Sphecodes biroi Friese, 1909

Astafurova, Yulia V., Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu. & Schwarz, Maximilian, 2020, New and little-known species of the genus Sphecodes Latreille (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) from Southeast Asia, ZooKeys 937, pp. 31-88 : 31

Sphecodes biroi Friese, 1909 Figures 12-16 , 17-21

Sphecodes biroi Friese, 1909 (nec Meyer, 1925): 181, ♀, ♂ (lectotype (designated here): ♂, N. Guinea, Biro 1899 // Sattelberg, Huon-Golf. // Sphecodes biroi Fiese det., 1908, ♂ // Type // Lectotypus, Sphecodes biroi Friese, 1909, design. Astafurova et Proshchalykin, 2020 <red label>), Fig. 16 ; Paralectotype: ♀, the same label (Fig. 16 ); HNHM, examined.

Sphecodes transversus Cockerell, 1919: 556, ♀ (holotype: ♀, Philippines, Luzon, Mt Makiling, Baker leg.; USNM, http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/372106fa4-0a44-4b85-812d-254423957856). Synonymized by Blüthgen 1927: 79.

Sphecodes latifrons Cockerell, 1919: 556, ♂ (holotype: ♂, Philippines, Luzon, Baguio, Benguet, Baker leg.; USNM, http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3ed6e3af8-0ca2-4dac-a230-436c053d6475). Synonymized by Blüthgen 1927: 79.

Sphecodes abnormis Perkins, 1921: 10-11, ♂ (holotype: ♂, "East Indies";?). Synonymized by Blüthgen 1927: 79.

Sphecodes amboinensis Meyer, 1925: 11, ♂ (syntypes: 4 ♂♂, Indonesia, Amboina, 1998, Biro leg.; HNHM). Synonymized by Blüthgen 1927: 79.

Sphecodes bischoffi Meyer, 1925 (nom. praeocc., nec S. bischoffi Blüthgen, 1924): 11, ♂ (holotype: ♂, Indonesia, Java, Buitenzorg; ZMHB). Synonymized by Blüthgen 1927: 79.

Diagnosis.

This species resembles Sphecodes laticeps Meyer, 1920 in having a similar structure, sculpture and coloration of the body, including the shape of the male genitalia. However, the male differs in the size of tyloids which usually cover the entire ventral flagellar surface or sometimes with a small glabrous spot on basal flagellomeres (versus antennae with well-developed medial glabrous spot on ventral surface of flagellomeres in S. laticeps ); females are challenging to distinguish, but S. laticeps has T2 usually more distinctly punctate.

Descriptive notes.

Wings with weak yellow-brownish darkening; hind wing with the angle between basal (M) and cubital (Cu) veins ca. 80°, costal margin with seven hamuli. Lateral preoccipital carina present. Female. Total body length 6.5-7.5 mm. Head (Fig. 12 ) strongly transverse, ca. 1.3 times as wide as long; vertex elevated with distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus 1-1.5 times lateral ocellar diameter as seen in frontal view; labrum trapezoidal, 0.6 times as long as basal width; vertex (Fig. 13 ) with shiny interspaces between shallow punctures (approximately a puncture diameter); paraocular (below the antennal sockets) and supraclypeal areas with adpressed white pubescence obscuring integument, clypeus and gena with sparser pubescence. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (Fig. 14 ) mostly with confluent punctures (30-40 μm) and medially with a few shiny interspaces at most 1-2 puncture diameters; propodeal triangle (metapostnotum) roughly reticulate-rugose (sculpture forming 1-2 rows of large deep cells); mesepisternum reticulate-rugose. Metasomal T1 impunctate or with a few tiny punctures (Fig. 15 ), T2 medially impunctate or with tiny and sparse punctures, but coarser and denser on lateral parts (10-15 μm / 2-4); marginal zones impunctate; pygidial plate as wide as metabasitarsus; T1 and T2 red, T3 and T4 red or dark. Male. Total body length 6-7 mm. Head transverse (Fig. 18 ), ca. 1.2 times as wide as long; vertex elevated with distance from top of head to upper margin of lateral ocellus 1-1.5 times lateral ocellar diameter as seen in frontal view; antennae attain posterior margin of mesoscutum, F2 1.4-1.5 times as long as wide; tyloids well developed, covering entire ventral and lateral flagellar surfaces (Fig. 17 ). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (Fig. 19 ) mostly areolate with a few shiny interspaces at most a puncture diameter; propodeal triangle roughly reticulate-rugose (sculpture forming one or two rows of large deep cells); lateral parts of propodeum rugose with large smooth shiny interspaces. Metasomal terga (Fig. 21 ) with fine and relatively dense punctures (10-15 μm / 1-3), punctures more visible in specimens with darker terga; T1-T3 red or brownish; gonocoxite dorsally without impression; gonostylus as on Fig. 20 .

Material examined.

Malaysia: 1 ♂, Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 17.XI.1929, H.T. Pagden (NHMUK 013380438); 1 ♀, idem, Batu Road, 19.VII.1936, H.T. Pagden (NHMUK 013380348); 1 ♂, Perak Gerik env., 26-28.II.2000, K. Denes jun. (OLBL/PCMS); 3 ♂♂, Perak Bakit Larut, 23-25.II.2000, K. Denes jun. (OLBL/PCMS); Indonesia: 1 ♀, NE Sulawesi, 47 km WSW Kotamobagu, Dumoga-Bone N. Pk., Toraut, 211 m, VII.1985, G.R. Else (NHMUK 013380352); 1 ♂, North Sumatra,Brastagi, 76 km S Medan, 3.III-1.IV.1996, S. Becvar (OLBL/PCMS); Thailand: 2 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂, Nan, MaeCharim NPEingang, 18°36'N, 100°58'E, 206 m, 13-22.V.2012, E. & J. Holzschuh (OLBL/PCMS); 1 ♂, Phuket Island, Main Harn, 1-5.II.2018, J. Halada (OLBL/PCMS); 1 ♂, Chumphon prov., 27.III-14.IV.1996, 9°48'N, 98°47'E, P. Prudek (OLBL/PCMS); Sri Lanka: ♂, Sri Lanka, Gal. Dist., Kanneliya Section, Sinharaja, 2-5.X.1980, K. Krombein et al. leg. (USNM) (S. Sakagami det as. " Sphecodes lankensis " - unpublished manuscript name).

Published records.

Cockerell 1919: 556 (Philippines, as S. transversus and S. latifrons ); Meyer 1920: 230 (Philippines, as S. insularis ); 1925: 11 (Indonesia, as S. bischoffi ); Perkins, 1921: 10 (East India, as S. abnormis ); Ascher and Pickering 2019 (Indonesia, Philippines).

Distribution.

Indonesia, *Malaysia, Philippines, *Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, New Guinea.

Remarks.

Records of this species in Thailand ( Ascher and Pickering 2019) refer to Sphecodes biroi mariae Cockerell, 1930 = S. laticeps Meyer, 1920 (see below).

Figures

Figures 12 - 16. Sphecodes biroi Friese, female, paralectotype 12 head, frontal view 13 vertex, dorso-lateral view 14 mesosoma, dorsal view 15 metasoma, dorsal view 16 labels. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (12, 14, 15), 0.5 mm (13).

Figures 17 - 21. Sphecodes biroi Friese, male 17 antennae, lateral view 18 head, frontal view 19 mesosoma, dorsal view 20 genitalia, dorsal view 21 T 1 - T 3, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm (17 - 19, 21), 0.5 mm (20).