Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) neffi Toro & Moldenke, 1979

Monckton, Spencer K., 2016, A revision of Chilicola (Heteroediscelis), a subgenus of xeromelissine bees (Hymenoptera, Colletidae) endemic to Chile: taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography, with descriptions of eight new species, ZooKeys 591, pp. 1-144 : 80-86

Taxon classification Animalia Hymenoptera Colletidae

Chilicola (Heteroediscelis) neffi Toro & Moldenke, 1979 Figs 3A; 4 A–B; 5C; 25A; 26 C–D; 43 A–J; 49

Chilicola neffi Toro & Moldenke, 1979: 118-119 (male holotype, female allotype, AMNH [examined]). Packer 2008: 74, 77-78 (phylogeny). Montalva and Ruz 2010: 29 (checklist). Moure et al. 2012 (catalogue). Ascher and Pickering 2015 (checklist).

Diagnosis.

Males and females of Chilicola neffi are differentiated from all other species of the subgenus except for Chilicola packeri by the longitudinal depressions on the paraocular area. Males are distinguished from the latter by the broader metabasitarsus, ≤3.9 × as long as maximum depth (≥4 × in Chilicola packeri ). Females are distinguished by the darker metasoma, with T1-T3 mostly dark brown; lighter-coloured females have orange-brown colouration restricted to the marginal zone and pregradular area of T1-T3, with disc always dark brown in apical half (in Chilicola packeri T1-T3 are almost entirely orange-brown, with at most premarginal line dark brown).

Description.

Male. Length 5.0-5.7mm, forewing length 3.1-3.2mm, head width 1.0-1.1mm, thorax width 1.1-1.2mm, median ocellar diameter (OD) 0.10-0.12mm.

Colouration: Black-brown, following parts yellow: labrum; variable on clypeus from inverted T to median line only, apex dark laterad; lower paraocular area extending <1OD above transverse epistomal suture, not reaching ventral tangent of antennal socket; apicoventral spot on scape; apex of profemur broadly on anterior surface, narrowly on posterior surface; dorsal surface of protibia, including dorsal half of anterior surface; apicodorsal rim of mesofemur, wider anteriorly; narrow basal ring and apicodorsal spot on mesotibia; apicodorsal rim of metafemur; basal quarter of metatibia, as well as apical ring narrow on anterior surface, extending to summit of ventral convexity and widened to apical quarter on posterior surface; anterior spot on tegula. Following yellow-brown: apicoventral surface of pedicel, sometimes brown; ventral surface of flagellum, narrowing basally on F1, remaining flagellomeres variably suffused with brown basally and terminal flagellomere sometimes brown; protrochanter apical rim posteriorly; anterior surface of probasitarsus; apical half of prodistitarsus. Apical one-third of mesodistitarsus brown. Posterior metatibial carina black. Metasoma dark brown, T1-T6 marginal zones yellow-brown to translucent yellow at margins. Apex of T7 yellow to translucent yellow at margin.

Pubescence: White, hairs generally short (0.5OD) and sparse, not especially plumose; on lower paraocular area and around antennal base moderately long and moderately dense (1OD); genal beard long and moderately dense (0.5-3OD) longest at midlength; discs of mesoscutum, scutellum, and metanotum mostly bare, few short hairs (0.5OD), denser and as long or longer toward lateral margin as follows: mesoscutum (0.5OD), scutellum (0.5-1OD) also on posterior margin, longest posteromedially, metanotum (≤2OD); propodeal hairs moderately long and dense dorsolaterally (0.5-1.5OD); T1-T3 apicolateral patches of tomentum (0.5-1OD); S2 hairs long and dense (1.5OD basolaterad, 1OD distilaterad, shorter mesad).

