Andrena (Aciandrena) quieta, 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 : 36-40

Andrena (Aciandrena) quieta sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C127D7F8-BF43-4635-B31E-66BAB311ACC4

Figs 18F , 23 , 24A–D

Diagnosis

Andrena quieta sp. nov. an be recognised as a member of Aciandrena due to its small body size ( Fig. 23A ), antefurcal nervulus ( Fig. 23A ), narrow facial foveae ( Fig. 23B–C ), propodeal triangle with fine granular shagreen ( Fig. 23E ), its more or less impunctate terga ( Figs 23F , 24C ), hind tarsal claws lacking an inner tooth in the female sex, and its simple male genital capsule ( Fig. 24D ). It lacks clearly defining features (head or clypeus not elongate, terga dark and impunctate, ocelloccipital distance not extremely short, body without metallic reflections though frons with weak green-bronze reflections, male clypeus dark, genital capsule simple with gonocoxae produced into rounded teeth) and therefore falls close to A. spolata and A. bendai sp. nov., which is described above. Diagnosis against A. bendai is provided in the diagnosis section for that species.

Andrena quieta sp. nov. strongly resembles A. spolata . However, comparison of the genital capsules shows the difference. In A. quieta , the gonostyli are apically strongly flattened and blade-like, the blade-like part is clearly broadened and 2 times as broad as the basal stem of the gonostylus ( Fig. 24D ). In A. spolata , the gonostyli are apically flattened and blade-like, but this blade-like part is only slightly broader than the basal stem of the gonostylus ( Fig. 24F ). Based on external morphology, the apical rim of the tergal margins of A. quieta are only narrowly lightened yellow-hyaline, this colouration occupying only part of the marginal area ( Figs 23F , 24C ). In A. spolata , the marginal areas are entirely lightened hyaline yellow-white ( Figs 18H , 24E ); this whitish colouration is absent from A. quieta . In the female sex, two characters can be seen on the head. 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. spolata , the frons has at most obscurely raised longitudinal striations, with a weakly raised carina running between the anterior ocellus and the supraclypeal plate ( Fig. 18D ). For the second character, in A. quieta , on the lower paraocular area adjacent to the clypeus, the surface has a fine granular shagreen with large punctures, these punctures separated by 2–3 puncture diameters. In A. spolata , this area also shows fine granular shagreen and punctures, but the punctures are denser, separated by 1–2 puncture diameters. Though subtle, these characters are consistent between Moroccan and Tunisian specimens. Andrena quieta and A. bendai sp. nov. can be found more or less in direct sympatry in western Morocco; they are not currently known to be present in sympatry with A. spolata in either Morocco or Tunisia, as A. spolata favours drier desert environments in the southern parts of these countries.

Etymology

The feminine nominative form of the Latin adjective ‘ quietus ’ meaning ‘at rest/peaceful/tranquil’ in reference to the overlooked nature of this small but widespread species.

Material examined

Holotype

MOROCCO • ♂; Casablanca-Settat , El Jadida, 4 km NW of Quartier Arriad , pastures; 136 m a.s.l.; 32.9697° N, 8.2647° W; 1–3 Apr. 2019; D. Benda leg.; NMPC.

Paratypes

MOROCCO • 1 ♀; Casablanca-Settat , Machraa Ben Abbou env.; 200 m a.s.l.; 1 Apr. 2019; D. Benda leg.; NMPC.

TUNISIA • 1 ♀; Sidi Bouzid; 12 Apr. 1999; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♀; El Jem ; 6–13 Apr. 1999; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM • 4 ♀♀; M’saken ; 20 Apr. 1998; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♀; Zaghouan; 18 Apr. 1998; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM • 2 ♀♀; Kasserine; 13 Apr. 1998; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM • 2 ♀♀; Sbeitla ; 12 Apr. 1998; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 5–6 mm ( Fig. 23A ).

HEAD. Dark, 1.2 times as wide as long ( Fig. 23B ). Clypeus very weakly domed, almost flattened, finely shagreened basally, shagreen becoming finer and weaker apically, here almost smooth and shining; surface irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–2 puncture diameters. Process of labrum narrowly trapezoidal, apical margin truncate, slightly broader than long. Supraclypeal plate weakly domed, with very weak and obscure striations. Lower paraocular areas punctate, adjacent to antennal insertions regularly punctate, punctures separated by 2–3 puncture diameters; more densely punctate adjacent to compound eye, here punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameter ( Fig. 23C ). Gena equalling diameter of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance ⅓ of diameter of lateral ocellus ( Fig. 23D ). Foveae narrow, dorsally occupying ⅓ of 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 covered with strongly raised longitudinal striations, medially with raised carina running between anterior ocellus and supraclypeal plate; frons and lower paraocular areas 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, slightly 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. 23E ). Mesepisternum with moderately long whitish hairs, scutum and scutellum with shorter, light brown hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, sparse, composed of weakly plumose, light brownish hairs, internal surface with scattered long, white simple hairs. Legs dark basally, apical tarsal segments lightened brownish, pubescence light brown. Flocculus incomplete, composed of plumose hairs; flocculus and femoral and tibial scopa with white hairs. Hind tibial claws simple, without inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation orange, nervulus antefurcal.

METASOMA. Terga dark, marginal areas narrowly lightened hyaline-yellow ( Fig. 23F ). 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 brownish 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

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 5 mm ( Fig. 24A ).

HEAD. Dark, 1.3 times as wide as long ( Fig. 24B ), dark, without metallic reflections. Clypeus very weakly domed, almost flattened, finely shagreened basally, shagreen disappearing apically, here smooth and shining; surface irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–3 puncture diameters. Process of labrum trapezoidal, slightly broader than long, apical margin shallowly emarginate medially. Gena subequal to diameter of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance ⅓ diameter of lateral ocellus. Frons covered with strongly raised longitudinal striations. Face, gena, frons, and scape with abundant long whitish hairs, longest exceeding length of scape. Antennae dark basally, A4–13 ventrally lightened by presence of grey scales; A3 exceeding length of A4, shorter than A4+5.

MESOSOMA. Mesosoma structurally as in female. Mesepisternum, scutum, scutellum, and propodeum with long whitish hairs, longest exceeding length of scape. Legs dark basally, apical tarsal segments lightened brownish, pubescence light brown. Hind tibial claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma orange-brown, venation brown, nervulus interstitial.

METASOMA. Terga structurally as in female ( Fig. 24C ). S8 long, columnar, ventral surface covered with golden hairs. Genital capsule weakly elongate, gonocoxae strongly produced into rounded teeth apically ( Fig. 24D ). Gonostyli with apical part strongly flattened and broadened, spatulate, 2 times as broad as basal stem part. Penis valves narrow, occupying less than ½ of space between gonostyli, slightly narrowing apically.

Distribution

Morocco (Casablanca-Settat) and Tunisia. Careful examination of material identified as A. spolata from across north-western Africa is likely to produce unrecognised specimens of A. quieta sp. nov.

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.

Fig. 23. Andrena (Aciandrena) quieta sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (NMPC). A. Lateral habitus. B. Face, frontal view. C. Face, lateral view. D. Head, dorsal view. E. Propodeum, dorsal view. F. Terga, dorsal view.

Fig. 24. Andrena (Aciandrena) quieta sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (NMPC). A. Lateral habitus. B. Face, frontal view. C. Terga, dorsal view. D. Genital capsule, dorsal view. — Andrena (Aciandrena) spolata Warncke, 1968, ♂ (TJWC). E. Terga, dorsal view. F. Genital capsule, dorsal view.