Habralictus reinae, Gibbs & Bass & Morgan, 2022

Gibbs, Jason, Bass, Amber & Morgan, Katherine, 2022, Habralictus and Lasioglossum of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Lesser Antilles (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Halictidae), ZooKeys 1089, pp. 125-167 : 125

Habralictus reinae sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3A

Holotype.

Saint Lucia • Micoud District • Quilesse Forest Reserve, Laporte, 13.8404, -60.9741, 272 m, 5-7.V.2009, leg. I.A. Foley and R.C. Winton, UV light trap (♂ MTEC, to be deposited in the USNM).

Paratypes.

Saint Lucia • Castries District • Barre de l’Isle, 13.93682, -60.95936, 340 m, 25--28.VI.2009, leg. E.A. Ivie, UV light trap (1 ♀ MTEC) • Barre de l’Isle, 13.93682, -60.95936, 340 m, 8-14.VII.2009, leg. C.A. Maier and M. Gimmel, UV light trap (1 ♂ MTEC) • Barre de l’Isle, 13.9342, -60.9586, 340 m, 22--29.V.2009, leg. R.C. Winton, Malaise trap (1 ♀ WRME) • Barre de l’Isle, 13.9342, -60.9586, 340 m, 27.VI--3.VII.2009, leg. C.A. Maier and M. Gimmel, UV light trap (1 ♂ MTEC) • Micoud District • Quilesse Forest Reserve, Laporte, 13.8404, -60.9741, 272 m, 5-7.V.2009, leg. I.A. Foley and R.C. Winton, UV light trap (3 ♂ MTEC, 2 ♂ WRME).

Diagnosis.

Males of H. reinae can be distinguished from other Habralictus in the Lesser Antilles by the combination of head narrow (length/width ratio = 1.0-1.07) (length/width ratio = 0.84-0.85 in H. antillarus ), clypeus with distal maculation 1/3-1/2 longitudinal length (<1/5 length in H. antillarus ), supraclypeal and lower paraocular areas polished due to lack of microsculpture (distinctly imbricate in H. gonzalezi ), mesoscutal punctation indistinct (fine but distinct in H. claviventris and H. insularis ); mesepisternum polished with only weak microsculpture, sparse punctures distinct (dull, indistinctly punctate in H. gonzalezi ).

Females of H. reinae can be recognised by the combination of head wide (length/width ratio = 9.0) (length/width ratio = 0.92-0.97 in H. gonzalezi ), clypeal punctures not distinct (distinctly punctate in H. insularis ), clypeal maculation ½ length of clypeus (1/3 in H. antillarus ) and T3 sparsely punctate (Fig. 3A ) as in T4 (more densely punctate in H. gonzalezi ; Fig. 3B ). The female of H. claviventris is unknown.

Description.

Female (n = 2). Length 4.3-4.5 mm; head length 1.1 mm; head width 1.2 mm; intertegular distance 0.86-0.89 mm; wing length 1.6-1.8 mm.

Colouration. Head and mesosoma bright metallic blue-green with golden and bronze reflections. Clypeal apex pale brownish yellow, base bronze. Labrum reddish brown. Mandible yellow with black base and red apex. Scape yellow ventrally, brown dorsally. Flagellum dark brown, F2-F11 orange-brown ventrally. Pronotal lobe brown. Tegula yellowish brown. Wing membrane faintly dusky, veins brown to dark brown. Legs with varying brown and yellow, brown primarily on coxa, femur and meso- and metatibiae, yellow on trochanters, profemur apex, protibia and protarsi, dorsal or anterior surface of mesotibia, and posterior surface of metatibia and variably on posterior surface of metafemur, Metasoma brown and yellow-orange, yellow-orange on base of terga and on sterna, apical terga brown.

Pubescence. Body with sparse pilosity, dull white to faintly yellowish, dark setae on meso- and metatibia, and scattered on T4-T6. Tomentum on pronotal dorsolateral angles and lobe. Mesoscutal pilosity sparse erect. Wing setae dark. T1 without appressed fan. Terga with sparse setae, absent on apical impressed areas.

Surface sculpture. Clypeal punctures indistinct, sparse (IS = 2-4 PD), denser along apical margin (IS = 1-2 PD), interspaces granular. Face granular with indistinct punctation. Gena imbricate. Tegula punctures obscure. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum granular with indistinct punctation. Metapostnotum granular, microreticulate basally becoming imbricate toward margin. Mesopleuron granular (imbricate). Propodeal lateral face imbricate, sparsely punctate; posterior face imbricate, sparsely punctate. Metasomal terga finely coriarious. sparse setose punctures (IS = 3-6 PD) along premarginal line of T2-T4 and disc of T3-T5, apical impressed areas impunctate.

