Caenaugochlora (Caenaugochlora) gonzalezi, Engel, 2014

Engel, Michael S., 2014, Three new species of the genus Caenaugochlora from Central America and Colombia (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Journal of Melittology 2014 (41), pp. 1-15 : 10-12

Caenaugochlora (Caenaugochlora) gonzalezi Engel, new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:658C307F-9751-42A5-A632-E86868BE3E12

( Figs. 6 , 10–12 )

DIAGNOSIS: Caenaugochlora gonzalezi is one of the more distinctive species in the genus, with the deep metallic blue-green-purple coloration of the head and mesosoma ( Figs. 10–12 ) contrasting strongly with the otherwise brighter metallic bronzy-red metasoma ( Figs. 10, 11 ), and lacking long ocular setae (an uncommon trait in the subgenus). In addition to the contrasting body coloration and ocular setation, the pattern of sculpturing on the pleura, mesoscutum, and basal area of propodeum (vide Description, infra), tergal setation, and apically-yellowed flagellum serve to characterize the species. The species could easily be confused with those of the genus Neocorynura Schrottky , but lacks the distinctive features of that genus such as the broadly obtuse epistomal angle, carinate preoccipital ridge, carinate pronotal lateral ridge, and narrowed propodeum with lateral carinae scarcely divergent.

DESCRIPTION: ♀: Total body length 8.7 mm; forewing length 5.8 mm. Head slightly wider than long, length 2.0 mm, width 2.3 mm. Mandible with distinct subapical tooth. Labrum with basal area transverse, low orbicular elevation basally blending into remainder of surface. Malar space linear. Clypeus and supraclypeal area not strongly produced in profile. Upper interorbital distance 1.2 mm; lower interorbital distance 1.0 mm. Compound eyes with fine, white ocular setae, individual setae longer than ommatidial diameter. Preoccipital ridge strongly angled, not carinate. Pronotal lateral angle almost orthogonal, dorsal ridge carinate, lateral ridge sharply angled, not carinate. Mesoscutum with anterior border broadly rounded, with well-defined, anterior-facing surface very slightly projecting over pronotum; intertegular distance 1.7 mm. Inner metatibial spur pectinate, with four branches, not including apical portion of rachis, branches progressively shorter toward apex of spur, rachis slightly thickened around basal two branches; metabasitibial plate low, narrowly triangular, poorly differentiated but with equally developed and distinct anterior and posterior borders, apex narrowly rounded. Forewing with basal vein distad 1cu-a by two times vein width; pterostigmal margin inside marginal cell continuously arched; marginal cell elongate; first submarginal cell longer than combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells; second submarginal cell slightly narrowed anteriorly, anterior border along Rs about as long as anterior border of third submarginal cell along same vein; 1rs-m confluent with 1m-cu; apex of second submarginal cell at tangent with pterostigmal apex; 2rs-m gently arched, distad 2m-cu by seven times vein width; hind wing with distal hamuli arranged 3-1-1-2. Metasomal terga not depressed; sterna unmodified.

Clypeus with coarse, shallow punctures separated by a puncture width or less, integument between punctures imbricate; supraclypeal area with small, scattered punctures, integument otherwise coarsely imbricate; face below antennal toruli coarsely imbricate with scattered small punctures, such punctures becoming contiguous on frons, such integument extending through ocellocular area; vertex coarsely imbricate, with scattered punctures; gena finely imbricate with small punctures separated about a puncture width, ventrally along border with postgena becoming longitudinally striate; postgena impunctate and longitudinally striate along outer portions, blending to imbricate in area bordering hypostomal fossa. Pronotum finely imbricate. Mesoscutum strongly imbricate, with small contiguous punctures in lateral thirds and along posterior border, such punctures becoming more spaced and shallower in medial third; mesoscutellum with coarse, contiguous punctures; metanotum imbricate, with scattered, short rugae giving a nodulose appearance; mesepisternum with coarse, irregular, contiguous punctures giving surface a strongly roughened appearance, punctures becoming progressively smaller posteriorly; metepisternum longitudinally striate rugose in upper half, ventrally imbricate; lateral surface of propodeum imbricate with scattered, weak punctures; posterior surface of propodeum faintly imbricate with scattered, minute punctures; basal area of propodeum strongly imbricate, appearing almost granular, with weak, irregular, basal rugae, rugae not extending beyond midlength, apical margin rounded and strongly imbricate. Metasomal terga finely imbricate with minute punctures, more faintly imbricate and sparsely punctate on apical margins, first tergum smoother than succeeding terga, particularly anterior-facing surface smooth and largely impunctate; sterna finely imbricate with scattered course punctures.

Mandible dark brown; labiomaxillary complex dark brown, with yellow palpi; labrum dark brown; apical half of clypeus black, remainder deep metallic green with metallic golden or bronze highlights at transition between color regions ( Fig. 12 ); remainder of face deep metallic green with blue highlights ( Fig. 12 ), vertex with growing blue and purple highlights; gena metallic green with faint blue highlights; scape and pedicel dark brown; flagellum dark brown blending gradually to yellow brown in apical 3–4 flagellomeres. Mesosoma deep metallic blue with areas of prominent metallic green or purple ( Fig. 10 ), mesoscutum predominantly purple with metallic blue or green highlights ( Fig. 11 ); tegula semi-translucent yellow, with metallic blue highlights anteriorly and along inner border; wing membranes hyaline, with faint parchment coloration; veins yellow brown except Sc+R darker; legs dark brown with areas of metallic green and blue highlights. Metasomal terga brilliant metallic red coppery-golden, with metallic green highlights laterally on first tergum, sixth tergum with metallic purple highlights; sterna deep reddish brown.

Pubescence generally sparse and pale golden to gold fuscous, those of pleura and metafemoral scopa yellow; metasomal terga with numerous, fine, short, subappressed, posterolaterally-directed, golden setae, except such setae sparse on disc of anterior-facing surface of first tergum; gradular vibrissae composed of dense, minute, white setae, typically obscured by overlapping posterior margin of preceding tergum; sternal setae generally yellow and elongate, shorter and more fuscous on fifth and sixth sterna.

♂: Unknown.

HOLOTYPE: ♀, Colombia: Dept. Magdalena [Departamento del Magdalena], Onaca, 2500 ft. [ca. 762 m], Dec. [December]; deposited in the Division of Entomology, University of Kansas Natural History Museum , Lawrence , Kansas.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet honors Dr. Victor H. Gonzalez, dear colleague and a leading melittologist who has made particularly important contributions to our knowledge of the Colombian and Andean fauna.

Figures

Figures 4–6. Dorsal views of the mesoscutella, metanota, and propodea of the female holotypes of the species treated here. 4. Caenaugochlora (Caenaugochlora) leoi, new species. 5. C. (C.) hestia, new species. 6. C. (C.) gonzalezi, new species.

Figures 10–12. Holotype female of Caenaugochlora (Caenaugochlora) gonzalezi, new species. 10. Lateral habitus. 11. Dorsal habitus. 12. Facial view.