Andrena (incertae sedis) janthinoides Pisanty, 2022

Pisanty, Gideon, Scheuchl, Erwin, Martin, Teresa, Cardinal, Sophie & Wood, Thomas James, 2022, Twenty-five new species of mining bees (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae: Andrena) from Israel and the Levant, Zootaxa 5185 (1), pp. 1-109 : 91-93

Andrena (incertae sedis) janthinoides Pisanty sp. nov.

( Figs. 222–229 )

Female ( Fig. 222 ).

Body length: 5.5–6 mm.

Colour. Body and legs dark brown to black ( Fig. 222 ). Anterior side of flagellomeres 4–10 gradually becoming reddish apically. Wings hyaline, veins dark brown, stigma dark brown peripherally, golden medially ( Fig. 222 ). Tergal marginal zones light brown basally, whitish to yellowish apically ( Fig. 225 ).

Pubescence. Body mostly with relatively sparse and short, white to yellowish plumose hair ( Fig. 222 ). Clypeus and supraclypeal area with very sparse and short white hair. Paraocular area and scape with moderately dense, short to medium white hair. Frons with sparse, medium-lengthed white hair ( Fig. 223 ). Upper 1/2–2/3 of facial fovea brownish, lower part whitish ( Figs. 223–224 ). Vertex with short to medium, white to yellowish hair. Genal area with short yellowish hair dorsally, short to medium white hair ventrally. Mesonotum with sparse, short to medium, white to yellowish hair, denser peripherally. Metanotum and posterior margin of scutellum with medium-lengthed white to yellowish hair ( Fig. 224 ). Mesepisternum with long white hair. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsoposterior fringe with long white hair; corbicular surface with few long, white simple hairs. Leg hair mostly white; scopal hairs simple, white; flocculus complete, white ( Fig. 222 ). Tergal discs laterally with sparse short white hair; basal part of tergal disc 1 with sparse short white hair; apical part hairless; the following tergal discs gradually with sparse, minute white hair. Tergal marginal zones 1–4 with dense narrow bands of white hair originating from apical half of marginal zone, slightly extending onto following tergal disc, broadly interrupted on tergum 1, gradually more continuous on 2–3, fully continuous on 4. Prepygidial fimbria white laterally, whitish-golden medially; pygidial fimbria whitish-golden ( Fig. 225 ).

Head ( Figs. 223–224 ). 1.3 times broader than long. Mandible bidentate. Galea superficially shagreened except on inner basal part. Labral process rectangular to weakly trapezoidal, much broader than long. Clypeus slightly convex, flattened medially, smooth except on basal margin, sparsely but distinctly punctured, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters, without impunctate midline ( Fig. 223 ). Flagellomere 1 slightly longer than 2+3, 2 shorter than 3. Frons longitudinally striated. Facial foveae moderately broad, strongly tapering downwards, very shallow on upper part, extending from level of middle–lower end of lateral ocellus to base of clypeus, 0.7 times as broad as antennocular distance ( Figs. 223–224 ). Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 1 ocellus diameter. Ocelloccipital distance 1.2 ocellus diameters. Vertex weakly carinate ( Fig. 224 ). Genal area as broad as compound eye.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 224 ). Pronotum without elevated dorsolateral angle or lateral carina. Mesonotum shiny, finely shagreened, finely, sparsely and superficially punctured, distance between punctures 1–3 puncture diameters. Scutellum similar, punctures sparser and obscurer ( Fig. 224 ). Mesepisternum finely alveolate. Propodeal corbicula finely reticulate. Posterior part of propodeum finely alveolate, triangle weakly demarcated, apical 2/3 of triangle slightly shinier compared to flanking regions, basal 1/3 very superficially and finely rugose-areolate ( Fig. 224 ). Hind pretarsal claw bidentate. Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 at 1/2–2/3 of its length. Submarginal crossvein 1 meets marginal cell 2–3 vein widths from stigma. Nervulus antefurcal ( Fig. 222 ).

Metasoma ( Fig. 225 ). Tergal discs shiny, basal 2/3–3/4 finely shagreened, apical part smooth, shagreenation of tergum 4 more superficial; punctation mostly absent, very fine and sparse punctures can be noticed mostly on smooth apical areas. Tergal marginal zones very superficially shagreened to smooth, impunctate, 1 narrow and not depressed, the following gradually broader and more depressed. Pygidial plate without medial elevated zone.

Male ( Fig. 226 ).

Body length: 5–5.5 mm.

Colour. Anterior side of flagellomeres 4–10 brown to reddish-brown ( Fig. 226 ). Rest of body similar to female (clypeus and paraocular area black).

