Leioproctus (Leioproctus) irroratus (Smith, 1853)

Maynard, Glynn Vivian, 2013, Revision of Goniocolletes and seven Australian subgenera of Leioproctus (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Colletidae), and description of new taxa, Zootaxa 3715 (1), pp. 1-114 : 39-40

Leioproctus (Leioproctus) irroratus species-group

This group of 6 species is readily distinguished from other Leioproctus (Leioproctus) by the long basal area of the propodeal triangle and the relatively hairless, small, slender, wasp-like females. Several species have distinct hair patches such as L. (L.) irroratus , which have bright yellow patches of short dense hair over the antero-lateral corners of the scutum and female L. (L.) bicristatus that have dense patches of hair on the lateral part of the metanotum. The group is unusual in that 4 of 6 species have been collected in northern areas of Australia.

Diagnosis— Small (4–10 mm) mostly dark bees, metasoma usually narrowed at the base; basal area of propodeal triangle long (longer than metanotum), subhorizontal; integument generally minutely roughened with scattered, weak punctures.

Description— Length ca 4–10 mm; colour black, brown or dull metallic-green. Head —Facial foveae absent or only vaguely indicated; frontal line weak; inner eye margins curved, converging dorsally and ventrally; frons sculpture weak at times with weak longitudinal striae; scape reaching median ocellus; apex of supraclypeal area sharply raised; clypeus slightly elevated, rounded with large, widely spaced punctures; malar space short or absent; labrum short, smooth, shiny; mandibles slender; gena equal to or less than width of eye when head viewed laterally. Mesosoma —Hair sparse, short; sculpture with weak, sparse punctures and granular interspaces; propodeal triangle with subhorizontal basal area longer than metanotum; pterostigma broad; marginal cell slender apically divergent from costa for short distance; first recurrent vein enters second submarginal cell towards the base; female basitibial plate sharply pointed apically, more than 0.2 x length of tibia; female tibial scopa densely plumose. Metasoma — Surface sculpture similar to metanotum; pygidial plate raised medially, broadly rounded apically; female sterna with broad apical fringe of plumose hairs; prepygidial fimbria short, dense, black; male sternal hair sparse.

Key to species of Leioproctus (Leioproctus) irroratus species-group

1 Antero-lateral area of scutum with short dense yellow hair..................................................... 2

– Antero-lateral area of scutum almost bare.................................................................. 4

2 Hair on antero-lateral area very dense totally obscuring integument, extending posteriorly beyond level of tegulae; no dense yellow hair on scutellum....................................... Leioproctus (Leioproctus) irroratus (Smith, 1853)

– Hair on antero-lateral area not extending beyond level of tegulae................................................ 3

3 Metasomal terga with yellow apical integumental bands; clypeal integument yellow; scutellum and metanotum covered in short, dense, yellow hair................................. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) nomadiformis ( Cockerell, 1921)

– Metasomal terga without yellow integumental bands (uniformly brown); clypeus black to brown; scutellum with lateral tufts of yellow hair; metanotum without yellow hair................ Leioproctus (Leioproctus) quadrimaculatus Maynard, sp.n

4 Tegulae orange...................................... Leioproctus (Leioproctus) launcestonensis (Cockerell, 1914)

– Tegulae brown....................................................................................... 5

5 Scutellum with lateral tufts of pale to yellow hair; head and mesosoma with metallic hue.................................................................................... Leioproctus (Leioproctus) bicristatus (Cockerell, 1929)

– Scutellum without lateral tufts of hair; head and mesosoma non-metallic brown.................................................................................................. Leioproctus (Leioproctus) litotes Maynard, sp.n