Andrena (Simandrena) michezi, WOOD, 2024

WOOD, T. J., 2024, Further revisions to the Palaearctic Andrena fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 5483 (1), pp. 1-150 : 114-116

Andrena (Simandrena) michezi spec. nov.

Figures 71A–C; E–G ; 72A–C; E–G .

HOLOTYPE: TURKEY: Harran / Urfa [Şanlıurfa, inferred 36.8575 oN, 39.0219 oE], 26.iv.1976, ♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM.

PARATYPES: TURKEY: Harran / Urfa, 19–26.iv.1976, 3♂, 46♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM/ TJWC ; Urfa, Ceylanpinar [Ceylanpınar], 25.iv.1976, 5♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM .

Description: Female: Body length: 7.5– 8 mm ( Figure 71A ). Head: Dark, 1.3 times wider than long ( Figure 71B ). Clypeus weakly domed, shallowly but densely punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters, narrow impunctate longitudinal mid-line present; underlying surface with granular shagreen over basal ¾, dull, narrowly becoming smooth and shining along apical margin ( Figure 71C ). Process of labrum trapezoidal, 2 times wider than long, apical margin straight to weakly emarginate, surface covered with latitudinal striations, weakly shining. Gena slightly exceeding width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance slightly exceeding diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae broad, dorsally occupying almost entire space between compound eye and lateral ocellus, ventrally narrowing slightly to 60% of dorsal width at level just below antennal insertions; foveae filled with dense whitish hairs, obscuring underlying surface. Face, gena, vertex, and scape covered with abundant white hairs, longest not equalling length of scape. Antennae basally dark, A5–12 lightened ventrally by presence of orange scales; A3 exceeding A4, slightly shorter than A4+5.

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum with dense granular shagreen, weakly shining, surface regularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters. Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining, with scattered and obscure punctures. Dorsolateral parts of propodeum with dense granular microreticulation, dull; propodeal triangle defined laterally by fine but distinct carinae, internal surface with dense granular microreticulation overlain by irregular pattern of weakly raised carinae, overall surface dull ( Figure 71E ). Mesepisternum with long white hairs, none equalling length of scape, scutum and scutellum with short densely plumose and sub-squamous light brown hairs, longest laterally, becoming shorter medially. Propodeal corbicula well-developed, complete, with both dorsal and anterior fringes, composed of long plumose light brownish hairs, internal surface hairless. Legs dark, hind tibiae lightened orange, pubescence light brown; hind tibiae broadened dorsally, apically 2 times basal width. Flocculus moderately developed, well-developed but not complete, composed of abundant white plumose hairs; femoral and tibial scopae composed of white simple hairs ( Figure 71F ). Tibial scopae composed of relatively long hairs, length of hairs clearly exceeding diameter of lateral ocellus. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation orange, nervulus slightly antefurcal.

Metasoma: Tergal discs predominantly dark, marginal areas broadly lightened hyaline orange-brown, colouration extending onto apexes of tergal discs ( Figure 71G ). Tergal discs finely shagreened, weakly shining, densely but shallowly and obscurely punctate, punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter. Discs of T2–4 covered with short tightly plumose hairs, in fresh specimens forming a velvety layer that partially obscures the underlying surface; marginal areas of T1–4 with dense apical hairbands of similar hairs, very widely interrupted on T1, partially interrupted on T2, complete on T3–4, in fresh individuals obscuring underlying surface. Apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden-whitish. Pygidial plate rounded triangular, internal surface shallowly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameters, interspaces weakly shining.

Male: Body length: 6.5– 7 mm ( Figure 72A ). Head: Dark, 1.3 times wider than long ( Figure 72B ). Clypeus weakly domed, densely punctate, punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter with exception of longitudinal impunctate mid-line, underlying surface smooth and shining. Process of labrum roughly trapezoidal, 2 times wider than long, anterior margin broadly emarginate. Gena equalling width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance equalling diameter of lateral ocellus. Face, gena, vertex, and scape with long white hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae basally dark, A4–13 ventrally lightened by presence of grey-brown scales; A3 slightly exceeding A 4 in length ( Figure 72C ).

