Andrena (Leucandrena) cheni, Dubitzky, Andreas, 2006

Dubitzky, Andreas, 2006, New palearctic species of the bee genus Andrena (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 1284, pp. 1-27 : 18-19

Andrena (Leucandrena) cheni sp. n.

( Figs 3 E, K, 5C)

Male. BL: 7.9 mm. FWL: 6.6 mm.

Structure. Head oval, 1.3 times broader than long. Mandibles normally long, bidentate. PLR weakly tesselate, shiny, trapezoid, basally about 0.7 times as broad as apical margin of clypeus. Clypeus nearly twice as broad as long, tesselate (area along margins) to nearly smooth (disc). Disc of clypeus flattened, with distinct punctation (1) being more dispersed in the middle. SCA strongly tesselate, dull with indistinct, dispersed punctation. POA tesselate, dull to weakly shiny with distinct, dense punctation on lower part and dense but more oblique punctation on upper part, similar to frons. Vertex strongly tesselate to granulate, dull to weakly shiny with inconspicuous punctation (1) behind ocelli. Distance from hind margin of LO to hind margin of vertex about 1.3 times OD. Hind margin of vertex rounded to weakly carinate in the middle. GA 1.4 times as broad as compound eye in lateral view, strongly tesselate, dull to weakly shiny. AS 3 distinctly shorter than AS 4 and AS 5 together, 1.3 times as long as broad. AS 4 as long as broad, AS 5– AS 12 slightly longer than broad, AS 13 about 1.5 times as long as broad. Pronotum rugously tesselate with distinct wrinkles laterally, dull to weakly shiny. Scutum dull, strong and densely tesselate with distinct, flat punctation (1). Scutellum weakly tesselate nearly smooth and shiny anteriorly, strongly tesselate and dull with indistinct punctation posteriorly. Metanotum dull to weakly shiny, rugously tesselate, basally weakly wrinkled. PT basally coarsely wrinkled, apically granulate, dull. DLP, LP, as well as declivous part of propodeum rugously tesselate to granulate, shiny. Mesepisterna rugously tesselate dull to weakly shiny with distinct honeycombed wrinkles. Legs slender, claws bidentate. T 1 smooth and shiny with inconspicuous small, dispersed punctation (>2). T2–6 weakly tesselate to nearly smooth, shiny, with distinct dense punctation (1). Marginal zone of T2–6 more than half as long as T. Pygidial plate distinctly developed, concave, basally slightly wrinkled, apically truncate. S1–6 finely tesselate, shiny with dispersed (>1) punctation. S6 with broad emargination in the middle of posterior margin. S7, S8 and male genitalia as shown in Figs 3 E, K and 5C.

Integument colour. Mandibles black basally, reddened apically. Antenna blackishbrown on both sides. Legs mainly blackish­brown, distal tarsal segments brownish. Claws yellowish­brown basally, reddish­brown apically. Tegulae dark brownish. Veins of wings and stigma dark brownish. Spurs yellowish­grey, transparent. S dark reddish­brown, marginal zone yellowish­brown transparent. Other parts of body black.

Pubescence. Head with rather sparse pubescence of silvery­white medium­long to long hairs, hairs of clypeus most dense at lateral parts. Ventral side of scape, frons and anterior parts of vertex with brownish hairs. Scutum and scutellum with medium­long to long yellowish to brownish­grey hairs. Other parts of thorax with medium­long to long yellowish­white (DLP) to white hairs. Legs with sparse pubescence of long to mediumlong, white hairs. T2–4 with short brownish transparent hairs on disc and distinct white hair fringes apically, which are distinctly interrupted medially. T5–7 with sparse pubescence of medium­long yellowish­grey hairs. S with mainly medium­long yellowishgrey hairs.

Diagnosis. A. cheni is placed in subgenus Leucandrena by the following characters: Clypeus of male dark­coloured, without yellow maculations; overall shape of male genitalia, S7 and S8; gonocoxite of male genitalia with strongly developed dorsal lobe; penis valve of male genitalia with strong dorsolateral and ventrolateral lamella. Within the subgenus Leucandrena the new species is most similar to A. (Leucandrena) richardsi Hirashima, 1957 from Japan, from which it is clearly separated by the following characters (characters of A. richardsi given in parentheses): AS 3 nearly 1.2 times as long as broad (1.5 times), 0.6 times as long as AS 4 and AS 5 together ( AS 3 little shorter, 0.8 times than AS 4 and AS 5 together); scutum strongly tesselate, dull (scutum nearly smooth, distinctly shiny); disc of scutum with rather dense (1) punctation (punctation on disc more dispersed (>1.5)); PT only basally coarsely wrinkled, apically granulate (completely wrinkled all over); DLP weakly wrinkled (strongly wrinkled). In comparison to the other species of Andrena of Taiwan, the males of A. cheni sp. n. are clearly characterized by the distinct shape of S7 as well as by the combination of a dark coloured clypeus with the presence of a strong dorsolateral and ventrolateral lamella of the penis valve.

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Mr. Keh­Miin Chen for his great contributions to dung beetle taxonomy and for his warm hospitality during two collecting trips of the author on Taiwan.

Type material. Holotype: ɗ, Taiwan ( ROC), Nantou Hsien, Meifeng, 2150 m, 24.–26.VI.1981, leg. K. S. Lin & W. S. Tang ( TARI).

Figures

FIGURE 3. S 7 (A – E, ventral side) and S 8 (F – K) of male. A: A. heinzi sp. n.; B: A. planti sp. n.; C: A. susanneae sp. n.; D: A. yangi sp. n.; E: A. cheni sp. n.; F: A. heinzi sp. n. (dorsal side); G: A. planti sp. n. (ventral side); H: A. susanneae sp. n. (left dorsal, right ventral side); I: A. yangi sp. n. (left dorsal, right ventral side); J: A. nantouensis sp. n. (left dorsal, right ventral side); K: A. cheni sp. n. (left dorsal, right ventral side). Scale bars: 250 µm.