Colletes packeri Kuhlmann

Kuhlmann, Michael & Proshchalykin, Maxim Yu., 2015, New and remarkable Asian and North African species of Colletes Latreille (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), Zootaxa 4028 (1), pp. 81-101 : 91-94

Colletes packeri Kuhlmann , sp. nov.

( Figs 8 a–d; 9a, c; 10a, c)

Diagnosis. In both male and female of C. packeri the metasomal terga are extremely finely and densely punctate and the apical tergal hair bands are very narrow ( Fig. 9 c, 10a). Within the C. clypearis group these characters are only shared with C. sodalis ( Cameron) ( Fig. 9 d, 10b) making them unmistakable. Thus, the diagnosis is here restricted to the differences between them. In the female the punctation of terga is more dispersed in C. packeri and apical tergal hair bands are narrower ( Fig. 9 c) than in C. sodalis ( Fig. 9 d). The punctation of the clypeus is slightly denser in C. sodalis ( Fig. 9 b) than in C. packeri ( Fig. 9 a). In the males, differences in punctation and pilosity of metasomal terga match those of the females ( Figs 10 a, b). In C. packeri S7 is yellowish-brown, shorter and narrower ( Fig. 10 c) than in C. sodalis that is dark brown ( Fig. 10 d).

Description. Female. Bl = 7.0–9.0 mm. Head wider than long. Integument black, mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face, except clypeus, sparsely covered with long, yellowish-white, erect hairs, on vertex and along inner eye margin brown to blackish ( Fig. 9 a). Clypeus convex, with shallow longitudinal median depression, supraclypeal area rectangular and convex in profile. Clypeus coarsely and densely punctate (i <0.5d), particularly in the median depression, subapically slightly coarser punctate; surface between punctures smooth and shiny, small pair of apical clypeal depressions ( Fig. 9 a). Malar area medially narrow, about 1/4 as long as width of mandible base, finely striate and matt. Antenna black, flagellum ventrally dark brown. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc sparsely punctate (i = 2–3d), smooth and shiny between punctures. Mesoscutellum anteriomedially impunctate, smooth and shiny; apically densely punctate ( Fig. 8 c). Mesoscutum, mesepisternum and propodeum densely covered with long bright orange-brown, erect hairs, on mesoscutum and mesoscutellum intermixed with abundant blackish hairs ( Figs 8 a, c). Wings. Slightly yellowish; wing venation dark brown. Legs. Integument black. Vestiture whitish to blackish, scopa ventrally dark grey to blackish, dorsally black. Metasoma. Integument black, depressed apical tergal margins partly narrowly reddish translucent ( Fig. 9 c). T1 very sparsely covered with long, erect yellowish-brown hairs, apical tergal hair bands very narrow; T2 with narrow basal hair band; terga apically not depressed ( Fig. 9 c). Terga very densely and very finely punctate (i <0.5d), smooth and shiny between punctures ( Fig. 9 c). Sterna with apical hair bands sparse and narrow.

Male. Bl = 7.0–9.0 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black, except part of mandible dark reddishbrown. Face densely covered with long, yellowish to orange-brown, erect hairs. Malar area medially about as long as width of mandible base, sparsely punctate, smooth and shiny between punctures. Antenna black, ventrally dark brown. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc smooth and shiny between punctures; disc sparsely punctate (i = 1–2d) with small punctures. Mesoscutellum anteriorly almost impunctate, with dense punctation apically, surface smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, orange-brown erect hairs ( Fig. 8 b). Wings. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation dark brown. Legs. Integument black, tarsi partly dark reddish-brown. Vestiture yellowish-brown. Metasoma. Integument black except apical tergal margins narrowly reddish to yellowish translucent ( Fig. 10 a). T1 entirely and disc of T2 covered with long, yellowish-brown, erect hairs; apical tergal hair bands narrow ( Figs 8 b, 10a). Terga apically without depression. Terga with dense and fine punctation (i <0.5d), smooth and shiny between punctures ( Fig. 8 b, 10a). Terminalia. Genitalia and S7 as illustrated in Figs. 8 d, 10c.

Type material (6 specimens). Holotype, male, Thailand: Trang Na Yong, Khao Chong [99°47'22''E 07°33'02''N], 75 m, 27.I.2005, L. Packer [currently in PCLP, will be deposited at Queen Sirikit Botanical Gardens, Chiang Mai, Thailand, pending completion of ongoing studies]. Paratypes: Thailand: 1 ♀, Kamphaeng, Phet Mae Wong NP, Malaise trap [99°06'35''E 16°05'13''N], 1306 m, 17–24.III.2008, C. Piluek [ RCMK]; 1 ♀, Chiang Mai, Huai Nam Dang NP Visitor centre, Malaise trap [98°36'24''E 19°18'48''N], 14–21.IV.2008, Anuchart & Thawatchai [ PCLP]; 1 ♀, Chang Mai, Doi Inthanon NP, Malaise trap [98°29'09''E 18°35'22''N], 2500 m, 1–8.XII.2006, Y. Areeluck [ RCMK]; 1 ♂, idem, 23.II.2007 [ RCMK]. Laos: 1 ♀, Giranville [102°46'E 18°22'N], 10.XI.1919, R.V. de Salvaza [ NHML].

Etymology. This species is dedicated to our colleague Laurence Packer, York University, Toronto, Canada, who has collected some of the specimens as a little “thank you” for years of fruitful collaboration.

General distribution. Known from tropical low lands up to 2500 m in Thailand and Laos.

Floral hosts. Unknown.

Remarks. At least some of the C. sodalis specimens reported from Yunnan ( China) ( Niu et al. 2013b) belong to C. packeri . The morphological differences between typical C. sodalis and those from Yunnan were interpreted as geographical variation. However, since both species are now known from the wider Chang Mai area ( Thailand) without showing significant intraspecific variation, their status as two different species is confirmed.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Colletes packeri Kuhlmann, sp. nov., female: a. specimen, lateral view; c. mesoscutum and mesoscutellum. Male: b. specimen, lateral view; d. gonostylus (lateral view). Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Colletes packeri Kuhlmann, sp. nov., female: a. head; c. metasomal terga 1 and 2. C. sodalis (Cameron 1897), female: b. head; d. metasomal terga 1 and 2. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Colletes packeri Kuhlmann, sp. nov., male: a. metasomal terga 1 and 2; c. metasomal sternum 7 (dorsal view). C. sodalis (Cameron 1897), male: b. metasomal terga 1 and 2; d. metasomal sternum 7 (dorsal view). Scale bar: 1 mm.