Hoplitis (Platosmia) arabiae Müller, 2015

Müller, Andreas, 2015, Palaearctic Hoplitis bees of the subgenus Platosmia (Megachilidae, Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species, Zootaxa 3936 (1), pp. 71-81 : 73-75

Hoplitis (Platosmia) arabiae Müller , spec. nov.

Holotype. UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Jebel Jibir, 25.65N 55.11E, 10.3.2011, ♂ (leg. V. Harten). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich.

Paratypes. OMAN: near Nizwa, 22.885N 57.7156E, 527 m, 1.3.2008, ♀ (leg. J. Gibbs). UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Wadi Shawkah, 25.06N 56.02E, 1.– 9.4.2007, 2♀ (leg. A van Harten); Wadi Bih, 25.80N 56.07E, 11.– 19.3.2009, 2♀ (leg. C. Schmid-Egger); Jebel Jibir, 25.65N 55.11E, 10.3.2011, 1♀, 3♂ (leg. V. Harten). Deposited in the Entomological Collection of ETH Zurich.

Diagnosis. The female is easily recognizable among all H. (Platosmia) species by the presence of a distinctly impressed, narrow and polished groove on the clypeus, which extends from the clypeal base over two thirds of the clypeal length or more ( Fig. 1 ). The male can be separated from all other H. (Platosmia) species with a one-toothed tergum 7 by its body length barely exceeding 5mm, uninterrupted hair bands on terga 1–5 ( Fig. 2 ) and the short ocelloccipital distance, which is only 1.1–1.3x as long as the ocellar diameter.

Description. FEMALE: Body length 4.5–5.5 mm. Head: Head about 0.9x as long as broad. Second segment of labial palpus 1.55–1.65x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.4–1.5x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segments (4)5–12 (yellowish-)brown on anterior side and blackish on posterior side. Clypeus slightly bulged and except for an unpunctured median zone densely and rather coarsely punctured, its apical margin not thickened and straight to slightly rounded ( Fig. 1 ). Unpunctured median zone of clypeus with deep longitudinal groove, which extends from the clypeal base over at least two thirds of the clypeal length ( Fig. 1 ). Punctation on each side of clypeal groove rather scattered with interspaces reaching the diameter of one puncture. Lateral parts of clypeus, paraocular area, frons and genal area covered with long white pilosity. Mesosoma: Punctation of scutum and scutellum rather dense with interspaces rarely exceeding the diameter of one puncture. Basal zone of propodeum polished except for a rather wide zone along its base, which is densely shagreened and has many weak longitudinal carinae. Lateral parts of propodeum and mesosoma, metanotum and margins of scutum and scutellum densely haired with long white pilosity; white pilosity on central parts of scutum and scutellum less dense and mainly consisting of single long hairs. Tegula yellowish-brown except for the base, which is blackish. Inner spur of hind leg yellowish, its apex curved upwards at an angle of about 60o. Metasoma: Punctation of discs of terga 1–3 medially rather scattered with interspaces reaching the diameter of two to three punctures. Punctation of terga 4–6 and marginal zones of terga 1–3 dense with interspaces rarely exceeeding the diameter of one puncture. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 black to dark reddish-brown. Terga 1–5 with narrow uninterrupted apical white hair bands. Tergum 6 covered with rather sparse and appressed white pilosity. Scopa white.

MALE: Body length 4–5 mm. Head: Head about 0.8x as long as broad. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.1–1.3x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segments 3–4 slightly shorter than wide, 5 nearly quadrate, 6–12 about 1.3x as long as wide and 13 almost 2x as long as wide. Antennal segments (3)4–13 (yellowish-)brown on anterior side and blackish on posterior side. Clypeus densely punctured except for an unpunctured mediobasal zone, its apical margin slightly thickened medially and here with 4–5 strong teeth. Mandible two-toothed. Clypeus (except mediobasally), supraclypeal area, paraocular area, frons and genal area covered with long white pilosity. Mesosoma: Punctation of scutum and scutellum, sculpture of basal zone of propodeum and pilosity of mesosoma as in the female. Tegula dark yellowish-brown except for the base, which is blackish. Inner spur of hind leg yellowish, its apex curved upwards at an angle of about 45o. Metasoma: Punctation of terga as in the female. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 black to dark reddish-brown. Terga 1–5 with narrow uninterrupted apical white hair bands ( Fig. 2 ). Tergum 6 and to a lesser extent also tergum 5 covered with rather sparse and appressed white pilosity ( Fig. 2 ). Tergum 6 with two small lateral teeth and a median projection, which is evenly rounded apically ( Fig. 2 ). Tergum 7 prolonged into a single median tooth of narrowly triangular shape ( Fig. 2 ). Lateral teeth and median projection of tergum 6 as well as apex of tergum 7 light yellowish ( Fig. 2 ). Apical margin of sternum 2 straight to weakly emarginate medially. Apical margin of sternum 3 with deep and narrow median emargination, which has a narrow tuft of long white hairs weakly separated from the long pilosity of the sternal surface. Apical margin of sternum 4 with deep and wide emargination, which is densely beset with whitish hairs of different length. Apical margin of sternum 5 almost straight. Sternum 6 without keels, its apical margin slightly projecting medially and densely beset with long yellowish-white hairs. Genitalia as in H. recticauda ( Tkalcu, 1995) , but penis valves longer and almost reaching the apex of the gonostyli.

Distribution. Known so far only from the Al Hajar mountain range in northeastern Oman and the eastern United Arab Emirates.

Pollen hosts. Possibly mesolectic on Fabaceae and Resedaceae : the only two pollen loads (2 localities, 2 countries) analysed so far consisted of Hedysareae (Fabaceae) pollen and putative Resedaceae pollen, respectively.

Nesting biology. Unknown.

Etymology. arabiae = from Arabia, referring to the occurrence of H. arabiae on the Arabian peninsula.

Figures

FIGURE 1 – 8. 1: Hoplitis arabiae, clypeus of female. 2: Hoplitis arabiae, terga 3 – 7 of male. 3: Hoplitis maghrebensis, clypeus of female. 4: Hoplitis inconspicua, clypeus of female. 5: Hoplitis lucidula, inner spur of hind leg of female. 5: Hoplitis recticauda, inner spur of hind leg of female. 7: Hoplitis aristotelis, inner spur of hind leg of female. 8: Hoplitis platalea, inner spur of hind leg of female.