Andrena (Parandrena) wolfi Gusenleitner & Scheuchl 2000

Pisanty, Gideon, Scheuchl, Erwin & Dorchin, Netta, 2016, Eight new species of Andrena Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae) from Israel — a Mediterranean hotspot for wild bees, Zootaxa 4189 (3), pp. 485-515 : 503-504

Andrena (Parandrena) wolfi Gusenleitner & Scheuchl 2000

( Figs. 8 , 12 F, 13F)

Male ( Fig. 8 A). Body length: 7–8 mm.

Color. Mandibles black basally, reddish-brown to black apically. Clypeus with large rhomboid yellow spot occupying most of its area; two dark lateral wedge-shaped spots penetrate the yellow area from above ( Fig. 8 B). Rest of face, including paraocular area, black. Scape, pedicel and flagellomere 1 black; flagellomeres 2–11 dark brown to black ( Fig. 8 B–C). Mesosoma black. Legs brown to black. Wings transparent, veins brown, stigma tan. Terga and sterna brown to black, marginal zones light brown ( Fig. 8 D).

Pubescence. Head, mesosoma, femora and tergum 1 with long white to golden hairs. Tibiae and tarsi with white to golden hairs. Discs of terga 2–5 with medium white hairs ( Fig. 8 D). Marginal zones of terga 2–4 with white hair bands, discontinuous in terga 2–3, continuous in tergum 4. Anal fimbria with white to yellowish hairs ( Fig. 8 D). Sterna with long white hairs, especially on marginal zones, forming apical hair bands.

Head ( Fig. 8 B–C). Broader than long ( Fig. 8 B). Mandibles long and sickle-shaped, crossed ( Fig. 8 B). Labral process snout-shaped, thickened apically. Clypeus broad, almost flat, shagreened, very shallowly punctured, with impunctate midline, distance between punctures 1–3 puncture diameters, puncture size medium. Flagellomere 1 matt, shorter than 2; 2–11 shiny; 2–4 of equal length, longer than broad ( Fig. 8 C). Ocelloccipital distance 1.5–2 ocellus diameters ( Fig. 8 C). Genal area very broad, preoccipital ridge with lateral carina.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 8 C). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum elevated, with strong lateral carina extending down. Mesonotum and scutellum shagreened, distance between punctures 0.5–2 puncture diameters, punctures coarse on mesonotum and medium-sized on scutellum. Propodeum roughened and rugose. Forewing usually with two submarginal cells of similar size (recurrent veins 1–2 ending at submarginal cell 2), more rarely with three submarginal cells. Nervulus interstitial to antefurcal.

Metasoma ( Fig. 8 D). Terga very shiny, shagreened basally, smooth to superficially shagreened apically. Punctures of medium size and density, distance between punctures 0.5–2 puncture diameters.

Genitalia and hidden sterna ( Figs. 12 F, 13F). Gonocoxites with strong, pointed dorsal lobes. Gonostylus spatulate, broadening apically. Penis valves of moderate width, tapering apically, basal part with broad ventral lamella projecting laterally ( Fig. 12 F). Sternum 8 columnar, narrow and elongate, apex broadened ( Fig. 13 F).

Differential diagnosis. The male of A. wolfi is easily distinguishable from A. iohannescaroli by the partially yellow clypeus (fully black in A. iohannescaroli ) and short flagellomere 1 (almost as long as 2+ 3 in A. iohannescaroli ).

Flight period: February–April.

Flower records: Brassicaceae : Erucaria microcarpa (2♀); Caryophyllaceae : Silene aegyptiaca (1Ƌ).

Material examined: ISRAEL: Bet Guvrin , 27.iii.1976, A. Freidberg (1♀) ; Devira, 12.iv.2009, L. Friedman (1Ƌ); Gal'on , 2 km NW, 5.iv.2015, G. Pisanty (1♀) ; Lakhish , 3 km NE, 4.iii.2016, G. Pisanty (1♀) ; Yiftach , 21.iv.2015, O. Winberger (1♀) . WEST BANK: Berakha , 2 km S, 6.iii.2015, L. Friedman (4♀, 2Ƌ); En Mabua, 28.ii.2007, L. Friedman (2♀) ; Jerusalem, upper Nahal Darga, 8.iii.2015, T. Jumah (1Ƌ); Kefar Adummim, northfacing slope of Nahal Perat , 27.ii.2007, A. Freidberg & L. Friedman (22♀, 6Ƌ); Kefar Adummim, southern slope, 28.ii.2007, L. Friedman (1♀) ; Nahal Perat , 14.iii.2015, G. Pisanty (2♀) ; Nahal Perat, south-facing slope, 28.ii.2007, L. Friedman (1Ƌ); Za'atara , 6.iii.2015, T. Jumah (2♀) . ISRAEL / WEST BANK?: Judean Desert , 11.iii.1980, A. Hefetz (3♀, 1Ƌ) [ES, OLML, SMNHTAU].

Remarks. Andrena wolfi was hitherto known from only two females collected in the West Bank ( Gusenleitner & Scheuchl 2000). A single male collected in Sicily and described as Parandrena iohannescaroli Nobile 2000 , was assumed to be the male of A. wolfi and hence synonymized (Gusenleitner & Schwarz 2 002). However, our discovery of males collected very close to the type locality, and appearing radically different from the Sicilian specimen, lead us to reinstate A. iohannescaroli as a valid species.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Andrena wolfi, male: A, habitus, lateral view; B, head, anterior view; C, head and mesosoma, dorsal view; D, metasoma, dorsal view.

FIGURE 12. Male genital capsules, dorsal view: A, Andrena israelica n. sp.; B, A. judaea n. sp.; C, A. palaestina n. sp.; D, A. hermonella n. sp.; E, A. menahemella n. sp.; F, A. wolfi; G, A. sphecodimorpha mediterranea n. ssp.; H, A. perahia n. sp.; I, A. crocusella n. sp.

FIGURE 13. Male eighth sterna, ventral view: A, Andrena israelica n. sp.; B, A. judaea n. sp.; C, A. palaestina n. sp.; D, A. hermonella n. sp.; E, A. menahemella n. sp.; F, A. wolfi; G, A. sphecodimorpha mediterranea n. ssp.; H, A. perahia n. sp.; I, A. crocusella n. sp.