Andrena (incertae sedis) rupshuensis Cockerell, 1911

Gautam, R. K., Uniyal, V. P. & Wood, Thomas J., 2024, A critical revision of the Andrena Fabricius, 1775 of India, with the description of two new species (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) from Uttarakhand, European Journal of Taxonomy 948, pp. 1-59 : 43-44

36. Andrena (incertae sedis) rupshuensis Cockerell, 1911

Andrena rupshuensis Cockerell, 1911a: 243 , ♀ [ India: Ladakh, USNM, photograph examined].

Listed by

Cockerell (1911a); Meena & Dey (2019); Ascher & Pickering (2023).

Type material

Syntype (possibly automatically the holotype, type no. 23136 , photograph examined)

INDIA • 1 ♀; Kashmir , Ladakh, Rupshu; 16 000 ft a.s.l. [= ca 5000 m a.s.l.]; 22 Jul. 1897; W.L. Abbott leg.; USNM.

Remarks and diagnosis

Andrena rupshuensis is a mysterious species that was previously known only from the type series (an unclear number of specimens, not specified in the original publication). It was collected at the extremely high altitude of nearly 5000 meters above sea level which would be one of if not the highest ever reported altitude for a species of Andrena . The morphology (photographs available on the Smithsonian website https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/ento/) does not conform to any current species concept, as the malar space is clearly elongate and shining. Some of the morphology is reminiscent of the subgenus Taeniandrena Hedicke, 1933 , specifically the broad facial foveae, the terga with clear apical hairbands, the general rounded shape of the body and ovoid metasoma, the shortish light brown hairs on the scutum contrasting white hairs on the mesepisternum, and the tarsi which are lightened orange. However, the clypeus appears to be shining with a broad impunctate mid-line which is not known from the subgenus. Further study is required, as well as new collections at high altitude around the locus typicus.

Distribution

India (Ladakh) ( Cockerell 1911a).