Chlerogella mabelae Engel, 2013

Engel, Michael S. & Rasmussen, Claus, 2013, Revision of the bee genus Chlerogella (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Part III: New records and a new species from Peru, Journal of Melittology 9, pp. 1-8 : 4-7

Chlerogella mabelae Engel , new species

ZooBank urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A2AA9926-99E1-48EC-A440-B11B62E0E8FD

( Figs. 1–7 )

DIAGNOSIS: The new species is most similar to C. arhyncha Engel , also from Peru, but can be distinguished by the deep metallic blue coloration of the head and mesosoma, the largely honey-yellow scape, the largely yellow to orange legs, the yellowish orange metasoma, the slightly longer malar space (0.27 versus 0.2 times the basal mandibular width in C. arhyncha ), the longer second flagellomere (nearly three times length of first flagellomere versus two times in C. arhyncha ), and the shape of the male terminalia ( Figs. 5–7 ).

DESCRIPTION: ♂: Total body length 7.50 mm; forewing length 5.67 mm. Head length 1.82 mm, width 1.51 mm. Clypeus beginning well above lower tangent of compound eyes ( Fig. 2 ). Malar space 4% compound eye length (malar length 0.05 mm; compound eye length 1.25 mm) ( Figs. 1–3 ), malar space 0.27 times basal mandibular width. Upper interorbital distance 0.78 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.52 mm. First flagellomere about as long as pedicel, about as long as wide; second flagellomere almost three times length of first flagellomere (2.85 times); ventral surfaces of second through eleventh flagellomeres densely covered in placoid sensilla, placoid fields not disrupted. Upper portion of pronotum not depressed, not elongate, medially less than 0.25 times ocellar diameter in length; ventral portion of preëpisternal sulcus similar to upper portion of preëpisternal sulcus; intertegular distance 1.12 mm; mesoscutellum convex, not bigibbous. Basal vein distad cu-a by four times vein width; 1rs-m distad 1m-cu by five times vein width; 2rs-m distad 2m-cu by ten times vein width, 2rs-m relatively straight; first submarginal cell longer than combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells; second submarginal cell slightly narrowed anteriorly, anterior border of second submarginal cell along Rs shorter than that of third submarginal cell; posterior border of third submarginal cell about 1.25 times length of anterior border. Distal hamuli arranged 2-1-2. Femora not swollen; inner metatibial spur serrate. Apical margin of metasomal sterna III–V entire ( Fig. 4 ); apical margin of sternum VI emarginate; terminalia as depicted in figures 5–7.

Clypeus and supraclypeal area weakly imbricate with weak punctures separated by 1–4 times a puncture width; face with small, contiguous punctures; punctures of face blending to faintly imbricate integument in ocellocular area and vertex, with small punctures separated by 1–4 times a puncture width; gena faintly imbricate with small punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width; postgena imbricate and impunctate. Pronotum imbricate with sparse minute punctures; mesoscutum imbricate with small punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width, anteromedially punctures becoming faint to absent; mesoscutellum imbricate with small punctures separated by 0.5–1.5 times a puncture width; metanotum faintly imbricate with small punctures separated by a puncture width or less. Preëpisternum weakly imbricate with small punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width; hypoepimeral area smooth with minute punctures separated by 2–4 times a puncture width; mesepisternum imbricate with small punctures separated by 2–4 times a puncture width, punctures weak; metepisternum faintly imbricate. Propodeum strongly imbricate. Metasoma weakly and finely imbricate.

Mandible and labrum honey yellow, with reddish apex on mandible; apex of clypeus honey yellow, remainder of clypeus and head deep metallic blue ( Figs. 2, 3 ). Scape largely honey yellow except upper half dark brown ( Fig. 1 ); pedicel and flagellum dark brown. Mesosoma deep metallic blue except pronotal lobe honey yellow ( Figs. 1, 3 ); tegula translucent light brown. Wing membranes weakly infumate; veins dark brown. Legs largely yellowish orange except outer basal area of procoxa brown, ventral area on profemur brown, apicalmost protarsomere brown, mesocoxa brown, medial patch of brown on posterior surface of mesofemur, outer surface of mesotibia largely brown, mesotarsus brown, most of metafemur dark brown, entirety of metatibia and metatarsus dark brown. Metasoma yellowish orange ( Fig. 1 ).

Pubescence generally golden; typical gender pilosity; ventral surface of trochanters with elongate setae; metafemoral setae ventrally diffuse; setae of inner surface of metabasitarsus darkly fuscous. Apical margins of metasomal sterna III–V with apicolateral diffuse patches of elongate setae, such patches particularly ill-defined on sternum III.

♀: Unknown.

HOLOTYPE: ♂, Peru: JU [ Department of Junín], Chanchamayo, SN Pampa Hermosa, 10°59’51.8’’S / 75°25’35.9’’W, 1940 m, Podocarpus forest, 23–31.v.201 [sic: 23–31 May 2011], light trap, M. Alvarado leg. ( MUSM). Type locality depicted in figures 8–9, 12.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is a matronym honoring Mabel Alvarado, collector of the holotype and outstanding graduate student of the senior author.

COMMENTS: The species was collected at a light trap operated between 1800–2400h. The species will run to couplet 20 in the key to South American species of Chlerogella ( Engel, 2010) . The following modified couplets will permit its recognition:

20. Malar space 0.9–1.75 times basal mandibular width ........................................... 21

—. Malar space linear, almost absent, less than 0.5 times basal mandibular width .. .................................................................................................................................... 20a

20a. Second flagellomere nearly three (2.85) times as long as first flagellomere; head and mesosoma deep metallic blue; mesoscutellum distinctly convex; metasoma entirely yellowish orange; malar space 0.27 times basal mandibular width ( Peru) ...................................................................................... C. mabelae Engel , n. sp.

—. Second flagellomere twice as long as first flagellomere; head and mesosoma dark metallic greenish blue; mesoscutellum weakly convex; metasoma dark reddish brown with strong metallic blue highlights; malar space less than 0.25 times basal mandibular width ( Peru) .......................................... C. arhyncha Engel

Figures

Figures 1–4. Holotype male of Chlerogella mabelae, new species. 1. Lateral habitus. 2. Facial aspect. 3. Lateral aspect of head and mesosoma. 4. Apical metasomal sterna (IV, V, and VI).

Figures 5–7. Male terminalia of Chlerogella mabelae, new species. 5. Fused and hidden metasomal sterna VII and VIII. 6. Genital capsule, dorsal view. 7. Genital capsule, ventral view.