Succinapis micheneri, Engel, 2001

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-

Succinapis micheneri , new species Figures 93–95 Plate 7c

Electrapis (Roussyana) palmnickenensis (Roussy) ; Zeuner and Manning, 1976: 233. [misidentification]

DIAGNOSIS: This species is similar to S. goeleti in that the clypeal protrusion is relatively short (not extending above the level of the antennae by more than the diameter of an antennal socket) but differs in that the apex of the process is bent anteriorly (fig. 93–95). Moreover, the second submarginal cell is not as strongly narrowed anteriorly (the anterior border is only one­fourth that of the posterior border in S. micheneri by comparison to approximately one­tenth in S. goeleti ) and the pleura are distinctly punctured.

DESCRIPTION: Female. Total body length 3.68 mm; forewing length 3.05 mm. Head wider than long (length 1.08 mm, width 1.13 mm). Clypeal protrusion short, not extending dorsally above level of antennal sockets by more than diameter of an antennal socket, protrusion strongly bent anteriorly (figs. 93– 95). Upper interorbital distance 0.83 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.77 mm. Interocellar distance 0.25 mm; ocellocular distance 0.27 mm; median to lateral ocellus 0.07 mm. Intertegular distance 0.75 mm. Basal vein basad cu­a by 1.5 times vein width; 1m­cu bisecting second submarginal cell; 2rs­m distad 2m­cu by two times vein width; first submarginal cell shorter than second and third combined; length of anterior border of second submarginal cell one­fourth that of posterior border; length of posterior border of third submarginal cell 1.5 times that of anterior border, anterior border twice as long as that of second submarginal cell; six distal hamuli, arranged in a single, evenly spaced series.

Clypeus impunctate and smooth. Scape with sparse, minute punctures, integument between smooth. Face with minute punctures separated by 2–4 times a puncture width, integument between smooth. Sculpturing of vertex and gena as described for face. Postgena impunctate and smooth. Pronotum with minute punctures separated by a puncture width except medially punctures faint, integument between smooth. Mesoscutum with faint, sparse, minute punctures, integument between smooth. Scutellum sculptured as on mesoscutum. Tegula with minute, sparse, faint punctures, integument between smooth. Pleura with small punctures separated by 1– 2 times a puncture width except hypoepimeral area impunctate, integument otherwise smooth between punctures. Sculpturing of propodeal lateral surface as described for mesepisternum; basal area of propodeum glabrous. Metasomal terga smooth and impunctate; sterna finely imbricate and impunctate.

Color, where evident, brown, without maculations. Wing membrane hyaline; veins strong and brown.

Pubescence generally whitish. Labrum with moderate­length, simple, erect setae scattered on integumental surface. Clypeus without setae except moderate­length, simple, suberect, anteriorly­directed setae on dorsal­facing surface of clypeal protrusion. Face with sparse, suberect, short, simple setae, setae more dense in lower paraocular area but not obscuring integument. Setae of vertex and gena as described for face except minute. Postgena with short, simple, erect setae. Pubescence of pronotum as described for face except setae of dorsal surface restricted to posterior border and minute. Mesoscutum with short, sparse, simple, erect setae. Scutellum with erect, long (1–3 OD) setae on posterior quarter, setae each with several minute branches and slightly fuscous. Hypoepimeral area without setae; remainder of pleura with pubescence as described for face. Lateral surface of propodeum with pubescence as described for face; basal area of propodeum without setae. Inner surface of metafemur and metatrochanter without pubescence except apical quarter of metafemur with dense field of keirotrichiae; inner surface of metatibia mostly covered by field of keirotrichiae, field separated from metatibial apex by length equivalent to its own width; corbicula bordered by long, minutely­plumose setae; metatarsus with simple, stout setae; six comb rows on inner surface of metabasitarsus. Metasomal terga with scattered, simple, short, appressed setae, sparse on central discs; sterna with scattered, simple, suberect setae that are short on S1–2 (0.5–1 OD) then progressively longer on more apical sterna (reaching 2.5 OD by S5).

MATERIAL: Twenty­one specimens. Holotype. Female, worker caste, B­JH 103 ( AMNH) labeled: ‘‘Baltic amber: Eocene, Kaliningrad, Yantarny’’ // ‘‘ Holotype, Succinapis micheneri Engel’’.

Paratype. Female, worker caste, B­W 154 ( AMNH) labeled: ‘‘Baltic amber: Eocene, Kaliningrad, Yantarny’’ // ‘‘ Paratype, Succinapis micheneri Engel’’.

Paratypes. Five females, worker caste (CFEG) labeled: ‘‘ Paratype, Succinapis micheneri Engel’’.

Paratype. Female, worker caste, Nr. 3709 (CCGG) labeled: ‘‘ Paratype, Succinapis micheneri Engel’’.

Paratypes. Eleven females, worker caste (eight complete, three partials), Nr. 3–17 (CGHG) labeled: ‘‘Nr. 3–17’’ // ‘‘ Paratype, Succinapis micheneri Engel’’.

Paratype. Female, worker caste, Nr. 80

(GPUH) labeled: ‘‘Nr. 80 (Scheele)’’ // ‘‘Erdbiene, Apidae , genus Andrena ?’’ // ‘‘ Paratype, Succinapis micheneri Engel’’. This is the specimen misidentified as Electrapis (Roussyana) palmnickenensis by Zeuner and Manning (1976: see Comments under Roussyana palmnickenensis , below).

Paratype. Female, worker caste (PMUZ) labeled: ‘‘ Paratype, Succinapis micheneri Engel’’.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is a patronymic honoring my mentor and friend, Dr. Charles D. Michener, world’s authority on bees.

Figures

Figs. 93–95. Head of holotype female of Succinapis micheneri, new species. 93. Fronal view. 94. Ventrolateral, oblique view. 95. Dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm (a = fig. 93; b = figs. 94, 95).