Hoplitis, Klug, 1807

Müller, Andreas, 2014, Palaearctic Hoplitis bees of the subgenus Stenosmia (Megachilidae, Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species, Zootaxa 3765 (4), pp. 301-316 : 313-315

Key to species

The male of Hoplitis albatera is still unknown.

Females

1 Body length 6.5–8mm. Morocco to Arabian Peninsula........................................... Hoplitis jordanica Second segment of labial palpus 1.3–1.4x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 2.5– 2.9x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 nearly as long as broad. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which may be interrupted on terga 1–2.

1* Body length not exceeding 6.5mm ......................................................................... 2

2 Terga completely covered with white pilosity except for narrow median area on tergum 2. White pilosity on vertex, scutum and scutellum more extended and sparsely covering even the central parts. Spain......................... Hoplitis albatera Body length 5mm. Though the relative length of the second segment of the labial palpus is not ascertainable in the single specimen known so far as the proboscis is folded together, the proboscis reaches the coxae of the fore legs, indicating that H. albatera has a similarly long second segment of the labial palpus as H. hartliebi . Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge about 1.5x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 about 0.75x as long as broad.

2* Terga not completely covered with white pilosity. White pilosity on vertex, scutum and scutellum less extended and more or less restricted to the marginal parts. 3

3 Second segment of labial palpus less than or equal to 1.2x as long as first segment ( Fig. 13 )........................... 4

3* Second segment of labial palpus more than 1.2x as long as first segment......................................... 6

4 Apical white hair band on tergum 4 long, covering more than half of tergal length up to entire tergal surface. Tergum 5 densely covered with white pilosity, which completely hides the black cuticula. Anterior side of antenna light yellowish. Morocco to Arabian peninsula........................................................................ Hoplitis minima Body length 4.5–5.5mm. Second segment of labial palpus 1.1–1.2x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.4–1.6x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 about 0.7x as long as broad.

4* Apical white hair band on tergum 4 short, covering less than half of tergal length. Tergum 5 with white apical hair band, its disc without or with inconspicuous white hairs, which do not completely hide the black cuticula. Anterior side of antenna light brown to yellowish-brown............................................................................... 5

5 Body length 5.5–6.5mm. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.8– 2 x as long as ocellar diameter. Scutellum medially with very narrow but distinct longitudinal line that usually extends till its centre. Disc of tergum 5 without conspicuous white hairs. Central part of stigma dark brown to brown. Inner margin of fore leg coxa apically with long and slender spine. Marginal zones of terga 2–4 both laterally and medially distinctly impressed ( Fig. 6 ). Punctation on scutum, scutellum and tergal discs coarse, punctures on tergal discs 2–4 about 3– 4 x as large as punctures on marginal zones ( Fig. 6 ). Central Asia.................................................................................. Hoplitis crassipunctata Second segment of labial palpus 1.1–1.2x as long as first segment. Antennal segment 5 about 0.8x as long as broad.

5* Body length 4.5–5mm. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.5–1.7x as long as ocellar diameter. Scutellum medially without distinct longitudinal line. Disc of tergum 5 with scattered plumose white hairs, which partly hide the cuticula. Central part of stigma yellowish-brown. Inner margin of fore leg coxa apically without spine. Marginal zones of terga 2–4 distinctly impressed laterally, but not medially. Punctation of scutum, scutellum and tergal discs fine, punctures on tergal discs 2– 4 about 2x as large as punctures on marginal zones. Mongolia..................................... Hoplitis gobiensis Second segment of labial palpus 1.1–1.2x as long as first segment ( Fig. 13 ). Antennal segment 5 about 0.7x as long as broad.

6 Punctation of scutum and scutellum irregular and scattered, interspaces varying in size between the diameter of one to five, on scutellum sometimes even more punctures ( Fig. 11 ). Spurs of hind leg blunt. Central Asia........ Hoplitis dispersipunctata Body length 5.5–6mm. Second segment of labial palpus 1.4–1.5x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.9– 2 x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 about 0.8x as long as broad. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which may be interrupted on terga 1–2. Disc of tergum 5 with scattered plumose white hairs, which partly hide the cuticula.

6* Punctation of scutum and scutellum more regular and denser, interspaces reaching the diameter of one to two, rarely three punctures. Spurs of hind leg acute.7

7 Spurs of hind leg apically distinctly curved upwards. Caucasus to Central Asia...................... Hoplitis flavicornis Body length 5.5–6.5mm. Second segment of labial palpus 1.3–1.4x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.8– 2 x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 0.7–0.8x as long as broad. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which may be interrupted on terga 1–2; hair band on tergum 5 about half as long as tergal length.

