Triepeolus eumeniformis, Onuferko & Rightmyer, 2024

Onuferko, Thomas M. & Rightmyer, Molly G., 2024, A revision of the simplex species group of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Triepeolus Robertson, 1901 (Hymenoptera: Apidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 950 (1), pp. 1-106 : 26-29

Triepeolus eumeniformis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:639463C4-48D5-4B50-BBF9-1A2A9BF67ED4

Figs 6D , 10D , 11C–D , 12C , 16

Proposed common name

Potter-wasp triepeolus.

Diagnosis

The following morphological features in combination tell T. eumeniformis sp. nov. apart from all other Triepeolus in the simplex species group: the mesoscutum has well-defined paramedian bands ( Fig. 16B ), the T1 discal patch is semicircular ( Fig. 11C ) or trapezoidal ( Figs 11D , 16B), the T1 basal band (if present) is more widely interrupted medially than the apical transverse band ( Figs 11C–D , 16B), and T3–T4 and usually also T2 have complete apical transverse bands of yellow tomentum that are about as broad as the bands on T1 and do not have basomedially convergent anterolateral extensions ( Figs 10D , 11C–D , 16A–C). Triepeolus eumeniformis most closely resembles specimens of T. alvarengai that have an apical transverse band on T1 and T. paucipunctatus sp. nov., but in T. alvarengai the T1 apical transverse band (if present) is not more narrowly interrupted medially than the basal band and in T. paucipunctatus the T2 apical transverse band has a pair of well-defined basomedially convergent anterolateral extensions and the mesopleura are more sparsely punctate (some i>4d as opposed to ≤ 3d) and have sparse, pale-yellow, erect/suberect, simple setae (reaching about ½ MOD in length) in addition to the usual appressed, branched setae. Additionally, T. eumeniformis can easily be separated from T. alvarengai by geography; the former is known only from Mexico and Central America whereas the latter is known only from Brazil. Males of T. eumeniformis also closely resemble those of T. rufoclypeus (Fox, 1891) (outside of the simplex species group), but in T. rufoclypeus S3 has an apical/subapical fringe of dense, long (> 1 MOD), curved, pale setae (as opposed to only short, straight setae; Fig. 10D ). This species is also very similar in overall appearance to specimens of Epeolus flavofasciatus Smith, 1879 ( Hymenoptera : Apidae : Nomadinae ) in which the axillae and mesoscutellum are black, but both sexes of T. eumeniformis can easily be told apart from any similar-looking Epeolus Latreille, 1802 by their simple mandibles; in E. flavofasciatus and most other Epeolus spp. , the mandibles each have a distinct preapical tooth.

Etymology

The specific epithet is derived from Eumenes Latreille, 1802 , the type genus of the subfamily Eumeninae ( Hymenoptera : Vespidae ), and was inspired by this species’ resemblance to various kinds of potter wasps. The Latin adjectival suffix ‘-formis’ means ‘having the form of’.

Material examined

Primary type material

HONDURAS • ♀, holotype; Cortés, Estación Experimental Café (near Peñas Blancas rainforest); 15 Aug. 1992; C. Porter and L. Stange leg.; FSCA .

Secondary type material

HONDURAS • 1 ♀, paratype; same data as for holotype; FSCA M.G.R. Database No. 1321 .

