Homalictus nadarivatu, Dorey & Schwarz & Stevens, 2019

Dorey, James B., Schwarz, Michael P. & Stevens, Mark I., 2019, Review of the bee genus Homalictus Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) from Fiji with description of nine new species, Zootaxa 4674 (1), pp. 1-46 : 29-32

Homalictus nadarivatu sp. nov.

( Figs 19–20 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂: AFO004 (SAMA 32-036151), Nadarivatu , Fiji, -17.5762, 177.9350, 31.7.2010, SVC Groom, 1,040 m asl, Viti Levu.

Allotype ♀: 17FJ203 (SAMA 32-036152), 21/4/17, 9:40 AM, 842 m asl, -17.73819, 178.06611, AC Grieve, near Monasavu Dam.

Paratypes ♂: AFO049 (SAMA 32-036154), 14/12/11, 10:03 AM, 1,041 m asl, -17.5762, 177.9350, SVC Groom; and ♀: AFO065 (SAMA 32-036153), 14/12/11, 10:03 AM, 1,041 m asl, -17.5762, 177.9350, SVC Groom.

Other material examined. 1 ♂: AFO002, 31/7/10, 10:03 AM, 1,040 m asl, -17.5762, 177.9350, SVC Groom , Viti Levu .

Diagnosis. Males: Labrum has two medial projections and can be distinguished from H. terminalis by the many diagonal striae on the frons. Additionally, gonostylus are strongly proximally-directed ( Fig. 19e ).

Females: In combination: Bee is mostly green, supraclypeal area mostly moderately colliculate ( Fig. 1e ), scape extends above head and sculpturing on anterior of scutum is colliculate and lineolate.

Description. Males: Measurements: UID 0.59–0.62 mm. LID 0.5–0.52 mm. AOD 0.17–0.2 mm. IAD 0.12– 0.13 mm. OAD 0.28–0.31 mm. IOD 0.16–0.19 mm. OOD 0.18 mm. GW 0.17–0.2 mm. EW 0.26–0.27 mm. ML 0.09–0.1 mm. SL 0.2–0.22 mm. FL 2.99–3.12 mm.

Colouration: Clypeus, supraclypeal area, frons, paraocular area, scutum, scutellum and propodeum dorsally golden green and metallic.

Sculpturing: Paraocular area fine striae, colliculate along margin of compound eyes. Frons with many diagonal striae and some transverse striae under ocelli. Supraclypeal area mostly moderately colliculate, medial area finely colliculate and quite shiny. Clypeus finely colliculate, quite smooth and shiny. Vertex punctures fine, close, open and/or sparse. Scutum anteriorly moderately colliculate and lineolate; medially finely colliculate, rarely lineolate; posteriorly moderately fine colliculate. Scutellum finely colliculate or almost entirely smooth except for punctation. Scutellum punctation close to sparse. Propodeum; dorsally coarsely strigate-rugose or strong striae, striae very sparse and weak medial anterior groove present; laterally moderately colliculate and posteroventral and anterior striae curve towards each other and can meet; posteriorly finely colliculate and transverse striae ventrally and proximally.

Morphology: Scape extends to posterior margin of medial ocellus or above head. Interantennal distance greater than diameter of socket. Labrum with two medial projections parallel from one another or simple. Clypeus not depressed medially. Area posterior of vertex striae strong and close. Posterior margin of scutum shape mostly straight. Gonostylus directed proximally and well developed, dorsoapical crest of gonocoxite strong with small posterior projection.

Females: Measurements: UID 0.68 mm. LID 0.63 mm. AOD 0.15 mm. IAD 0.1 mm. OAD 0.36 mm. IOD 0.16 mm. OOD 0.2 mm. GW 0.22 mm. EW 0.29 mm. BL 5.342 mm. ML 0.13 mm. SL 0.24 mm. FL 3.73 mm.

Colouration: Clypeus anteriorly black; posteriorly golden green and metallic. Whole clypeus partly iridescent. Supraclypeal area, frons, paraocular area, scutellum and propodeum dorsally golden green and metallic. Scutum golden green and metallic, partly metallic orange and pink and appears reddish. Metasoma dark green or green, dark green along posterior edges.

Sculpturing: Paraocular area striae, some messy striae below antennal sockets, some horizontal striae laterally and colliculate along margin of compound eyes. Frons mostly longitudinal striae, transverse striae un- der ocelli and colliculate above antennal sockets. Supraclypeal area mostly moderately colliculate, medial area finely colliculate. Clypeus finely colliculate. Vertex punctures fine and open. Scutum anteriorly finely colliculate and lineolate; medially finely and moderately fine colliculate; posteriorly finely colliculate. Scutellum punctation close and open. Propodeum; dorsally linear pattern and coarsely strigate-rugose; laterally moderately colliculate and posteroventral and anterior striae curve towards each other and can meet; posteriorly finely colliculate, transverse striae medially and ventrally and proximally. Pygidial plate with close and minute punctures.

Morphology: Scape extends to above vertex. Interantennal distance about equal to diameter of socket. Labrum has two medial projections parallel from one another. Clypeus not depressed medially. Area posterior of vertex with striae strong and close. Posterior margin of Scutum shape mostly straight.

Distribution. Homalictus nadarivatu has mostly been sampled from the Nadarivatu telecom towers, but has also been collected near Monasavu dam ( Fig. 20 ). Collections have been made between 840 m asl and 1,040 m asl.

Etymology. The name H. nadarivatu refers to the region that this species was discovered in, Nadarivatu (pronounced Nan-dari-vah-two) on the Fijian island of Viti Levu.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Propodeum dorsally showing (a) coarsely, (b) moderately and (c) finely strigate-rugose sculpturing. Fovea along anterior inner margin of eye (d) present and (h) absent. Supraclypeal area showing (e) mostly moderately, (f) mostly finely and (g) entirely finely sculpturing.

FIGURE 19. Homalictus nadarivatu sp. nov. male (a) dorsal habitus, (b) lateral habitus, (c) dorso posterior, (d) anteriorly frontal face and (e) ventral genitalia. Female (f) dorsal habitus, (g) lateral habitus, (h) dorso posterior, (i) anteriorly frontal face and (j) pygidial plate.

FIGURE 20. Collection map of Homalictus nadarivatu sp. nov. from specimens with identity confirmed by mtDNA COI gene. Sample size is 9.