Andrena (Poliandrena) farinosoides Wood, 2020

Wood, Thomas James, Michez, Denis, Cejas, Diego, Lhomme, Patrick & Rasmont, Pierre, 2020, An update and revision of the Andrena fauna of Morocco (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Andrenidae) with the description of eleven new North African species, ZooKeys 974, pp. 31-92 : 31

Andrena (Poliandrena) farinosoides Wood sp. nov. Figures 87-94 , 95-98

Material.

Holotype: Morocco: Oriental, 40 km S Guercif, 15-17.v.1995, 1♀, leg. Ma. Halada. Deposited in the OÖLM. Paratypes: Morocco: Oriental, 40 km S Guercif, 15-17.v.1995, 2♂, 24♀, leg. Ma. Halada, OÖLM; Drâa-Tafilalet, 30 km E Midelt, 13.v.1995, 1♀, leg. Mi. Halada, OÖLM; Drâa-Tafilalet, 10 km N Rich, 2♀, leg. Mi. Halada, OÖLM. Paratypes are deposited at the OÖLM with three females retained in the personal collection of TJW.

Diagnosis.

Andrena farinosoides can also be placed in the Poliandrena because of its short and broad head (Fig. 88 ), short facial foveae, strongly punctate metasoma (Fig. 91 ), and propodeal triangle marked by a carina and internal rugosity (but not honeycomb-areolate). It can be recognised within the Poliandrena as very similar to A. farinosa Pérez, 1895 from Spain and France ( Gusenleitner and Schwarz 2002) but the two species differ in the pubescence of the abdomen and the scutal punctation. In addition to thick hair bands on the tergal margins (Figs 90 , 92 ), A. farinosa also has short hairs on the tergal discs forming a sparse velvety pubescence when viewed laterally (Fig. 94 , not as dense as in A. eddaensis or A. decaocta ). In contrast, A. farinosoides has only a few short hairs on the tergal discs, not forming a velvety pubescence (Fig. 93 ). In addition, the scutum of A. farinosoides is clearly less densely punctate, with punctures separated by one puncture diameter, punctures denser and almost confluent in A. farinosa .

Diagnosis of the male is more difficult, but both A. farinosa and A. farinosoides are in the group with dark, densely punctate tergites and black (not yellow) clypei with an upturned fore margin (Fig. 96 ). The male of A. farinosoides is then less densely and more finely punctate on the scutum (punctures separated by one puncture diameter) whereas A. farinosa has larger punctures that are separated by less than a puncture diameter (Fig. 97 ).

Description.

Female: Body length 8.5-9.5 mm (Fig. 87 ). Head: Black, clearly wider than long (Fig. 88 ). Clypeus broad, slightly arched, densely and evenly punctured, punctures separated by ½ a puncture diameter. Process of labrum broad, trapezoidal, twice as wide as long, fore margin compressed and slightly upturned, surface with weak transverse striations. Gena slightly narrower than width of compound eye. Gena, face, and scape with dense white hairs, longest not achieving ¾ of length of the scape, hairs on the vertex of similar length but becoming yellowish. Foveae normal, occupying half of distance between top of compound eye and lateral ocellus. Antennae dark, A5-12 lightened orange below, A3 long, slightly shorter than A4+5+6. Ocelloccipital distance short, less than 1/3 width of lateral ocellus. Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum densely punctured, punctures separated by one puncture diameter, underlying surface smooth and shiny (Fig. 89 ). Margins of scutum and scutellum with short whitish-brownish hairs, densest on the margins and becoming sparser as hairs move into centre of the disc. Episternum and propodeum with weak rugosity, dull, propodeal triangle clearly defined by raised carina, propodeal triangle itself rugose with weak longitudinal carinae. Episternum and propodeum with white hairs, not exceeding ¾ length of scape. Legs dark, tarsi lightened brown, pubescence light brown to whitish. Femoral and tibial scopa white. Wings hyaline, venation and stigma light brown. Nervulus interstitial. Metasoma: Tergites dark, margins depressed and slightly lightened to brown (Fig. 91 ). Tergites densely and evenly punctured, punctures separated by ½ puncture diameter. T1-4 with thick white hair bands that exceed length of margins, completely obscuring underlying surface, all bands complete in fresh individuals. T5 and T6 with golden hairs flanking pygidial plate, white haired laterally. Pygidial plate rounded triangular, without raised margin, very subtly domed centrally.

