Colletes mirabilis Kuhlmann & Proshchalykin sp. nov.

(Figs 8 a–d)

Diagnosis. Colletes mirabilis cannot be assigned to any of the Colletes species-groups. Due the dense yellowishwhite pilosity that covers most of the body in both male and female and its size C. mirabilis reminds of a species of the C. squamosus -group but the distinct dorsal incision of the male gonocoxite (secondarily fused in all species of the species-groups of C. nigricans, C. carinatus, C. hylaeiformis, C. caspicus and C. squamosus) clearly contradicts this assumption. Morphologically C. mirabilis is isolated and the male can easily recognized by the characteristic shape of S7 (Fig. 8 c) and the unique pilosity of the discs of T2–4 (Fig. 8 a, b). The discs are free of the thick yellowish-white, appressed appressed hair but instead are densely covered with very fine and short erect hairs that make the discs appear yellowish to greyish while the sculpture of the terga is still visible. This is unique among all Colletes species known to us. The female is characterized by T1–4 densely and completely covered with appressed yellowish-white hairs (Fig. 8 a, d) and the very large pair of apical clypeal depressions (Fig. 8 b).

Description. Female. Bl = 9.5 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black except part of mandible dark reddish-brown. Face except clypeus densely covered with long, yellowish-white, erect hairs, on vertex a bit darker (Fig. 8 a, b). Clypeus flat, without longitudinal median depression, supraclypeal area triangular and convex in profile. Clypeus relatively finely and densely punctate (i = 0.5d), apically coarser and more dispersed; surface between punctures smooth and shiny, large pair of apical clypeal depressions (Fig. 8 b). Malar area medially about 1/4 as long as width of mandible base, finely punctate. Antenna black, ventrally dark reddish-brown. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc impunctate, smooth and shiny. Scutellum largely impunctate, smooth and shiny (Fig. 8 c). Mesoscutum, mesepisternum and propodeum densely covered with long light yellowish-white, erect hairs (Fig. 8 a, c). Wings. Very slightly yellowish; wing venation yellowish-brown. Legs. Integument black to dark reddish-brown. Vestiture whitish to yellowish-white, scopa white. Metasoma. Integument black except depressed apical tergal margins reddish to yellowish translucent (Fig. 8 d). T1–4 densely covered with short appressed, yellowish hairs, on T1 additionally with a few long, erect yellowish-white hairs; apical tergal hair bands broad but mostly indistinguishable from discs; terga apically slightly but distinctly depressed (Fig. 8 d). Terga densely and very finely punctate (i <0.5d), between punctures smooth and shiny (Fig. 8 d).

Male. Bl = 8.5 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black except part of mandible dark reddishbrown. Face densely covered with long, yellowish-white, erect hairs. Malar area medially about 1/3 as long as width of mandible base, finely striate. Antenna black, ventrally dark brown. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth and shiny; disc sparsely punctate (i = 1.5–2.0d) with small punctures. Scutellum anteriorly impunctate but with dense punctation apically, surface smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, yellowish-white erect hairs (Fig. 8 a). Wings. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation yellowish-brown. Legs. Integument black, base and tips of tibias and barsitarsi reddish-brown and other tarsomeres yellowish-brown. Vestiture white. Metasoma. Integument black except depressed apical tergal margins reddish to yellowish translucent (Fig. 8 b). T1 densely covered with yellowish-white short appressed hairs and with much longer erect hairs; discs of T2–4 densely covered with very fine and short erect hairs that make the discs appear yellowish to greyish while the sculpture of the terga is still visible; rest of terga densely covered with short appressed yellowish-white hairs (Fig. 8 b); apical tergal hair band on T1 narrow, on following terga broad but irregularly shaped (Fig. 8 b). Terga apically deeply and sharply depressed. Terga with very dense and fine punctation (i <0.5d), between punctures smooth and shiny (Fig. 8 b). Terminalia. Genitalia and S7 as illustrated (Figs. 8 c–d).

Type material (2 specimens). Holotype, male, Tajikistan, Tabakchi Ridge (68°55´E 37°51´N), 28.–30.V.2004, O. Pak (IBSS).

Paratype: 1 ♀, same dates as holotype (RCMK).

Etymology. This species shows some unusual characters (see above) so its discovery was surprising (Latin: mirabilis).

General distribution. Only known from the type locality in Tajikistan.

Floral hosts. unknown.

Seasonal activity (first–last observations). V.