Surface sculpture: Microsculpture imbricate, integument generally dull; punctures generally small and deep. Clypeus and supraclypeal and lower paraocular areas moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d) except clypeus sparsely punctate in apical half (i=2-3d), supraclypeal area densely punctate toward lateral margin (i≤d); frontal area very densely punctate (i≤0.5d); ocellocular space moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d); vertexal area very densely punctate (i≤0.5d); scape shallowly and sparsely punctate (i=2d); genal area microstriate and densely punctate (i≤d); hypostomal area weakly imbricate and moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d); pronotum densely punctate (i=0.5-1d), lateral surface coarsely imbricate; mesoscutum densely punctate (i=0.5-1d); scutellum moderately densely punctate (i=0.5-2d) punctures crowded around median (i≤0.5d); mesepisternum irregularly punctate, moderately dense below scrobe (i=0.5-2d), sparser anterior of episternal groove (i=1-2d), irregularly spaced on hypoepimeral area (i≤2d); metanotum densely punctate (i=0.5-1d) punctures crowded around median and anteriorly (i≤0.5d); metepisternum densely punctate (i≤d) distinctly longitudinally striate anterodorsally; metapostnotum rugose; propodeum coarsely imbricate, rugulose posteriorly, moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d); T1-T5 coarsely imbricate; T1-T2 moderately densely punctate (i≤2d); T3-T5 densely punctate throughout (i≤d); T6 moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d) and coarsely imbricate posteriorly; T7 moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d); marginal zones of terga weakly imbricate and shiny, minutely punctate.

Structure: Labrum ~2.6 × wider than long (21:8); malar space ~0.4 × as long as clypeal lateral (3:7); LOT below anterior tentorial pits; length of clypeus subequal to maximum width in frontal view (28:28) extending for less than half of its length beyond LOT; median longitudinal groove on clypeus weakly present in dorsal half, absent ventrad; subantennal sutures 1.5 × as long as the shortest distance between them (15:10); IAD ~1.6 × AOD (11:7); scape ~2.67 × as long as maximum width (24:9); pedicel as long as wide (8:8); F1 shorter than wide (6:8.5); F2 ~1.33 × as long as F1 and same length as F3 (F2:F3 - 8:8); UOD ~1.4 × LOD, IOD ~1.1 × UOD (UOD:IOD:LOD - 43:47:31); frontal line carinate between antennal bases for a length less than 1OD, flat just below median ocellus for a length of ~1OD, otherwise undefined; MOC longer than width of head (78:74); OOC ~0.7 × IOC (11:16); genal area ~0.67 × as wide as compound eye in lateral view (17:27); ratio of lengths of mesoscutum: scutellum: metanotum: metapostnotum - 53:20:9:14; probasitarsus 3.5 × as long as maximum depth (21:6); length of prodistitarsus subequal to that of preceding three tarsomeres combined (from II to V - 6:5:4:14); metafemur ~1.75 × as long as maximum depth (59:34); summit of metatibial ventral convexity at approximately two-thirds tibial length; metatibia ~2.1 × as long as maximum depth (49:23); in apical view apical lamina of metatibia short and thick, length ~0.67 × OD (6:9); ventral metatibial carina greatly reduced and originating in apical half of posterior carina, the latter sharply inflected near base; metabasitarsus ~3.75 × as long as maximum depth (32:8.5); S1 process apical surface weakly convex, in lateral view anterior and posterior margins subparallel apically. S7 apodemal arm sclerotized margin entire, enclosing membranous portion of arm; ventral lobe ~0.5 × as broad as basal attached length; dorsal lobe somewhat anteriorly curved and digitiform, apex widened relative to midlength, with row of broad setae mesobasally to apex; apex of disc disinctly emarginate. S8 lateral process ~0.8 × as wide as long, lateral process anteromedial sclerotized margin having distinct convex incursion appearing swollen. Gonobase apicoventral truncate process biconvex and distinctly notched by ~1.5 × width of one convexity.

Female. Length 4.4-5.6mm, forewing length 2.6-2.8mm, head width 0.9-1.0mm, thorax width 1.0-1.1mm, median ocellar diameter (OD) 0.10mm.

Colouration: Black to black-brown except as follows: mandible with yellow basal spot, translucent yellow in apical half except apex translucent brown. Following parts yellow-brown: ventral surface of antenna from F3 to terminal flagellomere, flagellomeres suffused with brown basally, terminal flagellomere brown. Following parts yellow: dorsal surface of protibia; apical half of prodistitarsus; wide basal and narrow apical ring on mesotibia; anterior spot on tegula, sometimes faint. Following parts brown: apical one-third of mesodistitarsus; apicodorsal rim of metafemur; wide basal ring on metatibia. Metasoma variable from mostly black to mostly orange-brown, at least marginal zones of T1-T5 narrowly translucent yellow; individuals with lighter metasomae have T1-T5 marginal zones more widely yellow to translucent yellow at margins, and T1-T3 with pregradular area yellow to yellow-brown, but disc always mostly brown.