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum irregularly shagreened, laterally weakly shining, sculpture becoming weaker medially, here almost polished and shining, irregularly punctate, laterally punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter, medially by 2–3 puncture diameters ( Figure 72E ). Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum with fine granular shagreen, weakly shining. Dorsolateral parts of propodeum coarsely microreticulate, with weakly raised rugae, propodeal triangle defined by fine lateral carinae, internal surface less strongly sculptured than remaining propodeum. Mesepisternum with long white hairs, longest equalling length of scape, scutum with shorter sparse and scattered white hairs. Legs dark, tarsal segments progressively lightened orange, pubescence whitish. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation orange, nervulus antefurcal.

Metasoma: Tergal discs dark, marginal areas slightly depressed, broadly lightened hyaline whitish-yellow ( Figure 72F ). Tergal discs basally shagreened, more or less shining, sculpture becoming weaker on marginal areas, here more strongly shining, underlying surface punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters. Tergal discs with scattered erect white hairs, T2–4 with apical white hairbands, complete in fresh specimens and obscuring the underlying surface. S8 more or less columnar, apex broadened. Genital capsule slightly elongate, gonocoxae apically weakly produced into broad, rounded teeth, gonostyli with apical part weakly broadened and flattened, internal margin straight and weakly but distinctly raised ( Figure 72G ). Penis valves narrow, medially slightly constricted and narrowing apically, basally occupying ⅓ of space between gonostyli.

Diagnosis. Andrena michezi can swiftly be recognised as part of the subgenus Simandrena Pérez, 1890 due to the well-developed and complete propodeal corbicula (possessing both a dorsal and anterior fringe) with the internal surface hairless. Due to its small body size, relatively long hairs composing the tibial scopae (not shorter than the diameter of a lateral ocellus as in A. dorsata (Kirby, 1802) and related species), and shagreened and weakly punctate terga (not smooth and shining) with dense apical hairbands that obscure the underlying marginal areas, it can be placed closest to A. melba Warncke, 1966 ( Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran). Andrena michezi can be recognised by the presence of dense patches of short hairs at the base of T2–4, forming a velvety pile in addition to the apical hairbands ( Figure 71G ; in A. melba with tergal discs essentially without such hairs, Figure 71H ), by the shagreened and weakly shining tergal discs with dense but obscure punctures (in A. melba with terga comparatively more shining, with more clearly distinct punctation, and by the clypeus which is sculptured over its basal ¾, shiny only along the apical margin of the clypeus, with predominantly dull granular shagreen and with a narrow and dull impunctate longitudinal mid-line approximately as wide as 2 puncture diameters ( Figure 71C ; in A. melba with the clypeus shining over the majority of its area, with a broader and shinier impunctate longitudinal mid-line approximately as wide as 4 puncture diameters, Figure 71D ). The presence of this pile of velvety hairs on the tergal discs gives A. michezi a superficial resemblance to A. (Leucandrena) sericata Imhoff, 1868 , but the two species are easily separated by subgeneric characters.

In the male sex, recognition is more challenging, as is always the case for the subgenus Simandrena . Due to the short and shiny clypeus which is densely punctate with the exception of a longitudinal impunctate mid-line, pale facial hair, tergal margins broadly lightened hyaline-yellow, and scutum and scutellum at least partly shining with sparse large punctures, it can also be compared to A. melba . Andrena michezi can be separated by the antennal ratios, with A3 slightly longer than A4 ( Figure 72C ; in A. melba with A3 approximately 60% as long as A4, Figure 72D ), by the scutum which is anteriorly and laterally shagreened (in A. melba with the scutum entirely polished and shining), and by the more elongate genital capsule with the inner margin of the gonostyli more pronounced ( Figure 72G ; in A. melba with the genital capsule more compact, without a clearly raised inner margin of the gonostyli, Figure 72H ).

Etymology. Named after my colleague and former laboratory head Denis Michez (University of Mons) who has worked on wild bee ecology, taxonomy, and conservation for many years, with a focus on Melittidae .

Distribution. Southern Turkey (province of Şanlıurfa).

Figures

FIGURE 71. Andrena (Simandrena) michezi spec. nov. female. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Clypeus detail, frontal view; E. Propodeum, dorsal view; F. Hind tibia, lateral view; G. Terga, dorsal view. Andrena (Simandrena) melba Warncke, 1966 female. D. Clypeus detail, frontal view; H. Terga, dorsal view.

FIGURE 72. Andrena (Simandrena) michezi spec. nov. male. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Antennae detail, frontal view; E. Scutum, dorsal view; F. Terga, dorsal view; G. Genital capsule, dorsal view. Andrena (Simandrena) melba Warncke, 1966 male. D. Antennae detail, frontal view; H. Genital capsule, dorsal view.