Thectochlora brachycera, Gonçalves, Rodrigo B. & Melo, Gabriel A. R., 2006

Gonçalves, Rodrigo B. & Melo, Gabriel A. R., 2006, Revision of the bee genus Thectochlora Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Halictinae), Zootaxa 1331, pp. 1-30 : 18-20

Thectochlora brachycera new species

( Figures 3, 4 , 17 , 24, 25 , 32 and 34)

Comments

Thectochlora brachycera sp. nov. has an isolated position in the genus and is readily distinguished from other species by the shape of the male antenna and the pubescence on the male S4 ( Fig. 17 ). In the phylogenetic analysis ( Fig. 34 ), this species comes out as the sister group of the remaining species of Thectochlora . The more elongate head, a condition also exhibited by T. mixta sp. nov., distinguishes this species from T. alaris and T. basiatra . The distribution of T. brachycera sp. nov. widely overlaps that of T. alaris , in central Brazil.

Diagnosis

In both sexes, head about as long as wide (at least 2 mm in width and over 1.95 mm in length); fore leg trochanter without dorsal hook. Lower paraocular area in females with few decumbent plumose setae and abundant erect setae, these with conspicuous branches; punctures about 1–2 puncture diameters apart. In the male, antennae with the flagellomeres progressively decreasing in length, the last three flagellomeres the shortest; S4 with abundant setae on posterior margin.

Description

Male holotype. Measurements. Eye: 1.20; cl: 0.55; c-a: 0.95; c-o: 1.04; mhl: 2; o-c: 0.3; mhw: 2; F4: 0.28; mml: 0.16; abl: 6.96. (1) Head. About as long as wide. Clypeus and supraclypeal area conspicuously convex, lateral portions of supraclypeal area with a more pronounced curvature than adjacent parocular surface. (2) Antennae. Flagellomeres II to XI progressively decreasing in length, last three flagellomeres distinctly shorter; anterior surface homogeneously covered by short decumbent pubescence. (3) Mesoscutum. Outline, in dorsal view, of lateral half of projecting anterior border rounded. (4) Mesepisternum. Strongly punctured, not rugulose. (5) Metapostnotum. Basal sulcus crossed by few and relatively weak transverse carinae, mid carina strongest. (6) Propodeum. Punctation on dorso-lateral area dense, punctures about one-half to one-third puncture diameter apart. (7) Legs. Fore leg trochanter without dorsal hook, hook of mid leg trochanter short, about two-fifths trochanter width. (8) Metasoma. Pubescence on S4 covering the entire disc, not forming a specialized patch (as in Fig. 17 ). (9) Genitalia. Not dissected (see Figs. 24 and 25 ). (10) Body color. Metallic green with mandibles, labrum, clypeal apex, tibiae and tarsi yellow; femora dark green with the apex yellow.

Female paratype (from Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil). Measurements. Eye: 1.5; cl: 0.57; c-a: 1.02; c-o: 1.13; mhl: 2; o-c: 0.2; mhw: 2.22; mml: 0.15; abl: 7.68. (1) Head. As long as wide; supraclypeal area conspicuously convex, its lateral portions with a more pronounced curvature than adjacent parocular surface; lower paraocular area with few decumbent plumose hairs and with several erect plumose hairs, punctures about 1–2 puncture diameters apart; malar space relatively long (see measurements). (2) Mesoscutum. Outline, in dorsal view, of lateral half of projecting anterior border almost straight, medial notch shallow. (3) Mesepisternum. Almost entirely punctured, weaky rugulose. (4) Metapostnotum. Basal sulcus with few transversal carinae, most not complete. (5) Propodeum. Entirely covered with fine punctation, punctures about one-half to one-third puncture diameter apart. (6) Legs. Fore leg trochanter without dorsal hook, hook in the mid leg trochanter short, about two-fifth the trochanter width. (7) Metasoma. Punctures on marginal zone of T2 about 2–3 puncture diameters apart, denser on disc (about one puncture diameter apart). (8) Body color. Metallic green with brown legs.

Type material

Male holotype ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20896” “ Brasil, Goiás, Chapada dos\ Veadeiros, Vale Dourado,\ 14°12’S 47°37’W, 1100m \ 30.iii.2003, Melo, Aguiar,\ Marchi e Gonçalves”. Paratypes: BRAZIL, Goiás: 1 female ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20894” “Coleção Campos Seabra” “Jataí Goiás\ Brasil I-1955 \ F. Pereira”; 1 female with same data except “ DZUP \ 20894”; 1 female ( RPSP), “Aragarças\ GO — Brasil \ 10-24.I.1877 \ Col. Camargo”. Minas Gerais: 1 female ( DZUP) “ DZUP \ 25652” “Uberlândia - MG\ BRASIL 15.VI.93 \ G. A. R. Melo”; 1 male ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20897” “Uberlândia - MG\ BRASIL 20.V.93 \ G. A. R. Melo”;

