Megachile (Zonomegachile) paisa, Gonzalez & Griswold & Engel, 2018

Gonzalez, Victor H., Griswold, Terry & Engel, Michael S., 2018, South American Leaf-Cutter Bees (Genus Megachile) Of The Subgenera Rhyssomegachile And Zonomegachile, With Two New Subgenera (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2018 (425), pp. 1-73 : 1-73

Megachile (Zonomegachile) paisa , new species

Figures 21 , 31

DIAGNOSIS: This species can be recognized by the following combination of features: head and mesosoma mainly with light reddish-brown pubescence (fig. 31A–C); mesoscutum microalveolate to imbricate among setiferous punctures; probasitarsus robust, about 2.5× longer than broad (fig. 31D); S2 and S3 basally with white scopal setae, remaining of S3 and S4 with light reddish-brown setae, sides of S3, S4, and entire S5 and S6 with black setae. This species is most similar to M. durantae from northwestern Brazil. In addition to the geographic separation, it can be distinguished by the pubescence of the head and mesosoma, which is light reddish brown in M. paisa and whitish in M. durantae . The wings in M. paisa are slightly more yellow than those of M. durantae .

DESCRIPTION: Holotype, Female: As described for M. durantae except as follows: total body length 11.9 mm; forewing length 10.3 mm; head width 4.4 mm. Interocellar distance 2.5× OD, about as long as ocellocular distance. Wings slightly more yellow than those of M. durantae . Pubescence predominantly light reddish brown on head and mesosoma except whitish on outer surfaces of tibiae. S2 and S3 basally with white scopal setae, remaining of S3 and S4 with light reddish-brown setae, sides of S3, S4, and entire S5 and S6 with black setae.

HOLOTYPE: ♀, Colombia: Porce. Ant. [Antioquia], (Col.), San Ignacio B, 2–4 PM, Pescado , 16/04/1997 [16 April 1997], Allan Smith P ( BBSL).

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is a selfreferential nickname for inhabitants of the department of Antioquia, the area where this species is currently known.

COMMENTS: The type specimen is not in very good condition. The apical margins of the wings are strongly notched and the setae are plastered against the integument, including the white fasciae on the apical margins of the terga and sterna. Megachile paisa is exceptionally similar morphologically to M. durantae , differing in the color of the wings and body pubescence. Both species are known only from the female type and they could be conspecifics. However, M. paisa is known from northwestern Colombia, on the eastern slope of the Cordillera Occidental. Thus, it is on the other side of the Andes, more than 2000 km distant from the type locality of M. durantae in Rondônia, Brazil, localities that represent rather different habitats.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Collection localities for species of Megachile (Zonomegachile).

FIGURE 31. Female holotype of Megachile (Zonomegachile) paisa Gonzalez, Griswold, and Engel, new species. A. facial view. B. Lateral habitus. C. Dorsal habitus. D. Outer surface of protarsus. E. Detail of T3–T6.