Goniocolletes Cockerell, 1907

Maynard, Glynn Vivian, 2013, Revision of Goniocolletes and seven Australian subgenera of Leioproctus (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae), and description of new taxa, Zootaxa 3715 (1), pp. 1-114 : 97-98

Goniocolletes Cockerell, 1907

Bees of this genus form a distinct group of Australian Paracolletini . Characters of males, especially those of the legs and metasomal sterna, readily distinguish them from other Paracolletini . The majority of species have the head and mesosoma black and the metasoma orange/red. This genus was erected by Cockerell (1907) for a Goniocolletes morsus , based on a single male specimen. Michener placed Goniocolletes as a subgenus of Leioproctus . As now understood, the genus contains 14 species, seven of which are described as new. Only one sex is recognised for five species. Females can be distinguished, from those of other genera, by the branched hairs on the basitibial plate and impressed facial foveae. The species of females within Goniocolletes are not easily separated from one another. Some species in this genus are superficially similar to honey bees, and may be confused with honey bees ( Apis mellifera L. 1758) them on the wing.

The genus appears widespread in Australia although no specimens have been taken in the northern parts of the country or along the very well collected east coast. Most species have been collected at blossoms of Myrtaceae , especially of Eucalyptus in drier areas.

Goniocolletes Cockerell. Cockerell, 1907: 231 ; 1934: 8; Rayment, 1935: 210–212.

Leioproctus (Goniocolletes) (Cockerell) . Michener, 1965: 64–66.

Goniocolletes Cockerell. Almeida & Danforth, 2009: 305

Type species. Goniocolletes morsus Cockerell, 1907 by original designation.

Diagnosis. Facial foveae impressed, linear (males), almost as wide as ocellocular distance (females); face with dense, appressed hair (males); propodeal triangle with basal area shorter than metanotum and separated from vertical area by a carina; basitibial plate with dense branched hair (female); eighth metasomal sternum of males with very large apical process; seventh metasomal sternum of males with broad apodeme bases and usually spines on the apical lobes.

Description. Length 7–15 mm, head and mesosoma black, metasoma usually orange.

Female—Head —Vertex with small, dense, punctures; extends about 1 ocellar width behind upper eye margin; ocellocular area flat; scape reaching median ocellus, tapering basally; F1–10 length equal to, or less than width (female); antennal sockets not depressed or only shallowly so; supraclypeal area strongly raised above frons level, flat; clypeus at same level as supraclypeal level, flat; epistomal suture distinct, straight; labial palps just reaching apex of extended glossa; maxillary palps reaching just beyond apex of extended glossa; inner eye margin straight converging below. Mesosoma — Hair white to orange, dense, branched, short; claws large with inner basal ramus; fore tibial spur with a few teeth; inner hind tibial spur with several long, strong, close teeth. Metasoma— Hair dorsally short, sparse; postgradular area with weaker sculpture than pregradular area.

Male. As for females including the following: Head— F1–2 about as long as wide, F3–11 length 1.5 x width (males); gena about as wide as eye, with ventral beard. Mesosoma — Hair of scutum usually long in males. Metasoma— Long, shaggy hair dorsally; bare median area on T7 clearly defined laterally.

Key to species of Goniocolletes

1 Male (without hind tibial scopa)......................................................................... 2

– Female (with hind tibial scopa)......................................................................... 13

2 Legs modified........................................................................................ 3

– Legs simple......................................................................................... 5

3 Mid tibial apex with a tuft of long white hair obscuring the small tibial spur; mid and hind legs simple........................................................................................ Goniocolletes dasypus Maynard, sp.n.

– Mid tibial apex without a tuft of long, white hair obscuring tibial spur; mid tibia and trochanter enlarged, triangular; hind legs modified............................................................................................ 4

4 Mid coxa with inner apical spine; mid tibia not excavated basally; hind femur broad, flattened.......................................................................................... Goniocolletes perfasciatus ( Cockerell, 1906)

– Mid coxal spine absent; mid tibia swollen medially, excavated basally with a large tooth consisting of conglomerated hairs..................................................................... Goniocolletes abdominalis (Smith, 1879)

5 Scape yellow....................................................... Goniocolletes colletellus (Cockerell, 1905)

– Scape black.......................................................................................... 6

6 Metasomal sternal fringes absent........................................... Goniocolletes parvus Maynard, sp.n.

– Metasomal sternal fringes present......................................................................... 7 7 S3–S4 with lateral apical fringes, with shortest hairs towards the middle......... Goniocolletes subdolus (Cockerell, 1913)

– S3–S4 or S4,5 with apical fringes across the entire width of the segment, hair length more or less even throughout........ 8

8 Metasoma entirely black............................................................................... 9

– Metasoma orange, or orange mottled with black............................................................ 10

9 Legs all black..................................................... Goniocolletes albopilosus (Rayment, 1930)

– Legs black with orange coxae and trochanters................................ Goniocolletes comatus Maynard, sp.n.

10 Malar space smooth and shiny, length about half width of the base of the mandibles.... Goniocolletes aurifrons (Smith, 1853)

– Malar space essentially absent.......................................................................... 11

11 Basal area of propodeal triangle distinctly polished; metasomal sternal fringes weak... Goniocolletes fimbriatus (Smith, 1879)

– Basal area of propodeal triangle dull, slightly roughened; metasomal sternal fringes strong.......................... 12

12 Scutal hair orange................................................. Goniocolletes fimbriatinus (Cockerell, 1910)

– Scutal hair whitish...................................................... Goniocolletes badius Maynard, sp.n.

13 Metasoma with apical tergal hair bands................................................................... 14

– Metasoma without apical tergal hair bands................................................................17

14 Pygidial plate raised medially.......................................... Goniocolletes abdominalis (Smith, 1879)

– Pygidial plate flat.................................................................................... 15

15 Metasoma black................................................... Goniocolletes perfasciatus ( Cockerell, 1906)

– Metasoma orange.................................................................................... 16

16 Supraclypeal area covered in dense, branched hair......................... Goniocolletes colletellus (Cockerell, 1905)

– Supraclypeal area polished with a few simple hairs laterally...................... Goniocolletes ciliatus Maynard, sp.n.

17 Pygidial plate raised medially........................................................................... 18

– Pygidial plate flat....................................................................................20

18 Supraclypeal area polished medially......................................... Goniocolletes parvus Maynard, sp.n.

– Supraclypeal area punctate medially ......................................................................19

19 Supraclypeal covered in branched hair...................................... Goniocolletes rugosus Maynard, sp.n.

– Supraclypeal area covered in simple hair............................... Goniocolletes fimbriatinus (Cockerell, 1910)

20 Supraclypeal area covered in mostly branched hair..........................................................21

– Supraclypeal area covered in sparse, simple hair............................................................ 22

21 Metanotum with short, dense, golden hair................................. Goniocolletes subdolus (Cockerell, 1913)

– Metanotum with long, whitish hair......................................... Goniocolletes badius Maynard, sp.n.

22 Basal area of propodeal triangle polished................................................................. 23

– Basal area of propodeal triangle with several carinae........................................................24

23 Median area of supraclypeal area polished.................................. Goniocolletes dasypus Maynard, sp.n.

– Median area of supraclypeal area rough.................................... Goniocolletes fimbriatus (Smith, 1879)

24 Median area of supraclypeal area polished.................................. Goniocolletes comatus Maynard, sp.n.

– Median area of supraclypeal area punctate............................... Goniocolletes anthedonus Maynard, sp.n.