Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) smithii (Ritsema, 1874)

Nalinrachatakan, Pakorn, Ascher, John S., Kasparek, Max, Traiyasut, Prapun, Thanoosing, Chawatat & Warrit, Natapot, 2023, A review of the anthidiine bees (Apoidea, Megachilidae) in Thailand, ZooKeys 1186, pp. 235-284 : 235

Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) smithii (Ritsema, 1874)

Fig. 1

Anthidium smithii Ritsema, 1874: 111. (♂) Male holotype from Ambarawan, Java (NBC, not examined).

Anthidium minutissimum Bingham, 1903: 6. (♂) Male holotype from "Biserat, Jalor, Siam" [= Yala province, Thailand] (NHMUK, images examined).

Anthidium javanicum Friese, 1909: 257. (♂) Two syntypes from Buitenzorg [= Bogor, Java], collected by Schmiedeknecht.

Anthidiellum smithii smithii (Ritsema): Pasteels 1972: 89-93, figs 31-39; Soh et al. 2016: 51-54, figs 1A, 2.

Material examined.

11 (3♀, 8♂). Myanmar (new record) : 1♀, Dawei city, Dawei Hospital (13°59.117'N, 98°7.479'E, alt. 4 m), 3 May 2018, N. Warrit et al. (CUNHM: BSRU-AA-6909) ; Thailand: 4♂, Chumpon, Lang Suan District, Ban Suan Phueng , (10°01'N, 99°03'E, alt. 10 m), 15 Jul. 2003, N. Warrit (CUNHM: BSRU-AA-1245-1248) ; 1♀, Khon Kaen (new record), Phu Wiang District , 26 May 2016, N. Warrit et al. (CUNHM: BSRU-AA-4482) ; 1♂, Surat Thani, Koh Samui District , 17 Jul 2003, N. Warrit (CUNHM: BSRU-AA-1244) ; 1♀, 3♂, Ubon Ratchthani (new record), Phu Chong Na Yoi National Park, Trail to National Park Protection unit PorJor 5 (14°33'4.35"N, 105°25'36.80"E, alt. 216 m), on Colona auriculata (Desf.) Craib. [ Malvaceae ], 28 Sep. 2020, N. Warrit et al. (CUNHM: BSRU-AB-1367-1370) .

Distribution.

Indonesia (Bangka, East Kalimantan, Java, Sumba, Maluku Island), LAOS (Houaphanh), Malaysia (Negiri Sembilan, Penang), Myanmar (Dawei, new record), Philippines (Palawan), Singapore, Thailand (Chaiyaphum, Chiang Mai: Tadauchi and Tasen 2009, Chonburi, Chumpon, Khon Kaen, Nan, Surat Thani, Ubon Ratchathani (new record), Yala).

This species can be rarely found in the Southeast Asian region. A similar species, Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) carinatum (Wu, 1962), is known from China (Hainan, Yunnan) and India (Tripura) (see Niu et al. 2016; Sardar et al. 2022).

Diagnosis.

Within subgenus Anthidiellum Pycnanthidium , this species has a small black body (3.9-5.0 mm) with yellow maculations on all tagmata. It differs from other congeners by its metasomal coloration, i.e., T1 with yellow markings laterally, T2 entirely black, T3-T6 with broad yellow bands, mostly interrupted medially on T3; axilla yellow; broad yellow marginal band on scutellum, medially interrupted; outer surface of the hind tibia and hind basitarsus with longitudinal carinae; black apical comb of S5 in male interrupted medially resembles small notch; gonostylus bifid. However, this species is similar to A. carinatum (Wu, 1962) from China, although Niu et al. (2016) suggested subtle differences, primarily related to punctures size and color pattern.

Floral association.

Bidens pilosa L. ( Asteraceae ), Muntingia calabura L. ( Muntingiaceae ) ( Soh et al. 2016); Microcos tomentosa Sm. ( Malvaceae ) ( Pasteels 1972); an individual from Ubon Ratchathani was found collecting pollen on the flower of Colona auriculata (Desf.) Craib. ( Malvaceae ).

Remarks.

Anthidiellum smithii was originally reported in Thailand from Yala province as A. minutissimum Bingham, 1903. More than a hundred years later, Tadauchi and Tasen (2009) reported it from Chaiyaphum and Chiang Mai provinces. Variations in color pattern of A. smithii are widely recognized, as noted by Pasteels (1972) and Soh et al. (2016).

In this study, four males collected at the same time and place in Chumpon Province display varying color patterns. Yellow teardrop markings on the frons are small in two specimens (Fig. 1E, F ) (BSRU-AA-1246, BSRU-AA-1247 though the antero-lateral scutal bands are different in size), whereas teardrop marking is expanded in specimens BSRU-AA-1248, and absent in BSRU-AA-1245. All specimens examined have yellow supraclypeal area that is medially interrupted; however, a female from Khon Kaen (BSRU-AA-4482) (Fig. 1D ) and one male from Ubon Ratchathani (BSRU-AB-1370) have a yellow marking on its basal area while others do not. Color variation in this species thus can occur in sympatric populations and may be a continuous trait. More discussion on yellow maculation variations is elaborated by Soh et al. (2016).

Figures

Figure 1. Anthidiellum smithii (Ritsema, 1874) A, B lateral habitus of females from Myanmar (BSRU-AA- 6909) and Khon Kaen (BSRU-AA- 4482), Thailand, respectively C-F faces of Myanmar female, Khon Kaen female, and Chumporn males (BSRU-AA- 1245, 1247). Scale bars: 1 mm (A, B); 0.5 mm (C-F).