Megachile incana, Friese, 1898

Dorchin, Achik & Praz, Christophe J., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the Western Palaearctic bees of the subgenus Pseudomegachile (Hymenoptera, Apiformes, Megachilidae, Megachile), Zootaxa 4524 (3), pp. 251-307 : 273

incana species group

Description: This group is morphologically distinct in the 5–6-toothed mandible of the females ( Figs 7, 8 ), and in a number of conspicuous characteristics of the male such as the absence of the front coxal spine and the presence of a large, acute lateral tooth on T6 ( Figs 123 , 129 ). The group shares a number of common morphological traits with the cyanipennis and rhodoleucura species groups: in the female sex, these traits include the short robust mandible, with surface reticulate and shiny ( Figs 7, 8 ); the short and broad, weakly convex clypeus with small preapical medial protuberance ( Figs 7, 8 ); and the smooth, simple (non-denticulate) apical margin of the clypeus with apical tufts of stiff golden hairs ( Figs 7, 8 ). Traits shared by males are the multidentate, medially emarginate preapical carina of T6 ( Figs 123 , 129 ); and the erect apicomedial spine of T7 ( Fig. 129 ). As indicated below, the rhodoleucura species group appears to build a morphological transition between the incana and the cyanipennis groups. Two species are described here as new and added to the single species hitherto known in the group, M. incana . One of these new species, M. blepharis sp. nov., also shares a facial comb of modified apically curved hairs ( Figs 116, 117 ) and an apicomedial protuberance on the clypeus ( Fig. 8 ) with the rhodoleucura species group and with some members of the cyanipennis species group.

Figures

FIGURES 6–21. Clypeus and mandibles of females. 6: M. foersteri. 7: M. incana. 8: M. blepharis sp. nov.. 9: M. cinnamomea. 10: M. saussurei. 11: M. nigripes. 12: M. seraxensis. 13: M. ericetorum. 14: M. sanguinipes. 15 (hairs removed on left): M. maxschwarzi sp. nov.. 16 (hairs removed on left): M. flavipes. 17 (hairs removed on left): M. tecta. 18: M. cinnamomea. 19, 20 (profile): M. farinosa. 21: M. riyadhensis (profile). CT: clypeal tooth, APA: apical premarginal area of mandible, HT: clypeal hair tuft, FC: facial comb of hairs.

FIGURES 120–124. Diagnostic traits of M. blepharis sp. nov., males. 120: habitus (dorsal view). 121: habitus (lateral view). 122: vertex. 123: metasoma (posterior view). 124: habitus (facial view). LT: lateral tooth, PAC: preapical carina, AMS: apicomedial spine, GF: gonoforceps.

FIGURES 125–133. Diagnostic traits of M. plumigera sp. nov.. 125: holotype female (facial view). 126: holotype female (lateral view). 127: habitus of male (facial view). 128: habitus of male (lateral view). 129: underside of metasoma of male. 130: vertex of female. 131: vertex of male. 132: genital capsule of male. 133: segments of hind leg of female M. incana (lateral view). LT: lateral tooth, PAC: preapical carina, AMS: apicomedial spine, PVBMS: basomedial spine of penis valve, PVBLA: basolateral angle of penis valve, GF: gonoforceps

FIGURES 113–119. Diagnostic traits of M. blepharis sp. nov., females. 113: holotype (dorsal view). 114: holotype (lateral view). 115: vertex. 116: clypeus (profile). 117: holotype (facial view). 118: mesonotum compared with that of 119: M. plumigera sp. nov..