Additional examined material

BRAZIL, Amapá: 1 female ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20732” “ Brasil, Amapá, 20km SW\ de Maracá, 0°20’01’’S,\ 51°49’46”W, 24.ix.2001,\ G.A.R. Melo”; 1 female ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20733” “ Brasil, Amapá/ I.E.P.A.” “ Brasil — Amapá\ Lar do Jari / Cajari\ Ambiente de cerrado\ 00:26:12S / 52:04:01W\ 29/V/2001 \ O.T. Silveira”; 2 females and 1 male ( IEPA), “ Brasil Amapá\ Cruzeiro\ 21-IX-1975 ” ” Brasil Amapá\ P. C. Souza”. Espírito Santo: 1 female ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20766” “Sta. Leopoldina ES\ Brasil 4- III 64 \ C. Elias, - LEG”. Goiás: “ DZUP \ 020895 ” “ JATAÍ Goiás\ BRASIL I-1955 \ F. Pereira”. Maranhão: 16 females ( RPSP), “São Luis. MA\ Brasil. 5.I.1983 \ Mazucato, Aily\ 820065”; same data except “821422”, “821424”, “830345”, “830346”, “830351”, “830353”, “830358”, “830364” and “830367”; “Mazucato, Aily\ Camargo leg.” “São Luis-MA\ Brasil. 24.XII.1982 \ 822473”; same data except “822475”, “822476”, “822477”, “822480” and “822481”; 1 female ( DZUP) “ DZUP \ 20898” “S. Luís - MA - Brasil \ 21/XII/1991 \ Apocalypse\ Rodrigues” “P1.N8\ Hr.8.9”; 2 males ( DZUP) with same data except “ DZUP \ 20899” “P1.N8\ Hr.7.8” and “ DZUP \ 20900” “P1.N11\ Hr.8.9”. Mato Grosso: 3 females ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20729” “Dpto Zool\ UF-PARANÁ” “Serra Roncador\ MT-R.S. Base Camp\ BRASIL- 13/7/1968 \ Laroca & Azevedo”; “ DZUP \ 20728” “Dpto Zool\ UF- PARANÁ” “Serra Roncador\ MT-R.S. Base Camp\ BRASIL- 16/7/1968 \ Laroca & Azevedo”; “ DZUP \ 20731” “ SERRA RONCADOR\ MT-R.S. Base Camp\ BRASIL- 17/7/ 1968 \ Laroca & Azevedo”; 1 male ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20730” “Chavantina - MT\ Brasil - VII 1962 \ Alvarenga-Oliveira”; 1 female ( SEKM), “ BRASIL Mato Grosso\ Rio Verde Nov, 60\ (M. Alvarenga). Minas Gerais: 2 females ( RPSP), “ RPSP \ 010518 ” “Bonfinópolis de Minas\ 45°59’W, 16°34’S \ Fazenda Assa Peixe” “MG-Brasil, 17.II.2001 \ M. Mazucato leg.”, same data except ” 010523 ”; 1 male ( RPSP) “ RPSP \ 001011” “Bonfinópolis de\ Minas, Minas Gerais\ Brasil - 31.III.2000 \ M. Mazucato leg.”. Pará: 1 female ( AMNH), “ Brazil: Val de\ Cans. Belem, Para\ Nov. 20-21, 1963 ” “Oliveira &\ Wygodzinsky Coll.”; 28 females ( DZUP), “ DZUP \ 20858” “Coleção\ Campos Seabra” “Aurá BELEM \ Pará BRASIL \ 22-XI-1965 \ Michener & Moure”, same data except “ DZUP \ 20859”, “ DZUP \ 20860”, “ DZUP \ 20861”, “ DZUP \ 20863”, “ DZUP \ 20865”, “ DZUP \ 20867” and the series “ DZUP \ 20869” to “ DZUP \ 20883” and “ DZUP \ 20885” to “ DZUP \ 20892”; 1 with same data except “ DZUP \ 20893”; “ DZUP \ 20862” “Coleção\ Campos Seabra” “ AURÁ \ Pará BRASIL \ 16-VI-1956 \ E. LOBATO”; “ DZUP \ 20864” “Coleção\ Campos Seabra” “ BELEM \ Pará BRASIL \ 20-XI-1965 \ Michener & Moure”; same data except “ DZUP \ 20866”, “ DZUP \ 20868” and “ DZUP \ 20884”; 2 males ( MZSP), “Anamindeua\ Pará, Brasil \ I.1963 \ Machado & Pereira”; “Belém PA\ Utinga\ 6.vii.1965 \ E. Dente — leg”; 1 female ( MZSP), “Belém\ (Utinga) PA\ 2.II.1962 \ J. Bechyné col”; 8 females ( SEKM), “Aurá BELEM \ Pará BRASIL \ 22 — XI — 1955 \ Michener & Moure”. Rondônia: 2 females ( RPSP), “ Brasil — RO\ Guajarã Mirim\ Pacaás Novos” “Data 20/V/1995 \ M. L. Oliveira” “PN0083”, same data except “PN0081”.

GUIANA: 1 female (AMNH), “Waranama, B.G.,\ Nov. 19 1936 \ Ogilvie, Coll.” “acc. 34970”, 1 with same data except “ Nov. 16 1936 ”; 6 with same data except “ Nov. 13 1936 ”.

Etymology

Named after the short antennae of the males compared to the other species of Thectochlora . From the Greek brachys, short, and keros, horn.

Figures

FIGURE 34. Cladogram for species of Thectochlora. L = 15; Ci = 93; Ri = 90.

FIGURES 1 – 4. Head, frontal view. 1, T. alaris (female lectotype from Jataí, Goiás, Brazil). 2, T. basiatra (female from Vila Velha, Paraná, Brazil). 3, T. brachycera (female paratype from Uberlândia. Minas Gerais, Brazil). 4, T. brachycera (male paratype from Uberlândia. Minas Gerais, Brazil). Figures at same scale. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 15 – 19. Male S 4, ventral view. 15, T. alaris (from Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil). 16, T. basiatra (from Vila Velha, Paraná, Brazil). 17, T. brachycera (from São Luis, Maranhão, Brazil). 18, T. hamata (from Cotegipe, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). 19, T. mixta (from Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil). All figures at same scale. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 20 – 25. Male genitalia. 20, T. alaris (from Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil), ventral view. 21, Same, dorsal view. 22, T. basiatra (from Vila Velha, Paraná, Brazil), ventral view. 23, Same, dorsal view. 24, T. brachycera (from São Luis, Maranhão, Brazil), ventral view. 25, Same, dorsal view. All figures at same scale. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.