7* Spurs of hind leg nearly straight.......................................................................... 8

8 Antennal segment 5 quadrate ( Fig. 8 ). Levant............................................... Hoplitis desertorum Body length 6–6.5mm. Second segment of labial palpus about 1.4x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 2.6–2.7x as long as ocellar diameter. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which may be interrupted on terga 1–2; hair band on tergum 5 about two third as long as tergal length.

8* Antennal segment 5 broader than long...................................................................... 9

9 Distance between inner margins of lateral ocelli about as long as distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge. Morocco............................................................................... Hoplitis tagmouta Body length 5.5–6mm. Second segment of labial palpus 1.6–1.7x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 2.3–2.5x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 about 0.6x as long as broad. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which may be interrupted on terga 1–2; hair band on tergum 5 about two third as long as tergal length.

9* Distance between inner margins of lateral ocelli distinctly longer than distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge..................................................................................................... 10

10 Second segment of labial palpus less than 1.5x as long as first segment. Antennal segments 1–4 darkened. Body length 5– 6mm. Levant............................................................................ Hoplitis aravensis Second segment of labial palpus 1.3–1.4x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.9– 2 x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 about 0.6x as long as broad. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which may be interrupted on terga 1–2; hair band on tergum 5 about two third as long as tergal length.

10* Second segment of labial palpus more than 1.5x as long as first segment. Antennal segments 1–2 or 1–3 darkened. Body length 4-5mm ............................................................................................. 11

11 Second segment of labial palpus 1.6–1.7x as long as first segment. Inner margin of fore leg coxa apically with short spine, which is covered with a tuft of white hairs. Morocco to Egypt...................................... Hoplitis hartliebi Body length 4–5mm. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.5–1.7x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 0.5–0.7x as long as broad. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which may be interrupted on terga 1–2; hair band on tergum 4 covers one half of tergal length up to entire tergal surface; tergum 5 almost completely covered with white pilosity.

11* Second segment of labial palpus 2x as long as first segment. Inner margin of fore leg coxa apically without spine. Turkey.......................................................................................... Hoplitis kotschisa Body length 4.5–5mm. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.4–1.6x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segment 5 about 0.75x as long as broad. Marginal zones of terga 1–5 with dense white hair bands, which may be interrupted on terga 1–2; base of tergum 5 more or less devoid of dense white pilosity.

Males

1 Sternum 6 medially with very conspicuous narrow longitudinal elevation or keel, which covers the whole length of the visible part of the sternum and which is beset with long bristles or short hairs ( Figs. 10 , 12, 14 ).............................. 2

1* Sternum 6 medially without conspicuous narrow longitudinal elevation or keel..................................... 6

2 Antennal segment 3 of about the same length as antennal segment 4 ( Fig. 9 ). Levant...................................................................................................................... Hoplitis desertorum Body length 5–6mm. Second segment of labial palpus about 1.4x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.7–1.8x as long as ocellar diameter. Keel on sternum 6 slightly wider than high, it reaches the apical sternal margin and is densely covered with hairs, which are not longer than the height of the keel. Anterior side of antenna yellowishbrown to brown. Marginal zones of sterna 2–5 with dense white hair bands.

2* Antennal segment 3 distinctly shorter than antennal segment 4.................................................. 3

3 Longitudinal keel on sternum 6 very narrow and high, it extends beyond the apical sternal margin and is beset along is upper margin with strong bristles, which are about half as long as the height of the keel ( Fig. 12 )............................ 4

3* Longitudinal keel on sternum 6 broader and less high, it does not extend beyond the apical sternal margin and is covered with short hairs ( Fig. 10 , 14 )................................................................................. 5

4 Punctation of scutum and scutellum regular and dense, interspaces reaching the diameter of one to two punctures. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 2–2.2x as long as ocellar diameter. Morocco to Arabian peninsula........... ...................................................................................... Hoplitis jordanica Body length 6–6.5mm. Second segment of labial palpus about 1.4x as long as first segment. Anterior side of antenna brown to light brown. Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with moderately dense white hair bands; sternum 5 medioapically covered with dense white to yellowish-white pilosity, its apical margin laterally only inconspicuously haired.

4* Punctation of scutum and scutellum irregular and scattered, interspaces varying in size between the diameter of one to five, on scutellum even more punctures. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge about 1.7x as long as ocellar diameter. Central Asia...................................................................... Hoplitis dispersipunctata Body length 5.5mm. Second segment of labial palpus about 1.5x as long as first segment. Anterior side of antenna yellowishbrown to orange. Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with dense white hair bands; sternum 5 medioapically covered with dense white pilosity.

5 Longitudinal keel on sternite 6 narrower, widest at its base and slightly narrowing towards its apex. Second segment of labial palpus about 1.4x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge about 2x as long as ocellar diameter. Body length 5.5–6mm. Armenia to Central Asia....................................... Hoplitis flavicornis Anterior side of antenna yellow to orange. Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with moderately dense white hair bands; sternum 5 medioapically covered with dense white pilosity.

