Xylocopa simillima Smith, 1854

Lucia, Mariano, Gonzalez, Victor H. & Abrahamovich, Alberto H., 2015, Systematics and biology of XylocopasubgenusSchonnherria (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in Argentina, ZooKeys 543, pp. 129-167 : 145

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Apidae

Xylocopa simillima Smith, 1854 Figures 4, 10, 16, 22, 45-48, 58

Xylocopa simillima Smith, 1854: 357 (holotype: BMNH 17B.196; ♀, Australia) (examined)

Xylocopa mendax Maidl, 1912: 319 (syntype: NMW; ♀, Rio Grande, Brazil); Hurd and Moure 1961: 191 (synonym with simillima )

Xylocopa rotundiscuta Brèthes, 1916: 418 (lectotype: MACN; ♀, Misiones, Argentina) (examined); Hurd and Moure 1961: 191 (lectotype designation and synonym with simillima )

Xylocopa (Schonnherria) simillima : Hurd and Moure 1963: 123.

Diagnosis.

The female of this species can be distinguished from other Argentinean species of Schonnherria by the following combination of characters: large body size (body length 20-23 mm); labrum basally with a distinct, large, single capitate tubercle about as large as median ocellus; integument dark brown to black throughout, with basal three or four terga often with distinct broad, light reddish brown bands on discs (rarely orange) (Fig. 16); metasomal terga with punctures circular to ovoid, sparsely punctate on discs of basal terga (2-4 times a puncture width), punctures denser laterally and on apical terga; discs of basal terga with very short, black, simple setae, each seta barely exiting puncture, setae increasing in length laterally and on apical terga. The male can be easily recognized by the combination of compound eyes strongly convergent dorsally (Fig. 10), metasomal terga dark brown to black with basal terga light reddish brown on discs, and wings dark brown.

Female.

Body length 21.8 (20.3-23.0); head length 5.8 (5.5-6.1); head width 6.6 (6.4-7.0); mesosoma width 7.5 (7.2-8.4); metasoma width 9.1 (8.8-9.6); forewing length 19.6 (18.6-19.7); forewing width 5.7 (5.6-6.2). Coloration. Integument black with posterior margin of mesoscutellum and basal three or four metasomal terga with broad, light reddish brown bands on discs (terga rarely orange). Wings dark brown with violet highlights. Pubescence. Dark brown to black. Head with scattered setae on vertex, gena, paraocular area, and clypeus distally. Mesosoma with abundant, plumose setae except nearly asetose on disc of mesoscutum and posterior half of mesoscutellum. T1 with scattered plumose setae on basal half; distal half of T1, as on discs of T2-T5, with very short (0.2-0.3 times OD), appressed simple setae, each barely exiting puncture, setae becoming longer and denser towards apical terga; disc of T6 and sides of T1-T6 each with long, semierect, simple and plumose setae; sterna with semierect, long setae as long as those on sides of terga. Sculpturing. Weakly imbricate to smooth and shiny. Vertex and upper gena largely impunctate, punctures denser behind lateral ocelli. Mesoscutum with punctures slightly smaller and denser than those on vertex on anterior margin and lateral to parapsidal lines, impunctate otherwise; mesoscutellum largely impunctate, punctures separated by at least two times a puncture width. Terga with circular to ovoid punctures as large and coarse as those on mesoscutellum, separated by 1-2 times a puncture width, denser laterally on each tergum and towards apical segments; sterna with punctures smaller, nearly contiguous laterally, larger and sparser medially. Structure. Head broader than long (1.1-1.2:1); compound eyes with inner margins parallel; proportion of upper to lower interocular distance 0.8-0.9:1; middle interocular distance 4.2-4.5; vertex broad, distance between median ocellus and posterior margin of vertex 4.6-5.3 OD; orbitoccipital distance short 1.1-1.3; lateral ocelli below supraorbital line; interocellar distance to ocelocular distance 0.6:1; interocellar to ocelloccipital 0.3-0.4:1; ocellocular to alveolocellar 0.7-0.9:1; orbitoccipital to ocellocular 1.0-1.3:1; alveolocular to interalveolar 1.2-1.4:1; clypeoalveolar distance about 1.8 times longitudinal diameter of antennal socket; clypeocellar distance to distance between median ocellus and posterior margin of vertex 0.7-0.9:1; frontal carina moderately elevated, forming a small tubercle just above lower tangent of anntenal sockets; clypeus broader than long, 2.2-2.5:1; proportion of length of scape, pedicel and F1-F4: 2.9 –3.2:0.2– 0.4: 1:0.3 –0.4:0.4–0.5:0.4– 0.5, respectively; labrum basally with a distinct, large, single capitate tubercle about as large as median ocellus. Mesoscutellum gently convex; metanotum and propodeum vertical in profile.

Male.

As in the female, except for usual secondary sexual characters and as follows: body length 22.6; head length 5.7; head width 6.8; mesosoma width 8.8; metasoma width 9.8; forewing length 20.6; forewing width 5.6. Coloration. Clypeus, supraclypeal area and lower paraocular area yellow. Structure. Head broader than long (proportion 1.2:1); compound eyes enlarged, strongly converging dorsally (Fig. 10); proportion of upper to lower interocular distance 0.3:1; upper interocular distance 1.6 OD; middle interocular distance 2.3; distance between median ocellus and posterior margin of vertex 4.2 OD; orbitoccipital distance absent due to enlargement of eyes; lateral ocelli below supraorbital line; interocellar to ocelocular distance 4:1; interocellar to ocelloccipital 0.2:1; ocellocular to alveolocellar 0.1:1; orbitoccipital to ocellocular reduced; alveolocular to interalveolar 0.4:1; clypeocellar distance to distance between median ocellus and posterior margin of vertex 0.7:1; clypeus broader than long, 1.7:1; proportion of length of scape, pedicel and F1-F4 2.8:0.4:1:0.2:0.4:0.4, respectively. Genitalia as in Figs 45-48.

Distribution.

This species occurs in Misiones (Fig. 58), an area that is included within the Paranaense biogeographic province.

Comments.

Brèthes’ original description of Xylocopa rotundiscuta was based on three females. To stabilize this name, Hurd and Moure (1961: 191) unambiguously designated one of the syntypes as the lectotype. This specimen, deposited at MACN, has a locality label that reads “Misiones”, a catalogue number 7597 [misinterpreted by Hurd and Moure as 2597], a handwritten number 765 [interpreted by Hurd and Moure as 753], and a lectotype label. Such a valid designation appear to have been missed by Moure (2007: 668).