Rediviva whiteheadi, Kuhlmann, Michael, 2012

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2012, Two new species of the South African endemic bee genus Rediviva Friese (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Melittidae), Zootaxa 3517, pp. 71-78 : 75-78

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.282611

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6179652

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C087DA-6224-FFE9-FF0C-42C2FD43FE2A

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Rediviva whiteheadi
status

sp. nov.

Rediviva whiteheadi View in CoL sp. nov.

( Figs 2 View FIGURE 2 a–d, 3a–d, 4a–d, 5)

Diagnosis. The female of R. whiteheadi can be separated from the other Rediviva species of the summer rainfall region (including R. steineri ) by a combination of the following characters: malar space short ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 b), T1–2 black ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 d), foreleg elongate, slightly longer than midleg and with tarsal pilosity blackish to dark orange-brown ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 a) and scopa orange. The male is characterized by a short malar space ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 b), black T1–2 ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 d), moderately punctate clypeus ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 b), disc of T2 with single black hairs embedded in pallid vestiture, disc of T3 only with black hairs and S7–8 and genitalia as in Figs 4 View FIGURE 4 a–d.

In the key to the Rediviva species of the summer rainfall region of eastern South Africa and Lesotho ( Whitehead et al. 2008) the female of R. whiteheadi runs to R. pallidula Whitehead & Steiner , which is very similar, but it can easily be distinguished from that species by the tarsal pilosity being blackish to dark orangebrown (orange in R. pallidula ). Additionally, the disc of the scutum between punctures is smooth and shiny ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 c) (matt and shagreened in R. pallidula ). The male runs to R. brunnea Whitehead & Steiner but it can be easily distinguished from this species by the form of its S7 ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 a).

Description. Female. Bl = 11.0–14.0 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black except tips of mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with long, whitish-grey to yellowish-brown, erect hairs, along inner eye margins, on vertex and antennal scape black hairs intermixed ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 b). Clypeus convex in profile, apicolaterally impunctate; medially covered with small punctures that become gradually larger laterally; surface between punctures shiny ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 b). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna black, ventrally yellowishbrown. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures superficially shagreened and slightly shiny; densely (i = 0.5–1.0d) and finely punctate ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 c). Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long orange-brown erect hairs, on the disc of mesoscutum a few black hairs intermixed. Wings. Yellowish-brown; wing venation dark brown. Legs. Foreleg long, 9.0–9.6 mm (femur–claw) ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 a). Integument black. Vestiture orange, forelegs dorsally with blackish hairs, scopa orange, apical half of the hind basitarsus with black hairs. Metasoma. Integument black. Discs of T1–T2 covered with long appressed yellowish hairs on T3 intermixed with black hairs and on T4–T5 only with black hairs; apical tergal hair band well developed on T1–T4 ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 d). Prepygidial fimbria dorsally black, lateral margin orange to yellowish, pygidial fimbria black. T1 almost impunctate, polished and shiny, T2–T4 superficially and minutely punctate, shiny ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 d).

Male. Bl = 12.0 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black except tip of mandible partly dark reddishbrown. Face covered with long, whitish-grey, erect hairs, along inner eye margins, on vertex and antennal scape black hairs intermixed ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 b). Clypeus convex with a shallow longitudinal median depression. Clypeus finely and densely punctate (i = d), in median depression more finely and dense; surface between punctures shiny ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 b). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna brown, dorsally a bit darker ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 a). Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures superficially shagreened and slightly shiny; densely (i = 0.5–1.0d) and finely punctate ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 c). Scutellum anteriorly more sparsely punctate with denser punctation apically, surface anteriorly smooth and shiny, apically shagreened and matt. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with yellowish-white erect hairs, on mesoscutum and scutellum a few black hairs intermixed. Wings. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation brown. Legs. Integument black, tibiae and tarsi extensively redbrown. Vestiture whitish. Metasoma. Integument black. Discs of T1–T2 covered with short erect yellow hairs, on T3–T6 with black hair ( Figs 3 View FIGURE 3 a, d); apical tergal hair band of T1 inconspicuous, on T2–T4 progressively narrower consisting of yellowish hairs ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 d). Disc of T1 sparsely punctate and shiny, T2–T5 densely and finely punctate (i <d) ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 d). Terminalia. Genitalia ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 c–d), apical plate of S6 ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 b) and S7 ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 a) as illustrated.

Type material (18 specimens). Holotype, female, “S. Afr., C.P., 4.6km S. of Rossouw, 3127AB [27°20'E 31°10'S], 10.III.91, V.B. Whitehead / D. capsularis / (foreleg mounted on card): 1898 / SAM-HYM-B009873” ( SAMC).

Paratypes: 7 Ƥ, same dates as holotype ( SAMC, RCMK); 2 Ƥ, South Africa, Hangklip, 3126DD [26°50'E 31°50'S], 1760m, 18.iii.1989, K. Steiner / Diascia capsularis / SAM-HYM-B009866, other Ƥ on Diascia stachyoides ( SAMC); 1 Ƥ, South Africa, Clanville Rd. 4.6km N of Clifford T/O [27°27'E 31°03'S], 18.i.1986, V.B. Whitehead / Diascia integerrima / SAM-HYM-B002800 / SAM-HYM-B009868 ( SAMC); 1 Ƥ, South Africa, Risingham Farm, Hogsback, 3226BD [26°50'E 32°20'S], 16.iv.1991, V.B. Whitehead, D. capsularis / SAM-HYM- B009871 ( SAMC); 1 Ƥ, idem., 29.iii.1995 / SAM-HYM-B008117 ( SAMC); 1 Ƥ, South Africa, Jouberts Pass, Lady Grey [27°20'E 30°40'S], 18.ii.1986, V.B. Whitehead / Diascia integerrima / SAM-HYM-B002813 / SAM- HYM-B009869 ( SAMC); 1 Ƥ, idem., 17.iii.1989 / SAM-HYM-B008108 ( SAMC); 1 Ƥ, South Africa, 6km E of Rhodes, 3028CA [28°10'E 30°40'S], 17.iii.1989, V.B. Whitehead, D. integerrima / SAM-HYM-B002846 / SAM- HYM-B009870 ( SAMC); 1 Ƥ, South Africa, Rd. to Lundean´s Nek, 3027DD [27°50'E 30°50'S], 16.iii.1989, V.B. Whitehead, D. integerrima , pollinaria of D. tysonii / SAM-HYM-B009867 ( SAMC); 1 3, South Africa, Farm Vaalkop, 3224BD [24°50'E 32°20'S], 1400m, 29.iii.1994, V.B. Whitehead / Host plant: Cyphia triphylla / SAM- HYM-B009872 ( SAMC).

Etymology. This species is dedicated to the late Vin (Vincent Booth) Whitehead (1921–2005) who did groundbreaking work on the taxonomy of Rediviva bees ( Robertson & Cochrane 2005). The present paper is built on his achievements.

General distribution. Southern parts of the Drakensberg Mountains and higher ground in the northern part of the Eastern Cape Province ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 ).

Floral hosts. Specimens were collected on Cyphia triphylla (Lobeliaceae) , Disperis tysonii (Orchidaceae) , Diascia capsularis , D. integerrima and D. stachyoides (Scrophulariaceae) .

Seasonal activity (first–last observations). I–IV.

SAMC

Iziko Museums of Cape Town

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Insecta

Order

Hymenoptera

Family

Melittidae

Genus

Rediviva

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