Patellapis (Chaetalictus) disposita (Cameron 1905)

Timmermann, Kim & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2009, Variable Selection and Inference for Multi-period Forecasting Problems, Zootaxa 2099, pp. 1-188 : 101-104

Patellapis (Chaetalictus) disposita (Cameron 1905)

Halictus dispositus Cameron, 1905a: 239 .

( Figs. 67a–g ; 68a–f )

Diagnosis. The male is characterised by a broad, hyaline, hairless, dorso-lateral projection on the gonostylus, which is similar to the male of P. pondoensis . Both are easy to distinguish by having a different number and thickness of erect bristles on the posterior margin of S4. The male of P. pondoensis has 6 weak bristles, whereas that of P. disposita has 12 strong bristles. The female of P. disposita is similar to that of P. platti , but P. platti lacks the oily bluish shine on the scutum. Further, they differ in the colour of metasomal terga that are predominantely reddish in P. platti and usually brownish-black in P. disposita .

Description

Female. Bl = 5,5–5,6mm. General habitus ( Fig. 67e ). Head. L = 1,6–1,8mm; W = 1,8–1,9mm. Head (slightly) wider than long ( Fig. 67a ). Integument black except mandibles partly brown. Face predominantly shiny and with loose, greyish and pallid brownish, erect hairs. Mandibles bidentate. Clypeus and supraclypeal area convex in profile. Clypeus strongly and densely punctate; surface shiny. Clypeoantennal distance 0,3mm. Supraclypeal area with a few well separated punctures; surface strongly and completely reticulate. Paraocular area strongly and moderately densely punctate; surface extensively and strongly reticulate. Antennae brownish-black. Mesosoma. L = 1,1–1,2mm; W (ITS) = 1,3–1,4mm. Integument black. Scutum polished, with an oily bluish shine; surface finely reticulate; disc sparsely punctate (i = 3,0–4,0d) ( Fig. 67b ). Scutellum as illustrated in Fig. 67c . Scutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum with greyish and brownish, erect hairs. Basal area of propodeum as illustrated in Fig. 67c ; propodeum slightly shiny; surface completely reticulate; with a few well separated punctures. Marginal region of posterior truncation slightly shiny; surface reticulate and partly wrinkled. Wings. Hyaline. Legs. Integument brownish-black. Vestiture greyish to pallid brownish. Ts moderately strongly serrate, with 6–8, oblique projections ( Fig. 67f ). Bp as illustrated in Fig. 67g . Metasoma. L = 2,8–2,9mm; W = 2,0– 2,1mm. Integument brownish-black except the margins of T pallid brownish; margins broadly translucent. No apical hair bands on metasomal terga. Prepygidial fimbria brownish. Metasomal terga as illustrated in Fig. 67d .

Male. Bl = 5,1mm. General habitus ( Fig. 68e ). Head. L = 1,4mm; W = 1,6mm. Head wider than long ( Fig. 68a ). Integument black except mandibles partly reddish-brown. Clypeus, supraclypeal area, paraocular area and vertex covered with erect, greyish hairs. Mandibles simple. Antennae brownish. Flagellomeres of normal structure (not knotty). A4 as long as A3. Mesosoma. L = 1,1mm; W (ITS) = 1,2mm. Integument black. Scutum polished, with an oily bluish shine; surface finely reticulate; sparsely punctate (i = 4,0–5,0d) ( Fig. 68b ). Scutellum as illustrated in Fig. 68c . Scutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum with greyish to brownish, erect hairs. Basal area of propodeum as illustrated in Fig. 68c ; propodeum slightly shiny; surface completely reticulate; with a few well separated punctures. Marginal region of posterior truncation slightly shiny; surface reticulate and partly wrinkled. Wings. Hyaline. Legs. Integument brownish-black. Vestiture greyish. Metasoma. L = 2,8mm; W = 1,6mm. Integument brownishblack except the margins of T pallid brown; margins translucent. Apical plate small; pointed apically. Posterior margin of S4with a sparse row of 12 strong, long, curled, erect bristles. Metasomal sterna S5–S6 without dense hair patches ( Fig. 68d ). Genitalia. Genitalia as illustrated in Fig. 68f ; gonocoxa extensively dull; gonostylus with dorso-lateral, broad, hyaline projection; projection hairless.

Type material ( 1 specimen). Holotype, female, Pearston Cape Colony. Halictus dispositus, Cam. TYPE (handwritten white label), P. Cameron Coll. 1914–110 (white label), Type (red-white label), B.M. TYPE HYM. 17.a.873 (white label), BMNH.

Additional material (37 specimens). 30♀, 7♂. South Africa, Western Cape : 1♀, Mossel Bay , iv.1921, leg. R . E. Turner, BMNH ; 2♀, Nr. Bot Rivier , 23.viii.1997, leg. P. Goldblatt, SEMC ; 2♂, Lion`s Head, Cape Town , v.1920, leg. R . E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1920–253, BMNH ; 3♂, idem., 02.–11.vi.1920, Brit. Mus. 1930–318, BMNH ; 1♀, idem., 07.viii.1995, leg. P. Goldblatt, SEMC ; 1♀, Worcester , 17.–31.viii.1928, leg. R . E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1928–421, BMNH ; 3♀, 7 km W Nieuwoudtville , 09.x.2002, leg. F.D. Parker and M.E. Irwin, BLCU ; 5♀, Kunje farm, 28km SE Citrusdal, 23.ix.2001, leg. C.D. Eardley, SANC ; Northern Cape: 1♂, Kamiesberg , 11.ix.1987, leg. M.W. Mansell, SANC ; 1♀, Farm Blomfontein , 29.ix.–14.x.2005, leg. J. Schmidt, KTPC ; 1♀, 3119 AC , Nieuwoudtville , 31.viii.1985, leg. V . B. Whitehead , SAM – HYM – B009665 , SAMC ; 1♀, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve , 16.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC ; 1♀, idem., 10.ix.2007, KTPC ; 6♀, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East, 03.ix.2003, leg. M. Kuhlmann, KTPC ; 1♀, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve, Rondell , Car Park East , 20.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC ; 1♂, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve , dolerite hills, 16.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC ; 1♀, idem., 17.viii.2007, KTPC ; 2♀, Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve, Dolerite flats, 17.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC ; 1♀, 15 km NW Nieuwoudtville, near farm Engelsepunt , 30.viii.2003, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC ; Eastern Cape: 1♀, Somerset East , xi.1930, leg. R . E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1930–593, BMNH ; 1♀, Umtata, Transkei , 18.ii.–18.iii.1923, leg. R . E. Turner, Brit. Mus. 1923–189, BMNH .

Distribution ( Fig. 69). Records exist from the Northern Cape, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape Provinces of South Africa.

Floral visitation. Moraea collina , Sparaxis fragrans (Iridaceae) , Oxalis spec. (Oxalidaceae) , Diascia veronicoides (Scrophulariaceae) .

Seasonal activity (first–last observations). ii–xi.

Figures

FIGURE 67. Patellapis (Ch.) disposita, female: a. Head (scale=0,5mm); b. Scutum (scale=0,5mm); c. Scutellum and propodeum (scale=0,5mm); d. Metasomal terga (scale=1mm); e. Body (scale=1mm); f. Inner hind tibial spur (scale=100µm); g. Basitibial plate (scale=100µm).

FIGURE 68. Patellapis (Ch.) disposita, male: a. Head (scale=0,5mm); b. Scutum (scale=0,5mm); c. Scutellum and propodeum (scale=0,5mm); d. Metasomal sterna (scale=1mm); e. Body (scale=1mm); f. Genitalia, dorsal view (scale=100µm).