Structure. Face length/width ratio 0.78 ( ± 0.01 SD). UOD/LOD ratio 1.06 ( ± 0.11 SD). Clypeus projecting ~75% below suborbital tangent; apicolateral denticles rounded knobs. Supraclypeal area length/width ratio 0.97 ( ± 0.11 SD). Hypostomal carinae parallel. Pronotal angle obtuse. Mesoscutum length/width ratio 0.91 ( ± 0.06 SD); mesoscutum/mesoscutellum length ratio 2.93( ± 0.33 SD); mesoscutellum/metanotum length ratio 1.73 ( ± 0.13 SD); metanotum/metapostnotum length ratio 0.5 ( ± 0.03 SD). Lateral propodeal carinae reaching dorsolateral slope; oblique carina absent. Tegula shape ovoid. Forewing with 3 submarginal cells. Distal hamuli arranged 2-1-2. Inner metatibial spur pectinate, with 3 branches not including apex of rachis, proximal branch much longer than width of rachis. Metasoma ovoid, dorsoventrally flattened, apical impressed area medially ~ 1/2 longitudinal length of basal area.

Male (n = 3). Length 4.0-4.3 mm; head length 0.98-1.06 mm; head width 0.94-1.05 mm; intertegular distance 0.65-0.71 mm. Similar to female with usual sex associated modifications.

Colouration. Head and mesosoma iridescent blue-green. Clypeus pale yellow on apical third. Labrum pale yellow. Mandible pale yellow, orange apically. Flagellum brown, F3-F11 yellowish brown ventrally. Pronotal lobe brown. Tegula translucent amber. Wing membrane faintly dusky, veins dark brown. Pro- and mesoleg yellow, except coxa dark with weak metallic reflections, femora ventrally and mesotibia infused with brown. Meta leg brown, except coxa metallic, and trochanter, apices and bases of femur and tibia, and tarsi yellowish brown. Metasoma brown, apical impressed areas reddish brown.

Pubescence. Body pilosity sparse, dull white to faintly yellowish. Gena with long setae (2-2.5 OD). Pronotal lobe with tomentum on posterior margin. Mesoscutal setae sparse, short (0.5 OD). Metasomal terga largely bare; sternal setae sparse (1-1.5 OD), moderately plumose, sparse, erect. Wing setae dark, short, sparse.

Surface sculpture. Clypeal punctures sparse (IS = 1-2 PD), interspaces shiny, weakly imbricate. Supraclypeal punctures sparse (IS = 1-3 PD), interspaces shiny, weakly imbricate. Lower paraocular punctures sparse (IS = 1-3 PD), interspaces shiny, weakly imbricate. Frons and upper paraocular area granular. Gena punctulate-polished; postgena shiny, weakly imbricate. Tegula mostly impunctate. Mesoscutal punctation indistinct, interspaces granular. Mesoscutellar punctation moderately sparse (IS = 1-1.5 PD), interspaces strongly imbricate. Metanotum punctate, interspaces imbricate. Metapostnotum finely reticulate-granular. Pre-episternum imbricate. Hypoepimeral area punctate (IS = 1-1.5 PD), interspaces shiny imbricate. mesepisternum finely punctate (IS = 1-4 PD), interspaces shiny imbricate. Metepisternum imbricate. Propodeum imbricate. Metasoma sparsely punctate (IS = 5-10 PD), apical impressed areas impunctate, interspaces coriarious.

Structure. Face length/width ratio 0.86 ( ± 0.05 SD). F1: pedicel length ratio 1.1. F2:F1 length ratio 2.5. Gena narrower than eye. Hypostomal carinae parallel. Pronotal angle obtuse. Mesoscutum length/width ratio 0.97 ( ± 0.03 SD); mesoscutum/mesoscutellum length ratio 2.96 ( ± 0.05 SD); mesoscutellum/metanotum length ratio 1.92 ( ± 0.14 SD); metanotum/metapostnotum length ratio 0.5 ( ± 0.03 SD). Lateral propodeal carina nearly reaching dorsal margin; oblique carina absent. Tegula ovoid. Forewing with 3 submarginal cells. Metatibial spurs ciliate. Metasoma slender, clavate, widest at T4.

Etymology.

This brilliant, shining bee is appropriately named for Reina Rybuck, a curious and inquisitive girl who loved insects. Her light shone bright but too briefly. She is remembered with love and affection by those who knew her.

Notes.

Of the five Habralictus species known from the Lesser Antilles, all seem to be limited to higher elevations (272-762 m) on the islands ( Ashmead 1900; Smith-Pardo 2009; Gibbs 2012, 2016). Habralictus reinae was taken from protected canopy forests that are particularly wet. It is notable for future collection efforts that this species was predominantly collected from UV light traps, despite more frequent use of Malaise traps by collectors and daytime net collecting (M. Ivie, in litt.).

Figures

Figure 1. Habralictus reinae sp. nov., paratype female A dorsal habitus B head, frontal view C lateral habitus.

Figure 2. Habralictus reinae sp. nov., paratype male A dorsal habitus B head, frontal view C lateral habitus.

Figure 3. Metasomal tergum 3 of A Habralictus reinae sp. nov. B Habralictus gonzalezi Gibbs, 2012 to illustrate differences in setose puncture density.