Sphecodopsis vespericena Eardley, 1997

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 : 63-68

Sphecodopsis vespericena Eardley, 1997

Figs 47–50

Sphecodopsis vespericena Eardley in Eardley & Brothers, 1997: 401–403, holotype ♀ (type locality: 11 km W of Clanwilliam, South Africa) (SANC) examined.

Diagnosis

The female of S. vespericena can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch longer and broader, about one and a half times as long as its apical width ( Fig. 48C); metasoma partially red ( Fig. 47B); fore tibia and tarsi completely or largely red ( Fig. 47A); head wider than long ( Fig. 47C); T5 apically with conspicuously long fringe, hair laterally distinctly longer forming a small medial gap ( Fig. 48B); T5 with brown fringe of slightly branched hair ( Fig. 48B). The male is here described for the first time and 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. 49B); fore tibia and tarsi completely red ( Fig. 49A); metapostnotum with hair in upper corners and matt ( Fig. 49E); mesoscutum densely punctate, matt ( Fig. 49D).

Additional material examined (11 specimens)

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Ouberg Pass, 27 km SE of Vanrhynsdorp, Fynbos ; 31°48′07″ S, 18°55′00″ E; 380 m a.s.l.; 9 Aug. 2011; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 23 Aug. 2012; RCMK • 1 ♀; W Cape, S of Lamberts Bay ; [32°04′ S, 18°20′ E]; 7–9 Oct. 1999; MH leg.; RCMS • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; W Cape, Rietvlei ; 32°08′46″ S, 18°46′21″ E; 22 Sep. 2011; CE leg.; SANC • 4 ♀♀; C.P. 11 km W of Clanwilliam ; 32°10′ S, 18°47′ E; 1 Oct. 1990; CE leg.; RCMS • 1 ♀; W Cape Prov., near Redelinghuys ; 32°32′23″ S, 18°30′53″ E; 96 m a.s.l.; 18 Sep. 2005; CE leg.; SANC .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 7.3–8.0 mm.

HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair mixed with short, white hair. Face and clypeus with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i =0.5–1 d) punctation ( Fig. 47C). Surface between punctures matt. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum matt. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i= 0.25–0.5 d) finely and deeply punctate ( Fig. 47D). Propodeum with dense (i =0.25–1 d), coarse and deep punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 48A). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Figs 47D, 48A).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation dark brown and stigma dark brown to black ( Fig. 47A).

LEGS. Integument of coxa, trochanter and the basal quarter of femur black, rest of femur, tibia and tarsi red. Coxa and trochanter sparsely covered with long, black hair and shorter white hair. Femur with few long, black hair. Tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with short, black hair mixed with short, white hair ( Fig. 47A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T3, T4 to a variable extension red, from T4 completely red, except marginal zone black to completely black; T5 and T6 black. T1and T2 sparsely covered with short white and black hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 47B). T5 with long, black hair mixed with very short, white hair and apical margin with two brown fringes of hair. T6 with dense short, white hair mixed with short, black hair, broad and almost straight apically ( Fig. 48B). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 48C) as illustrated.

Male

BODY LENGTH. 9.0 mm.

HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair mixed with short, white hair. Face and clypeus with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i=0.5–1 d) punctation ( Fig. 49C). Surface between punctures matt. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum matt. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i= 0.25–0.5 d) finely and deeply punctate ( Fig. 49D). Propodeum with dense (i =0.25–1 d), coarse and deep punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 49E). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Fig. 49D–E).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation dark brown and stigma black ( Fig. 49A). LEGS. Integument of coxa, trochanter and the basal quarter of femur black, rest of femur, tibia and tarsi red. Coxa and trochanter sparsely covered with long, black hair and shorter white hair. Femur with few long, black hair. Tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with short, black hair mixed with short, white hair ( Fig. 49A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1–T4 red, T5–T7 black. T1and T2 sparsely covered with short white and black hair, from T3 increasingly more and longer hair ( Fig. 49B). T7 covered with dense short, gold hair and few black hairs apically ( Fig. 50A).

TERMINALIA. Genitalia ( Fig. 50D–E), S7 ( Fig. 50B) and terminal plate of S8 ( Fig. 50C) as illustrated.

Distribution

Recorded from southern Namaqualand to Malmesbury ( Eardley & Brothers 1997).

Host bees

The host bee very likely is Scrapter bicolor Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 because both species were always found together in large numbers in the late afternoon, when no other potential host bee species were active ( Eardley & Brothers 1997).

Seasonal activity

August–October ( Eardley & Brothers 1997).