Sphecodopsis villosa ( Friese, 1909 )

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 : 123-125

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2025.980.2805
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E57E9F17-9C55-4745-BFB5-36840CA8848C
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14981905
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F8216B-FF8C-FFFD-FDB3-FB47FE36FA0D
treatment provided by	Plazi (2025-03-06 13:03:35, last updated 2025-04-01 22:56:52)
scientific name	Sphecodopsis villosa ( Friese, 1909 )
status

Treatment

Sphecodopsis villosa ( Friese, 1909) View in CoL

Figs 95–96 View Fig View Fig

Pasites villosus Friese, 1909: 438–439 , holotype ♂ (type locality: Zeerust, South Africa) (ZMHB), examined.

Diagnosis

The female of S. villosa 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. 95B View Fig ); fore legs usually black, with small reddish spots ( Fig. 95A View Fig ); head and mesosoma with black hair, sometimes mixed with lighter hair ( Fig. 95C–D View Fig ); mesoscutum sparsely, finely and shallowly punctate, very shiny ( Fig. 95D View Fig ); metapostnotum almost twice as wide as high ( Fig. 95E View Fig ); gonostylus, broad, rounded posteriorly and slightly bent inward ( Fig. 96C–D View Fig ).

This characteristic species was described in detail by Eardley & Brothers (1997). Thus, to facilitate the identification only images are provided ( Figs 95–96 View Fig View Fig ) without repeating the description.

Additional material examined

None.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality Zeerust in NE South Africa. The specimen collected in Vanrhynsdorp, Namaqualand ( Eardley & Brothers 1997: 404), could not be checked but it is unlikely that it represents the same species as it was collected in the Succulent Karoo biome in the winter rainfall region that is climatically completely different from the Savanna biome with summer rainfall around Zeerust.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

Unknown.

Isolated species

References

Eardley C. D. & Brothers D. J. 1997. Phylogeny of the Ammobatini and revision of the Afrotropical genera (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae). Journal of Hymenoptera Research 6 (2): 353-418. Available from https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4491805 [accessed 28 Jan. 2025].

Friese H. 1909. Die Bienen Afrikas nach dem Stande unserer heutigen Kenntnisse. In: Schultze L. (ed.) Zoologische und Anthropologische Ergebnisse einer Forschungsreise im westlichen und zentralen Sudafrika ausgefuhrt in den Jahren 1903 - 1905. Band 2. Denkschriften der Medizinischnaturwissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft zu Jena 14: 83-476. Available from https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/10343 [accessed 28 Jan. 2025].

Figures

Fig. 95.Sphecodopsisvillosa (Friese, 1909), holotype, ♂ (ZMHB). A. Habitus (lateral view).B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view). E. Propodeum. F. T4–T7 (dorsal view).

Fig. 96. Sphecodopsis villosa (Friese, 1909), holotype, ♂ (ZMHB). A. S7 (dorsal view). B. S8 (dorsal view). C. Genital (dorsal view). D. Genital (lateral view).