Megalopta mura, Santos & Melo, 2014

Santos, L. M. & Melo, G. A. R., 2014, Updating the taxonomy of the bee genus Megalopta (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Augochlorini) including revision of the Brazilian species, Journal of Natural History 49 (11), pp. 575-674 : 612-615

Megalopta mura sp. n.

( Figures 1B , 3A, 3D ‒ E , 7E ‒ F , 8C , 15B )

Diagnosis

Different from M. chaperi by the length of basal area of metapostnotum in relation to metanotum length, its length never a third, and usually a half of metanotum length ( Figure 3A ). The female differs from M. amoena by presence in posterior upper margin of metepisternum of a conspicuously large process covered with velvety pilosity ( Figure 1B ) and the male by the F6–F11 wider than remaining flagellomeres; basal area of metapostnotum with longitudinal rugulosities present in central area ( Figure 7E ); S3 longitudinal sulcus slightly impressed ( Figure 8C ); S4 basally lacking pilosity, the apical margin strongly notched laterally ( Figure 8C ). Both sexes are distinguished from M. guimaraesi by the mesoscutum adjacent to parapsidial line with contiguous punctation, punctation becoming sparser towards the mesoscutal lip (<1 pd) ( Figure 3D ); also the female differs by the scutellum with posterior margin raised in relation to anterior margin of metanotum ( Figure 3E ); basal area of metapostnotum often brownish in the centre and metallic green in the sides ( Figures 3A , 7E ).

Description

Female. (1) Mandible bidentate and with supplementary teeth. (2) Labral elevation with the central area slightly depressed in relation to the sides. (3) Clypeus with surface between punctures on basal and central area smooth. (4) Central portion of supraclypeal area with sparse punctation, punctures separated by ≥ 1 pd. (5) Antenna reddish brown. (6) Upper frons flat, not strongly declivous toward sulcus around median ocellus. (7) Ocellocular distance smaller than the F1 length. (8) Mesoscutum adjacent to the parapsidial line densely punctured, punctures contiguous, punctation becoming sparser towards mesoscutal lip (<1 pd) ( Figure 3D ). (9) Scutellum with posterior margin raised in relation to anterior margin of metanotum ( Figure 3E ). (10) Metanotum with integument, in oblique view, not hidden by short plumose pilosity. (11) Basal area of metapostnotum reddish brown with green metallic tints laterally, its length up to 0.6× that of metanotum, with longer longitudinal rugulosities restricted to central area ( Figure 3A ). (12) Mesepisternum with contiguous punctation. (13) Metepisternum with dense pilosity, integument not visible through pilosity; posterior upper margin modified into a conspicuously large process covered with velvety pilosity, its diameter at least 0.75× the tegula length ( Figure 1B ). (14) T1 with dorsal surface of disc sparsely punctured (≥ 1 pd), posterior marginal zone smooth between punctures. Male. (15) Scape with diameter gradually enlarging toward the apex. (16) Flagellum reddish brown; F1–F11 differing in diameter, F6–F11 wider than remaining flagellomeres; F2 about as long as F3; F6–F11, in anterior view, with the anterior and posterior margins depressed, in posterior view, basally with basal glabrous area at same level of remaining surface. (17) Metanotum with integument, in dorsal view, not hidden by short plumose pilosity ( Figure 7E ). (18) Basal area of metapostnotum metallic green, its length up to 0.5× that of metanotum, longitudinal rugulosities restricted to central area ( Figure 7E ). (19) Metepisternum with very dense pilosity, the integument not visible through pilosity; posterior upper margin modified into a conspicuously large process densely covered with velvety pilosity, its diameter at least 0.75× the tegula length ( Figure 7F ). (20) 1st and 2nd tarsomeres of foreleg with longest simple setae shorter than summed length of the three apical tarsomeres. (21) S3 with longitudinal sulcus, slightly impressed posterolateral margin strongly notched ( Figure 8C ). (22) S4 with medial protruding process, profile of process triangular in lateral view, basal portion glabrous, posterolateral margin notched, notch not extending to basal half of sclerite ( Figure 8C ).

