Andrena (incertae sedis) tenebricorpus Wood, 2020

Wood, Thomas James, Michez, Denis, Cejas, Diego, Lhomme, Patrick & Rasmont, Pierre, 2020, An update and revision of the Andrena fauna of Morocco (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Andrenidae) with the description of eleven new North African species, ZooKeys 974, pp. 31-92 : 31

Andrena (incertae sedis) tenebricorpus Wood sp. nov. Figures 63-66

Material.

Holotype: Morocco: Guelmim-Oued Noun, 10 km E Guelmim, 15.iv.1995, 1♀, leg. Ma. Halada. Deposited in the OÖLM.

Diagnosis.

Andrena tenebricorpus is very similar to A. gafsensis and faces the same problems of subgeneric classification, and is therefore also not currently placed in one until molecular data are available. Both species have a flattened and shiny clypeus (Fig. 64 ) and a short propodeum (Fig. 65 ), but differ most obviously in colour, with A. tenebricorpus having dark brown terga (Fig. 66 ) in strong contrast to the red terga of A. gafsensis . In terms of structural difference, in A. tenebricorpus the foveae are slightly wider, the hairs on the scutum and scutellum are relatively much shorter (compare Figs 57 , 65 ) at the same time that the hair bands on the apical margins of the tergites are relatively much thicker (compare Figs 58 , 66 ), suggesting that this is not as a result of abrasion, and the scopa are a dirty brown (Fig. 63 ) rather than white (Fig. 55 ).

In terms of overall colouration and appearance A. tenebricorpus is extremely similar to A. guichardi Warncke, 1980 (also found only in south-western Morocco) with the same dark to dark brownish tergal colouration with contrasting white hair bands (see Fig. 104 ). However, A. tenebricorpus can be clearly separated by the flattened clypeus (domed in A. guichardi ), more densely punctate scutum (punctures separated by 1-2 puncture diameters, by 2-4 puncture diameters in A. guichardi , see Fig. 103 ), and by the propodeal triangle which is weakly differentiated only by sculpturing (clearly marked by a small raised carina in A. guichardi ).

Description.

Female: Body length 10 mm (Fig. 63 ). Head: Dark, as wide as long. Clypeus slightly arched laterally, broadly flattened on the disc, underlying surface laterally with shagreenation, the majority of disc shiny (Fig. 64 ). Moderately punctured, punctures separated by 1-2 puncture diameters, with generally impunctate line in centre of clypeus. Process of labrum trapezoidal with faint lateral striations, fore margin weakly emarginate, slightly bulging. Gena equal to width of compound eye. Gena, face, and scape with white hairs, longest not exceeding length of the scape. Vertex with mixture of whitish and yellowish hairs of same length as on rest of face. Foveae of average width, occupying slightly more than half of distance between top of compound eye and lateral ocellus. Antennae dark, A4 apically and A5-12 lightened orange below, A3 equalling A4+5. Ocelloccipital distance equalling width of lateral ocellus. Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum densely punctured, punctures separated by 1-1.5 puncture diameters, underlying surface of the scutum shagreened anteriorly, elsewhere and on the scutellum shiny. Episternum microreticulate, dull. Lateral faces of the propodeum shagreened, weakly shining. Hind face of propodeum microreticulate and weakly rugose, rugosity outlining the propodeal triangle which is itself rugose and therefore defined by the change in texture between rugosities (Fig. 65 ). Scutum and scutellum with very short and fine hairs, scarcely longer than width of lateral ocellus. Episternum and propodeum with longer white hair, never exceeding length of the scape. Legs dark, tarsi brown, pubescence brown. Femoral scopa white, tibial scopa dirty brown. Wings hyaline, venation brown, stigma dark brown. Nervulus slightly antefurcal. Metasoma: Tergites dark brown throughout with exception of two lateral black spots on T2 (Fig. 66 ). Tergites densely, finely, and evenly punctured, punctures separated by one puncture diameter. T2-4 with dense white hair bands that obscure underlying surface, on T2 interrupted medially, on T3-4 complete. T5-6 with thick brown hairs flanking pygidial plate, with a few white hairs laterally. Pygidial plate with slightly raised margin, centrally flat.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

South-western Morocco (Fig. 145b ).

Floral preferences.

None recorded.

Remarks.

Whilst A. tenebricorpus is structurally very similar to A. gafsensis , the subtle morphological differences suggest that A. tenebricorpus is distinct. Moreover, the Souss valley to the Guelmim region is bio-climatically quite distinct to the deserts of southern Tunisia and hosts many unique bee species within Morocco itself, further suggesting a distinct specific identity.

Etymology.

The name tenebricorpus from tenebris (dark) + corpus (body) was chosen because of the structural similarities between A. tenebricorpus and A. gafsensis , but without the same reddish colouration.

Figures

Figure 145. Distribution of sampling locations of newly described species A Andrena hebescens (circles), Andrena semiadesus (squares) B Andrena tenebricorpus (diamond), Andrena niveofacies (circle), Andrena triangulivalvis (triangle) C Andrena sparsipunctata (circles), Andrena breviceps (diamonds) D Andrena acutidentis (squares), Andrena farinosoides (triangles), Andrena nigriclypeus (circle). Relief is indicated by shading, measured in meters above sea level.

Figures 63 - 66. Andrena (Nobandrena) tenebricorpus sp. nov. 63 female profile 64 female face 65 female propodeum 66 female tergites.

Figures 55 - 62. Andrena (Nobandrena) gafsensis sp. nov. 55 female profile 56 female face 57 female propodeum 58 female tergites 59 male profile 60 male face 61 male tergites 62 male genitalia.

Figures 99 - 104. Andrena (Aciandrena) fulica Warncke, 1974 99 male face 100 male genitalia. Andrena (Aciandrena) fulica astrella Warncke, 1975 (Morocco) 101 male face 102 male genitalia (Spain) 103 male face 104 male genitalia.