Sphecodopsis carolinae Eardley, 2007

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 : 128-136

Sphecodopsis carolinae Eardley, 2007

Figs 99–100

Sphecodopsis carolinae Eardley, 2007: 195–196 , holotype ♂ (type locality: near Grasberg [N of Nieuwoudtville], South Africa) (SANC), examined.

Diagnosis

The female paratype of S. carolinae was not available for study but was described by Eardley (2007: 196). The male of S. carolinae can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: metasoma at least partially red ( Fig. 99B ); fore legs usually black ( Fig. 99A ); head and mesosoma with short white hair ( Fig. 99C–D ); mesoscutum densely, coarsely and deeply punctate, matt or slightly shiny ( Fig. 99D ); propodeum shagreened and matt, just like the metapostnotum, covered only with white hair ( Figs 99E , 100B ); genitalia elongated and narrow ( Fig. 100C ).

Additional material examined (2 specimens)

SOUTH AFRICA • 2 ♂♂; N Cape, Fynbos, 2 km W of Nieuwoudtville, near Grasberg ; 31°21′05″ S, 19°05′49″ E; 742 m a.s.l.; 23 Aug. 2003; KT leg.; RCMK .

Description

Female

See Eardley (2007: 196).

Male

BODY LENGTH. 6.5 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with short, white hair, mixed with short, black hair. Face with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d) and fairly fine, but deep punctation ( Fig. 99C ). Surface between punctures matt. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula yellow. Mesoscutum matt. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i =0.25–0.5 d) and fairly finely but deeply punctate ( Fig. 99D ). Propodeum and metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 99E ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with short, yellowish-white hair ( Fig. 99D ). Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Fig. 99D–E ).

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown ( Fig. 99A ).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with short, white hair. Tibia and tarsi covered with short, white hair ( Fig. 99A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 basally black, T2 red, T3–T7 to a variable extent red, from completely red to completely black. T1–T2 with few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 99B ). T5 and T6 disc covered with long, golden hair. T7 covered with short, yellowish-white hair and longer golden hair ( Fig. 99F ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 100C–D ), S7 ( Fig. 100A ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 100B ) as illustrated.

Distribution

Only known from the Kamiesberg Mts and the vicinity of Nieuwoudtville ( Eardley 2007).

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

August–September ( Eardley 2007).

Sphecodopsis chrysea sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:985230AE-3C14-44E9-8BCA-F4815159D3A8

Figs 101–102

Diagnosis

The female of S. chrysea sp. nov. is unknown. The male can be separated from that of all other species by the combination of the following characters: metasoma at least partially red ( Fig. 101B ); fore legs usually black ( Fig. 101A ); head and mesosoma with short white hair ( Fig. 101C–D ); mesoscutum densely, coarsely and deeply punctate, matt or slightly shiny ( Fig. 101D ); propodeum smooth and shiny, except for the metapostnotum, covered only with white hair ( Fig. 101E ); genitalia elongated and narrow ( Fig. 102B–C ).

Etymology

The name refers to the shiny golden hair on the mesoscutum and scutellum.

Type material (2 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; Nieuwoudtville , Farm Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 31 May 2004; MK leg.; SAMC.

Paratype

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂; Gemsbokrivier-Pad , 4.5 km NE of Grootdrif, roadside; 31°25′54″ S, 18°55′16″ E; 170 m a.s.l.; 28 May 2013; MK leg.; RCMK .

Description

Female

Unknown.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 6.0 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair mixed with short, white hair, with patch of white hair above base of the antenna. Face with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d) and fine but deep punctation, supraclypeal area with fine and more dispersed (i=0.5–1 d) punctation ( Fig. 101C ), between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula brown. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i=0.25–1 d) and finely but deeply punctate ( Fig. 101D ). Propodeum with sparse (i=0.5– 1.5 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 101E ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum covered with long, golden hair ( Fig. 101D ). Metanotum and propodeum covered with short, golden hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Fig. 101D–E ).

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown ( Fig. 101A ).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with fairly long, black hair mixed with short, white hair. Tibia and tarsi covered with short, white hair mixed with short, black hair ( Fig. 101A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T5 red, T6 apical quarter black, T7 black. T1 and T2 with few short, white hair mixed with short, black hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 101B ). T7 covered with short, golden hair ( Fig. 101F ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 102B–C ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 102A ) as illustrated. Unfortunately, S7 of the specimen was lost during dissection.

Distribution

Only known from the wider Nieuwoudtville area.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

May.

Comment

This species possibly represents the unknown male of S. papilla as both were collected in autumn in the same area.

Sphecodopsis directa sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:4ADDC4FF-2ABC-4B9B-A3A6-3B661F722B36

Figs 103–104

Diagnosis

The female of S. directa 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 about three times as long as its apical width, shape as shown in Fig. 104C ; metasoma partially red ( Fig. 103B ); front legs with red dots on femur and tibia ( Fig. 103A ); T6 densely covered with golden hair ( Fig. 104B ). The male is unknown.

Etymology

The name refers to the long straight tips of the female S6.

Type material (2 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; Leliefontein , plain; 31°14′ S, 18°09′ E; 31 Aug. 2003; CM leg.; SANC.

Paratype

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Leliefontein , plain; 31°14′ S, 18°09′ E; 21 Sep. 2004; CM leg.; RCMK .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 5.6 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with short, white hair mixed with short black hair. Face with dense (i=0.5–1 d) and fairly fine but deep punctation ( Fig. 103C ), between punctures slightly matt. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, except red under the pronotal lobe, tegulae red. Mesoscutum slightly matt. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i= 0.25–0.5 d) and fairly finely but deeply punctate ( Fig. 103D ). Propodeum with dense (i=1–1.5 d), fairly fine but shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 104A ). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with short, white hair mixed with very short, golden hair ( Fig. 103D ). Metanotum, propodeum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with short, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Figs 103D , 104A ).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown ( Fig. 103A ).

LEGS. Integument mostly black with few red patches. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with fairly long, white hair mixed with short, white hair. Tibia and tarsi covered with short, white hair ( Fig. 103A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 red, T4 basal quarter red, the rest, T5 and T6 black. T1 and T2 with few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 103B ). T6 broad and rounded apically, covered with long, white hair ( Fig. 104B ). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 104C ) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality in the Kamiesberg Mts.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

August–September.

Figures

Fig. 99. Sphecodopsis carolinae Eardley, 2007, ♂ (RCMK). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view). E. Propodeum. F. T4–T7 (dorsal view).

Fig. 100. Sphecodopsis carolinae Eardley, 2007, ♂ (RCMK). A. S7 (dorsal view). B. S8 (dorsal view). C. Genital (dorsal view). D. Genital (lateral view).

Fig. 101. Sphecodopsis chrysea sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (RCMK). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view). E. Propodeum. F. T4–T7 (dorsal view).

Fig. 102. Sphecodopsis chrysea sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (RCMK). A. S8 (dorsal view). B. Genital (dorsal view). C. Genital (lateral view).

Fig. 103. Sphecodopsis directa sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (RCMK). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view).

Fig. 104. Sphecodopsis directa sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (RCMK). A. Propodeum. B. T5 and T6. C. S6.