Andrena (Aciandrena) bendai, Wood, 2023

Wood, Thomas James, 2023, Revisions to the Andrena fauna of north-western Africa with a focus on Morocco (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 916 (1), pp. 1-85 : 26-29

Andrena (Aciandrena) bendai sp. nov.

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Fig. 18A–C, E, G

Diagnosis

Andrena bendai sp. nov. can be recognised as a member of Aciandrena (within the limits of the current subgeneric concept, as discussed above) due to its small body size ( Fig. 18A ), antefurcal nervulus ( Fig. 18A ), a propodeal triangle with fine granular shagreen ( Fig. 18B ), narrow foveae ( Fig. 18E ), hind tarsal claws lacking an inner tooth in the female sex, and more or less impunctate terga ( Fig. 18G ). It lacks clearly defining features (head or clypeus not elongate, terga dark and impunctate, ocelloccipital distance not extremely short) and therefore falls close to A. spolata Warncke, 1968 and A. quieta sp. nov., which is described below. The three species are very similar in the female sex, but subtle consistent differences can be seen.

Separation from A. spolata can be made by the shape of the clypeus, the punctation of the paraocular areas, and tergal colouration. In A. bendai sp. nov., the clypeus is strongly domed and uniformly shagreened, more or less dull ( Fig. 18C ). In A. spolata , the clypeus is only very weakly domed, and the surface is weakly shagreened, weakly shining to smooth and shining apically ( Fig. 18D ). In A. bendai , the lower paraocular area is unevenly punctate; laterally, adjacent to the compound eye, this area is densely punctate with punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameter. Adjacent to the antennal insertions, this area is essentially impunctate, with at most 1–2 scattered punctures. In A. spolata , the lower paraocular area is regularly punctate over its entire surface, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters. In A. bendai , the tergal margins are narrowly lightened hyaline-yellow, colouration not covering the entire marginal area ( Fig. 18G ). In A. spolata , the marginal areas are entirely lightened hyaline yellow-white ( Fig. 18H ); this whitish colouration is absent from A. bendai .

Separation from A. quieta sp. nov. can be made principally by three characters relating to head morphology. In A. bendai sp. nov., the clypeus is strongly domed and uniformly shagreened, more or less dull. In A. quieta , the clypeus is only very weakly domed, and the surface is weakly shagreened and weakly shining. In A. bendai , the frons is covered with obscurely raised longitudinal striations, with a weakly raised carina running between the anterior ocellus and the supraclypeal plate ( Fig. 18E ). In A. quieta , the frons is covered with strong longitudinal striations, medially with a distinctly raised carina running between the anterior ocellus and the supraclypeal plate ( Fig. 18F ). In A. bendai , the lower paraocular area is unevenly punctate; laterally, adjacent to the compound eye, this area is densely punctate with punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameter. Adjacent to the antennal insertions, this area is essentially impunctate, with at most 1–2 scattered punctures. In contrast, in A. quieta , the lower paraocular area adjacent to the antennal insertions is regularly punctate, punctures separated by 2–3 puncture diameters, not so strongly contrasting the area adjacent to the compound eye, here punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameter.

Etymology

Named after the Czech entomologist Daniel Benda who collected the type series, as well as many other interesting specimens from Morocco and further afield.

Material examined

Holotype

MOROCCO • ♀; Marrakech-Safi, Rehamna, Skhour des Rehamna ; 516 m a.s.l.; 32.4402° N, 7.9202° W; 1–3 Apr. 2019; D. Benda leg.; NMPC.

Paratypes

MOROCCO • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; 516 m a.s.l.; 32.4402° N, 7.9202° W; 1–3 Apr. 2019; D. Benda leg.; NMPC • 1 ♀; Casablanca-Settat , Machraa Ben Abbou env.; 200 m a.s.l.; 1 Apr. 2019; D. Benda leg.; NMPC • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; TJWC • 1 ♀; Marrakech-Safi, Al Haouz, Tinmel env., near river; 1262 m a.s.l.; 30 Mar. 2019; D. Benda leg.; NMPC .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 5–6 mm ( Fig. 18A ).

HEAD.Dark,1.25 times as wide as long( Fig.18C ). Clypeus strongly domed, with regular granular shagreen, more or less dull, at most weakly shining apically; surface irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–2 puncture diameters. Process of labrum small, triangular, slightly broader than long. Supraclypeal plate weakly domed, with very weak and obscure striations ( Fig. 18E ). Lower paraocular areas with contrasting punctation, densely punctate laterally adjacent to compound eye, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameter; area adjacent to antennal insertions essentially impunctate. Gena slightly exceeding diameter of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance ⅓ to ½ diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae narrow, dorsally occupying ⅓ space between lateral ocellus and compound eye, ventrally narrowing further, diverging from inner margin of compound eye, separated by narrow shining strip subequal to ventral width of fovea; foveae filled with light brown hairs. Frons with weak and obscure longitudinal striations, medially with weakly raised carina running between anterior ocellus and supraclypeal plate; frons with weak green-bronze reflections. Face, gena, frons, and scape with whitish to light brownish hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae dark basally, A5–12 ventrally extensively lightened orange; A3 exceeding A4, shorter than A4+5.

MESOSOMA. Scutum and scutellum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining, with irregular fine punctation, punctures separated by 1–4 puncture diameters. Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum and dorsolateral parts of propodeum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining; propodeal triangle with larger granular ‘scale-like’ shagreen, laterally not delineated by carinae ( Fig. 18B ). Mesepisternum with moderately long light brownish hairs, scutum and scutellum almost hairless, with very short and scattered hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, sparse, composed of weakly plumose light brownish hairs, internal surface with occasional long white, simple hairs. Legs dark basally, mid and hind tarsi lightened dark brown to orange, pubescence light brown. Flocculus incomplete, composed of plumose hairs; flocculus and femoral scopa with white hairs, tibial scopa with whitish to light golden hairs. Hind tibial claws simple, without inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma whitish-brown, venation brown, nervulus strongly antefurcal.

METASOMA. Terga dark, marginal areas narrowly lightened hyaline-yellow ( Fig. 18G ). Disc of T1 with strong granular microreticulation, weakly shining, sculpture becoming progressively weaker on subsequent terga, T5 with fine shagreen, more strongly shining. Tergal discs essentially impunctate, obscure punctures disappearing into background sculpture. Terga with at most scattered, very short hairs; T2–3 laterally with weakly indicated and widely interrupted apical hairbands of short whitish hairs, T4 with band complete, not obscuring underlying surface; apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden orange. Pygidial plate rounded triangular, margin obscurely raised, internal surface regularly and densely punctate, punctures separated by <0.5 puncture diameter.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Western Morocco (Casablanca-Settat and Marrakech-Safi).

Figures

Fig. 18. Andrena (Aciandrena) bendai sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (NMPC). A. Lateral habitus. B. Propodeum, dorsal view. C. Face, frontal view. E. Frons, dorso-frontal view. G. Terga, dorsal view. — Andrena (Aciandrena) spolata Warncke, 1968, ♀ (TJWC). D. Face, frontal view. H. Terga, dorsal view. — Andrena (Aciandrena) quieta sp. nov., ♀ (NMPC). F. Frons, dorso-frontal view.