Chlerogella fortunaensis Engel, 2009

Engel, Michael, 2009, Revision of the bee genus Chlerogella (Hymenoptera, Halictidae), Part I: Central American species, ZooKeys 23 (23), pp. 47-75 : 59-62

Chlerogella fortunaensis Engel , sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:92FA9B32-B9DA-49D4-87CA-76F801781154

Figs 17–19; Map 1

Holotype. ♁, PANAMÁ: Fortuna , Chiriquí, 1050m, 8°44΄N, 82°15΄W, 10–16.

VIII.1977 [10–16 August 1977], H. Wolda, at light ( SEMC).

Diagnosis. Among the darker Central American species C. fortunaensis can be recognized by the combination of metallic blue integument on the head and mesosoma (Figs 17–19), unmodified sterna III–V, brown clypeal apex and pedicel, and largely brown scape.

Description. Male: Total body length 9.36 mm; forewing length 6.0 mm. Head length 2.76 mm, width 1.62 mm. Base of clypeus below lower tangent of compound eyes. Malar space 56% compound eye length (malar length 0.78 mm; compound eye length 1.4 mm). Upper interorbital distance 0.8 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.42 mm. First flagellomere about as long as pedicel, about as long as wide. Intertegular distance 1.28 mm; mesoscutellum bigibbous. Basal vein distad cu-a by three times vein width; 1rs-m distad 1m-cu by three times vein width; 2rs-m distad 2m-cu by seven times vein width, 2rs-m straight; first submarginal cell longer than combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells; second submarginal cell not narrowed anteriorly, anterior border of second submarginal cell along Rs slightly shorter than that of third submarginal cell; posterior border of third submarginal cell approximately twice as long as anterior border. Distal hamuli arranged 2-1-2. Inner metatibial spur serrate. Exposed portion of genitalia (gonostyli and apical halves of penis valves) similar to C. anthonoma except apex of valves densely covered with moderate-length thick setae, those more apical slightly longer, dorsally with two thick moderate-length setae reaching over apex.

Clypeus and supraclypeal area faintly imbricate with weak punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width; face smooth with minute punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width, punctures becoming more widely spaced in ocellocular area and on vertex and gena, separated by 2–5 times a puncture width; postgena imbricate and impunctate. Pronotum smooth; mesoscutum smooth with minute punctures separated by 2–3 times a puncture width except around median line punctures more coarse and separated by 1–2 times a puncture width; mesoscutellum smooth with punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width; metanotum smooth with scattered minute punctures;

Figures Ι7–Ι9. Holotype male of Chlerogella fortunaensis , sp. n. Ι7 Lateral habitus as preserved Ι8 Facial aspect Ι9 Lateral aspect of head.

Figures 20–23. Male terminalia for Panamanian Chlerogella species (excluding C. fortunaensis , sp. n. which was not dissected owing to condition of the holotype and the unknown male for C. clidemiae Engel ) 20 Chlerogella elongaticeps Michener , sternum IV 2Ι C. elongaticeps , genital capsule (left is dorsal aspect, right is ventral aspect) 22 C. prolixa , sp. n., hidden and fused sterna VII and VIII 23 C. prolixa , sp. n., genital capsule (left is dorsal aspect, right is ventral aspect). All scale bars = 1.0 mm.

pleura smooth with minute punctures separated by 3–5 times a puncture width except metepisternum impunctate. Propodeum imbricate. Metasoma weakly imbricate.

Mandible amber with reddish apex; labrum amber; clypeal apex brown, remainder of clypeus and head brilliant metallic blue with a few metallic purple highlights; base of scape amber, remainder of scape and pedicel brown, first flagellomere dark brown (remainder of antenna not preserved). Mesosoma brilliant metallic blue with a few metallic purple highlights; tegula brown with a few metallic blue highlights anteriorly. Wing membranes hyaline; veins dark brown. Legs brown to dark brown with metallic blue highlights on coxae, metatrochanter, and metafemur. Metasoma dark brown.

Pubescence generally white except fuscous on metatarsus. Typical pilosity for gen- der except postgena with scattered elongate, sinuate setae, a few with minute apical branches; ventral surfaces of metafemur and metatibia with widely scattered elongate, sinuate, largely simple setae. Metasoma SIII without apical setal fringe and SIV without medioapical setal pads.

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet is based on the type locality, Fortuna, Panamá.

Comments. This species is based on a poorly-preserved male captured in a trap sampling insects in Chiriquí. The head became detached at some time in the past and was mounted on the block beneath the body. Th e head is missing the antennae except for the scape, pedicel, and first flagellomere of the left antenna. Th e body is somewhat covered in fine debris and scales and the apex of the metasoma opened with the apex of the genitalia exposed. Given the fragility of the specimen it was not dissected further but fortunately the male genitalia are sufficiently visible to further confirm the distinctness of the species.