Measurements

Approximate body length: (9.8–11.0); intertegular distance: (3.1–4.0); maximum width of head: (2.9–3.1); length of forewing with tegula: (9.2–10.8).

Type material

Holotype female ( DZUP): BRAZIL. Amazonas : ‘BRASIL, Amazonas , Manaus,\ ZF-2 KM 34 , Base LBA,\ 09.vii. 2008, 100m, 2°35 ′ 33 ″ S \ 60°12 ′ 52 ″ W arm. luz dossel\ P.C. Grossi col. ’. Paratypes (42♀, 9♂): BRAZIL. Acre : ‘ Brasil, Acre \ Acrelândia \ 10°04 ′ S / 67°25 ′ W’ ‘ Oliveira, Morato \ & Cunha leg\ Benzil acetato’ (1♀ INPA). Amazonas : ‘ BRASIL, Amazonas \ ESENA Juami-Japurá \ 02°19 ′ 09 ″ S \ 68°25 ′ 16 ″ W’ ‘ 04-17 agosto 2005 \ L.S. Aquino leg.’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ BRASIL, AM , Manaus, ZF 2\ km-14. Torre , 023521S-\ 600555W, 19–21.ii.2004 \ luz mista/BL, BLB, lençol’ ‘40 mt alt. J.A. Rafael,\ C.S. Motta, F.F. Xavier Fº\ & A. Silva Fº, S. Trovisco’ (1♂ INPA); ‘ BR AM Manaus \ ZF-03 Km 23 Res. 1112\ 2°28 ′ 02 ″ S / 59°51 ′ 15 ″ W \ 19/11/ 985 ( RLD)\ KLEIN BERT col.’ ‘FAZENDA ESTEIO’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ BRASIL, Amazonas \ BR 174 ZF6 Km 9\ Data. 03.07-86\ Col. M. V . B. Garcia’ ‘ Megalopta sp.’ (1♀ MEUFV) ; ‘ BRAZIL, AMAZONAS MANAUS\ Fazenda Porto Alegre \ ( Reserva 3114\ 2°23 ′ 00 ″ S / 59°56 ′ 35 ″ W \ 15-16/VIII/1996 \ Hutchings, R . W.H. &\ Hutchings, R . S.G. col.’‘\ Arm. tipo Pennsylvania \ C/ Cianeto de potássio\ (Roger W. Hutchings)\ Luz Negra ( UV-BL)’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ BRASIL, Amazonas, Manaus, Reserva Biológica de Campina \ 12.vii.2008, 77m, 2º 35 ′ 27 ″ S \ 60°1 ′ 51 ″ W arm. luz dossel\ P.C. Grossi col.’ (2♀ DZUP); ‘LO-4\ 1500m’ ‘ Brasil Amazonas \ Reserva Ducke \ Am 010 Km 26’ ‘ 07-18 Dez 2005 \ M.L. Oliveira & E. R . F. Pereira’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ BRASIL, Amazonas \ Manaus, Res. Ducke \ XI.2003 \ OL1- 700ms Vermelho’ ‘ Arm. Suspensa 20 mts\ A. Henriques et. al. Leg. ’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ BRASIL, AM , Manaus \ Reserva Ducke, Ig. \ B. Branco, 15–18.iii.2004,’ ‘ Arm. Malaise 04\ A. Henriques et. al.’