Electrapis (Melikertes) proava (Menge)

ENGEL, MICHAEL S., 2001, A Monograph Of The Baltic Amber Bees And Evolution Of The Apoidea (Hymenoptera), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2001 (259), pp. 1-1 : 1-

Electrapis (Melikertes) proava (Menge) ; Engel,

1998a: 95.

DIAGNOSIS: This is the largest and least understood species of Melikertes (simply owing to the fact that the two specimens known are in poor condition by comparison to material of other species). The species is exceptional for its large size compared to other Melikertes .

DESCRIPTION: Female. Total body length 8.30 mm; forewing length 6.0 mm. Apical margin of clypeus straight, not bent apically. Intertegular distance 2.15 mm. Tegula with short, posterior lamella. Basal vein basad cu­ a by two times vein width; 1m­cu bisecting second submarginal cell; 2rs­m distad 2m­cu; first submarginal cell only slightly shorter than second and third combined; second submarginal cell narrowed anteriorly, not very strongly so; length of anterior border of third submarginal cell half of that of posterior bor­ der, anterior border about as long as that of anterior border of second submarginal cell; six distal hamuli, arranged in a single, evenly spaced series.

Integument of head, mesosoma, and metasoma apparently smooth and impunctate except metanotum rugulose and sterna imbricate.

Coloration not well preserved, apparently dark brown to black and shining, without maculations. Wing membrane hyaline; veins strong and dark brown.

Pubescence generally pale. Setae of face and vertex widely scattered, simple, and short. Gena with simple, short, suberect setae very sparsely scattered; postgena with long, simple setae sparsely scattered over integument. Pronotal collar without pubescence; pronotal border with mesoscutum with short, simple setae; lateral surface with similar minute setae. Mesoscutum with scattered, minute setae, more sparsely scattered on central disc. Pubescence of scutellum as described for mesoscutum. Hypoepimeral area without pubescence; remainder of mesepisternum with widely scattered, minute setae. Basal area and posterior surface of propodeum without pubescence. Inner surface of metafemur and metatrochanter without pubescence except apical quarter of metafemur with dense field of keirotrichiae; inner surface of metatibia with keirotrichiate zone. T1 without pubescence on central disc, a few, simple setae on lateral borders; pubescence of T2–T6 as described for T1 except a few simple setae on posterolateral borders; sterna with sparse, simple, subappressed setae.

MATERIAL: Two specimens. Neotype. Female, worker caste, Nr. 13781 ( BMNH) labeled: ‘‘No. 13781, Bee, Museum Stantien & Becker’’ // ‘‘515, Dr. R. Klebs, 92–14 [74?]’’ // ‘‘XII B781 [on the amber block]’’ // ‘‘ Electrapis proava (Menge) , Amber, East Prussia, Paralectotype, Transf. [transferred] from Zool. Dept. [Zoology Department], 15 Dec. [December] 1904, (In. 18757), 92–14 [74?]’’ // ‘‘ Neotype, Apis proava Menge, 1856 , desig. ICZN (M. S. Engel)’’. Formerly the paralectotype designated by Zeuner and Manning (1976: 236; see Comments below); designated as neotype by ICZN Opinion Nr. 1964 (ICZN, 2000). The amber piece is set into Canadian balsam and mounted onto a microscope slide.

Non­type. Female, worker caste, In. 43592 ( BMNH) labeled: ‘‘In. 43592, E. proava , Lectotype’’ // ‘‘ M. proava? (Menge) , non­type, desig. ICZN (M. S. Engel)’’ // ‘‘ Melikertes proavus? (Menge) , det. M. S. Engel’’. Formerly lectotype; designation by Zeuner and Manning (1976: 236; see Comments below). This individual is assigned to M. proavus with great hesitation owing to its extremely poor condition. Zeuner and Manning (1976), who examined the specimen before it was damaged, considered it to be conspecific with the above specimen.