Pubescence. Apical 2/3 of clypeus with dense fringe of medium-lengthed white hairs, extending below clypeus to about 1/2 clypeus length. Paraocular area and scape with moderately dense, medium white to yellowish hair. Frons with sparse, medium-lengthed white to yellowish hair ( Figs. 226–227 ). Vertex with short to long, white to yellowish hair. Genal area with short yellowish hair dorsally, gradually long white hair ventrally. Mesonotum with sparse, medium to long, white to yellowish hair, denser peripherally. Metanotum and posterior half of scutellum with long white to yellowish hair ( Fig. 228 ). Mesepisternum and propodeum with long white hair ( Figs. 226, 228 ). Legs mostly with short to medium, white to yellowish hair ( Fig. 226 ). Tergal discs laterally with moderately dense short white hair; medially with sparse short white hair. Tergal marginal zones 1–4 with weak narrow bands of white hair originating from apical half of marginal zone, interrupted on 1–3, almost continuous on 4.

Head ( Figs. 227–228 ). 1.3 times broader than long. Labral process rectangular to weakly trapezoidal, much broader than long. Clypeus slightly convex, flattened medially, smooth except on basal margin, strongly and densely punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameters, without impunctate midline ( Fig. 227 ). Flagellomere 1 about as long as 2+3, 2 shorter than 3. Frons longitudinally striated. Ocelloccipital distance 1.3 ocellus diameters. Vertex weakly carinate ( Fig. 228 ). Genal area about as broad as compound eye, posterior margin rounded, not pointed or carinate.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 228 ). Similar to female, but mesonotal punctation extremely shallow and obscure, propodeal triangle more distinctly rugose basally ( Fig. 228 ).

Metasoma. Similar to female.

Genitalia and hidden sterna ( Fig. 229 ). Dorsal gonocoxite lobe developed, moderately pointed. Gonostylus suddenly broadened apically, blade shaped as right triangle, apex weakly pointed. Penis valves moderately broad basally, strongly tapering apically ( Fig. 229 ). Sternum 8 simple, columnar, apical process broadened, triangular.

Diagnosis. Andrena janthinoides is closely related to A. janthina Warncke. The two species belong to a unique, unclassified lineage of Andrena , which is related to Fuscandrena and Micrandrena ( Pisanty et al. 2022). Andrena janthinoides is easily distinguished from A. janthina in its smaller size and apically smooth terga (uniformly shagreened in A. janthina ) ( Fig. 225 ). The female also differs in the trapezoidal labral process (arched in A. janthina ) and almost completely smooth and flat clypeus, reminiscent of A. (Ulandrena) dauma Warncke (shagreened basally and transversely arched in A. janthina ) ( Fig. 223 ).

Distribution: Israel. Most specimens were collected in the Mediterranean habitat regions of northern and central Israel. However, a single male record exists from the extreme desert of the Arava Valley (Hazeva), which could be a labeling error.

Flight period: February–April.

Flower records: Apiaceae : Ferula communis ; Rosaceae : Prunus dulcis .

Holotype: ISRAEL: Forest of the Martyrs [Ya’ar Kedoshim], 27.iii.2014, N. Shamir, on Ferula communis , ♀ ( SMNHTAU:152552).

Paratypes: ISRAEL: Beit Jimal [Bet Jimal], 3.iv.1988, I. Yarom (1♀) ; Beit Nir [Bet Nir], 11.iii.2018, T. Roth, pan traps (2♀) ; Forest of the Martyrs [Ya’ar Kedoshim], 2.iii.2014, N. Shamir, pan traps (1♀) ; 26.ii.2017, Y. Farago, pan traps (1♀, 1♂); 8.iii.2017, Y. Farago (1♀); Hazeva , 4 km W, 11–17.iv.1988, R. Leys (1♂) ; Kfar Menahem [Kefar Menahem], 1.iii.2008, Y. Mandelik, pan traps (1♀) ; 2.iii.2008, U. Roll, pan traps (2♀, 1♂); 2.iii.2008, Y. Mandelik, on Prunus dulcis (1♀); Lakhish , 19.iii.2013, T. Shapira, pan traps (1♀) ; 8.iv.2013, T. Shapira, pan traps (1♀); Mount Meron [Har Meron], 4 km E, 9.iv.1988, R. Leys (2♂) ; Nahariya [Nahariyya], 10 km E, 9.iv.1988, R. Leys (5♂) ; Rehan Forest , south to Rangers’ House, 11.iv.2007, L. Friedman (1♀) ; Sheikh Ali , 20 km E Qiryat Gat, 17.iii.1990, R. Kasher (1♂) ; Tal Shahar , 2.iv.2010, G. Pisanty, pan traps (1♀) ; Valley of Elah [Emeq Ha’ela], 10.iv.2006, W. Mahagna (1♀) ( OLML, RMNH, SMNHTAU, TJW) .

Etymology. From janthina + oides, i.e. similar to A. janthina . The species epithet is an adjective.

Figures

FIGURES 222–229. Andrena (incertae sedis) janthinoides sp. nov. 222. female habitus, 223. female head, 224. female vertex and mesosoma, 225. female metasoma, 226. male habitus, 227. male head, 228. male vertex and mesosoma, 229. male genitalia.