Pseudoanthidium microrubrum, Kasparek, 2024

Kasparek, Max, 2024, New species, new synonyms, and resurrected taxa: A review of West and Central Palaearctic members of the genus Pseudoanthidium (Apoidea: Megachilidae), Zootaxa 5541 (1), pp. 1-50 : 12

Pseudoanthidium microrubrum sp. nov.

( Figs 6 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24, 25)

Material. Holotype. ♂. MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès , Boulemane, R 503, SE of Ait Karmosse (33.2440°N - 4.6762°E), 1750 m, T. Wood leg.; COI sequence: ABABZ002-23 ( OLL: tjw293) .— Paratype: 1♀, MOROCCO: Fès-Meknès , Boulemane, R 503, 7 km SE Boulemane (33.2966°N - 4.6896°E), 1900 m, 22.v.2022, T. Wood leg.; COI sequence: ABABZ003-23 ( OLL: tjw297) .

Genetic barcode information. The genetic barcode of the holotype (tjw293) and the paratype (tjw297) are available ( ABABZ002-23 , ABABZ003-23). The BIN is BOLD:AFC0423. Information on the nearest neighbours, barcode gap, and mean genetic distances are provided under P. farsiense .

Diagnosis.A small Pseudoanthidium with orange maculation.The female is characterized by a strongly protruding apical ridge of the clypeus, combined with a triangular T6 featuring apical emargination, a fine punctation of scutum and terga, a dark brown scopa, and its diminutive size. Other Pseudoanthidium species with red or orange are much larger ( P. royoi , 10–12 mm) or possess distinctive morphological differences, such as a flat clypeus ( P. canariense , P. jacobii ), a bilobed apex of T6 ( P. royoi ), or coarse punctation of scutum and terga ( P. puncticolle ). In comparison with other orange or red-brown Pseudoanthidium species, the male of this species is distinguished from P. royoi by its small size (7 mm vs. 11.5 mm) and a straight apical margin of T6 (protruding with a broad apical emargination in P. royoi ). Additionally, the lower face of this species is orange-red (black in P. canariense ; dark yellow-orange in P. jacobii ). Regarding P. puncticolle , where females often exhibit red-brown maculation, the maculation of males is typically yellow, and they have a much coarser tergal punctation compared to P. microrubrum .

Description. Female ( Fig. 6a ). 7 mm.— Head: Clypeus orange, with basal margin arched inwards; finely punctate with a basal impunctate area; subapical area transversely depressed, very finely rugosely punctate; apical ridge thickened with some erect denticles; ridge dark red-brown, and polished ( Fig. 6d ); mandible orange, gradually becoming brown towards the teeth; five black teeth, to1 being the strongest, with the others almost equally-sized; teeth separated by acute incisions; lower paraocular area with large orange spot not reaching the antennal socket; broad orange preoccipital band reaching the middle of the eye; hairs on head scattered, dark grey to black.— Mesosoma : Scutum with dense, shallow punctation and shining interstices; scutellum rounded in profile, little overhanging propodeum; orange; pronotal lobe lamellate; omaulus rounded; pubescence of mesosoma short, dark grey.— Metasoma: T1 entirely red except for a diffuse black area in the middle ( Fig. 6c ); T2–T6 orange, interrupted by a median black area; T6, in dorsal view, a wide-angular triangle with a median projection with a small apical emargination to accommodate the sting; S1–S5 orange, S6 dark grey, triangular; scopal hairs dark brown.— Legs: Trochanteres and basal areas of femora black, the rest orange; orange bristles on inner face of hind basitarsus.— Wing: Moderately brown infuscated.

Male ( Fig. 6b ). 7 mm.— Head: Black; lower part of paraocular area dirty yellow; minute yellow spot behind the eye; dense, long white pubescence on lower face; mandible reddish-brown with three strong teeth.— Mesosoma : Black with dense punctation; pronotal lobe small, black with shallow lamella, hidden by dense pubescence; scutellum and axillae crescent-shaped in dorsal view, slightly convexly bulging; in profile, rounded medially and acute angular laterally; tegula reddish-brown.— Metasoma: T1–T6 black with broad lateral orange-brown bands; median space between the bands larger in anterior terga than in posterior terga; depression in area next to the orange-brown bands also orange-brown with a bronze-coloured touch; T7 brownish-yellow, emarginate at apical margin; S1, S2 and base of S3 with felt-like cover of plumose, branched hairs; S3 with a fan-like fringe of corkscrew-like curved and apically hooked hairs; S5 with a submedian pair of black combs and another pair of larger black combs on lateral arms ( Fig. 6e ).— Genitalia: Gonostyli paddle-shaped; penis valves slender, unfused, but touching at the apex.

Derivatio nominis. Name combined from “micro” small, and “rubrum” red. The name should indicate that this is the smallest red Pseudoanthidium species.

Distribution: Only known from the province of Boulemane in the Région Fès Meknès of Morocco ( Fig. 26a ).

Figures

FIGURE 6. Pseudoanthidium microrubrum Kasparek sp. nov. a. Habitus dorsal, female from Morocco; b. Habitus dorsal, male, from Morocco; c. Habitus of the female in oblique view (Morocco); d. Face of the female (Morocco); e. Metasoma of the male in dorsal view (note the presence of specialized hairs and combs) (Morocco).

FIGURE 20. Face of the female of Palaearctic species of Pseudoanthidium (continued on the following page).

FIGURE 21. Faces of the male of Palaearctic species of the genus Pseudoanthidium.

FIGURE 22. Apical terga of females of Palaearctic Pseudoanthidium species.

FIGURE 23. Apical terga of males of Palaearctic Pseudoanthidium species.

FIGURE 26. Distribution of selected species of Pseudoanthidium. a. Pseudoanthidium microrubrum sp. nov., P. octodentatum, and P. royoi stat. resurrect. Since the collection site of P. octodentatum in Algeria is not known, a random location was selected; b. Pseudoanthidium ivanovi stat. resurrect., P. obscuratum, and P. tajikistanicum sp. nov.