Sphecodopsis atra, 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 : 72

Sphecodopsis papilla species group

The group consists of ten species: S. atra sp. nov., S. catastropha sp. nov., S. corona sp. nov., S. microscopica sp. nov., S. minuta sp. nov., S. nana sp. nov., S. nigra sp. nov., S. papilla Eardley, 2007 , S. parvula sp. nov. and S. tenera sp. nov. Characteristics of this group are the following: small species, body length <6 mm ( Figs 55A, 57A, 59A, 61A, 63A, 65A, 67A, 69A, 71A, 73A, 75A, 77A); fore tibia and tarsi usually black with small reddish spots ( Figs 55A, 57A, 59A, 61A, 63A, 65A, 67A, 69A, 71A, 73A, 75A, 77A); propodeum covered with short white or yellowish-white hair ( Figs 56A, 58A, 60A, 61E, 64A, 65E, 67E, 69E, 72A, 74A, 76A, 77E); female T6 covered with golden hair ( Figs 56B, 58B, 60B, 64B, 72B, 74B, 76B); female S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch about three to nine times as long as its apical width, more or less spatulate, shape as illustrated ( Figs 56C, 58C, 60C, 64C, 72C, 74C, 76C); male gonostylus inclined inward, penis valves narrow, slightly shorter than gonostylus ( Figs 62C, 66C–D, 68C–D, 70B–C, 78C–D).