Andrena (Euandrena) eosphora, WOOD, 2024

WOOD, T. J., 2024, Further revisions to the Palaearctic Andrena fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 5483 (1), pp. 1-150 : 91-95

Andrena (Euandrena) eosphora spec. nov.

Figures 59A–C; E; G–H ; 60A–F .

HOLOTYPE: TURKEY: Hakkâri, Suvari Halil-Pass [37.4994 oN, 43.3381 oE], 2600 m, 15.vi.1981, ♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM.

PARATYPES: TURKEY: Hakkâri, Suvari Halil-Pass , 2600 m, 14–15.vi.1981, 13♂, 22♀, leg. K. Warncke & M. Kraus, OÖLM/ TJWC ; Hakkâri, Gevria Pass / Mt. Sat , 2800 m, 22.v.1989, 4♂, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; Hakkâri, pass E of Uludere , 6.vi.1977, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; Hakkâri, Suvari Halil-Pass , 2500 m, 2.vi.1980, 13♀, leg. K. Warncke & M. Schwarz, OÖLM ; Hakkâri, Suvari Halil-Pass , 2800 m, 14.vi.1984, 4♂, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; Hakkâri, Suvari Halil-Pass , 2900 m, 20.v.1989, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM; Nemrut Dağı / Bitlis, 2350 m, 25.v.1989, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM .

Description: Female: Body length: 7.5– 8 mm ( Figure 59A ). Head: Dark, 1.2 times longer than wide ( Figure 59B ). Clypeus weakly domed, more or less flattened medially, densely punctate, punctures separated by ≤0.5 puncture diameters over majority of area, only very slightly sparser medially, underlying surface weakly shagreened, shining. Process of labrum rounded trapezoidal, 3 times wider than long, surface smooth and shining. Gena slightly exceeding width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance slightly exceeding diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae dorsally narrow, occupying ⅓ of space between compound eye and lateral ocellus, equalling width of flagellum, narrowing further ventrally at level of antennal insertions; foveae filled with dark brown hairs dorsally, becoming light brown ventrally. Face predominantly with pale whitish pubescence, with black hairs restricted to inner margins of compound eyes, gena with whitish hairs, vertex with longer golden-brown hairs. Antennae dark, A5–12 ventrally lightened by presence of grey scales; A3 exceeding A4+5, shorter than A4+5+6.

Mesosoma: Scutum anteriorly and laterally with microsculpture, weakly shining, medially becoming smooth and shining with very weak shagreenation; surface irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–2 puncture diameters, by up to 4 puncture diameters medially ( Figure 59C ). Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum with dense granular microreticulation, dull. Dorsolateral parts of propodeum with granular microreticulation, weakly shining, sculpture overlain by sparse network of raised rugosity forming appearance of shallow punctures with raised rims. Propodeal triangle laterally with fine granular shagreen, shining, medially and basally covered with dense network of raised rugae ( Figure 59G ). Mesepisternum laterally with moderate whitish to light brownish hairs, scutum and scutellum with short densely plumose golden-brown hairs, hairs thus appearing sub-squamous ( Figure 59E ). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, weakly formed, dorsal fringe composed of golden-brown plumose hairs, internal surface with scattered golden-brown simple hairs. Legs dark, black to light brown. Flocculus moderately developed, composed of brownish hairs; femoral and tibial scopae composed of golden-brown simple hairs. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation dark orange-brown, nervulus interstitial.

Metasoma: Terga dark, margins of T2–4 distinctly depressed, lightened dark brown, apical rim of T1–4 narrowly lightened hyaline-yellow ( Figure 59H ). Tergal discs finely microreticulate, sparsely punctate, punctures separated by 1–3 puncture diameters, punctures not extending onto margins. Tergal discs medially with very scattered short hairs, almost hairless, laterally with erect light brownish hairs. Apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate dark brown. Pygidial plate rounded triangular, margins impunctate, medially with dense confluent punctures, surface dull.

Male: Body length: 7 mm ( Figure 60A ). Head: Dark, 1.2 times wider than long ( Figure 60B ). Clypeus weakly domed, more or less flattened medially, densely punctate, punctures separated by ≤0.5 puncture diameters over majority of area, underlying surface shagreened, weakly shining. Process of labrum trapezoidal, 2 times wider than long, apical margin emarginate, surface smooth and shining. Gena equalling width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance equalling diameter of lateral ocellus. Face medially with white hairs, black hairs restricted to inner margins of compound eyes, gena and vertex with long white hairs; facial hairs often exceeding length of scape.Antennae dark basally, A4–13 ventrally lightened by presence of grey scales; A3 exceeding A4, shorter than A4–5; A4 quadrate, slightly wider than long, A5–13 rectangular, clearly longer than wide.

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum laterally shagreened, weakly shining, medially becoming smooth and shining, irregularly punctate with punctures of variable size, punctures separated by 0.5–3 puncture diameters ( Figure 60C ). Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum and propodeum structurally as in female ( Figure 60D ). Mesosoma uniformly with long white hairs, longest exceeding length of scape. Legs dark, pubescence whitish. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation orange, nervulus interstitial.

Metasoma: Terga structurally as in female, terga laterally with erect scattered white hairs ( Figure 60E ). S6–7 with long white hairs overlying pygidial plate. S8 narrow, columnar, ventral surface covered with short white hairs. Genital capsule simple, gonocoxae apically produced into weak rounded bumps, gonostyli narrow, slightly broadened apically, spatulate, inner margins slightly raised ( Figure 60F ). Penis valves narrow, more or less parallel-sided, occupying ¼ of space between gonostyli, slightly constricted medially.

