Leurotrigona gracilis, Pedro, Silvia R. M. & Camargo, João M. F., 2009

Pedro, Silvia R. M. & Camargo, João M. F., 2009, Neotropical Meliponini: the genus Leurotrigona Moure — two new species (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Apinae), Zootaxa 1983, pp. 23-44 : 31-34

Leurotrigona gracilis sp. nov.

( Figs. 16, 17 , 26 ; Tab. I)

Diagnosis. Worker ( Figs. 16, 17 ; Tab. I). Head width, 1.00–1.10 mm. Silvery gray scale-like hairs of clypeus and parocular area, slightly broadened, some of them shortly branched, not reaching the frons ( Fig. 16 ); pubescence on posterior region of propodeal spiracle sparse and simple, reaching about halfway or less toward base of coxa III; malar space long, 2x the diameter of fl.3 ( Fig. 17 ); clypeus relatively long, about 1/2 of its maximum width and 1/4 of clypeocellar distance; integument of upper gena smooth, devoid of tessellation; posterior margin of tibia III slightly arched; posterior parapenicillum curved ( Fig. 17 ); keirotrichiate area on inner surface of tibia III uniform.

Male unknown.

Holotype, worker (Tab. I).

Dimensions. Total length, 2.32 mm; forewing length, from apex of costal sclerite to wing tip, 2.22 mm (including tegula, 2.48 mm); maximum head width, 1.06 mm; abdomen width (TIII), 1.00 mm.

Integument color. Typical of the genus (genus diagnosis, items c, d); scutellum with two brownish-light stripes on posterior margin and two spots on anterior margin; clypeus (except for the blackish contour), supraclypeal area and malar space brownish-dark; scape, mandible, trochanter and tarsomeres of all legs honey-yellowish, translucent.

Vestiture. Typical of the genus (genus diagnosis, item e). Clypeus and lower parocular area with the appressed silvery gray scale-like hairs slightly broadened, some of them shortly branched, sparse (as in Fig. 16 ), no longer than half the scape diameter. Hairs longer (0.08 mm), finer and erect on frons; on vertex, between lateral ocelli, denser and longer (0.10 mm). Pubescence on posterior region of the propodeal spiracle reaching halfway or less toward base of coxa III; posterior parapenicillum curved (as in Fig. 17 )

Integument sculpture. Typical of the genus (item b). Upper third of gena, behind the eye, devoid of tessellation. The concave region of anterior vertical surface of TII gently marked with shallow, fine punctuation, more visible to the middle of concavity.

Form and proportions (measurements in Table I). Head slightly wider than long. Eye 2.17x longer than wide; upper interorbital distance as long as eye length; inner orbits slightly divergent below (as in Fig. 16 ). Clypeus relatively long, about 0.48x its maximum width and about 1/4 of clypeocellar distance; inner corners separate from orbits by 1.2x malar space length; malar space 2x longer than diameter of fl.3 (as in Fig. 16 ). Interalveolar distance 1x alveolus diameter, little longer than half of alveolorbital and about 1/5 of alveolocellar distance. Interocellar distance 2.7x median ocellus diameter and ocellorbital distance 1.33x. Supraclypeal area little swollen between alveoli; frons slightly depressed-sulcate. Antennal scape as long as 6x its diameter, and about 2/3 shorter than alveolocellar distance; flagellum + pedicel little longer than 2x scape length. Mandible length 1/2 of clypeocellar distance. Tibia III triangular, 2.6x longer than wide; posterior border gently convex (as in Fig. 17 ) and postero-distal angle practically right.

Male. Unknown.

Type material. Holotype, worker, from “Tapurucuara-Mirim, rio Negro, AM, 01-04.VII.1999 Brasil 66°24’W, 00°25’S Camargo, Pedro, Mazucato”, “RPSP 994854”, deposited in RPSP. Paratypes, 11 workers, from Brazil, Amazonas: 3 from the same place of holotype (994816, 995196, 995198); 2 from Aruti, Rio Negro, SA-19, 66 °2’W, 0°19’S, 22–23.VII.1980, Camargo, Mazucato leg.; 1 from Camanaus, Rio Negro, 66°53’17”W, 00°08’51”S, 30.VI.1999, Camargo, Pedro, Mazucato, leg. (994280); 1 from Foz do Rio Marié, Rio Negro, SA-19, 66 °26’W, 0°26’S, 26–27.VII.1980, Camargo, Mazucato leg.; 2 from Plano, Rio Negro, 65°59’W, 00°18’S, 07–09.VII.1999, Camargo, Pedro, Mazucato (995407, 995499); 1 from Ponta Camucari, Rio Negro, 65°59’20”W, 00°20’02”S, Camargo, Pedro, Mazucato leg. (995543); 1 from São Jorge, Rio Curicuriari, 66°50’W, 00°13’S, 26–27.VI.1999, Camargo, Pedro, Mazucato leg. (993521). All deposited in RPSP.

