Colletes watmoughi, Kuhlmann, 2007

Kuhlmann, Michael, 2007, Revision of the bees of the Colletes fasciatus-group in southern Africa (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), African Invertebrates 48 (2), pp. 121-166 : 162-163

Colletes watmoughi sp. n.

Fig. 43

Etymology: This species is named for the South African entomologist Richard Watmough, who first collected this species.

Diagnosis: Among the species with a normal scopa, C. watmoughi is characterised by the following combination of characters: scutellum without black hairs, malar area as broad as basal width of mandible, supraclypeal area between punctures glabrous.

Description:

Female.

Length 10–11 mm.

Vestiture: Face greyish white, with blackish hairs intermixed on vertex; mesonotum with relatively long greyish or yellowish white hairs intermixed with numerous longer blackish hairs; mesosomal sides and legs greyish or yellowish white, scutellum and metanotum with long, yellowish brown hairs, intermixed with longer, blackish hairs; scopa dark brown dorsally and yellowish brown ventrally; T1 densely clothed with long, erect, yellowish brown hairs; disc of T2 densely clothed with shorter, concolorous hairs; discs of T3–T5 with successively longer, short, erect, blackish hairs; broad white posterior tergal fringes on T1–T5, sparse on T1 and narrower on T5; T2 without basal tomentum; S2–S5 with sparse, indistinct fringe of longer, greyish white hairs, discs covered with relatively long hairs.

Integument: Completely black, except antenna dark brown ventrally, tarsi partly reddish brown and terga narrowly translucent posteriorly; malar area long, length about 1.2× width of mandibular base; clypeus with scattered (0.5 pd), medium-sized, round punctures; integument between punctures smooth and shiny; facial fovea broad, maximum width about 2× antennal diameter; disc of mesonotum with scattered (1–2 pd), medium-sized punctures, integument smooth and shiny, surrounded by slightly denser (0.5–1 pd) punctation; upper sloping part of propodeal triangle with short longitudinal carinae, vertical part glabrous, anteriorly with 1 or 2 weakly developed, roughly transverse carinae; disc of T1 with very fine, scattered granulation (1–2 pd) that becomes a little denser on posterior tergal depression, integument very finely and superficially shagreened; disc of T2 of same structure.

Male. Unknown.

Holotype: ^SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Lamberts Bay , 4.x.1974, R. Watmough ( SANC).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 26^same data as holotype ( SANC, CMK); 1^Pakhuis Pass, 7.ix.1987, C.D. Eardley ( SANC); 6^Clanwilliam, Ramskop Camp , 23.viii.1984, V . B. Whitehead & M. Macpherson, on Homeria miniata (SAMC) ; 1^Clanwilliam, Ramskop Camp , 23.viii.1984, V . B. Whitehead & M. Macpherson, on Trachyandra muricata (SAMC) ; 4^Peerboomskloof Pass , 86 km E Ceres, 785 m, 24.ix.2001 ( CUIC, CMK) .

Distribution:This species is only known from the south-central part of the winter rainfall area ( Fig. 43 ).

Flower visiting: Trachyandra muricata (Asphodelaceae) , Homeria miniata (= Moraea miniata ) ( Iridaceae ).

Phenology: First record 23 rd August, last record 4 th October.

Remarks: This species is treated as Colletes sp. F in Kuhlmann (2006).

Figures

Fig. 43. Distribution of C. nieuwoudtvillei, C. obscurus, C. schultzei, C. stellatus, C. testaceipes, C. wathmoughi and C. zygophyllum.