Andrena (Ulandrena) incustodita, WOOD, 2024

WOOD, T. J., 2024, Further revisions to the Palaearctic Andrena fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), Zootaxa 5483 (1), pp. 1-150 : 31-35

Andrena (Ulandrena) incustodita spec. nov.

Figures 17A–D ; 18A–F .

HOLOTYPE: GREECE: Kreta, Hagios Nicolaos [Agios Nikolaos; 35.1919 oN, 25.7067 oE], 21.iii.1978, ♂, leg. Hohmann, OÖLM.

PARATYPES: GREECE: Kissamos , 6.iv.1996, 1♂, leg. M. Archer, TJWC ; Kreta, Hagios Nicolaos [Agios Nikolaos], 21.iii.1978, 2♂, leg. Hohmann, OÖLM ; Creta, Iraklion, Knossos , 25.iv.1973, 2♂, leg. H. Teunissen, OÖLM ; Kreta, Mochlos , 17.iv.1979, 1♀, leg. Hohmann, OÖLM ; Kreta, Ida Geb. [Ida Mountain], 2100 m, 14.vi.1976, 2♀, leg. K. Warncke, OÖLM ; Creta, Knossos , 15.v.1963, 2♂, leg. M. Schwarz & J. Gusenleitner, OÖLM ; Heraklion -Strand , 22.v.1963, 1♀, leg. J. Gusenleitner , OÖLM.

Description: Female: Body length: 8–9 mm ( Figure 17A ). Head: Dark, 1.35 times wider than long ( Figure 17B ). Clypeus domed, densely but obscurely punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters, disappearing into underlying surface which is shagreened to microreticulate, weakly shining to dull. Process of labrum rounded trapezoidal, 2 times wider than long, anterior margin widely but shallowly emarginate. Gena slightly exceeding width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance 1.5 times diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae moderately broad, occupying slightly <½ space between compound eye and lateral ocellus, slightly constricted medially, ventrally extending to lower margin of antennal insertions; foveae filled with light brown hairs. Face, gena, vertex, and scape with moderately long whitish to light brownish hairs, none equalling length of scape. Antennae basally dark, A6–12 ventrally lightened by presence of dark brown-orange scales; A3 equalling A4+5.

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum very densely punctate, punctures separated by <0.5 puncture diameters, almost confluent, interspaces polished and shining ( Figure 17C ). Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum with fine granular microreticulation, weakly shining. Dorsolateral parts of propodeum microreticulate, dull, overlain by weak network of raised rugosity; propodeal triangle laterally delineated by clear carinae, broadly triangular, internal surface with fine reticulation, weakly shining, covered with sparse raised rugae in basal half. Mesepisternum with pale hairs, medially and ventrally whitish, becoming light brown dorsally. Scutum and scutellum with short light brown hairs, almost sub-squamous. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsal fringe composed of plumose light brown hairs, internal surface with sparse light brown simple hairs. Legs brown, pubescence light brown to orange-brown. Inner hind tibial spur broadened submedially. Flocculus moderately developed, composed of white plumose hairs, femoral and tibial scopae composed of pale predominantly simple hairs, some tibial hairs weakly plumose apically. Hind tarsal claws without inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma dark brown, venation orange-brown, nervulus slightly antefurcal.

Metasoma: Tergal discs dark, marginal areas broadly lightened hyaline white-yellow-brown ( Figure 17D ). Tergal discs regularly but weakly and obscurely punctate, punctures separated by 1–2 puncture diameters, punctation strongest on T1, weakest on T4; underlying surface shagreened, weakly shining, punctation somewhat disappearing into underlying sculpture. Tergal margins with punctation dense but weaker than on discs, obscure. Tergal discs with short scattered hairs, T2–4 with light brown apical hairbands, interrupted on T2–3, complete on T4, obscuring underlying surface in fresh individuals. Apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden orange. Pygidial plate rounded triangular, surface domed, impunctate, weakly shining.

Male: Body length: 7–8 mm ( Figure 18A ). Head: Dark, 1.5 times wider than long ( Figure 18B ). Clypeus weakly domed, densely punctate, punctures separated by ≤0.5 puncture diameters, interspaces polished and shining. Process of labrum rounded trapezoidal, 2 times wider than long, anterior margin widely but shallowly emarginate. Gena equalling width of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance 1.7 times diameter of lateral ocellus ( Figure 18C ). Head with long pale hairs, ventrally white, becoming light brownish dorsally, hairs exceeding length of scape. Antennae basally dark, A5–13 ventrally lightened by presence of dark orange-brown scales; A3 exceeding A4, slightly shorter than A4+5.