MEXICO – Chiapas • 1 ♀, paratype; 18 km S of La Trinitaria (small road NW of Hwy 190); 5 Dec. 1976; D.E. and J.A. Breedlove leg.; CAS • 1 ♀, paratype; Ei. Las Golondrinas ( Acacoyagua ); 15.4340° N, 92.6522° W; 29 Nov. 2004; M. Rincón, R. Ayala, and M. Guzmán leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41202 • 1 ♀, paratype; Ei. Rosario Zacatonales ( Acacoyagua ); 8 Dec. 2004; M. Guzmán, M. Rincón, J. Esponda, C. Balboa, and J. Mérida leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41813 • 1 ♂, allotype; same data as for preceding; 10 Nov. 2006; J. Mérida, M. Guzmán, M. Cigarroa, J. Toto, and C. Balboa leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TAE-50298 • 1 ♀, paratype; Ei. Rosario Zacatonales ( Acacoyagua ); 15.4455° N, 92.6455° W; 29 Nov. 2004; M. Rincón, R. Ayala, and M. Guzmán leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41255 • 3 ♂♂, paratypes; same data as for preceding; 29 Nov. 2004; M. Rincón, R. Ayala, and M. Guzmán leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41259 , ECO-TA-E-41271 , ECO-TA-E-41312 • 1 ♂, paratype; same data as for preceding; 8 Dec. 2004; M. Rincón, R. Ayala, and M. Guzmán leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41944 • 1 ♀, paratype; Ei. Rosario Zacatonales ( Acacoyagua ); 15.4480° N, 92.6435° W; 30 Nov. 2004; M. Rincón, R. Ayala, and M. Guzmán leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41611 • 1 ♂, paratype; same data as for preceding; 30 Nov. 2004; M. Rincón, R. Ayala, and M. Guzmán leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41610 • 1 ♀, paratype; Ei. Unión los Olivos ( Mapastepec ); 8 Nov. 2006; J. Mérida, M. Guzmán, M. Cigarroa, J. Toto, and C. Balboa leg.; ECOSUR ECO-TAE-50103 . – Estado de México • 1 ♀, paratype; Tepotzotlán ; 12 Nov. 1983; O. Morales leg.; UNAM . – Jalisco • 1 ♀, paratype; Chamela ; 24 Oct. 1986; “ A. Rodriguez P. ” leg.; UNAM . – Morelos • 1 ♂, paratype; Campamento YMCA , Tepoztlán; 21 Aug. 1958; H.F. Howden leg.; CNC 1801914 . – Nayarit • 1 ♀, paratype; 8 mi N of Tepic ; 25.vii.1954; M. Cazier, W. Gertsch, and Bradts leg.; AMNH . – Tamaulipas • 1 ♀, paratype; Cañón de Peregrina ; 20 Oct. 1974; J.E. Gillaspy leg.; USNM . – Veracruz • 1 ♀, paratype; 5 mi NE of Tinajas ; 18 Aug. 1963; F.D. Parker and L.A. Stange leg.; UCBME • 1 ♀, paratype; Fortín de las Flores ; 17 Sep. 1954; F.X. Williams leg.; CAS .

DNA barcoded material

Unavailable.

Description

MEASUREMENTS OF HOLOTYPE. Body length 9.5 mm; ITW 1.9 mm; head length 2.3 mm; head width 3.3 mm; fore wing length 7.7 mm.

Both sexes

INTEGUMENT COLORATION. Dark brown to black except as follows. Mandible with basal half (except for extreme base) and labrum with lateral margin reddish orange. F1 to some extent, tegula, coxae to femora to some extent, and tibiae (excluding brown meso- and metatibial spurs) and tarsi predominantly to entirely orange. F2 with orange spot basally (entirely dark brown in some paratypes). Fore wing membrane dusky subhyaline throughout. Hind wing membrane dusky subhyaline to hyaline.

PUBESCENCE. Face with tomentum densest around antennal socket. Tomentum slightly sparser on clypeus; upper paraocular and frontal areas and vertexal area mostly exposed. Pronotal collar with tomentum uniformly bright yellow. Mesoscutum with well-defined paramedian band of bright yellow tomentum, tapering slightly toward but not attaining anterior margin; pale tomentum otherwise mostly restricted to lateral and posterior margins. Mesopleuron with black, appressed, branched setae just anterior to hypoepimeral area and pale-yellow, appressed, branched setae elsewhere; densely setose only just below pronotal lobe and scrobal groove and along posterior margin above base of mesocoxa (upper half otherwise sparsely setose); ventrolateral half nearly bare, except along margins. Mesopleuron with sparse, pale-yellow, erect/suberect, simple setae (less than ½ MOD in length) in addition to usual appressed, branched setae. Metanotum with tomentum dark brown/gray submedially and pale yellow laterally and medially (pale yellow laterally and black medially in some paratypes). Propodeal triangle mostly glabrous, with (pale) setae restricted to small lateral patches. T1 with basal transverse band of pale-yellow tomentum widely interrupted medially and arched but distinguishable from lateral longitudinal band (continuous with (and indistinguishable from) lateral longitudinal band in allotype and multiple paratypes), apical transverse band of bright yellow tomentum separated into pair of rounded lobes medially, discal patch trapezoidal (semicircular in allotype and multiple paratypes). T2–T4 with complete apical transverse bands of bright yellow tomentum without anterolateral extensions (T2 band with pair of very short and small anterolateral extensions in some paratypes). S2–S3 with apical transverse bands of white tomentum.

SURFACE SCULPTURE. Labrum coarsely and densely (most i <1d) rugose-punctate. Clypeus densely punctate (most i ≤ 1d) but interspaces well defined, shining; with many small punctures among larger ones. Vertexal area densely punctate (most i ≤1d). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, and axilla with punctures more or less equally dense (most i ≤1d); interspaces well defined, dull due to tessellate surface microsculpture. Mesopleuron with punctures in upper half denser (most i≤ 1d) than in ventrolateral half (i ≤3d); interspaces shining; punctures similar in size throughout. Discs of metasomal terga with punctures very fine, dense (i≈ 1d), and evenly distributed; interspaces somewhat dull due to tessellate surface microsculpture.