Pubescence: As in male except as follows: clypeal hairs short and sparse (0.5OD); genal beard sparse (0.5-2OD); discs of mesoscutum, scutellum, and metanotum with sparse short hairs (≤0.5OD), longer and denser toward lateral margin as follows: mesoscutum (0.5OD), scutellum (1-1.5OD) also on posterior margin, longest posteromedially, metanotum (≤1.5OD); scopae on metafemur and metatibia (1-1.5OD); T1-T2 apicolateral patches of tomentum (0.5-1OD), T3 apicolateral hair band sparse, not tomentose; S1 hairs long and moderately dense (≤2.5OD); S2 scopal hairs (1-3OD).

Surface sculpture: As in male except as follows: clypeus moderately densely punctate throughout (i=1-2d); supraclypeal area irregularly punctate (i=1-2d) densely punctate toward lateral margin (i≤d); lower paraocular area densely punctate (i=d); frontal area densely punctate (i≤d); ocellocular space moderately densely punctate adjacent to compound eye (i=1-2d) becoming impunctate adjacent to lateral ocellus; vertexal area densely punctate (i≤d); scape shallowly and moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d); genal area densely punctate (i=d); hypostomal area weakly imbricate and sparsely punctate (i≥2d); lateral surface of pronotum coarsely imbricate; mesoscutum and scutellum densely punctate (i=0.5-1d) punctures crowded around median (i≤0.5d); mesepisternum irregularly punctate, moderately dense below scrobe (i=1-3d), sparser anterior of episternal groove (i=1-4d), irregularly spaced on hypoepimeral area (i≤2d); metanotum densely punctate (i=0.5-1d) punctures crowded around median and anteriorly (i≤0.5d); metapostnotum rugose, more weakly microsculptured posteriorly; propodeum moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d); T1-T5 punctures small and sparse (i=1-3d); T6 moderately densely punctate (i=1-2d).

Structure: Labrum 2.3 × wider than long (23:10); malar space ~0.33 × as long as clypeal lateral (2.5:7.5); LOT below anterior tentorial pits; clypeus subequal in length to maximum width in frontal view (28.5:27) extending for less than half of its length beyond LOT; median longitudinal groove weak on clypeus; subantennal sutures 1.25 × as long as the shortest distance between them (12.5:10); IAD ~1.8 × AOD (11.5:6.5); scape ~3.33 × as long as maximum width (20:6); pedicel longer than wide (8:6); F1 slightly shorter than wide (5:5.5); F2 shorter than F1 and shorter than F3 (F2:F3 - 3:4); UOD ~1.4 × LOD, IOD ~1.05 × as long as UOD (UOD:IOD:LOD - 40:42.5:29); frontal line carinate in lower half, flat above; MOC longer than width of head (75:66.5); OOC ~0.67 × IOC (10:15); genal area ~0.7 × as wide as eye in lateral view (16:23); ratio of lengths of mesoscutum: scutellum: metanotum: metapostnotum - 49:18:8:11; probasitarsus 3.5 × as long as maximum depth (21:6); length of prodistitarsus subequal to that of preceding three tarsomeres combined (from II to V - 5:4:3:13); metafemur ~3 × as long as maximum depth (41:14); metatibia ~4.2 × as long as maximum depth (52:12.5); metabasitarsus 3.75 × as long as maximum depth (30:8).

