Euglossa (Glossurella) samperi, Ramírez, Santiago, 2006

Ramírez, Santiago, 2006, Euglossa samperi n. sp., a new species of orchid bee from the Ecuadorian Andes (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Zootaxa 1272, pp. 61-68 : 62-64

Euglossa (Glossurella) samperi , n. sp. Ramírez

Males only, females unknown.

Diagnosis. Males of E. samperi n. sp. are separated from other members of Glossurella by having three midtibial tufts, except from those of E. paisa Ramírez 2005 , which also have three midtibial tufts. Males of E. samperi n. sp. are separated from those of E. paisa by the presence of complete white paraocular markings on the face, and green integument with bronze hues throughout; males of E. paisa lack white paraocular markings and have blue integument.

Dimensions. Total body length 12.85 mm (11.2–12.9); head width 4.51 mm (4.40–4.60); intertegular span 3.48 mm (3.17–3.80); abdominal width 4.60 mm (4.40–4.85).

Head. Clypeus green (dark brown in few specimens) with bronze hues on apical end; medial and lateral keels dark brown; white paraocular markings complete, wider below, tapering upward; area above and on sides of antennal socket bronze ( Fig. 3 ); frons and vertex green. Tongue exceeding body length by ~ 4 mm (n = 3); head length 2.52 mm (2.30–2.75); protuberant clypeus ( Figs. 1, 2 ); head width 4.51 mm (4.40–4.60); upper interantennal distance 1.08 mm (1.00–1.17); clypeus length 1.36 mm (1.27–1.40); clypeocular distance 0.81 mm (0.70–0.85).

Mesosoma . Mesepisternum bronze with green hues; mesoscutum and scutellum light green with bronze hues. Intertegular span 3.48 mm (3.17–3.80); scutellum rounded with shallow medial depression on posterior margin ( Fig. 2 ). Midtibia straight on inner surface, curved on outer surface ( Figs. 4, 5 ); velvet area curved, almost reaching anterior end. Three hair tufts at base of midtibia; basal tuft (I) circular, middle tuft (II) elongate, apical tuft (III) larger than I and II, longer than wide, tapering apically ( Fig. 5 ). Hind tibia green with light golden hues, triangular, concave at apical margin, polished on posterior 2/3, with little punctation on anterior 1/3 ( Fig. 1 ). Wing venation dark maroon; membrane light maroon, translucent ( Fig. 1 ). Jugal comb at base of hind wing with 13–15 blades.

Metasoma. Terga dark green with golden hues; sterna bronze red; metasomal width 4.60 mm (4.40–4.85). Semicircular depressions on sternum 2 well defined, filled by unbranched yellow setae.

Pilosity. Long (~ 0.8 mm), sparse, unbranched, black setae on vertex; long (~ 1 mm), branched yellow setae on genal area; sparse, short (~ 0.5 mm), branched, yellow setae on mesoscutum and scutellum, denser, short (~ 0.5 mm), unbranched, black setae on mesoscutum and scutellum; fore­, mid­ and hind legs fringed with long (~ 0.7 mm), both branched and unbranched yellow setae. Metasomal terga covered with short (~ 0.1 mm), black setae; metasomal sterna fringed with yellow, sparse, unbranched setae (~ 0.3 mm).

Punctation. Clypeus and frons covered with dense, coarse punctures; mesoscutum and scutellum coarsely punctuate; mesepisternum with sparse shallow punctures; metasomal terga 1–4 with fine, small punctures in medial area, increasing in size and decreasing in density toward sides; terga 5–6 with sparser, coarser punctures.

Genitalia and hidden metasomal sterna. Line drawings of sterna 7 and 8 and the genital capsule of both E. samperi n. sp. and E. paisa Ramírez (its putative closest relative, see discussion) are provided for comparison in figures 6–11. Sternum 7 of E. samperi n. sp. with pronounced lobes ( Fig. 9 ), narrower, longer than in E. paisa ( Fig. 6 ). Sternum 8 of E. samperi n. sp. with curved apical process and blunt spiculum ( Fig. 10 ), unlike E. paisa ( Fig. 7 ). Gonocoxite lobes of genitalia rounded ( Fig. 11 ), larger than in E. paisa ( Fig. 8 ). Dorsal bridge of penis valves curved ( Fig. 11 ).

Var ia t io n. All measurements examined varied by less than 5%. Head width was the least variable (1.92 %), and head length the most variable (4.79%). Integumental coloration showed no substantial variation.

Etymology. The epithet samperi n. sp. honors Cristián Samper, who, together with his wife Adriana Casas, has devoted considerable effort to promote the study of Neotropical diversity.

Holotype. ECUADOR: Esmeraldas, Bilsa Biological Station 00° 21’ N 79° 44’ W, 500 m, April 8, 2005, leg. Santiago Ramírez ex. Cineole (SR1906), deposited in the entomological collections of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito (Museo QCAZ).

Paratypes. ECUADOR: Esmeraldas, Bilsa Biological Station 00° 21’ N 79° 44’ W, 500 m, April 8–9, 2005, leg. Santiago Ramírez ex. Cineole (13 Individuals coded SR1526, SR1908, SR1911, SR1914, SR 2000­2002, SR2004, SR 2006­2012). Paratypes will be deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard University), National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., and the Division of Entomology, Natural History Museum, Kansas University.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Euglossa samperi n. sp.: lateral profile (1), upper view (2), frontal view (3), and middle tibia (4) of paratype with its corresponding line drawing (5).

FIGURES 6 – 11. Hidden male sterna 7 (6), 8 (7) and genitalia capsule (8) of Euglossa paisa Ramirez (2005) and Euglossa samperi n. sp. (Figs. 9 – 11) (dbpv.: dorsal bridge of penis valves, gc.: gonocoxite, pn.: penis, pnv.: penis valves, sp.: spiculum).