Colletes rayensis KUHLMANN, 2023

Kuhlmann, Michael, Schmid, Christian & Wolf-H, 2023, Three new Colletes species from Iran (Hymenoptera, Colletidae), Linzer biologische Beiträge 55 (1), pp. 37-45 : 40-41

Colletes rayensis KUHLMANN nov.sp. ( Figs 7-12 )

T y p e m a t e r i a l: (1 specimen). Holotype: ♁ " Iran, Kerman prov., Rayen, 3 km NE, 29.6220N 57.4590E, 2117m, Schmid-Egger lg., 14.05.2019, IR-c36a" (Coll. Kuhlmann, Zoological Museum of Kiel University ).

D i a g n o s i s: The male of C. rayensis has one of the largest S7 among its relatives and only in C. elegans and C. askhabadensis it is of similar size. However, in C. elegans the overall shape of S7 is different with its narrowest section in the basal third while in C. rayensis it is about halfway to the apical end ( Fig. 12 ). Colletes askhabadensis clearly is most closely related to C. rayensis and differences are subtle. While in C. rayensis the narrow basal section and the widened apical part of S7 are roughly of equal length, in C. askhabadensis the narrow basal section is distinctly shorter. In addition, the apical depressions of metasomal terga are broader ( Figs 8, 9 ), the distance between the tips of the apical emargination of T7 wider ( Fig. 10 ) and the gonostylus shorter ( Fig. 11 ) in C. rayensis than in C. askhabadensis .

D e s c r i p t i o n

M a l e: Body length: 8 mm. Head: Head wider than long. Integument black except mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, white, erect hairs. Malar area medially about 1/2 as long as width of mandible base, finely striate. Antenna black, ventrally brown ( Fig. 7 ). Mesosoma: Integument black. Mesoscutal disc sparsely (i = 1–2d) and finely punctate, between punctures smooth and shiny. Scutellum anteriorly almost impunctate with successively denser punctation posteriorly, surface between punctures smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, greyish-white erect hair ( Fig. 7 ). Wings slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma yellowish-brown, apically dark brown. Integument of legs mostly dark brown, base and end of tibiae mostly reddish-brown, tarsi yellowish-brown. Vestiture white ( Fig. 7 ). Metasoma: Integument black except depressed apical tergal margins whitish to yellowish translucent; end of T7 dark brown ( Figs 8–10 ). T1–2 densely covered with long, appressed hairs and few erect slightly yellowish to white hairs, discs of following terga glabrous ( Figs 8, 9 ). Apical tergal depression and hair bands of T2–3 very broad, much broader than the respective discs and densely covered with long, appressed white hairs, on T4–6 successively narrower; apical tergal depression and hair band of T1 only about 1/3 the width of that of T2 ( Fig. 9 ). T1–2 with very fine and dense punctation (i = 0.5–1d), between punctures smooth and shiny, punctation on following terga indistinct. T7 apically broadly emarginate ( Fig. 10 ). Gonostylus and S7 as illustrated ( Figs 11, 12 ).

F e m a l e: Unknown.

E t y m o l o g y: The species is named after the town Rayen where the only known specimen was found.

G e n e r a l d i s t r i b u t i o n: Only known from the type locality in Kerman Province in the southeast of Iran.

F l o r a l h o s t s: Unknown.

Figures

Figs 7-12: Colletes rayensis KUHLMANN nov.sp., Holotype male (7) lateral view; (8) metasoma; (9) metasomal terga T1-T2; (10) metasomal tergum T7; (11) gonostylus; (12) metasomal sternum S7.