Sphecodopsis crassipunctata, 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 : 68-70

Sphecodopsis crassipunctata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DFEBC3C0-A761-41D8-8D5C-4653CBA83AC7

Figs 51–52

Diagnosis

The female of S. crassipunctata 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 seven times as long as its apical width ( Fig. 52C ); metasoma partially red ( Fig. 51B ); fore tibia and tarsi completely or largely red ( Fig. 51A ); head wider than long, vertex flat ( Fig. 51C ); T5 apically either without or with short fringe of hair of ± even length ( Fig. 52B ); head and mesoscutum with black hair ( Fig. 51C–D ); mesoscutum matt, densely and deeply punctate ( Fig. 51D ); T6 broad and rounded apically, laterally slightly rounded, with short golden hair ( Fig. 52B ). The male is unknown.

Etymology

Named for the relatively coarse punctation of the mesoscutum.

Type material (2 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; W Cape, S of Lamberts Bay 21 km E; [31°26′ S, 18°58′ E]; 22 Sep. 2001; CE leg.; SANC.

Paratype

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; W Cape, S of Lamberts Bay ; [32°04′ S, 18°20′ E]; 7 Oct. 1999; MH leg.; RCMK .

Description

Female

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, black hair. Face with dense (i =0.25–0.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i =0.5–1 d) punctation ( Fig. 51C ). Surface between punctures slightly shiny. Antenna reddish-brown to brown.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula yellow. Mesoscutum slightly shiny. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i =0.25–0.5 d), coarsely and deeply punctate ( Fig. 51D ). Propodeum with dense (i=0.5–1 d) and fine but deep punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 52A ). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with short, black hair ( Fig. 51D ). Metanotum and propodeum sparsely covered with short, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Figs 51D , 52A ).

WINGS. Yellowish-brown; wing venation brown and stigma brown to dark brown ( Fig. 51A ).

LEGS. Integument of coxa and trochanter reddish-brown. Femur basal half reddish-brown, apical half light red, tibia and tarsi light red. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with short, white hair mixed with short, black hair. Tibia and tarsus covered with short, white hair mixed with short, black hair ( Fig. 51A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3 red, T4–T6 black. T1–T4 with few short, white hair mixed with short, black hair ( Fig. 51B ). T5 with dense short, white hair. T6 covered with short, white hair, broad and rounded apically ( Fig. 52B ). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 52C ) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality Lamberts Bay at the southwest coast of South Africa.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

September–October.

Figures

Fig. 51. Sphecodopsis crassipunctata sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (RCMK). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view).

Fig. 52.Sphecodopsis crassipunctata sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (RCMK). A. Propodeum.B. T5 and T6.C. S6.