Sphecodopsis minuta, 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 : 85-88

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2025.980.2805
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E57E9F17-9C55-4745-BFB5-36840CA8848C
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F8216B-FFA2-FFD6-FD9D-FC14FEA6FE00
treatment provided by	Plazi (2025-03-06 13:03:35, last updated 2025-03-06 13:20:37)
scientific name	Sphecodopsis minuta
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Sphecodopsis minuta sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2DCEBB40-135C-4FFD-B4E9-DAD96D1B5816

Figs 65–66 View Fig View Fig

Diagnosis

The female of S. minuta sp. nov. is unknown. The male 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. 65B View Fig ); fore legs usually black ( Fig. 65A View Fig ); head, mesosoma and propodeum with white hair ( Fig. 65C–E View Fig ); gonostylus inclined inward, penis valves narrower, slightly shorter than gonostylus ( Fig. 66C–D View Fig ); S8 apically slightly notched ( Fig. 66B View Fig ).

Etymology

The species is named for its small size.

Type material (2 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East; 31°21′56′′ S, 19°08′52′′ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 21 Aug. 2004; MK leg.; SAMC. GoogleMaps

Paratype

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♂; Ouberg Pass , 27 km SE of Vanrhynsdorp, Fynbos; 31°48′07′′ S, 18°55′00′′ E; 380 m a.s.l.; 8 Aug. 2012; MK leg.; RCMK GoogleMaps .

Description

Female

Unknown.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 4.2–5.3 mm.

HEAD. Head wider than long. Vertex slightly rounded, ocelli highest point. Integument black, except part of mandibles red. Face covered with short, yellowish-white hair. Face with dense (i= 0.5–1 d) and fine but deep punctation ( Fig. 65C View Fig ). Surface between punctures slightly matt. Antenna brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum slightly matt. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i= 0.25–1 d), coarsely and deeply punctate ( Fig. 65D View Fig ). Propodeum with dense (i=0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 65E View Fig ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and metanotum covered with short, golden hair ( Fig. 65D View Fig ). Propodeum sparsely covered with short, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Fig. 65E View Fig ). Mesepisternum covered with relatively long, white hair.

WINGS. Yellowish; wing venation brown and stigma brown ( Fig. 65A View Fig ).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with short, white hair ( Fig. 65A View Fig ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 red, except base of T1 black. T2–T4 to a variable extent red, from T2 basal half red to T4 completely red. T5–T7 black. T1 and T2 with few short, white and golden hairs, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 65B View Fig ). T6 disc covered with long, white hair, marginal zone with few short, white hairs. T7 covered with short, golden hair ( Fig. 65F View Fig ).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 66C–D View Fig ), S7 ( Fig. 66A View Fig ) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 66B View Fig ) as illustrated.

Distribution

Only known from the wider vicinity of Nieuwoudtville.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

August.

Figures

Fig. 65. Sphecodopsis minuta 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. 66. Sphecodopsis minuta sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (RCMK). A. S7 (dorsal view). B. S8 (dorsal view). C. Genital (dorsal view). D. Genital (lateral view).