5* Longitudinal keel on sternite 6 wider and of about equal width along its whole length ( Fig. 14 ). Second segment of labial palpus 1.1–1.2x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge about 1.5–1.6x as long as ocellar diameter. Body length 4.5–5mm. Mongolia................................................... Hoplitis gobiensis Anterior side of antenna yellow to orange. Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with moderately dense white hair bands; sternum 5 medioapically covered with dense white pilosity.

6 Sternum 2 medioapically with short longitudinal keel......................................................... 7

6* Sternum 2 planar, without longitudinal keel................................................................ 10

7 Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 ciliated with single white hairs, without dense hair bands. Second segment of labial palpus about 2.1x as long as first segment. Sternum 6 medioapically with very small and unconspicuous roundish elevation. Antennal segment 4 shorter, about 1.25x as long as broad and, when measured on the ventral side, less than twice as long as antennal segment 3. Turkey.......................................................................... Hoplitis kotschisa Body length 4–4.5mm. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.3–1.4x as long as ocellar diameter. Anterior side of antenna yellow to orange. Sternum 5 medioapically covered with dense white pilosity.

7* Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with white hair bands at least laterally. Second segment of labial palpus distinctly less than 2x as long as first segment. Sternum 6 medioapically with distinct elevation. Antennal segment 4 longer, about 1.5x as long as broad and, when measured on the ventral side, twice as long as antennal segment 3 or longer............................... 8

8 Gonostylus lateroapically with triangular tooth. Second segment of labial palpus about 1.1x as long as first segment. Apical margin of sternum 6 more or less straight. Morocco to Arabian Peninsula............................. Hoplitis minima Body length 4.5–5.5mm. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.4–1.6x as long as ocellar diameter. Anterior side of antenna yellow to orange. Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with white hair bands, which are dense laterally and loose medially; sternum 5 medioapically covered with dense white pilosity. Medioapical elevation on sternum 6 of triangular shape, clearly detached from sternal surface and densely haired.

8* Gonostylus apically more or less rounded without distinct tooth. Second segment of labial palpus about 1.6x as long as first segment. Apical margin of sternum 6 medially protruding...................................................... 9

9 Body length 4–5mm. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.3–1.5x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segments 3–13 entirely yellow to orange. Morocco to Egypt. Hoplitis hartliebi Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with white hair bands, which are dense laterally and loose medially; sternum 5 medioapically covered with rather dense white pilosity. Medioapical elevation on sternum 6 buttonlike, not clearly detached from sternal surface and rather densely haired.

9* Body length 6mm. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge about 2x as long as ocellar diameter. Antennal segments 3–13 yellowish on the anterior side, brownish on the posterior side. Morocco................... Hoplitis tagmouta Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with white hair bands, which are dense laterally and loose medially; sternum 5 medioapically covered with rather dense white pilosity. Medioapical elevation on sternum 6 of triangular shape, not clearly detached from sternal surface, sparsely haired and connected with the sternal margin by a very short narrow keel.

10 Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 with dense white hair bands that extend over the whole sternal width ( Fig. 7 ). Punctation of discs of sterna 2 rather dense, interspaces not exceeding the diameter of one or two punctures. Sternum 6 medioapically with shallow, roundish and densely haired depression, its apical margin slightly concave laterally and protruding into a rounded lobe medially ( Fig. 7 ). Central Asia.......................................................... Hoplitis crassipunctata Body length 5–6.5mm. Second segment of labial palpus 1.1–1.2x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.6–1.8x as long as ocellar diameter. Anterior side of antenna yellow to yellowish-brown. Sternum 5 with rather sparse white pilosity.

10* Marginal zones of sterna 2–4 without dense and uninterrupted white hair bands. Punctation of discs of sterna 2 scattered, interspaces reaching the diameter of three and more punctures. Sternum 6 medioapically with very small hair patch, its apical margin evenly rounded. Levant................................................................ Hoplitis aravensis Body length 4–5mm. Second segment of labial palpus 1.3–1.5x as long as first segment. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 1.3–1.5x as long as ocellar diameter. Anterior side of antenna yellow to orange. Sternum 5 with sparse white pilosity.

Figures

FIGURE 11 – 14. 11: Hoplitis dispersipunctata, scutum and scutellum of female. 12: Hoplitis dispersipunctata, sterna 3 - 6 of male. 13: Hoplitis gobiensis, proboscis of female. 14: Hoplitis gobiensis, sterna 2 – 6 of male.

FIGURE 6 – 10. 6: Hoplitis crassipunctata, terga 2 – 4 of female. 7: Hoplitis crassipunctata, sterna 4 – 6 of male. 8: Hoplitis desertorum, antenna of female. 9: Hoplitis desertorum, antenna of male. 10: Hoplitis desertorum, sterna 4 - 6 of male.