Andrena (Planiandrena) veterana Pisanty, 2022

Pisanty, Gideon, Scheuchl, Erwin, Martin, Teresa, Cardinal, Sophie & Wood, Thomas James, 2022, Twenty-five new species of mining bees (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae: Andrena) from Israel and the Levant, Zootaxa 5185 (1), pp. 1-109 : 61-64

Andrena (Planiandrena) veterana Pisanty sp. nov.

( Figs. 137–147 )

Female ( Fig. 140 ).

Body length: 8–8.5 mm.

Colour. Body and legs black ( Fig. 140 ). Anterior side of flagellum brownish-black. Hind basitarsi dark brown to black, all legs’ apical tarsomeres brown. Wings hyaline, veins brown, stigma medially orange to light brown ( Fig. 140 ). Tergal marginal zones brown ( Fig. 139 ).

Pubescence. Hair colour varies from white to golden–light brown, but is more or less uniform within a single specimen, except where otherwise indicated ( Fig. 140 ). Head and mesosoma mostly with moderately dense, medium-lengthed, weakly plumose to plumose hair ( Figs. 137, 138, 140 ). Facial foveae brown in dorsal view ( Fig. 138 ). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsoposterior fringe with long plumose hairs, corbicular surface with few simple long hairs. Flocculus complete, tibial scopal hairs simple. Tergal disc 1 with sparse medium-lengthed hair, mostly on basal half; tergal marginal zone 1 with similar hair, creating a sparse band reaching 1/3–1/2 the length of tergal disc 2. Tergal discs 2–4 with very sparse, inconspicuous minute hairs. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 basally with sparse short to minute hairs, apically with distinct, continuous bands of dense short hair protruding onto the following tergal discs. Terminal fringe golden to light brown ( Fig. 139 ).

Head ( Figs. 137–138 ). 1.2 times broader than long. Mandible bidentate. Galea shagreened. Labral process trapezoidal, much broader than long, transversely striated. Clypeus elevated and medially flattened, superficially shagreened, moderately punctured, distance between punctures 1–1.5 puncture diameters, with distinct impunctate midline ( Fig. 137 ). Paraocular area densely punctured. Frons finely longitudinally striated, interspersed with dense shallow punctures. Flagellomere 1 slightly longer than 2+3, 2 about as long as 3. Facial foveae narrow, arched, extending from level of lower end of lateral ocellus to supraclypeal area, tapering downwards, 0.3 times as broad as antennocular distance ( Figs. 137–138 ). Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus about 1.5 ocellus diameters. Ocelloccipital distance 0.7 ocellus diameter. Vertex moderately carinate ( Fig. 138 ). Genal area as broad as compound eye.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 138 ). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not to weakly elevated, pronotum not carinate. Mesonotum very shiny, finely and superficially shagreened, moderately punctured, distance between punctures 1–1.5 puncture diameters. Scutellum finely, sparsely and irregularly punctured, anterior half very shiny and more or less smooth, posterior half shagreened ( Fig. 138 ). Mesepisternum and posterolateral part of propodeum very finely shagreened, densely, shallowly and obliquely punctured. Propodeal corbicula finely reticulate, with few shallow coarse punctures around hair bases. Propodeal triangle with basal band of dense parallel rugae, otherwise very finely and shallowly reticulate ( Fig. 138 ). Inner side of hind femur not carinate. Inner hind tibial spur slightly bent at 1/3–1/2 of length, not significantly broadened basally. Hind pretarsal claw with distinct inner tooth. Nervulus interstitial to antefurcal. Submarginal crossvein 1 meets marginal cell 5–6 vein widths from stigma.

Metasoma ( Fig. 139 ). Tergal disc 1 smooth and shiny, sparsely and very finely punctured, distance between punctures 2–5 puncture diameters, punctures denser basally. Discs 2–3 shiny, shagreened basally, smooth to very weakly shagreened apically, sparsely and very finely punctured, punctation denser on disc 3. Disc 4 shiny, superficially shagreened, very finely punctured. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 weakly depressed, shiny and superficially shagreened, irregularly, very sparsely, very finely punctured. Pygidial plate without elevated medial area.

Male ( Fig. 141 ).

Body length: 8–9.5 mm.

Colour. Clypeus yellow except for narrow peripheral black margin and two mediolateral black spots ( Fig. 142 ). Otherwise as in female.

Pubescence. Head and dorsal side of mesosoma mostly with moderately dense, medium to long, minutely plumose hair ( Figs. 141–143 ). Clypeus, supraclypeal area, scape, inner side of paraocular area, and area around antennal sockets with whitish to light brown hair ( Fig. 142 ). Outer side of paraocular area with dark hair. Frons with sparse, short dark hair. Vertex with whitish to golden hair. Genal area with black hair anteriodorsally, white to golden hair posteroventrally. Mesosoma and legs with whitish to light brown hair ( Figs. 141, 143 ). Tergal discs 1–2 with medium-lengthed whitish to golden hair, denser on 2. Tergal discs 3–5 with sparse short to minute hairs. Tergal marginal zones 3–5 basally with sparse short whitish hairs, apically with bands of moderately dense short whitish hair protruding onto the following tergal discs. Terminal fringe whitish-golden ( Fig. 144 ).