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ BRASIL, Amazonas, \ Parque Nac. do Jaú \ 17-19/nov./2005 ’ ‘ M.L. Oliveira & E. R .\ F. Pereira leg.\ campinarana’ (1♀ INPA); ‘ BR, AM , Pq. Nac. do Jaú \ Rio Carabinami mg. dir\ 1°59 ′ S / 51°32 ′ W \ 11-12/ IV/1994 \ Motta, C. et al. col.’ ‘ Luz mista mercúrio\ Luz negra BL e BLB\ Lençol’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ Brasil, Amazonas \ PARNA do Jaú \ 19-III à 05-IV-\ 2003’ ‘ M.L. Oliveira &\ J.A . Cunha leg.\ Campinarana’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ BRASIL, AM , Presidente \ Figueiredo , BR 174 , Ramal \ do Km-200, 27.i.2006 ’ ‘ J.A. Rafael, F.F. Xavier, A. Silva Fº, D. M. M Mendes,\ em luz’ (1♂), ( INPA) ; ‘ Brasil, Amazonas, Pres. Figueiredo \ Am 240, Km 12, Sítio Água Viva ,\ 18-19/X/2006, Luz Mista,\ Motta C.S. & R . S. Hutchings’ (1♀ INPA) ; ‘ Brasil, Amazonas , Presidente Figueiredo,\ AM 240 , Km 24,\ 2°1 ′ 2.2 ″ S 59° 49 ′ 35.8 ″ W’ ‘ 14-18.ix.2009, F.F. \ Xavier Filho, Paladini, A.;\ Ciprandi, A.; Leivas, F.’ (1♂ DZUP) ; ‘ BRASIL, AM , Pres. Figueiredo , AM \ 240 Km 24, Comunidade São \ Francisco , 14–18.ix.2009 \ 2°1 ′ 2.2 ″ S 59°49’35.8 ″ W \ A.C. Pires (leg.) Luz’ (1♀ DZUP). Pará : ‘ Brasil, PA\ Capitão Poço \ 19–22.xi.1984 \ V . O. Becker col’ (1♀ DZUP); ‘ Marajó P. Pedras \ 13.III-1978 ’ ‘ Brasil Pará \ M F Torres’ (1♀ MPEG) ; ‘ Brasil, Pará \ Serra Norte \ Fofoca \ Col. Noturna \ 18.IX. 1985 ’ ‘ MPEG HYM \ 11005595’ (1♀ MPEG) ; ‘ Brasil, Pará \ Serra Norte \ N-1 SERRARIA\ COL. NOTURNA\ 25.X. 1984 ’ ‘ Brasil Pará \ M. F Torres’ ‘ MPEG HYM \ 11005589’ (1♂ MPEG) ; ‘ Brasil Pará \ Serra Norte \ SERRARIA\ COL. NOTURNA\ 19-X-1984 ’ ‘ MPEG HYM \ 11005583’ (1♀ MPEG) ; ‘ Brasil Pará \ São João de Pirabas \ Japerica \ Ilha Conceição \ 22-XII-1992 ’ ‘ Brasil Pará \ J Dias’ ‘ Armadilha \ de Luz’ (1♀ MPEG) ; ‘ BRASIL: Pará \ Tucuruí – REMANSÃO\ 03-VIII-1980 \ eq Nunes de Mello’ ‘5598’ (1♀ INPA). Rondônia : ‘ Brasil, RO, Itapuã \ do Oeste, Flona \ do Jamari , 90m \ 9.146° S 63.012° W \ 5.ix.2012, Cavichioli \ Melo, Rosa & Santos’ ‘ Armadilha \ Luminosa’ (4♀, DZUP). ‘ Ouro Preto \ d’ Oeste, RO,\ 29-X-1987 \ C. Elias, leg.’ ‘ ProjetoPo \ lonoroeste’ (1♂ DZUP) ; ‘ BRASIL: RO\ Porto Velho 180m \ 24–30.iv.1989 \ V . O. Becker col’ (2♀ DZUP) ; ‘ BRASIL:RO\ Porto Velho 180m \ 2–12.v.1989 \ V . O. Becker’ (1♀ DZUP). Roraima : ‘ Brasil, Roraima, Amajari \ Tepequém Trilha Igarapé \ da Anta 03°46 ′ 19.7 ″ N’ ‘ 61°45 ′ 21.6 ″ W 649m 14-\ mai-09 11:00 Grigio, Jr. O\ Salicilato’ ‘MIRR 12685’ (1♀ MIRR) ; ‘ Brasil, Roraima, Amajari \ Tepequém Trilha Igarapé \ da Anta 03°46 ′ 19.7 ″ N’ ‘ 61°45 ′ 21.6 ″ W 649m 14-\ mai-09 11:00 Grigio, Jr. O\ Salicilato’ ‘MIRR 12686’ (1♀ MIRR) ; ‘ Brasil, Roraima,\ Rorainopólis, Bairro Novo \ Horizonte , 00°56 ′ 25.8 ″ N’‘\6°25 ′ 39.0 ″ W 82m 28-mar-\ 09 Gama Neto, J.L.’‘MIRR 11798’ (1♀ MIRR) . FRENCH GUIANA. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni: ‘FEVRIER’‘ GUYANE \ NOUVEAU CHANTIER\ BAS-MARONI’ (1♀ DZUP) . PERU. Huanuco: ‘ Tingo Maria \ Huan . Peru \ Nov. 28 1946 \ Alt. 2200 ft. J.C. Pallister \ Coll. Donor \ Frank Johnson’ (1♀, DZUP). Junín: ‘SATIPO-PERU\ 750 Mr. \ 12.1948’ (1 ♂, RMNH). Loreto : ‘ Peru, LO , Maynas, Alpahuayo-Mishana \ KM 28 – Ex light trap \ 12vii01 Mario Callegari’ ‘col. CR col’ (3♀, CRC). San Martin : ‘ PERU, SM , Tarapoto,\ Meliponário Rasmussen \ Near Taki-Wasi , 386m, 6°28, 819 ′ S, 76°21,315 ′ W Claus Rasmussen leg\ IX-2002 Ex. light.’ ‘col. CR col’ (2 ♀, CRC) ; ‘ PERU, SM , Tarapoto,\ Near Taki-Wasi , 386m, 6°28,819 ′ S, 76°21,315 ′ W \ Claus Rasmussen leg\ II-2003, Rasmussen leg.’ ‘col. CR col’ (1♀, CRC) ; ‘ PERU, SM , Tarapoto,\ Near River Shilcayo \ 0629\ 7622, 350 masl \ April 2003 Rasmussen’ ‘col. CR col’ (1♀, CRC) . SURINAME. Brokopondo : ‘ Suriname \ Phedra \ 15 Nov-1946 Ir- Schals’ (1♀, RMNH). Para : ‘ Suriname \ Zanderij \ O.P. Sardare \ 15 Sept 1961 ’ ‘at light’ (1♂, RMNH). Sipaliwini: ‘ Museum Leiden \ SURINAME \ Sipalawini \ 13–24. II.1966 \ G P Mees’ (1♂, RMNH). Wageningen: ‘ Museum Leiden \ W . Suriname Exp. \ Maratakka River \ Cupido (Indian vill.)\ 25.II.1971 \ at light\ D.C. Geijskes’ (1♀, RMNH) .

