee species for Colombia ( Ascher and Pickering 2012; Smith-Pardo 2003). Most species belong to Apidae and Megachilidae ( Table 2). Undoubtedly, this list of species is provisional because it is biased towards those families that are better known taxonomically. Not all specimens examined were identified to species level and some may represent new species. Some records need to be confirmed. For instance, Ramirez et al. (2002) listed several orchid bee species from the Caribbean region without specific localities.