Material studied

(47 males & 91 females). Holotype (male): Region II, Taltal, S 25.406°, W 70.481°, 39m, 30.ix.1972, J. Neff (AMNH); Allotype (female): same data as holotype (AMNH); Region II: one paratype female, same data as holotype, on Oxalis (AMNH); one paratype female, same locality and collector as holotype, 1.x.1972, on Cristaria (AMNH); one paratype female, same locality and collector as holotype, 1.x.1972, on Balbisia peduncularis (AMNH); two males and five females, S of Taltal, Ruta 1 km 9.6, S 25.5059°, W 70.4167°, 608m, 1.xii.2014, L. Packer (PCYU); two males and one female, SE of Taltal, B-902 km 1, S 25.5023°, W 70.4122°, 564m, 2.xii.2014, L. Packer (PCYU); two males and one female, SE of Taltal, Ruta 1, km 11, S 25.4936°, W 70.4213°, 499m, 27.ix-17.xi.2013, J. Postlethwaite & S. Monckton, blue cup (PCYU); one male and one female, same data, yellow cup (PCYU); one male, same locality, 17.xi.2013, J. Postlethwaite, white pan, CCDB-22789 D08 (PCYU); one female, Ruta 5, km 1006, S 26.2495°, W 70.4805°, 606m, 19.xi.2002, J. Grixti & A. Zayed, on Nolana (PCYU); one male and two females, N of Taltal, Ruta 1 km 32.1, S 25.3426°, W 70.4444°, 17m, 2.xii.2014, L. Packer (PCYU); one male and one female, Beach 16 km N of Taltal, S 25.284°, W 70.45°, 21m, 20.xi.2002, J. Grixti & A. Zayed, yellow pan (CTMI); two females, same data (PCYU); one male and two females, N of Taltal, Ruta 1, km 40, S 25.2692°, W 70.4378°, 37m, 5.xi.2013, S. Monckton (PCYU); eight males and twenty-three females, N of Taltal, Ruta 1 km 43.6, S 25.2463°, W 70.4321°, 29m, 2.xii.2014, L. Packer (PCYU); one female, N of Taltal, S 25.231°, W 70.437°, 20m, 20.xi.2002, J. Grixti & A. Zayed, blue pan (PCYU); one male and one female, S of Paposo, Ruta 1, km 44, S 25.2433°, W 70.4336°, 42m, 5.xi.2013, S. Monckton (PCYU); two males and eight females, N of Taltal, S 25.231°, W 70.437°, 20m, 20.xi.2002, J. Grixti & A. Zayed, yellow pan (PCYU); two males and three females, same data, white pan (PCYU); two females, 13 km S of Paposo, S 25.1612°, W 70.4423°, 36m, 28.ix.2002, J. Grixti & A. Zayed, on Oxalis bulbocastanum (PCYU); three males and five females, S of Paposo, Ruta 1, km 85.5, S 25.1519°, W 70.4552°, 5m, 5.xi.2013, S. Monckton (PCYU); seven males and sixteen females, ~13km S of Paposo, S 25.111°, W 70.484°, 21m, 29.ix-4.x.2002, J Grixti & A Zayed, yellow pan (PCYU); four females, same data, 28.ix-29.ix.2002 (PCYU); six males and one female, Paposo, S 25.003°, W 70.463°, 39m, 1.x.1983, R. Aldunate (PUCV); one male and one female, same locality and date, F. Rodriguez (BBSL); two males and one female, 29 km N of Paposo, S 24.7830°, W 70.5402°, 59m, 29.x.2014, J. Postlethwaite, pan traps (PCYU); one male, same data, vane trap (PCYU); one male and two females, Cuesta Paposo, S 25.0186°, W 70.4271°, 676m, 24.x.2013, S. Monckton, PCYU 0021578, PCYU 0021645, CCDB-22791 E02 // PCYU 0021646 (PCYU); one male and three females, same locality and collector, 5.xi.2013, CCDB-19989 A01 // PCYU 0021663, CCDB-19989 A02 // PCYU 0021664, PCYU 0021579, PCYU 0021580 (PCYU).

Distribution.

Northern coastal extension of Intermediate Desert, from Taltal north to 29 km N of Paposo and inland SE of Taltal (Region II); 5-676m a.s.l.

Ecology.

Collected on Balbisia peduncularis (Lindl.) D.Don (1 record), Cristaria (1 record), Nolana (1 record), Oxalis (1 record), and Oxalis bulbocastanum Phil. (2 records). Recorded September to December.

Comments.

One female from Ruta 5, km 1006 (C.neff.072) has the metasomal colouration of Chilicola packeri , but is identified as Chilicola neffi based on metabasitarsus dimensions and collecting locality, which is most consistent with the observed range of this species.