Sphecodopsis angulata, 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 : 28-31

Sphecodopsis angulata sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6EF8C431-D290-466A-BD35-1C4AF5A33B14

Figs 19–20

Diagnosis

The female of S. angulata 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 one and a half times as long as its apical width and without a small tip distally, notch wide, shape as shown in Fig. 20C; T 1–T 3 to a variable extent red, from only T1 apical half and T2 basal half red to completely red ( Fig. 19B); fore tibia and tarsi with small reddish spots ( Fig. 19A); T6 covered with black hair ( Fig. 20B); head and mesosoma with short black hair and more dispersed punctation ( Fig. 19C–D); T6 almost truncate apically ( Fig. 20B). The male is unknown.

Etymology

The species is named for its conspicuously angular female T6.

Type material (3 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; Gemsbokrivier-Pad , 4.5 km NE of Grootdrif, roadside; 31°25′54″ S, 18°55′16″ E; 170 m a.s.l.; 17 Aug. 2010; MK leg.; SAMC.

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; 30 km N of Vanrhynsdorp, Knersvlakte, Sukkulent Karoo, Pf K1; 31°22′23″ S, 18°42′37″ E; 146 m a.s.l.; 6 Sep. 2003; KT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; W Cape, Knersvlakte, Kaapse Drif ; 31°26′01″ S, 18°47′34″ E; 23 Sep. 1999; MK leg.; RCMK .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 4.4 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.

Face with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), fine and shallow punctation, clypeus and supraclypeal area with more dispersed (i =0.5–1.5 d) punctation ( Fig. 19C). Surface between punctures matt. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum slightly shiny.Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i= 0.25–0.5 d), finely and shallowly punctate ( Fig. 19D). Propodeum with dense (i=0.5–1 d), fine and shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 20A). Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, gold hair ( Fig. 19D). Metanotum and propodeum very sparsely covered with short, yellowish-white hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Figs 19D, 20A).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation dark brown and stigma dark brown to black ( Fig. 19A).

LEGS. Integument black. Coxa, trochanter and femur sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter white hair. Tibia and tarsi very sparsely covered with short, black hair mixed with short white hair ( Fig. 19A).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 black basally. T1–T3 to a variable extent red, from only T1 apical half and T2 basal half red to completely red; T4–T6 black. T1 and T2 with only few short, white hair, from T3 increasingly more black hair ( Fig. 19B). T5 marginal zone with few white, short hairs. T6 very narrow and almost straight apically, covered with long, black hair ( Fig. 20B). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 20C) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Apparently restricted to the Knersvlakte in southern Namaqualand.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

August–September.