Eoanthidium (Salemanthidium) salemense (Cockerell, 1919)

Belavadi, Vasuki V., 2017, The Resin and Carder bees of south India (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae: Anthidiini), Zootaxa 4317 (3), pp. 436-468 : 448

Eoanthidium (Salemanthidium) salemense (Cockerell, 1919)

( Figs 9 , 10 )

Hypanthidium salemense Cockerell, 1919b: 193 .

Eoanthidium (Salemanthidium) tricolor Pasteels, 1972: 109 . N. Syn.

Description. Female. Body length 8.52± 0.98 mm; black. Head: Black; yellowish white at base of mandible, base of antenna, juxtantennal carina, clypeus with broad W-shaped marking, narrow stripe along inner orbit almost to top of eye, stripe below anterior ocellus, posterior part of gena, two stripes on vertex; clypeus without median longitudinal line, apical margin projected with emergination at centre; mandible with four teeth, distal two teeth prominently incised, basal two teeth less prominently incised; anterior tentorial pit at intersection of subantennal and epistomal sulci; F1 shorter than pedicel; first labial palpomere shorter than second; inter-ocular distance longer than inter-antennal distance.

Mesosoma: Yellow stripe on mesoscutum antero-laterally bent almost at right angle, extending beyond tegula, mesoscutellum with antero-lateral oblique spot, pronotal lobe, anterior and posterior spot on tegula, broad spot on upper mesopleuron, outer surface of fore femur and tibia, intermediate leg, basal half of hind tibia; posterior margin of mesoscutellum rounded, incised medially, overhanging metanotum; wings light dark fuscous; tarsal claws cleft; arolia absent.

Metasoma: Broad transverse patch on T1–T6 laterally, gradually reduced from basal to apical; T6 apical margin with small tubercles; T3–T6 with lateral spines; S6 with three spines; scopa white; white fasciae of short plumose hairs beneath the scopa absent.

Male. Body length 12.89± 1.30 mm; black; similar to female except as follows: clypeus completely yellowish white; T7 without yellowish white patch, disc convex, depressed laterally, with median longitudinal line, apical margin broadly rounded; clypeus produced apically into pointed snout; S4–S7 with long pubescence; S8 anterior broad, concave medially with long hairs, spiculum very narrow, elongate; genitalia with gonostylus narrow, incurved distally, basal part hidden behind penis valve, which is broader and covered basal part of gonostylus; apodeme of penis valve extended beyond genital base.

Floral Associations: Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae) and Stachytarpheta indica (Verbenaceae) .

Flight Period: May, July, and September.

Distribution. Endemic to southern India. First record for the state of Karnataka.

Material examined. INDIA: Karnataka: Mysore , 1♀, 26.vii.2008 ; 1♀, 29.vii.2008; 1♀, 23.vii.2008, sweep net, collected by Dhanyavathi; Sirsi, 4♀, 16.vii.2014, sweep net, Zameer; Mandya, 1♀, 1.v.2014, sweep net, Veereshkumar; Kolar, 2♂, 16.ix.2014, sweep net, Arathi.

Comments. Two species have been recognized in the subgenus Salemanthidium ( Pasteels 1972, Michener 2007). Illustrations of the two, E. salemense and E. tricolor, in Pasteels (1972) suggest significant differences, particularly in the form of male T7. The illustration for the former is shown with a distinct apical spike and no longitudinal carina on the midline, while the drawing for the latter lacks the spike and has a longitudinal carina. Inspection of specimens showed that the apical spike appears absent when viewed at certain angles. Further, the holotype of E. salemense has a prominent longitudinal carina not shown in the Pasteels’ figure. The synonymy of E. tricolor with E. salemense is based on these observations and comparison of material from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, the type locality of E. tricolor , with web images of the holotype housed in the American Museum of Natural History collection (http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/ 20q?search= Eoanthidium + salemense ). Further support comes from the proximity of the type localities; the type locality of E. salemense (Salem, Tamil Nadu) is 145km from that of E. tricolor . Specimens reported here from Karnataka are conspecific with the specimens from Tamil Nadu.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Female Eoanthidium salemense (Cockerell) A) Face B) Mandible C) Scopa D) Dorsal view E) Ventral view.

FIGURE 10. Male Eoanthidium salemense (Cockerell) A) Face B) Tergal apical segments C) Genitalia D) S 8 E) Dorsal view F) Ventral view.