STRUCTURE. Labral apex with pair of small denticles, each preceded by discrete longitudinal ridge. Pronotal collar rather short (medial length ~ ⅔ MOD). Mesoscutellum weakly bigibbous. Axilla not extending beyond midlength of mesoscutellum; tip visible but somewhat blunt, mesally unattached to mesoscutellum for less than ⅓ medial length of axilla; lateral margin relatively straight. Fore wing with three submarginal cells.

Female

Scape and pedicel extensively orange. T5 with reddish brown and concave apical margin and large patch of pale-yellow tomentum on each side lateral to pseudopygidial area. Pseudopygidial area with triangular region of posteriorly directed setae with three subregions (basal patch of dense, golden setae; darker subapical band of sparser, coppery setae; and apical row of dense, suberect, silvery setae) within larger trapezoidal space of posteromedially directed dark brown setae. Pygidial plate reddish brown in part and apically truncate. S4 with apical transverse band of white tomentum. S5 straight in lateral view, with apical fimbria of coppery bristle-like setae.

Male

Pedicel orange in part in some paratypes. T5–T6 with complete apical transverse bands of bright yellow tomentum. Pygidial plate with small orange spot subapically, relatively flat and apically rounded. S4–S5 each with apical/subapical fringe of dense, long (> 1 MOD), curved setae, those of S4 coppery to silvery, those of S5 coppery and contrasting with apical transverse bands of white tomentum of preceding sterna.

Distribution

Western Mexico to the Northern Triangle of Central America ( Fig. 12C ).

Ecology

Host records

Unknown.

Floral records

The label of one examined voucher specimen indicates that this species has been collected from the following flowering plant species: in Lamiaceae Martinov , Salvia sp.

Remarks

This species exhibits continuous variation in the shape of the T1 discal patch, which ranges from strongly trapezoidal to almost perfectly semicircular. Additionally, the T1 basal band varies in the degree to which it is interrupted medially and in some specimens appears to be absent or indistinguishable from the lateral longitudinal bands. Based on known records, adults of T. eumeniformis sp. nov. are active from July to December.

Figures

Fig. 6. Mesosoma of male, lateral view. A. Triepeolus melanarius Rightmyer, 2008 (CSUC), which ventrolaterally has dense, long (≥½ MOD), erect/suberect, minutely branched setae (blue arrow). B. T. parahirsutus sp. nov., allotype (ZMB 21261), which ventrolaterally has sparse, long (≥½ MOD), erect/suberect, simple setae among the usual appressed, branched setae (blue arrow). C. T. joliae Rightmyer, 2008 (CNC 1801918). D. T. eumeniformis sp. nov., paratype (ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41271), which does not have dense, long (≥ ½ MOD), erect/suberect setae.

Fig. 10. Metasoma of male, lateral view. A. Triepeolus simplex Robertson, 1903 (BOLD sample ID: QUBS0291G11; PCYU) showing S4 with apical/subapical fringe of dense, long (>1 MOD), curved setae (blue arrow). B. T. diffusus Rightmyer, 2008 (RAM pmae00146019) showing S4 with apical/ subapical fringe of dense, long (> 1 MOD), curved setae (blue arrow). C. T. rufoclypeus (Fox, 1891) (PCYU) showing S3–S5 each with apical/subapical fringe of dense, long (>1 MOD), curved setae (blue arrows). D. T. eumeniformis sp. nov., paratype (ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41271) showing S4–S5 each with apical/subapical fringe of dense, long (> 1 MOD), curved setae (blue arrows).

Fig. 11A–F (continued on next page). Metasoma of male, dorsal view. A. Triepeolus roni Genaro, 1999 (USNM M.G.R. Database No. 5922). B. T. buchwaldi (Friese, 1908) (INHS 387483). C. T. eumeniformis sp. nov., paratype (ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41271). D. T. eumeniformis sp. nov., paratype (CNC 1801914). E. T. kathrynae Rozen, 1989 (RSKM RSKM_ENT_E-168244). F. T. tristis (Smith, 1854) (BOLD sample ID: CCDB-30345 C09; PCYU). Blue lines indicate an abrupt (A, D–E) or seamless (B–C) transition between the basal band and lateral longitudinal band.

Fig. 12A–D (continued on next page). Distribution maps. A. All species in the Triepeolus simplex group. B. T. apache sp. nov. C. T. eumeniformis sp. nov. D. T. hirsutus sp. nov. Approximate geographic ranges are indicated in orange and were estimated from occurrence records known to the authors (yellow and blue circles, with the latter indicating localities of DNA barcoded specimens).

Fig. 16. Triepeolus eumeniformis sp. nov. B, D. Holotype, ♀ (FSCA). A. Paratype, ♀ (ECOSUR ECO-TA-E-41255), habitus, lateral view. B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Allotype, ♂ (ECOSUR ECO- TAE-50298), habitus, lateral view. D. Pseudopygidial area, dorsal view.