Chelostoma (Chelostoma) siciliae, Müller, Andreas, 2012

Müller, Andreas, 2012, New European bee species of the tribe Osmiini (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae), Zootaxa 3355, pp. 29-50 : 32

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.281575
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6174880
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03C0BF77-FFBE-FFA7-1DB1-FE1C1F3DFA67
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Chelostoma (Chelostoma) siciliae
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Chelostoma (Chelostoma) siciliae View in CoL spec. nov.

Holotype: Italy, Sicily, Madonie mountains: Collesano env., 1–600m, 3.– 5.6.2002, Ψ (leg. J. Halada), [ ETHZ]. Paratypes: Italy, Sicily, Madonie mountains: 4km E of Collesano, 600m, 15.6.2002, 1 Ψ (leg. J. Halada); 10km N of Petralia, 1100–1200m, 16.6.2002, 13 Ψ (leg. J. Halada).

Diagnosis. C. siciliae belongs to the florisomne group of the subgenus Chelostoma ( Sedivy et al., 2008; Müller, 2012). The female is easily recognizable by the unique form of the clypeus, which has two short, slender and blunt medial processes projecting sidewards ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 1 – 8. 1 ). In addition, the scopal hairs are distinctly plumose and the propodeum is completely dull ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 1 – 8. 1 ). The former of these two characters is shared only with C. florisomne (LINNAEUS) among all species of the subgenus Chelostoma and the latter only with C. carinulum PÉREZ and C. florisomne .

Description. Female: Body length 7–8mm. Head: Mandible long and slender with two apical teeth and a long pilosity along the inner margin. Labrum long, extending beyond the closed mandibles, polished and with scattered punctures on its basal third, apically truncated and here about one third as broad as at its base. Second segment of the labial palpus about 3x as long as the first segment. Median part of the clypeus strongly declivous and polished with two short, slender and blunt processes projecting sidewards ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 1 – 8. 1 ). Apical margin of the clypeus with a triangular tooth on each side. Thorax: Punctation of scutum and scutellum moderately scattered with interspaces varying between the diameter of one half and three punctures. Propodeum completely dull, its basal zone shorter than the metanotum and displaying sharp longitudinal carinae ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 1 – 8. 1 ). Metasoma: Apical margin of terga 1–5 with white hair bands. Base of terga 2 and 3 constricted. Disc of tergum 1 densely punctate with interspaces only rarely exceeding the diameter of one puncture. Disc of terga 2–5 sparsely punctate with interspaces reaching the diameter of up to four or more punctures. Apical zone of terga 1–5 densely punctate basally with interspaces rarely exceeding the diameter of one puncture, on the apical third polished and impunctate. Scopal hairs plumose.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Known so far only from the Madonie mountains in northern Sicily.

Host plants. Two pollen samples from the same locality revealed that C. siciliae is apparently one of the few Chelostoma species that is not oligolectic ( Sedivy et al., 2008). The two females collected pollen on Helianthemum (Cistaceae) and Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae) .

Etymology. siciliae = from Sicily.