Colletes senkelensis Kuhlmann

Kuhlmann, Michael & Pauly, Alain, 2013, The bee genus Colletes Latreille 1802 in Ethiopia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae), Zootaxa 3693 (2), pp. 267-292 : 271-273

Colletes senkelensis Kuhlmann sp. n.

( Figs 3–5 )

Diagnosis. Colletes senkelensis belongs to the C. rufitarsis species-group (see C. abessinicus ). The female of this species differs from the other species of the group by a combination of the following characters: very finely and densely punctate T1, terga without oily-bluish sheen ( Fig. 4 d), disc of mesonotum almost impunctate and space between punctures polished and shiny ( Fig. 4 c). The male is easily recognized by its very large and rounded, parchmenty S7 ( Fig. 5 c). The S7 of C. senkelensis is about twice the size of that in C. rufitarsis and C. opacus that previously had the largest known S 7 in this species-group.

Description. Female. Bl = 11.0 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black except part of mandible dark reddish-brown. Face except clypeus densely covered with long, yellowish-brown, erect hairs ( Fig. 4 b).

Clypeus without a shallow longitudinal median depression, supraclypeal area square and convex in profile. Clypeus coarsely and densely punctate (i = 0.5d); surface between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 4 b). Malar area medially about ¼ as long as width of mandible base, finely striate. Antenna black. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth and shiny; disc almost impunctate (i> 4.0d). Scutellum anteriorly with scattered punctures but with more dense punctation apically, surface smooth and shiny ( Fig. 4 c). Mesoscutum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with orange-brown, erect hairs, on mesoscutal disc with isolated black hairs ( Fig. 4 a, c). Wings. Very yellowish; wing venation brown. Legs. Integument black, hind tibia and some tarsal segments reddish-brown. Vestiture yellowish to greyish-white, scopa yellowish-white. Metasoma. Integument black except depressed apical tergal margins partly yellowish to reddish translucent ( Fig. 4 d). T1 anteriorly to the middle of disc and disc of T2 sparsely covered with long, erect yellowish-brown hairs, laterally with sparse short appressed hairs; discs of T3–T5 with short but successively longer blackish hairs; apical tergal hair band of T1 narrow and narrowing medially, on the following terga much broader ( Fig. 4 a, d). Terga densely and very finely punctate (i <d), between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 4 d).

Male. Bl = 9.0–10.0 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black except tip of mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, yellowish-brown, erect hairs. Malar area medially about 3/4 as long as width of mandible base, finely striate. Antenna black. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth and shiny; disc sparsely punctate (i = 2.0d). Scutellum anteriorly sparsely punctate with denser punctation apically, surface smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, orange-brown erect hairs ( Fig. 5 a). Wings. Slightly yellowish; wing venation brown. Legs. Integument dark reddish-brown; tarsi partly reddish-brown. Vestiture yellowish to greyish-white. Metasoma. Integument black except depressed apical tergal margins yellowish to reddish translucent ( Fig. 5 b). Discs of T1–T3 sparsely covered with long, erect yellowish-brown hairs of decreasing length ( Fig. 5 a, b); apical tergal hair bands broad ( Fig. 5 a, b). Terga densely and finely punctate (i <d), between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 5 b). Terminalia. Genitalia and S7 as illustrated ( Figs. 5 c–d).

Type material (3 specimens). Holotype, male, ETHIOPIA, Oromia, Senkele Nat. Park [38°16´20´´ E 7°11´52´´ N], 2011m, 17.ix.2012, A. Pauly, Ocimum urticifolium (RBINS).

Paratypes: 1 Ƥ, same dates as holotype (RCMK); 1 3, ETHIOPIA, Oromia, Senkele Nat. Park [38°17´E 7°09´N], 2103m, 17.ix.2012, A. Pauly (RCMK).

Etymology. This species is named for the Senkele National Park where this species was collected.

General distribution. Only known from the type locality in Ethiopia ( Fig. 3 ).

Floral hosts. Ocimum urticifolium (Lamiaceae) .

Seasonal activity (first–last observations). IX.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Distribution of Colletes abessinicus Friese, C. rothschildi Vachal and C. senkelensis Kuhlmann sp. n.

FIGURE 4. Colletes senkelensis Kuhlmann sp. n., female: a. specimen, lateral view; b. head; c. scutum and scutellum; d. metasomal terga 1 and 2. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Colletes senkelensis Kuhlmann sp. n., male: a. specimen, lateral view; b. metasomal terga 1 and 2; c. metasomal sternum 7 (dorsal view); d. gonostylus (lateral view). Scale bar: 1 mm.