Andrena (Micrandrena) pelagica Warncke, 1975

WOOD, T. J., 2024, Further revisions to the Palaearctic Andrena fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 5483 (1), pp. 1-150 : 70-73

Andrena (Micrandrena) pelagica Warncke, 1975 stat. nov.

Andrena (Micrandrena) rugothorace ssp. pelagica Warncke, 1975b: 52 , ♀ [ Greece: Crete, OÖLM, examined]

Remarks. Warncke (1965: 65) described A. rugothorace from mainland Greece, and the species is distributed from southern Italy, the southern Balkans (North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece) to Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel (Wood 2021). Andrena rugothorace ssp. pelagica was later described from the island of Crete on the basis of its comparatively smooth and shiny scutum ( Figure 47A ), the only character given by Warncke in his one sentence description and diagnosis. Examination of material from across the known range of A. rugothorace indicates that this character is consistently different; from Greece to the Levant, A. rugothorace s. str. Specimens always have the scutum with strong granular microreticulation, weakly shining, with punctures with slightly raised rims ( Figures 47C; E ), hence prompting the name rugothorace . Sequences of A. rugothorace were generated from three specimens from north-eastern Greece and one specimen from eastern Lebanon (Beqaa valley). These showed minimal differentiation ( Figure 37 ); including three sequences from Israel ( Pisanty et al. 2022a), the seven sequences showed average intraspecific variation of 0.95% (range 0.14–1.52%), and hence Levantine populations are considered to be conspecific with A. rugothorace s. str. Two sequences of A. rugothorace ssp. pelagica were generated from Crete, and these were separated from A. rugothorace sequences by an average genetic distance of 3.20% (range 3.04–3.50%). Due to this small but consistent genetic difference, A. rugothorace ssp. pelagica formed a clade with bootstrap support of 88, and A. rugothorace formed a clade with bootstrap support of 81.

Morphologically, in the female sex, in contrast to the consistently microreticulate and only weakly shining scutum of A. rugothorace s. str., A. rugothorace ssp. pelagica has the scutum finely shagreened, more brightly shining, punctures without slightly raised margins, the scutum thus appearing smoother and less coarse ( Figure 47A ). Moreover, there is an additional character not mentioned by Warncke which is that the propodeal triangle of A. rugothorace ssp. pelagica is barely indicated laterally by carinae, these reduced and present only basally, medially with basal rugae that are strongly produced, irregular and comparatively widely spaced, this wide spacing contributing to the overall propodeal triangle being comparatively brightly shining ( Figure 47B ). In contrast, in A. rugothorace s. str. the propodeal triangle is laterally delineated by fine carinae, medially with a finer network of basal rugae, these less strongly produced and comparatively closely spaced, contributing to a propodeal triangle that is more dull, only weakly shining ( Figures 47D; F ).

The male of A. rugothorace ssp. pelagica is almost identical to that of A. rugothorace s. str., but can be recognised by its genital capsule where the gonostyli are basally slightly constricted, with the inner and outer margins not parallel, the outer margin with a slight emargination, and the inner margin with a slightly produced bump ( Figure 48E ; in A. rugothorace s. str. with the inner and outer margins more or less parallel, the outer margin evenly rounded from the gonocoxae to its apex, Figure 48F ), and the apexes of the gonostyli are more tapered and elongate, giving the overall capsule a more feeble and pointed appearance (in A. rugothorace s. str. with the gonostyli shorter, giving the overall capsule a more compact appearance in direct comparison). On the basis of these morphological and genetic differences, A. pelagica stat. nov. is raised to species status. It is endemic to the island of Crete.

Description of the male: Body length: 6 mm ( Figure 48A ). Head: Dark, 1.35 times wider than long ( Figure 48B ). Clypeus weakly domed, surface with weakly raised irregular latitudinal wrinkles, surface punctate between wrinkles, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters; underlying surface shagreened, weakly shining. Process of labrum rounded rectangular, 2 times wider than long, surface shining. Gena subequal to width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance subequal to diameter of lateral ocellus. Face, gena, vertex, and scape with long whitish hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae dark, A3 exceeding A4, shorter than A4+5; A4 extremely short, clearly 2 times wider than long, A5 quadrate, A6–13 progressively becoming slightly longer.

