Centris (Paracentris) nordestina, Vivallo, Felipe & Zanella, Fernando César Vieira, 2012

Vivallo, Felipe & Zanella, Fernando César Vieira, 2012, A new species of Centris (Paracentris) Cameron, 1903 from northeastern Brazil, with a key for the Centris species of the Caatinga region (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Zootaxa 3298, pp. 1-16 : 2-3

Centris (Paracentris) nordestina new species

( Figs. 1–10 )

Diagnosis. Male: Integument predominantly black ( Figs. 1 and 2 ). Discs of clypeus and labrum yellow. Pubescence predominantly blackish. Mesoscutum and scutellum with yellow pilosity. Labrum with coarse, dense and uniform punctation with a relatively smooth and poorly defined basal band. Disc of T1 relatively smooth. Flabellum relatively ellipsoidal, although slightly projected forward. 2nd mandibular tooth with a small mahogany projection towards the 3rd tooth, the latter subquadrangular ( Fig. 3 ). Posterior surface of hind femur slightly concave in distal third. Base of hind tibia with a tooth-like projection. Female unknown.

Description. Holotype male. Measurements: Approximately body length: 12.9; head width: 4.2; forewing length (estimated): 10.6; mesosoma width: 6.0; scape length: 0.6; F1 length: 0.9; F2 length: 0.2; F3 length: 0.3; UID: 1.8; LID: 2.2; mandible length: 2.0; mandible basal width: 0.8; labrum length: 1.0; labrum width: 1.3; diameter of the anterior ocellus: 0.3; ocello-orbital distance: 0.3. Coloration: Integument black, except tegula and hind femur dark brown. Distal margin of terga and sterna light brown. Discs of clypeus and labrum yellow. Metasoma with slight blue-green metallic reflections. Wings membrane translucent, light brown with brown veins. Pubescence: Dark brown to blackish, except dorsal surface of mesosoma, tegula, vertex, frontal area and labrum with yellow pilosity. Clypeus with yellow hairs only on the periphery of the disc. Metasoma with long, plumose hairs, except disc of T1 with shorter, sparser pilosity. Claws with simple hairs at the base. Wings cells with relatively sparse hairs, denser on the first submarginal cell. Upper half of the radial cell of hind wing with very short, simple and dense hairs. Integument and sculpture surface: Clypeus with coarse punctation at sides; clypeal disc smooth. Labrum with coarse and dense punctation, with a relatively poorly defined, smooth, basal band. Punctation of paraocular area finer and slightly sparser than on labrum. Frontal area with punctation similar, but denser. Scutellum with coarse and not very dense punctation. Horizontal central surface of T1 relatively smooth. T2 with punctures less dense than on T3. Distal edge of all terga and sterna (except T7 and S6) with a smooth distal band. Structures: Flabellum relatively ellipsoidal, and somewhat projected forward. Mandible with three teeth, the first two acute and the innermost tooth truncate, appearing quadrangular ( Fig. 3 ). Second tooth with a small mahogany projection towards the third tooth. Trimmal angle acute and little developed. Clypeus convex. Labrum semicircular. Vertex raised slightly above upper ocular margins. Eyes convergent above. Shortest distance between the clypeus and the eye narrower than the minimum width of F1. Scutellum normal, without longitudinal depression and/or projections. Claws with inner tooth. Apical half of middle basitarsus with a very short row of erect, slightly spatulate and curved setae similar to an elaiospathe. Posterior surface of hind femur slightly concave in distal third. Base of hindtibia with a tooth-like projection. Distal edge of S2 and S3 projected in the middle. Pygidial plate absent. Apex of gonocoxite with more than 30 giant setae ( Figs. 6 and 7 ) and ending in an acute projection ( Figs. 6 and 8 ). S7 with a wide emargination in the basal margin ( Fig. 4 ). S8 with angles near the base of its apical projection and without dorsal medial apical carina ( Fig. 5 ).

Type material. Holotype male: Petrolândia-PE Brasil Reserva Legal 31.05.0 3 Moura & Darrault\ 19496 UFPE \ L163 P755 Melochia tomentosa \ Holotype Centris (Paracentris) nordestina Vivallo & Zanella, 2010 . The holotype will be deposited in Coleção Moure Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná ( DZUP), Curitiba, PR Brazil.

Type locality. Brazil: Pernambuco: Petrolândia (approximately 09°04’S, 38°16’W).

Etymology. The name refers to the area where this new species was collected, northeastern Brazil, which is also the northeastern region of South America.

Comment. The type specimen is in relatively good condition, with its genitalia deposited in a plastic vial pinned along with the holotype.

Floral record. Melochia tomentosa L. ( Sterculiaceae ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Centris nordestina new species (holotype male). 1, Head, frontal view. 2, Habitus, lateral view. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURES 3 – 9. Centris nordestina (holotype male). 3, Mandible. 4, S 7. 5, S 8. 6, Genital capsule (dorsal view). 7, Genital capsule (ventral view). 8, Apex of gonocoxite (lateral view). 9, Apex of gonostylus (lateral view). Scale bar 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 10. Distribution map of Centris nordestina, C. caelebs, C. euphenax, C. flavohirta, and C. unifasciata.