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum densely but irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–1 puncture diameters, underlying surface predominantly polished and shining, laterally with weak shagreen. Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum and dorsolateral parts of propodeum with dense granular microreticulation, overlain by weak network of raised rugosity, dull. Propodeal triangle laterally defined by fine carinae, internal surface with regular reticulation, basally with weakly raised rugae, surface weakly shining. Mesosoma with long pale hairs, ventrally whitish, becoming light brown dorsally, hairs exceeding length of scape. Legs black to dark brown, pubescence light brown. Hind tarsal claws with strong inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation dark brown, nervulus interstitial to strongly antefurcal.

Metasoma: Tergal discs dark, marginal areas broadly lightened hyaline white-yellow-brown ( Figure 18D ). Tergal discs finely and obscurely punctate, punctures separated by 2–3 puncture diameters, underlying surface shagreened and weakly shining, sculpture strongest basally, becoming weakly shining on marginal areas. Tergal discs with scattered short pale hairs, not forming hairbands. T6–7 with long whitish hairs overlying pygidial plate of T7. S8 apically evenly broadened, ventrally with short light brown hairs, apical process truncate. Genital capsule complex, gonocoxae with inner margins widely separated, apically weakly diverging, produced into moderately long projecting apical teeth ( Figures 18E–F ). Gonostyli in dorsal view with outer margins curved, converging apically and produced into short spatulate flattened apexes, internal margin strongly raised, apexes with short pale hairs on dorsal surface. Penis valves conspicuously broadened, occupying entire space between gonocoxae and gonostyli.

Diagnosis. Andrena incustodita can be recognised as an Ulandrena in the female sex due to the inner hind tibial spur which is broadened submedially (combined with the absence of a latitudinal carina on the posterior face of the hind femur) and in the male sex due to the complex genital capsule with conspicuously broadened penis valves and hyaline-lightened tergal margins. Females can be recognised as part of the abbreviata -group due to its moderate size (8–9 mm) combined with the non-metallic integument and the extremely densely punctate scutum with punctures separated by <0.5 puncture diameters, punctures almost confluent ( Figure 17C ). It can be separated from other taxa within a broad interpretation of A. abbreviata due to the tergal punctation which is very weak, tergal discs with fine shagreen, only weakly shining, punctures almost disappearing into the underlying shagreen ( Figure 17D ; in A. abbreviata sensu lato with terga discs smooth and shining, deeply punctate, punctures clearly visible against the underlying polished disc, Figures 17E–F ).

Males are easier to diagnose. They can be recognised as part of the abbreviata -group due to their moderate size (7–8 mm) combined with their genital capsule with clear gonocoxal teeth ( Figures 18E–F ). However, the face and lower paraocular areas are black ( Figure 18B ; marked yellow-white in all other Ulandrena species), the terga are weakly punctate in a manner comparable to the female sex ( Figure 18D ), the head is noticeably broader that comparison species at 1.5 times wider than long (usually <1.3 times wider than long in other Ulandrena species), and the ocelloccipital distance is relatively short, only 1.7 times the diameter of a lateral ocellus ( Figure 18C ; in A. abbreviata s. str. the ocelloccipital distance is 2.5 times the diameter of a lateral ocellus). Combined with the distribution that is restricted to Crete, A. incustodita is therefore consistently morphologically diagnosable against other members of the abbreviata -group.

Etymology. Feminine singular nominative form of the Latin adjective incustodito meaning unwatched or unguarded, in reference to the lack of consistent recognition of this species.

Distribution. Greece (Crete).

Figures

FIGURE 17. Andrena (Ulandrena) incustodita spec. nov. female. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Scutum, dorsal view; D. Terga, dorsal view; Andrena (Ulandrena) abbreviata Dours, 1873 sensu stricto female. E. Terga, dorsal view; Andrena (Ulandrena) abbreviata ssp. abnormis Warncke, 1967 female (dark form). F. Terga, dorsal view.

FIGURE 18. Andrena (Ulandrena) incustodita spec. nov. male. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Face, frontal view; C. Vertex, dorsal view; D. Terga, dorsal view; E. Genital capsule, dorsal view; F. Genital capsule, lateral view.