Leptometriella hirsutula Roig-Alsina

A. Roig-Alsina, 2008, A revision of the South American bee genus Leptometriella Roig-Alsina (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Emphorini), Zootaxa 1688 (1), pp. 20-36 : 27-29

Leptometriella hirsutula Roig-Alsina , n. sp.

( Figs. 5, 14–17)

Diagnosis. This species is distinguished from other species with extended pale pubescence by the length of the vestiture on the scutum (1.1–1.7 times MOD in the female, and 2.2–3.4 times MOD in the male), the length of the vestiture on the metasomal terga (up to 1.2–1.5 times MOD in the female, and 1.6–2.8 times MOD in the male), and the lack of appressed hairs on the disc of the metasomal terga. It may be confused with L. separata , from which it is separated by the dark tegula, the moderately elevated vertex (distance from median ocellus to vertex in frontal view as long as MOD), and the reduced pilosity of the metapostnotum, with a large bare area close to the metanotum. The preapically broadened mandible of the male associates L. hirsutula with L. tucumana and L. nigra .

Description. Female holotype. Length 7.0 mm; length of forewing 5.9 mm.

Black, except as follows: reddish apex of mandible, reddish brown flagellomeres 3–10, dark brown tegula, yellowish-brown translucent apex of S1–S5, yellowish tibial spurs, and reddish-brown distal tarsomeres. Wings hyaline, weakly amber; veins brown, pterostigma yellowish brown. Vestiture yellowish all over body, but paler on venter of thorax and sides of propodeum. Prepygidial fimbria medially, and pygidial fimbria with reddish-brown hairs. Vestiture dense and long. Hairs dense on face, on clypeus 1.1–1.7 times MOD, between antennal sockets longer, up to 2.7 times MOD. Hairs on scutum 1.1–1.7 times MOD; on mesopleuron 2.2–2.8 times MOD; metapostnotum with short hairs (0.3–0.5 times MOD) close to propodeal margin, remainder of metapostnotum glabrous. T2–T4 with apical bands of dense, appressed hairs; such a band only at sides on T1; T2 basally to apical band with mostly erect, long hairs, 0.6–1.2 times MOD (short, appressed hairs usual in other species absent); T3–T4 also with mostly erect, long hairs basally to apical band. Punctures on clypeus and labrum larger than those on rest of body, on clypeus separated by 0.5–1.0 times their diameter. Margins of scutum with punctures dense, but median part of posterior half with punctures sparse, separated by 1–3 times their diameter; scutellum punctate throughout, without impunctate basal band; upper part of metapostnotum glabrous, polished. Vertex of head moderately elevated behind ocelli, distance from median ocellus to vertex in frontal view as long as MOD. Proportion of UID to LID 1:0.85; IAD to AOD 1:0.48. Proportion of scape, pedicel and first three flagellomeres 3.3:0.8:1:0.5:0.5; first flagellomere as long as 1.2 times its apical width. Mandible narrowly pointed apically; preapical tooth distinct, small. Metapostnotum nearly vertical, in same plane as metanotum. T6 basally with gradular carina continuing raised margin of pygidial plate laterally and fading at side, also with short gradular carina on apical portion of tergum.

Male. Length 6.5–6.8 mm; length of forewing 6.0– 6.3 mm.

Color of cuticle and vestiture similar to that of female, but vestiture longer and denser. Hairs on face between antennal sockets up to 3.1 times MOD, on scutum 2.2–3.4 times MOD. T2–T5 with apical bands of dense, decumbent, rather long hairs, 1.0–1.5 times MOD; T1 without an apical band; T6–T7 entirely covered with long decumbent hairs. T2–T5 basally to apical band with erect, long hairs, those on T2 1.6–2.8 times MOD (T2–T5 without short, appressed hairs). Hairs on S2–S5 long, 1.7–2.4 times MOD; on S6 very short and even, 0.25 times MOD. Proportion of first three flagellomeres, 1:0.8:0.9; first flagellomere as long as 1.0– 1.05 times its apical width. Mandible broadened preapically. T7 with two apical points separated distally by a distance similar to their length, forming medially a U-shaped notch. S7, S8 and genital capsule as in figures 14–17.

Etymology. The specific name refers to the long, erect vestiture of the body.

Material studied. Holotype female, Argentina, Catamarca, Chumbicha , October 1957, M. Fritz ( MACN). Paratypes: Argentina, Catamarca: 1 male, Andalgalá, El Potrero , on flowers of Sphaeralcea , 22- II-1974, J.L. Neff ( IFML); 1 male, Chumbicha, XI-1947, R. Llano ( MACN).