Andrena (Taeniandrena) perpetua, WOOD, 2024

WOOD, T. J., 2024, Further revisions to the Palaearctic Andrena fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 5483 (1), pp. 1-150 : 118-120

Andrena (Taeniandrena) perpetua spec. nov.

Figures 73A–F .

HOLOTYPE: IRAN: Kerman, Bam , 40 km NW, 29.3969 oN, 57.8503 oE, 1741 m, 13.v.2019, ♂, leg. W-H. Liebig, OÖLM (BOLD accession number: WPATW976-23).

Description: Female: Unknown.

Male: Body length: 9 mm ( Figure 73A ). Head: 1.2 times wider than long ( Figure 73B ). Clypeus flattened over majority of area, densely but shallowly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameter with exception of narrow impunctate longitudinal mid-line, underlying surface smooth and shining. Process of labrum trapezoidal, 2 times wider than long, anterior margin thickened, broadly emarginate, dorsal surface with weak latitudinal striations. Gena equalling width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance 1.5 times diameter of lateral ocellus. Face, gena, vertex, and scape covered with whitish plumose hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae dark basally, A4–13 ventrally lightened by presence of grey scales; A3 0.8 times length of A4, A4–13 elongate rectangular, clearly longer than wide ( Figure 73C ).

Mesosoma: Scutum densely but somewhat irregularly punctate, punctures touching to separated by 1 puncture diameter, underlying surface with strong granular shagreen, weakly shining ( Figure 73D ). Scutellum similarly punctate, sculpture weaker, more clearly shining. Pronotum predominantly rounded, with slight hint of angle along dorsolateral margins. Mesepisternum and dorsolateral parts of propodeum with granular microreticulation, microreticulation overlain by network of fine raised rugosity, surface weakly shining overall; propodeal triangle laterally delineated by fine carinae, internal surface with thick granular microreticulation and irregular network of fine raised rugae, dull, thus additionally defined from remaining parts of propodeum by change in sculpture. Mesepisternum and propodeum with long whitish plumose hairs, none equalling length of scape, hairs becoming shorter and light whitish-brownish on scutum and scutellum. Legs dark, pubescence whitish to light brownish. Hind tarsal claws with strong inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation orange-brown, nervulus strongly postfurcal.

Metasoma: Tergal discs dark, marginal areas lightened hyaline-brown ( Figure 73E ). Tergal discs basally shagreened and weakly shining, sculpture becoming weaker apically and onto marginal areas, here more strongly shining; surface punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters.Tergal discs with scattered short hairs, T1–5 with dense complete apical hairbands of whitish plumose hairs, obscuring underlying surface. S8 columnar, ventral surface covered with dense short brown hairs. Genital capsule compact, gonocoxae with their inner margins gently diverging apically, forming 90 o angle at their apexes ( Figure 73F ). Gonostyli relatively narrow basally, broadening apically, more or less spatulate, outer corner forming rounded 90 o angle; outer margin basally at transition between gonostyli and gonocoxae with small but distinct impression, breaking outer profile. Penis valves basally slightly broadened, occupying ½ space between gonostyli, apically narrowing, with small oval opening medially.

Diagnosis. Andrena perpetua can be placed in the subgenus Taeniandrena due to the strongly flattened clypeus and typical genital capsule with broad flattened gonostyli and somewhat expanded penis valves. It can be placed into the gelriae -group of species (the species genetically falling around A. gelriae van der Vecht, 1927 and A. intermedia Thomson, 1870 in the analysis of Praz et al. 2022: 381) due to the long A4 that is clearly longer than A3 ( Figure 73C ) and the genital capsule with the penis valves slightly broadened basally ( Figure 73F ). Genetically, based on the COI barcode (652 base pair sequence generated), A. perpetua also falls into this group, and is placed basally within this clade ( Figure 74 ). The closest sequence (WPATW975-23) was separated by 1.38%, this sequence coming from a probably undescribed member of the gelriae -group from central Spain. Though not included in the tree since the sequence is short, the one available sequence for the most easterly distributed member of the gelriae - group ( A. producta Warncke, 1973 ; HYMAA323-22; 292 base pair sequence) was separated from A. perpetua by 3.08% over the 44% sequence overlap.

This group is extremely challenging taxonomically, with many cryptic and endemic species in Western Europe ( Praz et al. 2022; Wood 2023b). These taxa are referred to in Figure 74 as the French/Iberian barcoding complex. Members of this group largely (with the exception of A. contracta Wood, 2022 which is restricted to the Sierra Nevada mountain in southern Spain) display a genital capsule close to A. intermedia , with strongly broadened penis valves which occupy the majority of the space between the gonostyli. Genetically and morphologically A. perpetua falls outside of this group as the penis valves are comparatively much narrower, and it can also be recognised and separated from more widespread members of this group due to its genital capsule ( Figure 73F ). The gonocoxae have their inner margins gently diverging apically (as in A. gelriae and A. producta ), but these margins form a 90 o angle apically (acute angle in A. gelriae , obtuse angle in A. producta ), the penis valves themselves are only slightly broadened with very narrow valve medially (grossly broadened with a broad valve in A. intermedia and most members of the French/Iberian barcoding complex, moderately broadened in A. gelriae and A. producta ), and there is a distinct kink or impression on the outer face of the gonostyli basally, at the transition between the gonocoxae and the gonostyli (comparison species with the outer margin of the gonostyli straight).

Remarks. Previously, only four species of Taeniandrena were confidently known from Iran ( Wood & Monfared 2022; Wood 2023c), none of which are found in the gelriae -group. Andrena perpetua represents the most easterly member of this group recognised to date (with A. gelriae and A. producta previously reported from Turkey, Warncke 1975a, although it is unclear if this is true A. gelriae based on recent revisionary worth within this species group which has substantially altered our species concepts; e.g. Wood et al. 2021; Praz et al. 2022). Based on patterns of endemism in Iberia ( Praz et al. 2022; Wood 2023b), it is possible that A. perpetua is narrowly endemic to specific mountain ranges in Central Iran. Additional sampling and genetic analysis of Iranian Taeniandrena is likely to uncover additional undescribed members of this group.

Etymology. Nominative feminine singular form of the Latin adjective perpetuus meaning perpetual, everlasting, uninterrupted, in reference to the seemingly never-ending number of cryptic Taeniandrena species, particularly within the gelriae -group of species.

Distribution. Central Iran (province of Kerman).

Figures

FIGURE 73. Andrena (Taeniandrena) perpetua spec. nov. male. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Antennae detail, frontal view; D. Scutum, dorsal view; E. Terga, dorsal view; F. Genital capsule, dorsal view.

FIGURE 74. Phylogenetic tree (maximum likelihood) of Andrena subgenus Taeniandrena Hedicke, 1933 based on the mitochondrial COI gene. Numbers above branches represent bootstrap support (values of <75 are omitted).