Colletes mastochila Moure, 1956

Ferrari, Rafael R., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the species of Colletes Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Colletinae) found in Chile, Zootaxa 4364 (1), pp. 1-137 : 80-83

Colletes mastochila Moure, 1956

( Figs. 40A–F )

Colletes mastochila Moure, 1956: 206 ; Toro 1986: 122, 1999: 29; Moure & Toro 2002: 13; Moure et al. 2007: 683; Montalva & Ruz 2010: 22; Ascher & Pickering 2017.

Holotype ♀ (examined). {DZUP}.

Diagnosis. The following combination of characteristics differentiates C. mastochila from all other Chilean species of the genus: labral median area swollen, female clypeal lower 1/5 with mid-longitudinal ridge, mesoscutal pubescence with off-white and black hairs intermixed, and discs of T2–T4 without appressed hairs.

Colletes mastochila is most similar to C. nigropilosus n. sp., from which it can be distinguished by the lateral surface of propodeum with imbricate interspaces (lateral surface of propodeum with smooth interspaces in C. nigropilosus n. sp.); and T1 covered with off-white hairs (T1 pubescence mostly black in C. nigropilosus n. sp.). Colletes mastochila can also be confused with C. alocochila , however, the former is considerably longer, about 12.0/ 11.5 mm (♀ / ♂) in length ( C. alocochila is about 9.5/9.0 mm in length); and has the lateral surface of propodeum with imbricate interspaces (lateral surface of propodeum with smooth interspaces in C. alocochila ).

Redescription. FEMALE ( Figs. 40A, 40C, 40E ): Dimensions (mm): Approximate body length 11.5–12.3; head width 3.5–3.7; head length 2.6–2.7; intertegular distance 2.9–3.1; forewing length 7.8–8.3.

Colouration: Black except reddish-brown on distal half of tarsal claws; marked on distal half of mandible. Dark-brown on tegula, wing veins (except basal veins of forewing black), front coxa, anteroventral surface of mid trochanter and femur, tibial spurs, medio and distitarsi, marginal zones of T1–T4, ventrally reflexed lateral areas of T1–T2, S1, lateral area of S2. Pale-brown on proximal half of tarsal claws.

Structure: Labrum medially convex; convexity not margined by ridges. Clypeal mid-longitudinal area evenly narrowly (0.3x MOD) and shallowly depressed on upper 4/5; adjacent lateral area convex; apicomedial ridge present. Malar area 1.25x as long as basal depth of mandible (30:24). F1 ~1.3x as long as its apical width (40:30). UID:LID (77:75). Genal area concave behind upper summit of compound eyes in lateral view. Dorsolateral angle of pronotum triangular acute. Horizontal surface of metapostnotum ~0.35x as long as metanotum (24:66); propodeal pits well-delimited; posterior transverse carina sinuous and narrowly interrupted medially. Posteromedial surface of front coxa bearing long spine (0.6x MOD). Posterior hind tibial spur pectinate. Hind basitarsus ~ 3x longer than broad (56:19). Outer rami of hind tarsal claws ~2.2x as long as inner rami (26:12). Posterolateral area of S6 convex but lacking carina; marginal zone depressed.

Pubescence: Black, long, plumose on lateral slopes of clypeus and supraclypeal area, paraocular area, genal and frontal areas, scutellum, mesepisternum, metepisternum; very long on vertexal area, metanotum, upper margin of lateral surface of propodeum. Mixed off white and black, plumose, moderately short on interantennal area, pronotal lobe, mesoscutum. Black, erect, moderately long setae on mandible, posterior surface of front tibia and basitarsi, anterior surface of mid tibia, dorsal surface of mid and hind basitarsi, hind tibia (except anterior surface), lateral areas of T2–T5, S1–S2, posterior 1/3 of S3–S5, mid-longitudinal area of S6; such hairs long on posterior margin of mid basitarsus and tarsomere 2, posterolateral areas of T3–T5; very long on posterior margin of hind basitarsus and tarsomere 2. Black, suberect, moderately short setae on dorsal surface of front and mid tibiae; such setae thick on ventral surface of mid and hind tarsi (thickest towards distal margin). Lower area of lateral surface of propodeum with off-white appressed hairs. T1 with off-white, plumose, long hairs.

Surface sculpture: Clypeal mid-longitudinal depression with fine punctures; convex area adjacently to depression and lower 1/3 longitudinally striate. Supraclypeal area impunctate and imbricate (except smooth upper 1/5). Malar area substrigulate on lower margin; costulate elsewhere. Paraocular area coarsely and densely punctate below; punctures crowded above. Vertexal area sparsely shallowly punctate interspaces smooth); integument rugose near ocellus. Mesoscutal anterior and lateral areas moderately coarsely and densely punctate; slightly denser and coarser on posterior margin; disc sparsely punctate. Scutellum densely punctate; coarsely punctate on disc; progressively finer towards posterior margin. Metanotal punctation difficult to discern from the overall rugose integument. Mesepisternum densely and moderately coarsely punctate anteriorly; very densely and moderately finely punctate posteriorly. Metepisternum obliquely striate medially; rugulose above and below. Lateral surface of propodeum sparsely finely punctate; interspaces imbricate. Upper area of vertical surface of metapostnotum rugose medially. Metasomal terga minutely and shallowly punctate; sparsest on T1, densest on T2–T3; interspaces smooth and shiny. Metasomal sterna finely and moderately densely punctate (except impunctate on anterior 1/3 of S3–S4 and S6); coarser on mid-longitudinal area of S6; interspaces imbricate throughout but somewhat shiny.

