Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) boswelliae Pauly & Straka, 2017

Straka, Jakub, Batelka, Jan & Pauly, Alain, 2017, Bees of the Socotra Archipelago (Hymenoptera: Anthophila), their biogeography and association with parasites, Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae (Acta. Ent. Mus. Natl. Pragae) 57, pp. 183-219 : 197-199

Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) boswelliae Pauly & Straka sp. nov.

( Figs 51–59 )

Lasioglossum (Evylaeus) kowitense ( Cockerell, 1937) : EBMER (2000): 433, figs 94, 95 (misidentification).

Type material. HOLOTYPE: ♀, ‘ YEMEN, SOCOTRA isl. E / Kesa env., 220-300 m / 12.660278, 53.445000 / 28.- 29.i.2010, YPT, L. Purchart lgt.’ ( NMPC). PARATYPES: Socotra: Dixam plateau, Wadi Dirhor, open woodland with Boswellia ameero trees, 340 m, 12°28.0′N, 54°00.5′E, 1 ♀, 15.vi.2012 et 22.vi.2012, J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart lgt.; Aloove area, Aloove vill. env., Jatropha unicostata shrubland, with Boswellia elongata trees, 221 m, 12°31.2′N 54°07.4′E, 1 ♀, 19.–20.vi.2012, J. Bezděk, J. Hájek, V. Hula, P. Kment, I. Malenovský, J. Niedobová & L. Purchart lgt. (all in NMPC).

Description. Female. Small species: total body length 6.0 mm, forewing length 4.5 mm, intertegular distance 1.25 mm. Black body with beige pubescence, apical margins of terga brown to reddish ( Figs 51, 52 ).

Head almost as long as wide (Length/width = 0.96) ( Fig. 53 ). Measurements (mm): length of clypeus 0.35; width of clypeus apically 0.38; lower interocular distance 0.78; upper interocular distance 0.95; clypeo-antennal distance 0.28; length of eye 1.18; interantennal distance 0.20; interocellar distance 0.35; ocellocular distance 0.20; antennocellar distance 0.58; antennocular distance 0.28. Mandibles black, dark brown in middle. Labrum black. Clypeus shiny with large irregular punctures, punctures less than half diameter apart basally, but more than three diameters apart apically, longitudinal swellings among punctures ill-defined. Supraclypeal area dull, irregularly microsculptured, with fine punctures; punctures one to less than one diameter apart. Frons with fine and dense punctures, interspaces hardly visible ( Fig. 53 ). Paraocular area variably punctate, punctures one and half to less than half diameter apart, interspaces slightly shiny. Ocelli of medium size ( Fig. 54 ). Vertex narrow, nearly missing. Gena thin, finely longitudinally microsculptured ventrally. Scape black, flagellum black dorsally, pale ochraceous ventrally.

Mesosoma . Scutum with fine and dense punctation, punctures one to less than one diameter apart, interspaces between punctures brightly shiny ( Fig. 55 ). Scutum laterally, anteriorly and posteriorly with tomentum, center with short sparse and thin setae and may appear glabrous. Scutellum punctate like scutum on margins and medially, but with two sparsely punctate areas in centre, with punctures up to five diameters apart, with thin erect setae and without tomentum. Metanotum covered with tomentum. Mesopleura irregularly punctate, punctures ill-defined and evanescent in coarse microsculpture, dull. Hypoepimeral area with fine and dense punctures, dull. Propodeum not carinate, dorsal propodeal area in form of crescent, finely plicate ( Fig. 56 ).

Legs. Black, base of pro- and mesotibiae with small yellow spot. Inner metatibial spur with five teeth of decreasing length ( Fig. 57 ). Scopa of hind legs white.

Wings relatively long, well exceeding end of metasoma. Membranes hyaline. Tegulae, stigma and veins testaceous.

Metasoma. Tergum I with sloping base and centre completely striate and dull, only posterolaterally with fine and dense punctation, punctures well defined, about one diameter apart or less, sides of tergal base with patch of tomentum. Apical margin of tergum I smooth, punctate as main part of tergum, but impunctated in middle ( Fig. 59 ). Apical depressions not developed.Apex and also base of terga II–VI light brown to orange-brown. All apical margins of tergites largely discoloured, translucent ( Fig. 60 ). Terga II–III with basolateral patch of tomentum. Terga V–VI with light yellowish to white setae. Sterna black with half apical part pale brown, with white setae.

Male unknown.

Differential diagnosis. This species belongs to the Holarctic subgenus Hemihalictus Cockerell, 1897 based on the weakened distal wing venation, the second submarginal crossvein narrower than the first, the posterior surface of propodeum without carina. It is close to L. ablenum (Blüthgen, 1934) from the Sahara, L. kowitense ( Cockerell, 1937) from Sudan and an undescribed species found in northern Ethiopia. The head is longer in L. boswelliae (length / width = 0.96) than in L. ablenum (L / 1 = 0.86) and L. kowitense (L / 1 = 0.90). From L. ablenum it differs in the punctation of the lateral parts of tergum I reaching the apical margin, the basolateral parts of the tergum I with allied tomentum. From L. kowitense it differs in the tergum I, with its dorsal base completely striated and without punctation (densely striato-punctuated in L. kowitense ), punctation limited to the sides, the middle of the apical margin is not punctated (in L. kowitense it is striato-punctated). The plumose pubescence of the baso-lateral parts of tergum I is denser in L. boswelliae . The pubescence of the scutum is denser in the middle in L. kowitense but denser in the periphery in L. boswelliae .

Etymology. Named after the Frankincense Trees ( Boswellia spp. ), as this bee was collected in an area with Boswellia ameero and B. elongata trees; noun in apposition in genitive case.

Remarks. The species resembles the Afrotropical species. We suspect its Ethiopian origin. It was previously reported from Socotra, based on three females, under the name Lasioglossum (Evylaeus) kowitense by EBMER (2000).

Distribution. The species is endemic to Socotra: Adho Demalu [= Adho Dimello], Hamadara [= Hamadero] ( EBMER 2000), Aloove area, Dixam plateau and environment of Kesa (this paper).

Figures

Figs 51–59. Lasioglossum boswelliae Pauly & Straka sp. nov., female.51 – dorsal view; 52 – lateral view; 53 – head, frontal view; 54 – vertex; 55 – scutum and scutellum; 56 – propodeum; 57 – inner metatibial spur; 58 – tergum I; 59 – metasoma, dorsal view.

Figs 60–68.Lasioglossum dioscoridis Pauly & Straka sp.nov., female. 60 – dorsal view; 61 – lateral view; 62 – head, frontal view; 63 – vertex; 64 – scutum and scutellum; 65 – propodeum; 66 – inner metatibial spur; 67 – tergum I; 68 – metasoma, dorsal view.