Centris (Anisoctenodes) anisitsi ( Schrottky, 1908 )

Vivallo, Felipe, 2020, The species of the bee genus Centris of the “ hyptidis group ” revisited with the description of Centris (Anisoctenodes) new subgenus (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Centridini), European Journal of Taxonomy 709, pp. 1-17 : 5-8

Centris (Anisoctenodes) anisitsi ( Schrottky, 1908)

Figs 1 A–D, 2A, 3A, 7

Hemisia anisitsi Schrottky, 1908: 141 .

Type data

This species was described by the German entomologist Curt Schrottky (1874–1937) based on a single male specimen collected by János Dániel Anisits (1856–1911) in Asunción, Paraguay. Anisits was a Hungarian pharmacist, biologist, botanist and researcher who migrated to Paraguay after he graduated as a pharmacist in Budapest. In Paraguay he was head of the Department of Zoology and Botany at the National University. Working actively, he conducted two decades of exploration, collecting biological material and discovering several new species of plants, mainly palm and cactus ( Magyarország és Latin-Amerika 2019). The labels of the holotype and the additional material are quoted verbatim.

Material examined

Holotype

PARAGUAY • ♂; “ Asuncion, Paraguay J. D. Anisits [printed] XII 04 [handwritten]\ [red label] Type [handwritten]\ Hemisia anisitsi Schrottky ³ [handwritten]”; ZMB.

Additional material

PARAGUAY • 1 ♀; “[green label] Paraguay (San Bernardino) K. Fiebrig S.V. [printed] \ Centris anisitsi Schrott. ♀ [handwritten] Strand det. [printed]\ Centris burgdorfi v paraguayensis Fr. ♀ [handwritten] 1907 Friese det. [printed]. [Blüh [?]”; ZMB †.

Redescription of the male

COLORATION. Integument dark brown, slightly lighter to reddish brown on labrum. Tegula yellowish, darker towards anterior margin. Wings light brown ( Fig. 1 C–D).

INTEGUMENT AND SCULPTURED SURFACE. Clypeus finely areolate towards upper margin, with very coarse and dense punctation, giving it a rough appearance ( Fig. 1C ). Labrum with similar punctation, with denser and finer punctures towards upper margin ( Fig. 1C ). T2 and T3 with fine, very dense and uniform punctation. T4 and T5 with coarser and disperse puncture. T3–T6 with smooth and translucent distal margins, more evident towards apex of metasoma.

PUBESCENCE. Brown on head, lateral surface of mesepisternum, tegula, legs and metasoma ( Fig. 1 C–D). Yellow on mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, pronotal lobe ( Fig. 1D ) and dorsal surface of T1. T3–T6 with brown hairs on distal margins, denser and longer towards apex of metasoma.

STRUCTURES. Flabellum elliptical. Maxillary palpus with four palpomeres (2 nd>3 rd>1 st>4 th). Mandible with three teeth of acute apex. Trimmal angle poorly developed, obtuse. Lateral area of clypeus parallel to surface of disc, with median longitudinal carina almost reaching upper margin ( Fig. 1C ). Clypeal disc with lower half concave and upper half convex (lateral view), with two protuberances defining concave transverse area between them. Epistomal suture as curved as lower margin of clypeus ( Fig. 1C ). Labrum relatively elliptical ( Fig. 1C ). Inner orbits of compound eyes slightly divergent downwards ( Fig. 1C ). Ocellocular distance approximately 2.5× diameter of lateral ocellus ( Fig. 1C ). Vertex above upper interorbital tangent ( Fig. 1C ). F1 slightly shorter than scape ( Fig. 1C ). T7 without pygidial plate, only with triangular glabrous area. Claws with internal tooth.

Description of the female

COLORATION. Integument dark brown, slightly darker on metasoma. Tegula brownish with lateroposterior margin yellow. Wings brown ( Fig. 1 A–B).

INTEGUMENT AND SCULPTURED SURFACE. Clypeus with very coarse and dense punctation (giving it a rough appearance), slightly scattered towards lower margin ( Fig. 1A ); central surface with median, coarse and conspicuous carina between upper and lower margins. Labrum with coarse punctation, more scattered than on clypeus, with finer and denser puncture towards lower margin ( Fig. 1A ). T2 and T3 with fine, very dense and relatively uniform punctation. Terga and sterna with smooth translucent distal margins, more evident towards apex of metasoma.

PUBESCENCE. Brown on head ( Fig 1A ), lateral surface of mesepisternum and fore legs ( Fig. 1B ). Labrum ( Fig. 1A ), T4 and T5 with light brown pubescence. Dark brown to black on T1–T3, fimbriae and on middle and hind legs ( Fig. 1B ). Yellow on mesoscutum, mesoscutellum ( Fig. 1B ) and dorsal surface of T1.

STRUCTURES. Flabellum elliptical. Maxillary palpus with four palpomeres (2 nd>3 rd>1st>4 th). Mandible with four apically acute teeth ( Fig. 1A ). Trimmal angle relatively straight ( Fig. 1A ). Clypeal disc convex with lower half slightly concave (lateral view). Median portion of epistomal suture relatively parallel to median part of lower margin of clypeus ( Fig. 1A ). Labrum semicircular ( Fig. 1A ). Inner orbits of compound eyes slightly convergent downwards ( Fig. 1A ). Ocellocular distance approximately 2× diameter of lateral ocellus ( Fig. 1A ). Vertex above upper interorbital tangent ( Fig. 1A ). F1 longer than scape ( Fig. 1A ). Fore and middle trochanters with laminar projection on upper margin (giving them a square appearance) ( Fig. 2A ). Basitibial plate with an ill-defined S-like secondary plate (lower margin diffused). Secondary plate of pygidial plate with lateral margins converging distally, but not reaching each other. Claws with internal tooth.

Distribution

This species has only been recorded in Paraguay (Capital District: Asunción; Cordillera Department: San Bernardino) ( Fig. 7 ).

Remarks

This is a rare species and unfortunately nothing is known about its bionomy. However, some of the pollen grains found on the scopa indicate that the female visited Bauhinia sp. ( Caesalpiniaceae D.C., 1825), Borreria sp. ( Rubiaceae Juss. ), Melochia sp. ( Sterculiaceae Beilschm. ), Fabaceae Lindl. , Caricaceae Dumort. (or Loranthaceae Juss. ) and Bignoniaceae Juss.

Figures

Fig. 1. Centris anisitsi (Schrottky, 1908). A–B. ♀, Paraguay, San Bernardino (ZMB †). C–D. ♂, Paraguay, Asunción, holotype (ZMB). A, C. Frontal view. B, D. Habitus, lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 2. Trochanter of female fore leg (ZMB †). A. Centris anisitsi (Schrottky, 1908), Paraguay, San Bernardino (LPBC †). B. C. hyptidis Ducke, 1908, Brazil, Vitória da Conquista (MNRJ †). C. C. hyptidoides Roig-Alsina, 2000, Paraguay, San Pedro Cororo (MNRJ †). D. C. thelyopsis Vivallo & Melo, 2009, Brazil, Teresina de Goiás (DZUP †). Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 7. Distribution map of the species of Centris (Anisoctenodes) subgen. nov.