MALE ( Figs. 40B, 40D, 40F ). As in female, except for usual secondary sexual characteristics and as follows:

Dimensions (mm): Approximate body length 10.7–11.5; head width 3.3–3.6; head length 2.6–2.8; intertegular distance 2.4–2.7; forewing length 7.9–8.5.

Colouration: Dark-brown on stigma, anteroventral surface of front trochanter and femur, dorsal surface of mid trochanter, anterior surface of mid and hind tibiae, basitarsi, proximal half of S2–S5, proximal and distal 1/3 of S6. Marginal zones of T1–T4, wing veins (except vein R of forewing black) pale-brown.

Structure: Clypeal mid-longitudinal depression broader (~0.5x MOD); apicomedial ridge absent. Malar area ~1.7x as long as basal depth of mandible (40:24). F1 ~1.3x as long as its apical width (36:28). UID:LID (79:72). Horizontal surface of metapostnotum nearly half as long as metanotum (26:70). Posteromedial surface of front coxa without spine. Posterior hind tibial spur ciliate. Hind basitarsus ~3.5x longer than broad (71:21). Outer rami of hind tarsal claws ~1.3x as long as inner rami (18:14). Posterolateral area of S6 flat; marginal zone not depressed. S7, S8 and genital capsule as in Figs. 41A, 41B, 41C , respectively.

Pubescence: Off-white, very long on lateral slopes of clypeus. Very long on mesoscutum, T1. Lower area of lateral surface of propodeum with black, long hairs. Short, plumose, suberect on marginal zones of S2–S4.

Surface sculpture: Clypeal mid-longitudinal depression densely and finely punctate; adjacent convex area lacking sulci. Supraclypeal area with very sparse moderately coarse punctures; interspaces smooth and shiny. Vertexal area moderately finely punctate. Mesoscutal anterior half coarsely and very densely punctate. Lateral surface of propodeum rugose posteriorly. Upper area of vertical surface of metapostnotum transversely striate medially. Metasomal terga finely punctate. Metasomal sterna finely and densely punctate throughout.

Material studied. Primary type specimen: Holotype ♀ —“ PUTRE, Arica; II-1948; Pe. G. Kuschel ”. “HOLOTIPO”. “mastochilus”. { DZUP}.

Secondary type specimens: Paratypes ♀♀ and ♂: CHILE—Region XV: Putre, ii/1948, [G.Kuschel], 3♀♀, { DZUP}; idem, except 1♀, { KUNHM}; idem, except 1♀, { AMNH}. PERU—Tacna: Rio Sama, xii/1940, [P.S], 1♂, { DZUP}.

Additional specimens: ARGENTINA—Salta: Valle Encantado, 9/i/1994, [C.Schlindwein], 2♂♂, { UFMG}; idem, except 1♂, { DZUP}; idem, except 12/i/1994, 1♀, { DZUP}; idem, except 14/i/1994, 1♂, { DZUP}; idem, except 15/i/1994, 1♀; idem, except 15/i/1994, 1♀, { DZUP}. Catamarca: 8km S of Chapillitas , (-27.385, -66.385) , 3130m, 15/ii/2003, [L.Packer], 1♀, { PCYU}. BOLIVIA—La Paz: Achacachi , (-16.044, -68.678) , 3858m, 11/xii/ 1948, [G. Kuschel], 2♀♀, { DZUP}. CHILE—Region XV: Putre , (-18.194, -69.561) , 3530m, 18/ii/1984, [M.Arroyo], 2♂♂, { KUNHM}; idem, except 30/xi/1970, [H. Toro], 1♀, { AMNH}. Region II: Puquios , (-20.999, - 68.387) , 4178m, 8/i/1971, [L. Ruz ], 1♀, { AMNH}.

Range. Argentina (Salta, Catamarca) , Bolivia (La Paz) , Chile (Regions XV, I, II), Peru (Tacna). See also Fig. 30C .

Biogeographic distribution. South American transition zone: Desert, Puna, Atacama and Monte provinces. Western South American species distributed at altitudes of 3100–4200m a.s.l.

DNA barcode. Available. BOLD: ABW4685 (1♀). Distance from the nearest neighbour ( C. cognatus ): 5.98– 6.91%.

Floral hosts. Loasaceae— Caiophora cirsiifolia C. Presl (this study).

Comments. Colletes mastochila is a rare species only found at very high altitudes (3000m a.s.l. or higher). The species is also distributed in northwestern Argentina, western Bolivia and southern Peru.

Despite considerable fieldwork in the far north of Chile over the last 30 years—including localities where the species is known to occur—Packer and colleagues have collected no specimen of C. mastochila in the country. Although pan traps have proved to be remarkably effective at capturing a series of Colletes species in northern Chile, no C. mastochila has ever been trapped. Perhaps, traps are not attractive to C. mastochila , and the species is specialist in flowers of the genus Caiophora (Loasaceae) .

The holotype of C. mastochila is a female, not a male, as reported by Moure et al. (2007). This error, however, seem to have been simply typographical in the original description ( Moure 1956: 208).

Figures

FIGURE 30. Geographic distribution by Colletes species. (A) C. gilvus and C. fulvipes; (B) C. murinus and C. kuhlmanni n. sp.; (C) C. mastochila and C. lucens. Scale bars approximately 300 km.

FIGURE 40. Colletes mastochila Moure, 1956. Female: (A) habitus, lateral view; (C) face, frontal view; (E) habitus, dorsal view.Male:(B) habitus, lateral view; (D) face, frontalview; (F) habitus, dorsal view.Scale bars = 2mm.

FIGURE 41. Dorsal view of the male terminalia of C. mastochila. (A) S7; (B) S8; (C) genital capsule.Scale bars = 1mm.