Colletes langano Kuhlmann

Kuhlmann, Michael & Pauly, Alain, 2013, The bee genus Colletes Latreille 1802 in Ethiopia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae), Zootaxa 3693 (2), pp. 267-292 : 276-278

Colletes langano Kuhlmann sp. n.

( Figs 8 , 9 , 16 )

Only two females of this species were collected in Ethiopia but a single specimen from Yemen might represent the male of C. langano . This male was diagnosed and described here but because of the uncertainty it is not included in the type series nor the distribution map ( Fig. 16 ).

Diagnosis. Colletes langano is related to the Palaearctic species in the Colletes nigricans -group and belongs to a group of four species that are distributed in sub-Saharan Africa ( C. missionum Cockerell, C. rothschildi Vachal, C. ruficollis Friese, C. somereni Cockerell) and the Arabian Peninsula ( C. guichardi Kuhlmann ) (Kuhlmann 2003). This species-group is characterized by the propodeum being laterally densely covered with short appressed hairs that at least partly hide the sculpture of the integument, and the more or less extensive dark red markings of the clypeus, labrum and in most species parts of the abdominal terga.

The female of C. langano is characterized by a combination of the following characters: mesoscutum densely and extensively covered with a mix of yellowish-brown and black hairs (no black hairs in C. missionum ; black hairs few and restricted to mesoscutal disc in C. guichardi , C. ruficollis and C. somereni ); integument of metasomal terga black (at least discs of T1-3 medio-apically with narrow dark red stripe in C. ruficollis , C. missionum and sometimes in C. somereni ); apical hair bands of metasomal terga broad, formed by relatively dispersed and short (2-3 times longer than broad) appressed hairs ( Fig. 10 d) (bands narrower and formed of dense layers of either even shorter and triangular hairs as in C. guichardi and C. missionum , or longer hairs, as in C. ruficollis ).

The male from Yemen that is assumed to belong to C. langano is best characterized by its long and slender, apically slightly broadened and truncate S7 ( Fig. 9 c) (apically much broader and emarginate in C. guichardi and C. missionum ; shorter and more clavate in C. ruficollis ; almost parallel-sided in C. somereni whose hind basitarsus in addition is conspicuously broadened and has a broad fringe of long hairs).

Description. Female. Bl = 10.5–11.0 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black except base of mandible, apical part of malar area, labrum and apical margin of clypeus dark reddish-brown. Face except clypeus densely covered with long, whitish-grey, erect hairs, vertex with blackish hairs ( Fig. 8 b). Clypeus with a shallow longitudinal median depression, supraclypeal area convex in profile. Clypeus coarsely and densely punctate (i = 0.5d), in median depression much finer and denser (i <0.5d); surface between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 8 b). Malar area medially about ¼ as long as width of mandible base, finely striate and punctate. Antenna black, ventrally reddish-brown. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth and shiny; disc densely punctate (i = 1.0d). Scutellum anteriorly impunctate with more dense punctation apically, surface smooth and shiny ( Fig. 8 c). Mesoscutum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with yellowish-white to brownish-grey, erect hairs, on mesoscutum intermixed with black hairs; scutellum and metanotum with bright orange hair ( Fig. 8 a, c). Wings. Very slightly yellowish; wing venation dark brown. Legs. Integument light to dark reddish-brown. Vestiture whitish to greyish, scopa yellowish-white with a few black hairs dorsally. Metasoma. Integument black except elevated apical margin of T1 yellowish translucent and disc of T1 apicomedially dark red; apical margins of following terga brownish translucent ( Fig. 8 d). T1 anteriorly sparsely covered with long, erect white hairs; discs of T3–T5 with short but successively longer black hairs; apical tergal hair band of T1 narrow, on the following terga broad ( Fig. 8 a, d). Terga densely and finely punctate (i <d), between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 8 d).

Male. Bl = 10.0 mm. Head. Head wider than long. Integument black except tips of mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, yellowish-brown, erect hairs. Malar area medially about 1/2 as long as width of mandible base, finely striate. Antenna black, ventrally dark brown. Mesosoma. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures smooth and shiny; disc densely punctate (i = 0.5–1.0d). Scutellum anteriorly impunctate with denser punctation apically, surface smooth and shiny. Mesoscutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum covered with long, yellowish-brown erect hairs ( Fig. 9 a). Wings. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation brown. Legs. Integument dark reddish-brown. Vestiture yellowish-brown. Metasoma. Integument black except elevated apical margin of T1 yellowish translucent and discs of T1–T4 apicomedially dark red; apical margins of T2–T5 brownish translucent ( Fig. 9 b). T1 and disc of T2 sparsely covered with long, erect yellowish-white hairs ( Fig. 9 b); apical tergal hair bands broad ( Fig. 9 a, b). Terga densely and finely punctate (i <d), between punctures smooth and shiny ( Fig. 9 b). Terminalia. Genitalia and S7 as illustrated ( Figs. 9 c–d).

Type material (2 specimens). Holotype, female, ETHIOPIA, Oromia region, Langano Lodge near Lake Langano [38°40'48´´ E 7°36'59´´ N], 1631m, 27.x.2011, A. Pauly & Zewdu A., Leucas abyssinica (RBINS).

Paratype: 1 Ƥ, same dates as holotype (RCMK).

Additional material examined. YEMEN: 1 3, Sana [44°12' E 15°21' N], 27.x.1931, W. Filippov (ZMMU).

Etymology. Named after lake Langano in Ethiopia, where this species was collected.

General distribution. Only known from the type locality in Ethiopia ( Fig. 16 ) and Sanaa ( Yemen).

Floral hosts. Leucas abyssinica (Lamiaceae) .

Seasonal activity (first–last observations). X.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Colletes langano Kuhlmann sp. n., female: a. specimen, lateral view; b. head; c. scutum and scutellum; d. metasomal terga 1 and 2. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Colletes langano Kuhlmann sp. n., male: a. specimen, lateral view; b. metasomal terga 1 and 2; c. metasomal sternum 7 (dorsal view); d. gonostylus (lateral view). Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 10. Colletes rothschildi Vachal, female: a. specimen, lateral view; b. head; c. scutum and scutellum; d. metasomal terga 1 and 2. Scale bar: 1 mm.

FIGURE 16. Distribution of Colletes langano Kuhlmann sp. n., C. latipes Friese and C. microdontus Cockerell.