Male. Body length 7 mm (Fig. 85 ). Head: Black, clearly wider than long (Fig. 96 ). Clypeus broadly flattened, with clear upturned fore margin. Clypeus densely and evenly punctured as in female. Gena thickened, slightly wider than the width of compound eye. Gena, face, vertex, and scape with white hairs, longest equalling length of the scape. Antennae dark, A4-13 lightened brown below, A3 slightly shorter than A4+5. Ocelloccipital distance short, ½ width of lateral ocellus. Mesosoma: Similar to female, scutum and scutellum evenly punctured, punctures separated by one puncture diameter, underlying surface shiny, contrasting with the episternum and propodeum that are reticulate, dull (Fig. 97 ). Legs dark, tarsi lightened brown, pubescence white. Wings hyaline, venation and stigma light brown. Nervulus interstitial. Metasoma: Similar to female, tergites dark, margins lightened yellow to brown, apically whitish translucent (Fig. 98 ). Tergites densely and evenly punctate, punctures separated by one puncture diameter.

Distribution.

The eastern Moroccan desert in the provinces of Oriental and Drâa-Tafilalet (Fig. 145d ).

Floral preferences.

None recorded.

Etymology.

Given the similarity to A. farinosa , the name A. farinosoides ( farinosa + oides, form or likeness) was chosen to illustrate this close link.

Other material examined.

( Andrena farinosa ): Spain: Barcelona, [no date], 1♀, designated paratype [technically paralectotype] by Warncke, Warncke Colln., OÖLM (illustrated Figs 90 , 92 , 94 ); 80 km SW Valencia, Muela de Cortes reserve, 14.v.2003, 4♂, 13♀, leg. J. Halada, OÖLM; Lleida, Granadella, 450 m, 23.v.1983, 2♂, 1♀, leg. H. Teunissen, NMNL; Maella, 23.v.1983, 1♂, leg. H. Teunissen, NMNL; Murcia, Pto. de Jumilla, 19.v.2003, 1♀, leg. J. Halada, OÖLM; Murcia, Sierra de Españula, 11.v.2003, 5♂, 3♀, leg. J. Halada, OÖLM; Taragona, Bellaguarda, 683 m, 1.vi.2019, 1♀, leg. W. Klein, NMNL; Zaragoza, Codos, 5.vi.1985, 2♂, leg. H. Teunissen, NMNL.

Figures

Figure 145. Distribution of sampling locations of newly described species A Andrena hebescens (circles), Andrena semiadesus (squares) B Andrena tenebricorpus (diamond), Andrena niveofacies (circle), Andrena triangulivalvis (triangle) C Andrena sparsipunctata (circles), Andrena breviceps (diamonds) D Andrena acutidentis (squares), Andrena farinosoides (triangles), Andrena nigriclypeus (circle). Relief is indicated by shading, measured in meters above sea level.

Figures 87 - 94. Andrena (Poliandrena) farinosoides sp. nov. 87 female profile 88 female face 89 female dorsum 90 female tergites 91 female tergites in lateral view. Andrena (Poliandrena) farinosa Perez, 1895 (paralectotype) 92 female dorsum 93 female tergites 94 female tergites in lateral view.

Figures 95 - 98. Andrena (Poliandrena) farinosoides sp. nov. 95 male profile 96 male head 97 male dorsum 98 male tergites.

Figures 83 - 86. Andrena (Poliandrena) breviceps sp. nov. 83 female profile 84 female head 85 female dorsum 86 female tergites.