Hoplitis (Stenosmia) dispersipunctata Müller, 2014

Müller, Andreas, 2014, Palaearctic Hoplitis bees of the subgenus Stenosmia (Megachilidae, Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species, Zootaxa 3765 (4), pp. 301-316 : 309-310

Hoplitis (Stenosmia) dispersipunctata Müller , spec. nov.

Holotype: TURKMENISTAN: Denev, 40km N Tzardjou, 9.6.1993, ♀ (leg. M. Halada). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich.

Paratypes: TURKMENISTAN: Denev, 40km N Tzardjou, 9.6.1993, ♀, ♂ (leg. M. Halada). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich.

Diagnosis. Both sexes of H. dispersipunctata differ from all other H. ( Stenosmia ) species by the irregular and scattered punctation of scutum and scutellum with interspaces reaching the diameter of several punctures ( Fig. 11 ). Additionally, the female is characterized by the blunt instead of acute spurs of the hind leg, and the male has a narrow and high longitudinal keel on sternum 6 that extends beyond the apical sternal margin ( Fig. 12 ); the latter character is shared only with H. jordanica , which, however, has a broader vertex and a different distribution area.

Description. FEMALE: Body length 5.5–6mm. Head: Second segment of labial palpus 1.4–1.5x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.9– 2 x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 about 0.8x as long as broad. Antennal segments (3)4–12 orange, apex of segment 12 and posterior side of antenna slightly darkened. Mandible orange except for its apex, which is brown to black. Clypeus, supraclypeal area, paraocular area, frons and genal area densely covered with white pilosity. Mesosoma: Punctation of scutum and scutellum irregular and scattered, interspaces varying between the diameter of one to five, on scutellum sometimes even more punctures ( Fig. 11 ). Basal zone of propodeum chagreened in its upper and polished in its lower half. Inner margin of fore leg coxa apically slightly protruding. Hind coxa with indistinct longitudinal keel. Spurs of hind leg blunt. Mesosoma densely covered with white hairs except for central parts of scutum and scutellum and basal zone of propodeum, which are almost hairless. Anterior, lateral and posterior margins of scutum and scutellum densely covered with short, scale-like white hairs. Tegula yellowish, translucent. Central part of the stigma orange. Metasoma: Punctation of tergal discs 1–3 rather dense with interspaces varying in size from the diameter of one puncture to the diameter of two, rarely more punctures, of tergal discs 4–5 denser with interspaces not exceeding the diameter of one puncture. Marginal zones of terga 2–4 reddish-brown, distinctly impressed laterally and densely punctured with punctures that are slightly smaller than punctures on tergal discs. Laterobasal part of disc of tergum 1 densely covered with appressed white hairs. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which consist of short, scale-like hairs and are interrupted on terga 1–2 in older specimens. Disc of tergum 5 with scattered plumose white hairs that partly hide the cuticula. Tergum 6 densely covered with white plumose hairs. Scopa white.

MALE: Body length 5.5mm. Head: Second segment of labial palpus about 1.5x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge about 1.7x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 3 distinctly shorter than antennal segment 4. Anterior side of antennal segments (3)4–13 yellowish-brown to orange, posterior side of antenna darkened. Mandible reddish-brown to orange except for basalmost part and apex, which are brown to black. Clypeus, supraclypeal area, paraocular area, frons and genal area densely covered with white pilosity. Mesosoma: Punctation of scutum and scutellum irregular and scattered, interspaces varying between the diameter of one to five, on scutellum even more punctures. Basal zone of propodeum chagreened in its upper and polished in its lower half. Hind coxa with distinct longitudinal keel. Mesosoma densely covered with white hairs except for central parts of scutum and scutellum and basal zone of propodeum, which are sparsely beset with white hairs to almost hairless. Anterior, lateral and posterior margins of scutum and scutellum densely covered with short, scale-like white hairs. Tegula yellowish, translucent. Metasoma: Punctation of tergal discs 1–3 rather dense with interspaces reaching the diameter of one to two punctures, of tergal discs 4–5 fine and dense with interspaces not exceeding the diameter of one puncture. Marginal zones of terga 2–4 slightly reddish-brown, distinctly impressed laterally and densely punctured with punctures that are about half as large as punctures on tergal discs. Laterobasal part of disc of tergum 1 densely covered with appressed white hairs. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which consist of short scale-like hairs. Tergum 6 densely covered with white hairs, its apical margin yellowish and translucent. Apex of tergum 7 small and quadrate, densely haired, yellowish and translucent, its apical margin slightly rounded. Sternum 2 planar, without longitudinal keel. Punctation of disc of sternum 2 scattered, interspaces reaching the diameter of up to four or more punctures. Marginal zones of sterna (1)2–5 with dense white hair bands that extend over the whole sternal width. Sternum 6 medially with longitudinal keel, which is very narrow and high, extends beyond the apical sternal margin and is beset along is upper margin with strong bristles that are about half as long as height of the keel ( Fig. 12 ).

Distribution. Known so far only from the type locality in the southern Central Asian desert ( Turkmenistan), where H. dispersipunctata has been recorded together with H. crassipunctata at the same day.

Pollen hosts. Unknown.

Nesting biology. Unknown.

Etymology. dispersipunctatus = with scattered punctation, referring to the widely spaced and irregular punctation of scutum and scutellum.

Figures

FIGURE 11 – 14. 11: Hoplitis dispersipunctata, scutum and scutellum of female. 12: Hoplitis dispersipunctata, sterna 3 - 6 of male. 13: Hoplitis gobiensis, proboscis of female. 14: Hoplitis gobiensis, sterna 2 – 6 of male.