COMMENTS: The type designations of Zeuner and Manning (1976) have been suppressed owing to the poor condition of their chosen lectotype (Engel, 1999a; ICZN, 2000).

Melikertes stilbonotus (Engel) ,

new combination

Figures 100–104

Electrapis (Melikertes) stilbonota Engel, 1998 a: 95.

DIAGNOSIS: Refer to diagnosis for M. clypeatus (see below).

DESCRIPTION: Female. Total body length 3.76 mm; forewing length 3.00 mm. Head wider than long (length 1.12, width 1.32: measurements from paratype). Upper interorbital distance 0.86 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.82 mm (both metrics from paratype). Apical margin of clypeus straight, not bent apically. Intertegular distance 0.82 mm. Basal vein basad cu­a by two times vein width; 1m­cu bisecting second submarginal cell; 2rs­m distad 2m­cu by 1.5 times vein width; first submarginal cell shorter than second and third combined; length of anterior border of second submarginal cell one­tenth that of posterior border (i.e., second submar­ ginal cell strongly narrowed anteriorly); length of anterior border of third submarginal cell half of that of posterior border, just over three times length of anterior border of second submarginal cell; six distal hamuli, arranged in a single, evenly spaced series; cu­ a of hind wing orthogonal to M+Cu.

Integument of head, mesosoma, and metasoma smooth and impunctate except metanotum rugulose. S3–6 weakly and sparsely nodulate, integument between smooth.

Coloration not well preserved, apparently dark brown to black and shining, without maculations. Wing membrane hyaline; veins strong and dark brown.

Pubescence generally pale. Setae of face widely scattered, simple, and short; such hairs becoming gradually longer toward vertex. Gena with simple, short, suberect setae; postgena with long, simple setae sparsely scattered over integument. Pronotal collar without pubescence; pronotal border with mesoscutum with short, simple setae; lateral surface with similar minute setae, such setae appressed but not obscuring integument. Mesoscutum with scattered, simple setae, more sparsely scattered and shorter on central disc, those setae on anterolateral borders with a few short branches. Pubescence of scutellum as described for mesoscutum except longer and restricted to posterior border. Metanotum with dense, minute, simple setae, not obscuring integument. Hypoepimeral area without pubescence; remainder of mesepisternum with scattered, simple setae, such setae gradually become longer ventrally; central disc, however, without pubescence. Basal area and posterior surface of propodeum without pubescence; lateral surface with scattered, long, simple setae intermixed with shorter, ap­ pressed setae, such setae partially obscuring integument. Pubescence of legs generally simple and scattered except inner surfaces of mesotrochanter and mesofemur without pubescence and outer surface of mesotibia with dense, branched setae; inner surface of metafemur and metatrochanter without pubescence except apical quarter of metafemur with dense field of keirotrichiae; inner surface of metatibia with keirotrichiate zone; eight comb rows on inner surface of metabasitarsus, each composed of stiff, elongate, simple setae; outer surface with scattered, long, simple setae. T1 without pubescence on central disc, a few, simple setae on lateral borders; pubescence of T2 as described for T1 except a few simple setae on posterolateral borders; T3–6 with simple setae longer than those of T1–2, sparsely scattered over central disc, more concentrated on lateral margins; sterna with sparsely scattered, simple setae.

MATERIAL: Five specimens. Holotype. Female, worker caste, In. 17778 ( BMNH). The specimen bears labels reading ‘‘ Holotype, Electrapis stilbonota , desig. M. S. Engel [red label]’’ // ‘‘Amber Inclusa, Hymenoptera, In. 17778, Samland, No. 67 [white label]’’. Amber piece preserved in Canadian balsam on a slide mount.

Paratype. Female, worker caste, In. 17778 ( BMNH) ; same block of amber as holotype. Paratype total body length 3.72 mm; forewing length 3.16 mm. Refer to Engel (1998a) for more measurements.

