Epeolus albus Astafurova & Proshchalykin, 2023

Astafurova, Yulia V. & Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu., 2023, The genus Epeolus Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera, Apidae) in Central Asia, ZooKeys 1181, pp. 241-263 : 241

Epeolus albus Astafurova & Proshchalykin sp. nov.

Figs 2 , 3

Material examined.

Holotype: ♂, Uzbekistan: Kashkadarya Region , Yrta-Bulak, Sundukli, 16.V.2015, M. Proshchalykin, M. Mokrousov [ZISP] . Paratypes: 1 ♂, the same label as in the holotype [ZISP]; 1 ♀, Bag-Absal , 50 km N of Buchara, 17.IX.1931, Zhelchovtsev [ZMMU]; Turkmenistan , 1 ♂, Kara-Bogaz , 40 km N of Kyzyl-Arvat, 31.V.1955, Odintzova [ZISP] ; 1 ♀, Akhcha-Kuyma , 24.VI.1953, Steinberg [ZISP] ; 1 ♀, 12 km SE of Tedzhen , 24.V.1964, A. Ponomareva [ZISP]; Kazakhstan , 2 ♂, Michailowskaja [=Taraz], coll. F. Morawitz [ZISP] ; 1 ♂, Shelek , 30 km ENE of Habwüste, 43.41.24N 78.38.50E, 500 m, 2.VIII.2002, M. Kuhlmann [OLBL] ; 1 ♀, Djulek , Syr-Darija, 24.VIII.1913, A. Gutbier [ZISP] ; 1 ♀, 3 km NEE of Borandysu , 13.VI.2004, V. Kazenas [ZISP] .

Diagnosis.

Epeolus albus sp. nov. resembles E. vinogradovi Popov, 1952, E. flavociliatus Friese, 1899, E. ruficornis Morawitz, 1875, E. subrufescens Saunders, 1908, and E. warnckei Bogusch, 2018 in sharing the axillae with a pair of long, acute, curved teeth (free portion of axilla), reaching posterior margin of mesoscutellum or longer. Of them, the new species is most similar to E. subrufescens (Northern Africa, Middle East, and Turkey), with which it shares a pair of well-developed posteriorly directed processes (tubercles) between medial depression of the mesoscutellum (Fig. 2H ) and has a male pygidial plate that is slightly bilobed apically (Fig. 2F ) [vs weak developed mesoscutellar tubercles (Fig. 7D ) and male pygidial plate rounded in E. flavociliatus , E. warnckei , and E. ruficornis )], but it can be separated from it by the well-developed pale pubescence of the metasomal terga that covers both the marginal zones (apical impressed area) and visible part of the discs (vs developed only as apical bands in E. subrufescens ). In addition, E. albus has the labral teeth positioned more apically, while in E. subrufescens the labral teeth are positioned submedially.

In E. vinogradovi axillar teeth are more elongate and strongly curved; the mesoscutellum is with a pair of long, truncate teeth (Fig. 8D ).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total body length 6.0 mm; forewing length (without tegula) 4.5 mm. Structure and sculpture: head (Fig. 2D ) transverse, 1.3 times as wide as long. Labrum (Fig. 2E ) 1.7 times as wide as long, rounded basally and laterally, apical margin almost straight without tooth; near apical margin with two poorly-developed teeth; integument shiny, densely punctate (10-15 μm / confluent-1). Flagellomeres about as long as wide. Axillae flat, apically with long tooth, extending over mesoscutellum (Fig. 2H ). Mesoscutellum extending over propodeum; medially with pair small posteriorly directed processes (Fig. 2G ). Pygidial plate (T7) dull, coarsely and densely punctate, 1.2 times as long as basal width, strongly narrowed toward apex; apical margin slightly bilobed (Fig. 2F ). Sculpture of body not or hardly visible under pubescence; vertex, mesoscutum, and mesoscutellum densely punctate, interspaces shiny and smooth (15-25 μm / confluent-1.0); metasomal terga and sterna densely and finely punctate (10-15 μm / confluent-1). Genitalia as in Fig. 2J .

Integument coloration: head mostly black, but mandibles (excluding dark apex), labrum, clypeus on lower half, scape and antennae yellowish. Mesosoma mostly black; pronotal lobe, tegulae, axillar teeth, and legs (with pale spurs) yellowish; wings slightly infuscate, stigma light-brown, veins from yellow to brown. Metasomal terga black with pale and transparent marginal zones. Sterna brownish with yellow marginal zones. Pygidial plate yellow.

Pubescence: body with well-developed, snow-white tomentum of thick, plumose setae covering mostly of integument (Fig. 2A-C ). Labrum almost glabrous, with few simple setae. Face and gena with dense tomentum of long, appressed setae obscuring underlying integument; vertex with sparser, short semi-erect setae. Mesosoma with dense, short, semi-erect setae obscured integument but little sparser than on mesoscutellum and axillae. Hind basitarsus bordered by a dense fringe of yellow long setae. Metasomal terga covered by white tomentum both on marginal zones and most of the visible part of discs (a little sparser on discs). S1-S3 with dense, white tomentum, especially on marginal zones of S2 and S3 (apical bands); S4 and S5 with long, golden setae.

Female. Structure, sculpture, and pubescence are similar to those of male (Fig. 3A-C ). Antennae short, F1 1.25 times as long as wide; remaining flagellomeres slightly longer than wide. Sterna entirely covered by tomentum. Pseudopygidial area short, linear. Pygidial plate trapezoidal, apically truncate. Processes on sides of S6 normal, with short projections. S5 straight, as seen in lateral view. Integument coloration: reddish pattern of integument more developed than in male. Head mostly black, but mandibles (excluding dark apex), labrum, and clypeus yellowish; antennae reddish. Mesosoma black, except pronotal lobe, tegulae, axilla, mesoscutellum, and legs (with pale spurs) yellow to reddish; wings slightly infuscate, stigma light brown, veins from yellow to brown. Metasomal terga and sterna reddish with yellow marginal zones on S2-S4. Pygidial plate reddish.

Etymology.

The specific name " Epeolus albus " (from Latin, meaning white) is associated with the extremely well-developed white pubescence of the body in the new species.

Distribution.

Desert areas in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.

Figures

Figure 2. Epeolus albus Astafurova & Proshchalykin, sp. nov., male, holotype (A-I), paratype (J) A-C habitus, lateral (A); dorsal (B) and ventral (C) views D head, frontal view E labrum, frontal view F pygidial plate, dorsal view G, H mesoscutellum, dorsolateral (G) and dorsal (H) views I hind basitarsus, lateral view J genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (A-C); 0.5 mm (D); 0.25 mm (E-J).

Figure 3. Epeolus albus Astafurova & Proshchalykin, sp. nov., female, patatype A-C habitus, dorsal (A), ventral (B) and lateral (C) views. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 7. Epeolus ruficornis Morawitz, 1875, female, lectotype A habitus, dorsal view and labels B head, frontal view C labrum, frontal view D mesoscutellum, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (A, B); 0.25 mm (C, D).

Figure 8. Epeolus vinogradovi Popov, 1952, female, lectotype A habitus, dorsal view and labels B head, frontal view C labrum, frontal view D mesoscutellum, dorsolateral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (A, B); 0.5 mm (D); 0.25 mm (C).