Tetralonia aff. lanzarotensis Tkalců, 1993

Sentil, Ahlam, Rosa, Paolo, Tourbez, Clément, Dorchin, Achik, Bogusch, Petr & Michez, Denis, 2024, New records of bees (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) from Morocco, Journal of Hymenoptera Research 97, pp. 513-530 : 513-530

Tetralonia aff. lanzarotensis Tkalců, 1993

Material examined.

Morocco. 8 ♂, 1 ♀; Safi ; 32.2587, - 9.2386; 09 Apr. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net • 1 ♂; Safi ; 32.2587, - 9.2386; 15 Apr. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net • 3 ♂, 3 ♀; Safi ; 32.2731, - 9.2335; 21 Apr. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net • 3 ♂, 1 ♀; Safi ; 32.3356, - 9.2166; 23 Apr. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net • 15 ♂, 2 ♀; Safi ; 32.2686, - 9.2323; 25 Apr. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net • 1 ♀; Safi ; 32.2625, - 9.226617; 01 May 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net • 2 ♂; Safi ; 32.2587, - 9.2386; 02 Jul. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net • 1 ♂, 6 ♀; Safi ; 32.2735, - 9.2334; 11 Jul. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net • 2 ♀; Safi ; 32.2735, - 9.2334; 15 Jul. 2023; A. Sentil leg.; sweep net .

Diagnosis.

The species belongs to the ruficornis - group ( Tkalců 1979) based on the metasomal hair pattern and structure, which comprises basal tomentum, and the marginal zones of T 2–4 that largely exposed (Fig. 3 B ); the strongly branched scopal hairs (Fig. 3 A ); the lack of ventral mesosomal brush of unbranched thickened hairs of females; the shape of the medial longitudinal groove of S 6, and the ventral tubercule of hind femur of males. Within the group, females of Tetralonia lanzarotensis can be diagnosed based on the short metasomal basal tomentum that does not reach the marginal zones of T 3 and not (Lanzarote) or barely ( Morocco) reach that of T 4 medially; it differentiates from most other species, except T. fulvescens Giraud , by the black, immaculate face, and can be differentiated from that latter species by the lighter, ferruginous to reddish ventral side of flagellar segments 2–12 (Fig. 4 A, B ) (although some southern distributed specimens of T. fulvescens have lighter flagellar segments, and the diagnosability of this characteristic is not determined), and by the slightly smaller body size of about 9 mm (compared to mostly above 10 mm in T. fulvescens ). The males are similar to females in their body size, 8.5–9 mm, short basal tomentum on T 2–4 (Fig. 3 D ), and light flagellar segments ventrally; the ventral tubercule of hind femur is blunt and giving rise to dense, stiff sclerotised hairs. These characteristics, and to a lesser extent, also the widely emarginated lateral process of S 7 (Fig. 4 C ), are most closely resembling T. julliani (Pérez) , from which they can be easily differentiated by the elbowed gonostylus as seen in lateral view, with the apex produced medially, L-shaped as seen in dorsal view (compared to more gently curved and apically straight in T. julliani and in T. fulvescens ). The genital complex of the male, which is usually diagnostic in the Eucerini, is nearly identical in specimens from the type locality in Lanzarote and in males from continental populations in Morocco (Fig. 4 D ). However, both the females and males clearly differ in the sculpture (and color) of the metasomal tergites (Fig. 3 B, D ), having sparser punctures apicomedially on the marginal zones and wider and translucent apical impunctate margins in specimens from Lanzarote as compared to those of the continent. The males from Lanzarote also have conspicuously shorter antennae. While such differences are generally considered sufficiently diagnostic at the species level, additional study that includes molecular evidence would be useful to determine species concepts with confidence.

Distribution.

As far as it is known to us, the species has previously been recorded only from the island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands ( Reverté et al. 2023). It is first reported in this work from several localities in Morocco based on specimens from Safi and Tamri near Agadir on the Atlantic coast, and a single specimen examined from Ait Ibourk near Ouarzazate.

Floral preferences.

Analyses of pollen removed from the scopa of ten female specimens from Safi, show that the species is associated exclusively with Asteraceae . More specifically eight females collected a pure sample of pollen of the subfamily Asteroidea , only one specimen collected a significant amount of pollen of Carduoidea (thistles), and another specimen collected a negligible amount of Cichorioidea.

Figures

Figure 3. Tetralonia aff. lanzarotensis, female, from Morocco A lateral view B dorsal view. Tetralonia aff. lanzarotensis, male, from Morocco C lateral view D dorsal view.

Figure 4. Tetralonia aff. lanzarotensis, female, from Morocco A frontal view. Tetralonia aff. lanzarotensis, male, from Morocco B frontal view C metasomal sterna 6 D genital capsule.