Sphecodopsis fimbriata, Pöllein & Kuhlmann, 2025

Pöllein, Daniela & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2025, Taxonomic revision of the southern African bee genus Sphecodopsis Bischoff, 1923 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 980, pp. 1-157 : 136-138

Sphecodopsis fimbriata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7DDC25CB-D651-474F-ABF8-5A15380EEA33

Figs 105–106

Diagnosis

The female of S. fimbriata sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch shorter and narrower, about as long as its apical width ( Fig. 106C ); metasoma partially red ( Fig. 105B ); fore tibia and tarsi completely or largely red ( Fig. 105A ); head wider than long, vertex slightly rounded ( Fig. 105C ); T5 apically with conspicuously long fringe of bright white, strongly branched hair, laterally distinctly longer forming a small medial gap ( Fig. 106B ). The male is unknown.

Etymology

The species is named for the conspicuous white fimbria of the female T5.

Type material (1 specimen)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; C.P., 6 km N of Kamieskroon, Farm Arkoep ; 30°19′ S, 17°56′ E; 1–2 Oct. 1990; CE leg.; SANC.

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 5.0 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red. Face covered with bright white hair. Face with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), fine and shallow punctation ( Fig. 105C ). Surface between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna red to reddish-brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula yellow. Mesoscutum fairly smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and metanotum sparsely (i =1–2.5 d), finely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 105C ). Propodeum with dense (i=0–0.25 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum fairly shiny ( Fig. 106A ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum and mesepisternum covered with short yellowish-white to bright white hair ( Fig. 105C ). Propodeum covered with short, bright white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Fig. 106A ).

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown ( Fig. 105A ).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter red. Femur, tibia and tarsi light red. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with short, white hair. Tibia and tarsus covered with short, white hair ( Fig. 105A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T6 light red, T 6 in the middle dark. T1 and T2 with few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair. T4 marginal zone with dense short, white hair ( Fig. 105B ). T5 with long, white hair and apical margin with two bright white fringes of hair. T6 broad and rounded apically, covered with short, white hair and golden hair apically ( Fig. 106B ). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 106C ) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

October.

Figures

Fig. 105. Sphecodopsis fimbriata sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (SANC). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view).

Fig. 106. Sphecodopsis fimbriata sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (SANC). A. Propodeum. B. T5 and T6. C. S6.