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum uniformly microreticulate, weakly shining, surface irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters ( Figure 48C ). Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum with granular microreticulation, weakly shining. Propodeum with granular microreticulation, sculpture overlain by sparse network of raised rugosity, surface weakly shining. Propodeal triangle lacking lateral carinae, internal surface with longitudinal raised rugae, covering entire surface of triangle, interspaces shining. Mesepisternum and propodeum with long white plumose hairs, hairs subequal to length of scape, hairs becoming shorter and light brown on scutum and scutellum. Legs dark, apical tarsal segments lightened orange-brown. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation orange-brown, nervulus interstitial.

Metasoma: Terga dark, marginal areas lightened dark brown ( Figure 48D ).Tergal discs microreticulate, sculpture becoming progressively weaker on apical tergal segments, more or less impunctate, punctures disappearing into underlying sculpture, surface weakly shining. Tergal discs with scattered short white hairs, T2–3 laterally with weak widely interrupted apical hair fringes. T6–7 with long whitish hairs overlying pygidial plate of T7. S8 columnar, apically rounded, ventral surface with fan of short orange-brown hairs. Genital capsule elongate, gonocoxae produced into pointed apical teeth, gonostyli basally slightly constricted, elongate, apical part long and spatulate, inner margin bluntly raised ( Figure 48E ). Penis valves basally slightly broadened, lateral margins with raised rims, narrowing apically, occupying ⅓ space between gonostyli.

Material examined. GREECE: Crete, Knossos , 21.v.1963, 1♀, leg. M. Schwarz, OÖLM (holotype) ; Crete, Dept. Chania, Omalos Plain , 4.v.1973, 2♂, 2♀, leg. v. Ooststroom, RMNH / TJWC ; Crete, Dept. Heraklion, Asterousia Mts. , betw. Loukia & Koumassa, 28.iv.1973, 1♀, leg. v. Ooststroom, RMNH ; Crete, Dept. Heraklion, Gortys [Gortyn], 26.iv.1973, 1♀, leg. v. Ooststroom, RMNH ; Crete, Dept. Heraklion, Phaestos [Phaistos], 26.iv.1973, 1♀, leg. v. Ooststroom, RMNH ; Crete, Dept. Rethymnon, Anogia , 27.iv.1973, 1♀, leg. v. Ooststroom, RMNH ; Crete, Lassithi Plain , 24.iv.1973, 1♀, leg. v. Ooststroom, RMNH ; Crete, Plateau Katharo [W of Katharon], 1160 m, 1.vi.2023, 2♀, leg. R. Le Divelec, RLDC ; Kriti [Crete], Aghia Galini , 24.iii.1978, 1♂, 1♀, leg. J.P. Duffels, RMNH / TJWC .

Distribution. Greece (Crete).

Figures

FIGURE 37. Phylogenetic tree (maximum likelihood) of Andrena subgenus Micrandrena Ashmead, 1899 based on the mitochondrial COI gene. Numbers above branches represent bootstrap support (values of <75 are omitted).

FIGURE 47. Andrena (Micrandrena) rugothorace ssp. pelagica Warncke, 1975 female.A. Scutum, dorsal view; B. Propodeum, dorsal view; Andrena (Micrandrena) rugothorace Warncke, 1965 female from Greece. C. Scutum, dorsal view; D. Propodeum, dorsal view; Andrena (Micrandrena) rugothorace Warncke, 1965 female from Lebanon. E. Scutum, dorsal view; F. Propodeum, dorsal view.

FIGURE 48. Andrena (Micrandrena) rugothorace ssp. pelagica Warncke, 1975 male.A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Scutum, dorsal view; D. Terga, dorsal view; E. Genital capsule, dorsal view; Andrena (Micrandrena) rugothorace Warncke, 1965 male. F. Genital capsule, dorsal view.