Andrena (Euandrena) hermonella Scheuchl & Pisanty

Pisanty, Gideon, Scheuchl, Erwin & Dorchin, Netta, 2016, Eight new species of Andrena Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae) from Israel — a Mediterranean hotspot for wild bees, Zootaxa 4189 (3), pp. 485-515 : 497-499

Andrena (Euandrena) hermonella Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp.

( Figs. 5 , 12 D, 13D)

Female ( Fig. 5 A). Body length: 9 mm.

Color. Head and mesosoma black. Flagellum dark brown to black ( Fig. 5 A, C). Coxae, trochanters, femora and tibiae dark brown; tarsi brown. Wings transparent, veins brown, stigma tan. Tergal discs black, marginal zones golden-brown ( Fig. 5 D); sterna brown to black.

Pubescence. Paraocular and genal areas and lateral parts of clypeus mostly with long black hairs; tufts of long whitish hairs occur around antennal sockets and behind base of mandible ( Fig. 5 B). Facial foveae with short brown hairs. Vertex mostly with long whitish hairs. Dorsal side of mesosoma with long whitish hairs. Mesepisternum mostly with long black hairs; whitish hairs occur on anteriodorsal part and ventral part. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, posterodorsal margin with long, plumose, both black and white hairs. Surface of corbicula with few simple hairs, long white ones on dorsal part, short black on ventral part. Foreleg and midleg with black, brown and white hairs. Flocculus with both black and white hairs. Main part of hind femur with long white hairs. Scopa mostly white to light brown, darker towards base of tibia; scopal hairs mostly simple, some unilaterally plumose. Hind tarsi with white to brown hairs. Tergum 1 with sparse long white hairs ( Fig. 5 D). Terga 2–4 mostly bare on disc, with sparse, inconspicuous short and narrow hairs; premarginal lines with very weak, continuous bands of sparse long whitish hairs. Lateral parts of terga 1–5 with long, both black and white hairs, proportion of black hairs increasing towards tergum 5. Prepygidial fimbria brown ( Fig. 5 D). Sterna with continuous apical bands of long brown to black hairs.

Head ( Fig. 5 B–C). Broader than long ( Fig. 5 B). Labral process trapezoidal, much broader than long, apex shallowly notched. Clypeus flat centrally, shiny, smooth except for a narrow basal margin, without distinct impunctate midline, punctures of medium size, distance between punctures 0–1 puncture diameters ( Fig. 5 B). Facial fovea moderately elongate, occupying 1/3 of paraocular area, extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to lower end of antennal socket, gradually tapering downwards ( Fig. 5 B–C). Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus 2 ocellus diameters ( Fig. 5 C). Flagellomere 1 2–2.5 times as long as broad, much longer than 2+3; 2–3 broader than long, 2 slightly shorter than 3; 4–5 square ( Fig. 5 C). Ocelloccipital distance 1 ocellus diameter.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 5 C). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum weakly elevated, without lateral carina. Mesonotum matt and strongly shagreened on periphery, shiny and moderately shagreened, with some smooth areas, on disc; punctures of medium size, distance between punctures 1–1.5 puncture diameters. Scutellum similar, shiny. Propodeal triangle coarsely rugose basally, very finely alveolate apically. Propodeal corbicula finely alveolate. Hind leg pretarsal claws distinctly bidentate. Nervulus weakly antefurcal.

Metasoma ( Fig. 5 D). Disc of tergum 1 smooth, punctures fine to medium-sized, distance between punctures 2–4 puncture diameters. Discs of terga 2–4 shagreened to smooth basally, smooth apically, finely and sparsely punctured, distance between punctures 3–5 puncture diameters. Marginal zones of terga 1–4 shagreened, those of 2–4 weakly depressed, depressions covering up to 2/5 of tergum width. Central area of pygidial plate elevated.

Male ( Fig. 5 E). Body length: 7.5–8.5 mm.

Color. Similar to female (clypeus and paraocular area black, Fig. 5 F). Proboscis mostly brown, segments of labial and maxillary palps white near joints.