Etymology. From the Latin, gracilis , slender, delicate, slight.

Additional material examined. BRAZIL. Amazonas: Tefé, 300 km SE, Poço Pion Petrobrás, 1988, W. E. Kerr leg. (7w, 881706, 881709, 881710, 881717–881719, 881723). Acre: Parque Nacional Serra do Divisor, 07°26’36”S – 73°40’28”W, 10.XI.1996, Morro Queimado, Sítio 1, E. F. Morato leg. (134w, 970615–970618, 970620, 970622, 970624–970631, 970641, 970648–970656, 970658–970679, 970681–970686, 970688, 970691–970697, 970702, 970704, 970707, 970708–970709, 970710–970722, 970724–970730, 970732–970735, 970739–970743, 970745–970747, 970750, 970752–970754, 970756–970758, 970760–970763, 970776–970783, 970806, 970785–970789, 970791–970792, 970794–970795, 970803–970804, 970807–970811, 970813–970815, 970817–970823, 970825–970828, 970830–970831, 970833–970835, 970854, 970860, 970865–970868, 970872, 970874, 970879, 970882, 970888–970889, 970891, 970894, 970897–970902, 970905–970909, 970911–970914, 970916–970927, 971026–971027); ibidem, idem, 07°28’38”S – 73°41’54”W, 12,13. XI.1996, T. da caça Piroca, sítio 3 (1w, 970935); ibidem, idem, 07°26’27”S – 73°39’28”W, 08–09.XI.1996, Trilha do Anil, sítio 6 (2w, 971602, 971603). Rondônia: Costa Marques, S 12°19,290’ W 64°10.844’, 21.XI.1996, Brown, Boina, Vieira leg. (1w, 3644); Cujubim, Linha 14, 09 °20,154’S, 62°33,110’W, 24.III.1997, Brown, Boina, Vieira (1w, RO-6694); Guajará-Mirim, S 10°33,751’ W 64°45,463’, 09.IX.1996, Brown, Boina, Vieira leg. (1w, 743); ibidem, idem, S 10°51,113’ W 64°58,406’, 6.X.1996 (1w, 1554); ibidem, idem, S 10°49,64’ W 64°54,282’, 9.X.1996 (1w, 1794); ibidem, idem, S 10°45,567’ W 64°43,696’, 10.X.1996 (1w, 2075); Mirante da Serra, S 11°10,076’ W 62°53,104’, 25.IX.1996, Brown, Boina, Vieira leg. (1w, 2336); ibidem, idem, 11°04,481’S, 62°43,437’W, 17.IV.1997, Linha 68 (1w, RO-7556); Nova Mamoré, S 10°19,434’ W 64°33,849’, 07.IX.1996, Brown, Boina, Vieira leg. (1w, 1282).

Geographical distribution. Western Amazon ( Fig. 26 ).

Nest. Unknown.

Discussion. Leurotrigona gracilis sp. nov. shares with L. muelleri mainly the size, general shape of the head and tibia III, but it can be easily distinguished by the vestiture of clypeus and parocular area, which is thinner and sparser, less branched, besides the pubescence on sides of propodeum, simple and shorter, finishing far from the base of coxa III.

Variation. Some specimens are darker than the holotype, with clypeus, malar area, and scutellum entirely blackish.

Figures

FIGURE 26. Leurotrigona, geographic records. The arrow indicates L. crispula sp. nov.

FIGURES 16 – 20. Leurotrigona gracilis sp. nov.: 16, head and detail of the clypeus vestiture, worker, Plano, Rio Negro, AM, Brazil; 17, tibia III, worker, Camanaus, Rio Negro, AM, Brazil. Leurotrigona muelleri (Friese): 18, head and detail of the clypeus vestiture, worker, Teodoro Sampaio, Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo, SP, Brazil; 19, head, male, Cajuru, SP, Brazil; 20, tibia III, worker, Teodoro Sampaio, Parque Estadual Morro do Diabo, SP, Brazil; Scales = 0.02 mm.