Sphecodopsis keiskiensis, Pöllein & Kuhlmann, 2025

Pöllein, Daniela & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2025, Taxonomic revision of the southern African bee genus Sphecodopsis Bischoff, 1923 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 980, pp. 1-157 : 103-106

Sphecodopsis keiskiensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:08F5B31D-7C62-49B7-B0F2-C409838D9794

Figs 79–80

Diagnosis

The female of S. keiskiensis sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch about as long as its apical width ( Fig. 80C ); metasoma partially red ( Fig. 79B ); fore tibia and tarsi completely or largely red ( Fig. 79A ); head wider than long, vertex flat ( Fig. 79C ); T5 apically without fringe ( Fig. 80B ); head and mesoscutum with black hair, interspersed with lighter hair ( Fig. 79C–D ); mesoscutum shiny, sparsely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 79D ); no white hair above base of antenna ( Fig. 79C ); propodeum laterally and metapostnotum only with few white hairs in upper corners ( Fig. 80A ). The male is unknown.

Etymology

Named after the Keiskie Mts where the only known specimen was found.

Type material (1 specimen)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; Keiskie Mts , 5 km S of Farm Nooiensrivier, dolerite hill; 31°45′54″ S, 19°50′17″ E; 1270 m a.s.l.; 22 Sep. 2014; MK leg.; SAMC.

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 7.4 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair. Face and clypeus with sparse (i=0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i=0.5–2.5 d) punctation ( Fig. 79C ). Surface between punctures shiny. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange, partially translucent. Mesoscutum shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum sparsely (i= 1–3 d), finely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 79D ). Propodeum densely (i =0.5–1 d), finely and shallowly punctate, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 80A ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, yellowish-white hair ( Fig. 79D ). Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, yellowish-white hair, metapostnotum only with hair in upper corners ( Figs 79D , 80A ).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown ( Fig. 79A ).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter black, trochanter apically red, tibia and tarsi completely red. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, white hair. Tibia and tarsi very sparsely covered with short, black hair mixed with short, white hair ( Fig. 79A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 red and T4–T6 black. T1 and T2 sparsely covered with short, white and black hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer black hair ( Fig. 79B ). T6 with short, golden hair, narrow and almost straight apically, apical margin with very short, dense, golden hair ( Fig. 80B ). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 80C ) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality in the Keiskie Mts south of Calvinia.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

September.

Figures

Fig. 79.Sphecodopsis keiskiensis sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (SAMC). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view).

Fig. 80. Sphecodopsis keiskiensis sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (SAMC). A. Propodeum. B. T5 and T6. C. S6.