Non­type. Female, worker caste, B­JH 76 (AMNH) labeled: ‘‘Baltic amber: Eocene, Kaliningrad, Yantarny’’ // ’’ Melikertes stilbonotus (Engel) , det. M. S. Engel’’.

Non­type. Female, worker caste, B­JH 82 (AMNH) labeled: ‘‘Baltic amber: Eocene, Kaliningrad, Yantarny’’ // ‘‘ Melikertes stilbonotus (Engel) , det. M. S. Engel’’.

Non­type. Female, worker caste, Nr. 63 (CJDL) labeled: ‘‘Nr. 63’’ // ‘‘ Melikertes stilbonotus (Engel) , det. M. S. Engel’’.

Melikertes clypeatus , new species Plate 7a

DIAGNOSIS: This species is most similar to M. stilbonotus , the two species looking remarkably similar. Melikertes clypeatus , how­ ever, is immediately recognizable by the peculiar modification of the clypeal apical margin that is strongly flexed forward below the level of the lower tangent of the compound eyes. Moreover, the projecting portion of the clypeal apical margin possesses a strong medial cleft.

DESCRIPTION: Female. Total body length 3.10 mm; forewing length 2.65 mm. Head wider than long (length 1.02 mm, width 1.22 mm). Upper interorbital distance 0.83 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.75 mm. Interocellar distance 0.23 mm; ocellocular distance 0.28 mm; median to lateral ocellus 0.07 mm. Apical margin of clypeus strongly bent apically, with distinct medial cleft. Intertegular distance 0.83 mm. Basal vein basad cu­a by two times vein width; 1rs­m distad 1m­cu by six times vein width; 2rs­m distad 2m­cu by three times vein width; first submarginal cell shorter than second and third combined; length of anterior border of second submarginal cell one­third that of posterior border; length of anterior border of third submarginal cell half of that of posterior border, twice length of anterior border of second submarginal cell; five distal hamuli, arranged in a single, evenly spaced series.

Integument of head, mesosoma, and metasoma smooth and impunctate.

Coloration not preserved. Wing membrane hyaline; veins strong and brown.

Pubescence generally pale. Setae of face sparse, simple, suberect, and short, although such setae becoming erect on vertex. Mesoscutum with sparse, simple, short setae. Pubescence of scutellum as described for mesoscutum except longer on posterior border. Pleura with sparse, simple, short setae. Pubescence of legs generally simple and scattered except inner surfaces of mesotrochanter and mesofemur without pubescence and out­ er surface of mesotibia with dense, branched setae; inner surface of metafemur and metatrochanter without pubescence except apical quarter of metafemur with dense field of keirotrichiae; inner surface of metatibia with keirotrichiate zone; comb rows on inner surface of metabasitarsus, each composed of stiff, elongate, simple setae; outer surface with scattered, long, simple setae. Terga and sterna with exceedingly sparse, minute, simple, appressed or subappressed setae.

MATERIAL: Holotype. Female, worker caste, B­JH 77 ( AMNH) labeled: ‘‘Baltic amber: Eocene, Kaliningrad, Yantarny’’ // ‘‘ Holotype, Melikertes clypeatus Engel’’. The only known specimen has a great deal of Schimmel on the mesosoma that entirely obscures the propodeum and metanotum. The scutellum, mesoscutum, tegula, and pleura can be seen with some difficulty. The posterior portion of the head is also covered with some Schimmel, as are lateral portions of T 1.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is a reference to the modified apical margin of the clypeus.

Figures

Figs. 100–101. Holotype female of Melikertes stilbonotus (Engel). 100. Frontal view of head. 101. Dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm (a = fig. 101; b = fig. 100).

Fig. 102. Inner surface of metatibia and metatarsus of holotype female of Melikertes stilbonotus (Engel).

Figs. 103–104. Wings of holotype female of Melikertes stilbonotus (Engel). 103. Forewing. 104. Hind wing. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.