Head ( Figs. 142–143 ). 1.3 times broader than long. Mandibles bidentate, crossed. Galea shagreened. Labral process trapezoidal, much broader than long, apical margin weakly concave. Clypeus weakly elevated, medially flattened, mostly smooth, moderately punctured, distance between punctures 1.5–2 puncture diameters, with distinct impunctate midline ( Fig. 142 ). Paraocular area densely punctured. Flagellomere 1 longer than 3, 2 shorter than 3. Frons finely longitudinally striated, interspersed with dense shallow punctures. Ocelloccipital distance 0.9 ocellus diameter. Vertex distinctly carinate ( Fig. 143 ). Genal area 0.9 times as broad as compound eye, posterior margin not carinate.

Mesosoma ( Fig. 143 ). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum often distinctly elevated, creating a weak, short lateral carina. Mesonotum distinctly shagreened and mat, shallowly punctured ( Fig. 143 ). Rest of mesosoma as in female.

Metasoma ( Fig. 144 ). Tergal disc 1 very shiny, basal part very superficially shagreened to smooth, apical part smooth, punctation sparse and very fine, distance between punctures 3–5 puncture diameters. Discs 2–4 finely and more densely punctured, distance between punctures 1.5–2 puncture diameters, 2–3 strongly and finely shagreened basally, weakly shagreened to smooth apically, 4 moderately shagreened. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 weakly depressed, shiny and superficially shagreened, more or less impunctate.

Genitalia and hidden sterna ( Figs. 145–147 ). Dorsal gonocoxite lobe distinct, very broad and rounded. Gonostyli and penis valves short, gonostylus blade suddenly narrowed, flattened, finger-shaped, rounded apically. Penis valves broad basally, strongly tapering apically ( Fig. 145 ). Sternum 8 triangular, gradually narrowing apically, apical process broadening apically, distinctly notched ( Figs. 146–147 ).

Diagnosis. The female of A. veterana differs from other species of Planiandrena in body length (larger in A. laevis Osytshnjuk ), weakly shagreened clypeus (smooth in A. planirostris Morawitz and A. tobiasi Osytshnjuk ), brown flagellum (orange anteroapically in A. arenata Osytshnjuk and A. tobiasi ), relatively short flagellomere 1 (about as long as 2+3+ 4 in A. planirostris and A. tobiasi ), weakly shagreened, shiny mesonotum (mostly shagreened and mat in A. tobiasi ), shagreened and shallowly punctured posterolateral part of propodeum (smooth and strongly punctured in A. laevis ), punctate terga (impunctate in A. tobiasi ), continuous, moderately broad tergal hair bands 2–4 (broader in A. arenata , interrupted in A. laevis and A. tobiasi ), and the centrally flat pygidial plate (centrally elevated in A. arenata , A. laevis and A. planirostris ). The male of A. veterana is easily differentiated from those of A. planirostris and A. tobiasi by the yellow clypeus (dark in A. tobiasi ) and unusual genital capsule, with very short gonostyli and penis valves (normally elongate in A. planirostris and A. tobiasi ), the presence of a projection on the inner margin of the gonostyli (absent in A. planirostris ) and obtusely rounded dorsal gonocoxite lobe (hardly developed in A. planirostris , long and acutely pointed in A. tobiasi ). The males of A. arenata and A. laevis have not been discovered so far.

Distribution: Northern Israel (Mt. Hermon). Likely present also in Lebanon and Syria.

Flight period: April.

Flower records: Sapindaceae : Acer monspessulanum .

Pollen analysis. Seven analysed pollen loads contained pure Acer pollen, confirming the field observations. However, all analysed pollen loads were from the same location on the same day, so additional samples from different places and collecting dates are required before firm conclusions as to the dietary niche of this species can be drawn.

Holotype: ISRAEL: Mount Hermon [Har Hermon], 1649 m, 32.2993°N 35.7679°E, 16.iv.2021, G. Pisanty, on Acer monspessulanum , ♀ ( SMNHTAU:361673).

Paratypes: ISRAEL: Mount Hermon [Har Hermon], 1649 m, 32.2993°N 35.7679°E, 7.iv.2021, G. Pisanty, on Acer monspessulanum (3♀, 2♂) ; 16.iv.2021, G. Pisanty, on Acer monspessulanum (38♀, 9♂); 1650 m, 32.2993°N 35.7678°E, 16.iv.2022, G. Pisanty, on Acer monspessulanum (37♀, 6♂); [ Hermon ], 1642 m, 32.2992°N 35.7668°E, 16.iv.2022, G. Pisanty, sweeping (1♀) ( ES, NHMUK, OLML, RMNH, SMNHTAU, TJW, ZMHB, ZSMC) .

Etymology. veterana = Latin for “senior, veteran, with long experience” in reference to the species’ isolated distribution away from Central Asia. The species epithet is an adjective.

Figures

FIGURES 137–147. Andrena (Planiandrena) veterana sp. nov. 137. female head, 138. female vertex and mesosoma, 139. female metasoma, 140. female habitus, 141. male habitus, 142. male head, 143. male vertex and mesosoma, 144. male metasoma, 145. male genitalia, 146. male eighth sternum, dorsal view, 147. male eighth sternum, ventral view.