Comments

The female from Acrelândia, Acre, was collected in a euglossine trap baited with benzil acetate.

Distribution

BRAZIL. Acre: Acrelândia. Amazonas: Japurá, Manaus , Novo Airão , Presidente Figueiredo. Pará : Capitão Poço , São João de Pirabas , Parauapebas, Tucuruí . Rondônia: Itapuã do Oeste, Ouro Preto do Oeste , Porto Velho . Roraima: Amajari , Rorainopólis . FRENCH GUIANA. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni: Saint-Laurent-du- Maroni . PERU. Huanuco: Tingo Maria . Junín: Satipo. Loreto: Maynas. San Martin: Tarapoto. SURINAME. Brokopondo: Phedra . Nickerie: Wageningen. Para: Zanderij. Sipaliwini: Bven Saramacca ( Figure 15B ).

Etymology

The specific epithet honours the ‘Mura’, the name for an ethnic group of South American natives, used here as a noun in apposition. They are known for navigating along extensive areas in the rivers Amazonas, Madeira and Purus. In their long history of contact with European settlers, this group has been repeatedly stigmatized and suffered from massacres, as well as demographic, linguistic and cultural losses. Today, they live at indigenous reserves and urban centres in northern Brazil ( Amoroso 2009).

The yanomami species group

Diagnosis

The yanomami species group includes only two species, both described here as new, M. piraha sp. n. and M. yanomami sp. n. They can be identified by the following characters: posterior upper margin of metepisternum unmodified, lacking a velvety process; basal areal of metapostnotum smooth laterally and with a few longitudinal rugulosities restricted to mid portion. Megalopta piraha sp. n. is more widely distributed in the Amazon basin, while M. yanomami sp. n. is known only from Roraima and a single locality in eastern Pará ( Figure 15C ).

Figures

Figure 1. Females of Megalopta. (A‒C) Lateral view of mesosoma; (A) M. aeneicollis Friese from Novo Airão, Brazil; (B) M. mura sp. n. from Manaus, Brazil; (C) Megalopta yanomami sp. n. from Parauapebas, Brazil; (D, F) posterolateral view of mesosoma; (D) M. sulciventris Friese from Manaus, Brazil; (E) lateral view of head of M. aegis Vachal from Caldas Novas, Brazil; (F) M. guimaraesi Santos & Silveira from Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Brazil. Scale bar 1 mm, except in part E scale bar 0.5 mm.

Figure 3. Females of Megalopta. (A, F) Posterolateral view of mesosoma; (B, D) dorsal view of mesoscutum; (C, E) lateral view of mesosoma; (A) M. mura sp. n. from Manaus, Brazil; (B, C) M. guimaraesi Santos & Silveira from Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Brazil; (D, E) M. mura sp. n. from Manaus, Brazil; (F) M. xavante sp. n. (holotype) from Nova Xavantina, Brazil. Scale bar 1 mm.

Figure 7. Males of Megalopta. (A) Ventral view of sternum 3‒6 of M. aegis Vachal from Caldas Novas, Brazil; (B‒E) posterolateral view of mesosoma; (B) M. chaperi Vachal from Amajari, Brazil; (C) M. amoena Spinola from Alenquer, Brazil; (D) M. guimaraesi Santos & Silveira from Formosa, Brazil; (E) Megalopta mura sp. n. from Presidente Figueiredo, Brazil; (F) lateral view of mesosoma M. mura sp. n. from Ouro Preto do Oeste, Brazil. Scale bar 1 mm.

Figure 8. Males of Megalopta. (A‒C) Ventral view of sternum 3‒4; (A) M. chaperi Vachal Amajari, Brazil; (B) M. amoena Spinola from Alenquer, Brazil; (C) M. mura sp. n. from Parauapebas, Brazil; (D, E) Dorsal view of posterior surface of F6‒F11; (D) M. sulciventris Friese from Manaus, Brazil; (E) M. aegis Vachal from Parauapebas, Brazil; (F) dorsal view of flagellum of M. amoena from Alenquer, Brazil. Scale bar 1 mm.

Figure 15. Distribution records of Megalopta species. (A) M. chaperi Vachal; (B) M. guimaraesi Santos & Silveira (black circles) and M. mura sp. n. (grey squares); (C) M. piraha sp. n (grey squares) and M. yanomami sp. n. (black circles); (D) M. atlantica Santos & Silveira (grey square), M. guarani sp. n (triangle), M. xavante sp. n (hexagon), M. karitiana sp. n (black circle), M. mapinguari sp. n (black square) and M. purpurata Smith (grey circle).