Pubescence. Base of clypeus, area surrounding antennal sockets, ventral half of genal area, and vertex with long white hairs ( Fig. 5 F–G). Apex of clypeus, apical and lateral parts of paraocular area, and dorsal half of genal area with mostly black hairs ( Fig. 5 F). Mesosoma covered on all sides with mixture of long whitish hairs and somewhat shorter and narrower black hairs ( Fig. 5 G). Femora and tibiae with both black and white hairs. Tarsi with white to brown hairs. Tergal discs with sparse, short white hair. Tergal marginal zones with broad discontinuous bands of sparse, long white hair. Anal fimbria whitish-golden.

Head ( Fig. 5 F–G). Broader than long ( Fig. 5 F). Galea finely shagreened. Glossa 3 times as long as broad. Clypeus flat medially, entirely smooth, densely punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameters, puncture size medium. Flagellomere 1 1.5–2 times as long as broad, slightly longer than 2+3; 2 broader than long, much shorter than 3; 3 square; 4–5 slightly longer than broad ( Fig. 5 F). Ocelloccipital distance 1–1.25 ocellus diameters ( Fig. 5 G). Genal area broadened.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 5 G). Mesonotum shagreened, shiny on disc, distance between punctures 0.5–1.5 puncture diameters, puncture size medium to large. Scutellum shiny, superficially shagreened, coarsely punctured, distance between punctures 0.5 puncture diameter. Propodeal triangle rugose, basal part radially grooved. Nervulus interstitial to weakly antefurcal.

Metasoma ( Fig. 5 H). Terga mostly smooth and shiny, punctation somewhat coarser and denser than in female, distance between punctures 2–3 puncture diameters. Marginal zones of terga 2–4 weakly depressed, depressions covering up to 1/2 of tergum width.

Genitalia and hidden sterna ( Figs. 12 D, 13D). Gonocoxites separated at apical half by protruding penis valves; dorsal lobe absent. Gonostyli strongly arched, broadening apically. Penis valves narrow, with distinctly pointed, lateral lamellar projections ( Fig. 12 D). Sternum 8 strongly tapering apically, almost triangular, apex curved and not broadened ( Fig. 13 D).

Differential diagnosis. A. hermonella resembles A. bicolor Fabricius. In A. hermonella , the clypeus is smoother and flatter, and the terga are also smoother and with finer and sparser punctation. The males are easily distinguished from those of A. bicolor by the white hair on the face, longer flagellomere 1 (shorter than 2+ 3 in A. bicolor ), and very different genitalia.

Flight period: May–July.

Flower records: none.

Etymology. Named after Mount Hermon, where the species was collected.

Holotype: Ƌ, ISRAEL: Mount Hermon , 2000m, 22.v.1973, H. Bytinski-Salz [ OLML].

Paratypes: ISRAEL: Mount Hermon , 2000m, 22.v.1973, H. Bytinski-Salz (2Ƌ) ; 2.vii.1984, F. Kaplan (1Ƌ); 1.vii.1986, A. Freidberg (1Ƌ); 2050m, 31.v.1991, K. Warncke (2♀) [OLML, SMNHTAU].

Additional material examined. ISRAEL: Mount Hermon , 2000m, 22.v.1973, H. Bytinski-Salz (1♀, 1Ƌ).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Andrena hermonella n. sp., female (A – D) and male (E – H): A, E, habitus, lateral view; B, F, head, anterior view; C, G, head and mesosoma, dorsal view; D, H, metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURE 12. Male genital capsules, dorsal view: A, Andrena israelica n. sp.; B, A. judaea n. sp.; C, A. palaestina n. sp.; D, A. hermonella n. sp.; E, A. menahemella n. sp.; F, A. wolfi; G, A. sphecodimorpha mediterranea n. ssp.; H, A. perahia n. sp.; I, A. crocusella n. sp.

FIGURE 13. Male eighth sterna, ventral view: A, Andrena israelica n. sp.; B, A. judaea n. sp.; C, A. palaestina n. sp.; D, A. hermonella n. sp.; E, A. menahemella n. sp.; F, A. wolfi; G, A. sphecodimorpha mediterranea n. ssp.; H, A. perahia n. sp.; I, A. crocusella n. sp.