Diagnosis. Andrena eosphora can be placed in the subgenus Euandrena due to the narrow facial foveae, occupying slightly less than one third of the space between the compound eye and a lateral ocellus, the foveae narrowing further ventrally, pronotum without humeral angle, A3 long (clearly exceeding A4+5), and the simple hairs of the tibial scopae (hairs not plumose). Due to its pale facial pubescence with dark hairs limited to the inner margins of the compound eyes ( Figure 59B ), slightly domed and densely punctate clypeus (punctures predominantly separated by ≤0.5 puncture diameters), light brown and densely plumose hairs of the scutum and scutellum ( Figure 59E ; thus appearing sub-squamous), propodeal triangle with raised rugae basally and medially, and terga with almost impunctate discs and clearly depressed marginal areas that are lightened brown ( Figure 59H ), it is closest to A. allosa canigica Warncke, 1975 . Given the work of Praz et al. (2019) who elevated A. allosa pileata Warncke, 1975 ( Greece) to species status, the status of A. allosa canigica must be dealt with, since it will not be conspecific with A. allosa Warncke, 1975 s. str. for the same reasons given by Praz et al. Given the strong morphological similarity between A. pileata and A. allosa canigica (differences are predominantly related to hair colour; no sculptural differences could be detected based on examined material, see below), they are considered likely to be conspecific, and so A. pileata canigica comb. nov. is conservatively placed in combination with A. pileata .

Andrena eosphora is extremely similar to A. pileata canigica , but the two species can be separated by the sculpture and punctation of the scutum which in A. eosphora is laterally microreticulate and dull, becoming smooth and shining over the majority of the centre of the disc as well as the centre of the scutellum, and irregularly punctate, laterally punctate by 0.5–2 puncture diameters, punctures becoming sparser medially, separated by up to 3–4 puncture diameters ( Figure 59C ). In contrast, A. pileata canigica shows a uniformly shagreened and at most weakly shining scutum and scutellum, and punctation is also more regular, separated by 0.5–2 puncture diameters, typically by 2 puncture diameters medially, punctation not becoming as scattered as in A. eosphora ( Figure 59D ). Given that the two taxa can be found in sympatry in south-eastern Turkey (specifically, the Suvari Halil-Pass and east of Uludere, see “Other material examined” below), without apparent introgression, these are considered to be stable characters.

Since the male of A. pileata canigica (as well as the male of A. pileata s. str.) is unknown, diagnosis against A. eosphora is not possible. However, the male of A. eosphora is similar to the male of A. ridicula spec. nov., with which it can occur in sympatry, due to the predominantly pale facial pubescence with black hairs restricted to the inner margins of the compound eyes ( Figure 60B ), sculptured and weakly punctate terga with depressed margins that are lightened brown ( Figure 60E ), and genital capsule with very narrow penis valves ( Figure 60F ). The two species can be separated by the length of the head which in A. eosphora is relatively broad, 1.2 times wider than long, whereas A. ridicula has the head comparatively elongate, only 1.05 times wider than long, and also by the weaker sculpturing of the scutum of A. eosphora , medially smooth and shining ( Figure 60C ), more or less consistently shagreened and weakly shining in A. ridicula .

Remarks. Specimens from the Suvari-Halil pass were collected from Ranunculus ( Ranunculaceae ) and Crocus ( Iridaceae ).

Etymology. From the Greek eosophora meaning dawn-bringer, in reference to its easterly distribution. It is a noun in apposition.

Distribution. South-eastern Turkey (provinces of Bitlis and Hakkâri).

Other material examined ( Andrena pileata ) GREECE: Chelmos , Peloponnes, 1900 m, 1.vi.1962, 1♀, leg. M. Schwarz , OÖLM (holotype); Chelmos [Aroania], 1700 m, 27–29.v.1987, 2♀, leg. H. Teunissen, RMNH ; Central Greece, Mt. Parnassos , immediately NW of ski centre, 1750 m, 9.iv.2024, 6♀, leg. T.J. Wood, TJWC; ( Andrena pileata canigica ) TURKEY: Ulu Dag [Uludağ] b. Bursa, 15.v.1959, 1♀, leg. Schweiger , OÖLM (holotype of A. allosa canigica ); Bolu lake env., 28.iv.1994, 1♀, leg. K. Deneš, OÖLM ; Hakkâri, pass E of Uludere , 6.vi.1977, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; Hakkâri, Suvari Halil-Pass , 2500 m, 2.vi.1980, 2♀, leg. M. Schwarz, OÖLM ; Kars, 20 km W of Sarıkamış , 2100 m, 29.v.1983, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; Hakkâri, Tanin-Tanin-Pass, 23–2800 m, 3.vi.1980, 1♂, 4♀, leg. M. Schwarz, OÖLM ; Hakkâri, Tanin-Tanin-Pass, 2500 m, 2.vi.1980, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; Uludere , Hakkâri, 5.vi.1977, 1♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; W Sarikamis [Sarıkamış]/ Kars, 31.v.1977, 2♂, 3♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; Yeniköy / Kars, 24.v.1975, 2♀, leg. K. Warncke , OÖLM.

Figures

FIGURE 59. Andrena (Euandrena) eosphora spec. nov. female. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Scutum, dorsal view; E. Mesepisternum, lateral view; G. Propodeum, dorsal view; H. Terga, dorsal view. Andrena (Euandrena) pileata ssp. canigica Warncke, 1975 female. D. Scutum, dorsal view; F. Mesepisternum, lateral view.

FIGURE 60. Andrena (Euandrena) eosphora spec. nov. male.A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Scutum, dorsal view; D. Propodeum, dorsal view; E. Terga, dorsal view; F. Genital capsule, dorsal view.