Colletes isabelae Balboa & Ayala, 2017

Ayala, Ricardo, 2017, New dark species of the bee genus Colletes (Hymenoptera, Colletidae) from Mexico and Guatemala, Zootaxa 4320 (3), pp. 401-425 : 416-417

Colletes isabelae Balboa & Ayala new species

Figs. 43–49

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from C. chiapensis , C. jaliscoensis , and C. solari by having a labrum slightly depressed on the sides, with a median elevation that is notched near the proximal margin ( Fig. 45 ). It also differs from C. jaliscoensis by the orientation of the clypeal striae (diagonal striae in C. jaliscoensis , longitudinal in C. isabelae ) and propodeal triangle striae (thick striae in C. jaliscoensis , thin in C. isabelae ). It can be separated from C. solari by having discal area of the tegula with whitish and black pubescence intermixed. It differs from C. bombiformis by having longitudinal broad striae that do not reach the distal and proximal margins of clypeus ( Fig. 45 ). Males of this species can be recognized by having clypeus with discal areal slightly flattened with a longitudinal irregular sulcus; T1–T5 with bluish iridiscence and reddish marginal zone on all terga; T6 and T7 reddish brown. It differs from C. solari by having paraocular area punctation decreasing in size toward malar area and antennal socket and facial fovea smooth and opaque.

Description. Holotype ♀: Bee with shiny black integument, opaque on lateral sides of mesosoma. Pubescence black, light brown on facial area. Body length 11.92 mm (n=1), forewing length 8.27 mm (n=1). Head: Mandible reddish and darker on basal part. Subapical teeth alongside anterior margin of mandible ( Fig. 45 ). Malar area two times wider than long; with black integument and thin, dense striae. Labrum two and a half times wider than long; with dark reddish brown integument and lateral depressions; median elevation with a notch on proximal margin; distal and proximal margins with black and reddish integument, respectively. Clypeus slightly convex; with black integument and long light hairs; discal area flat, and longitudinal shallow sulcus; striae longitudinal, thick and not reaching anterior and posterior margins; punctures between striae, denser on discal area and anterior margin. Supraclypeal area with light pubescence and few punctures, smaller and less deep than on clypeus; striae thin, reticulate. Paraocular area with long light pubescence, few black hairs, punctures small, shallow, contiguous, increasing in size toward interocellar area. Facial fovea with smooth shiny black integument; slightly wide towards interocellar area. Antenna with scape; pedicel, F1, and part of F2 black; other flagellomeres light brown. Scape with shallow and separated punctures, denser towards apex. Vertex above upper margin of eyes; punctures dense, small and superficial, larger and less dense on interocellar area. Mesosoma: Pronotum with reddish brown integument that has shallow and dense punctures on lateral part of anterior margin. Prothoracic spine thin, long, and acute. Scutum black; pubescence black with light hairs intermixed; punctures small, dense, and deeper than in sides of mesosoma. Scutellum with black pubescence, longer than in scutum; with similar puncture pattern; anterior margin without punctures. Metanotum coarse with punctures deeper and more contiguous than in scutum ( Fig. 46 ). Basal area of propodeum with shiny black integument and longitudinal striae forming pits ( Fig. 46 ). Anterior face of propodeal triangle with both small longitudinal and long horizontal striae that forms rectangular pits. ( Fig. 46 ); posterior area with smooth and reddish brown integument ( Fig. 46 ). Propodeum with fine horizontal striae crossed by smaller, thin, and irregular striae. Sides of mesosoma with shiny black integument; pubescence longer and less dense than in scutum; lighter on episternum; punctures dense and deep, smaller on pronotal lobe and denser on mesepisternum. Pronotal lobe with tuft of short light hairs enclosed by longer black hairs. Wings: Tegula with dark brown integument and sparse, small, and shallow punctures, denser towards margin of anterior margin; pubescence brown, more pronounced on margins; posteriorly rounded, anteriorly angled; discal area with flat surface. Wings hyaline with slightly smoky coloration ( Fig. 43 ). Veins black. First, second, and third submarginal cells lengths 1.35 mm, 0.66 mm and 0.65 mm (n=1), respectively. Marginal cell length 1.92 mm (n=1). Legs: Integument reddish brown, anterior legs darker. Malus pectinate with brown integument. Velum hyaline. Pubescence light, dark brown on femur and posterior tibia. Middle femur with tuft of light bristles, rest of femur with dark brown hairs. Posterior tibia and basitarsus four times longer than wide. Claws with reddish brown integument on apex and brown at base; arolium black. Metasoma: Integument dark brown; discal and pregradular area of T1 with opaque blue iridescence; sides of pregradular area of T1 with tufts of short light hairs; basal area of T1 with thin, reticulate striae and deep longitudinal sulcus with reddish brown integument. T1 with sparse, small, and shallow punctures, denser on posterior margin. T2 and T3 with denser punctures than in T1; with striae on central part of pregradular area, more conspicuous in T2. T1 with pubescence sparse, long and brown; thin and denser on T2–T6, more evident on T5 and T6. S1–S6 with reddish brown integument on marginal zone. Punctures denser and less deep than in terga.

