Sphecodes sikkimensis Bluethgen , 1927

Astafurova, Yulia V., Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu., Niu, Ze-Qing, Orr, Michael C. & Zhu, Chao-Dong, 2020, New and little-known bees of the genus Sphecodes Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Halictidae) from Southern and South-Western China, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 79, pp. 145-162 : 145

Sphecodes sikkimensis Bluethgen, 1927

Figure 3

Sphecodes sikkimensis Blüthgen, 1927: 54, fig. 12a, ♀ (syntypes: ♀♀, Sikhim [India], 6.97., Rungit Tal, 1000', Coll. Bingham, ZMNB).

Material examined.

Yunnan: Jinping Xian, Changpotou (22.9648N, 103.3164E), 1200 m, 23.V.1956, (1 ♀), leg. Ke-Ren Huang [ZISP]. Sichuan: Emei Shan (29.6070N, 103.4915E), 6.VI.1955, (1 ♀), leg. Ke-Ren Huang & Yin-Tao Jinjin [ZISP]; Emei Shan, Huguosi (39.9419N, 116.3818E), 550-750 m, 5.VII.1957, (1 ♀), leg. Ke-Ren Huang [IZCAS]. Fujian: Jianyang Xian, Huangkeng, Dazhulan (27.6041N, 117.7450E), 900-1000 m, 28.V.196-, (1 ♀), leg. Ten-Qiao Jiang [IZCAS]; Fuzhou, (1 ♂), leg. C.H. Kell [IZCAS].

Description of male

(new). Total body length 13 mm. Head transverse (Fig. 3A ), 1.2 times as wide as long; lateral preoccipital carina present; vertex elevated with distance from top of head to upper margin of a lateral ocellus ca. two lateral ocellar diameters as seen in frontal view; antenna long (Fig. 3C ), attain anterior margin of mesoscutellum; F2 1.7 times as long as wide, remaining flagellomeres ca. 1.5 times as long as wide; tyloids weakly developed, narrowly semicircular across at most 1/4 basal flagellar surfaces and narrowly linear across remainder of flagellomere as seen in lateral view (Fig. 3C ); face and ocello-ocular area deeply areolate-punctate. Face with plumose pubescence below antennal sockets (threadbare in the described male specimen); gena with sparse thin pubescence.

Mesosoma black, legs red-brown. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum coarsely areolate-punctate to reticulate-rugose (Fig. 3B ). Mesepisternum, propodeal triangle (metapostnotum) and lateral parts of propodeum coarsely reticulate-rugose. Wings with strong brownish darkening and weak metallic violet lustre; hind wing with the angle between basal (M) and cubital (Cu) veins almost 80°, costal margin with 13 hamuli.

Metasoma (Fig. 3E ) densely punctate by coarse (30-50 μm / confluent-2; sparser on T1) and microscopical punctures (ca. 5 μm); marginal zones impunctate, expect on basal half of T1 (25-30 μm /1-4); T1-T4 red; gonocoxite dorsally without impression; gonostylus as on Fig. 3D .

Published records.

Blüthgen 1927: 55 (Guandong).

Distribution.

China (*Sichuan, *Yunnan, *Fujian, Guandong); India (Sikkim), Myanmar, Laos.

Figures

Figure 3. Sphecodes sikkimensis Bluethgen, male A head, frontal view B mesosoma, dorsal view C antenna, lateral view D genitalia, dorsal view E metasoma, lateral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (A-C, E), 0.5 mm (D).