Patellapis (Chaetalictus) itigiensis, Kuhlmann, Michael & Pauly, Alain, 2010

Kuhlmann, Michael & Pauly, Alain, 2010, New Afrotropical species of the bee subgenus Patellapis (Chaetalictus) with notes on additional species (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Zootaxa 2674, pp. 33-50 : 39-40

Patellapis (Chaetalictus) itigiensis sp. n.

( Figs. 4 a–f)

Diagnosis. P. (Ch.) itigiensis is one of the smallest known Chaetalictus species. The male is unknown. The female is ordinary looking brownish to blackish, and is unique among all other known species for its small size in combination with the finely shagreened moderately dull mesoscutum, basal area of propodeum and terga ( Fig. 4 c–e).

Description. Female. Bl = 5.0 mm. General habitus ( Fig. 4 a). Head. L = 1.4 mm; W = 1.5 mm. Head wider than long ( Fig. 4 b). Integument black except mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face dull and with sparse, greyish, erect hairs. Mandible with subapical tooth. Clypeus and supraclypeal area slightly convex in profile. Clypeus strongly but sparsely punctate and without a median depression; surface shiny but superficially reticulate. Clypeoantennal distance 0.3 mm. Supraclypeal area with very few shallow punctures; punctures well separated; surface dull and densely shagreened. Paraocular area densely punctate; surface shiny and finely sculptured. Antenna brownish-black. Mesosoma. L = 1.9 mm; ITS = 1.2 mm. Integument black. Mesoscutum dull; surface completely shagreened; disc densely and finely punctate (i = 1.0–2.0d) ( Fig. 4 c). Scutellum as illustrated in Fig. 4 d. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum with whitish to greyish, erect hairs. Basal area of propodeum as illustrated in Fig. 4 d; propodeum and marginal region of posterior truncation finely shagreened and dull; propodeum without punctures. Wings. Brownish fuscous. Legs. Integument brownish-black. Vestiture whitish to greyish. Ts finely serrate; with 4 long and oblique projections. Bp as illustrated ( Fig. 4 f). Metasoma. L = 2.9 mm; W = 1.7 mm. Integument dark brown except margins of T reddish-brown; margins narrowly and slightly translucent. Apical hair bands weakly developed on T3–T4; those on T1–T2 only present laterally. Prepygidial fimbria yellowish to whitish. Metasomal terga as illustrated in Fig. 4 e.

Male. Unknown.

Type material (1 specimen). Holotype, female, Tanzania, 20 mi. SW of Itigi, 4300ft. [S5°52´E34°19´], 28-I-1970, M.E. Irwin & E.S. Ross, CAS.

Etymology. This species is named after the town Itigi.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality in Central Tanzania.

Floral visitation. Unknown.

Seasonal activity (first–last observations). i.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Patellapis (Ch.) itigiensis sp. n., female: a. Body; b. Head; c. Scutum; d. Scutellum and propodeum; e. Metasomal terga; f. Basitibial plate. Scale bar = 1 mm).