Allotype ♂: Similar to female ( Fig. 44 ), pubescence light and long on face and genal area. T1–T5 with bluish integument and reddish margins; T6 and T7 reddish brown. Body length 11.92 mm (11.92 – 11.97 mm, n=2), forewing length 10 mm (10 – 10.83 mm, n=2). Head: Integument shiny black. Mandible simple with reddish and black integument on apex and base, respectively. Malar area three and a half times wider than longer. Labrum with smooth shiny black integument, two times wider than long; elevation on discal area. Facial area with dense, long, and light pubescence and black hairs. Clypeus projected with shiny black integument; discal areal slightly flat with a conspicuous longitudinal irregular sulcus and slightly diagonal striae; proximal margin straight with reddish brown integument, distal margin black and slightly convex. Supraclypeal area with a conic elevation and denser punctures than in female. Paraocular area with puncture pattern similar to supraclypeal area and decreasing in size toward malar area and antennal socket. Facial fovea smooth and more opaque than rest of face, less wide than in female. Vertex with a depression between interocellar area and upper margin of eyes; punctures small and dense. Ocelli above upper margin of eyes. Scape, pedicel, F1, and basal part of F2 black; rest of flagellomeres light brown. F1 smaller than other flagellomeres. Mesosoma: Integument shiny black. Punctures more separated than in female; discal area and anterior margin less dense than in rest of scutum. Scutellum with punctures less dense than in female; discal area and anterior margin with a few punctures; anterior margin without punctures. Metanotum similar to female. Basal area of propodeum with a few longitudinal striae. Propodeum similar to female with more irregular striae. Wings: Tegula similar to female. Wings hyaline with amberish coloration. Veins dark brown ( Fig. 44 ). First, second and third submarginal cells lengths 1.15 mm, 0.69 mm and 0.7 mm (1.15 – 1.18 mm; 0.69 – 0.74 mm; 0.7 – 0.78 mm, n=2), respectively. Marginal cell length 2.31 mm (2.31 – 2.47 mm). Legs: Similar to female. Tibia and posterior basitarsus 4.5 times longer than wide. Metasoma: Similar to female; posterior margin of terga without median striae. T1–T4 with bluish iridescence. Marginal zone of terga with light reddish brown integument. S7, S8, and genital capsule as in Figures 47–49 .

Type material. Holotype ♀: Mexico: Morelos: Tepoztlán, Highway México-Cuautla km 12. 18°58’24’’, 99°04’57’’; 10-XI-1996; 1650 m ; O. Yañez. Allotype ♂: Hidalgo: Tlalchinol, Highway Tlalchinol-Apantlazol km 4. 20°59’04’’, 98°38’13’’; 13-IX-1993; 1600 m; L . Godínez. Paratype: 1♀: Veracruz: San Andrés Tuxtla, Lázaro Cardenas.15.15842, -95.11181; 23-IV-2017; I. Hinojosa, C. Martínez, D. Juárez, S. Lascurain, and J. Mérida. Holotype and allotype deposited at CNIN , paratypes at CNIN and MZFC.

Etymology. This species, one of the most elegant Mesoamerican Colletes , is dedicated to Isabel Aguilar, mother of the first author.

Distribution. Colletes isabelae sp. n. is known from the montane rain forests of Morelos on the Transmexican Volcanic Belt to the Gulf of Mexico in Hidalgo and Veracruz; although it may have a larger distribution ( Fig. 57 ).

Remarks. Some specimens have the supraclypeal area with thin striae and deeper punctures. However, the notch on the anterior margin of the median elevation on the labrum is always present.

Figures

FIGURES 43 – 49. Colletes isabelae Balboa & Ayala sp. n. 36 — female holotype: habitus, lateral view; 44 — male allotype: habitus, lateral view; 45 — female holotype: detail of clypeus, labrum and mandibles; 46 — female holotype: propodeum; 47 — male allotype: S 7; 48 — male allotype: S 8; 49 — male allotype): genital capsule.

FIGURES 57 – 58. 57 — Map of collecting localities for Colletes jobeli, C. isabelae, C. jaliscoensis and C. nigerrima. 58 — Map of collecting localities for C. solari, C. tzotzilis, C. chiaPensis, and C. guatemalensis.