Stilbochlora kateae Engel, 2019

Engel, Michael S., 2019, New species of the augochlorine bee genus Stilbochlora, with a preliminary key (Hymenoptera: Halictidae), Journal of Melittology 2019 (89), pp. 1-15 : 5-8

Stilbochlora kateae Engel , new species

( Figs. 3, 4 , 8 , 13 , 17 )

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0193356D-4456-49F9-A0DD-08F18C69B8DE

DIAGNOSIS: As in all of the species described herein, this species has a more densely striate propodeum relative to that of the type species. Like S. graceae it has the striae of the propodeum extending beyond midlength and medially nearly reaching to the posterior border ( Figs. 13 , 17 ), and the striate area of roughly triangular form ( Figs. 13 , 17 ). Relative to S. graceae the species is pronouncedly blue in color ( Figs. 3, 4 ) rather than the entirely green coloration of the former. It also differs from S. graceae by the absence of lighter coloration at the clypeal apex ( Fig. 8 ) and the dark brown legs ( Figs. 3, 4 ).

DESCRIPTION: ♀: Total body length 6.97 mm; forewing length 5.10 mm. Head slightly wider than long (length 1.87 mm, width 1.93 mm); distal half of clypeus projecting below lower tangent of compound eyes; frontal line carinate from approximately lower tangent of toruli to about one torular diameter above upper tangent of toruli; upper interorbital distance 1.07 mm; lower interorbital distance 0.79 mm; ocellocular distance approximately 1.5× ocellar diameter. Scape long, extending to level of lateral ocelli; pedicel longer than first flagellomere; first and second flagellomeres subequal in length. Gena narrower than compound eye in profile. Mesoscutum with median and parapsidal lines moderately impressed, parapsidal line approximately 0.75× length of median line; intertegular distance 1.57 mm; mesoscutellum nearly twice as long as metanotum, approximately subequal to basal area of propodeum. Forewing with basal vein distad 1cu-a by 4× vein width; 1rs-m straight, slightly basad 1m-cu by less than vein width, roughly parallel to 2Rs; 3Rs subequal to r-rs, and subequal to 4Rs; 5Rs comparatively straight, thus marginal cell tapering uniformly to acutely rounded apex; 2M subequal to 3Rs; 3M more than 2× length 2M; 2rs-m weakly curved, distad 2m-cu by 4× vein width; hind wing with distal hamuli arranged 2-1-2. Inner metatibial spur with five branches, not including apical portion of rachis (difficult to observe as holotype has hind legs folded beneath the body, but spurs of left leg can be discerned by looking through legs from right side).

Clypeus with coarse punctures separated by much less than a puncture width centrally, integument between punctures faintly and finely coriarious, coriarious integument more prominent in metallic areas and punctures more spaced, separated by a puncture width; supraclypeal area with punctures smaller than on clypeus, separated by 0.5–2× a puncture width, integument between punctures weakly and finely coriarious; face below tangent of antennal toruli with minute punctures separated by a puncture width or often less, integument between punctures smooth; face above tangent of antennal toruli with minute punctures nearly contiguous, integument between punctures smooth; punctures becoming more spaced toward ocellar area and in ocellocular area, in ocellocular area separated by 2–5× a puncture width, integument between punctures smooth; vertex with integument as described for ocellocular area; gena with punctures separated by about a puncture width, blending ventrally to coriarious integument of postgena; postgena prominently coriarious and impunctate. Pronotum smooth, with sparsely scatered punctures; mesoscutum with minute punctures separated by 2–4× a puncture width, except more closely spaced around parapsidal line, integument between punctures smooth; tegula smooth and impunctate except a few, sparsely scatered, weak punctures; mesoscutellum with integument as on central disc of mesoscutum except punctures more widely spaced, punctures along posterior border larger and weaker; metanotum minutely nodulose, integument otherwise finely coriarious; preëpisternum with coarse punctures nearly contiguous, integument between punctures smooth, hypoepimeral area with sparse, small punctures, otherwise smooth; mesepisternum with small, shallow punctures separated by 2–4× a puncture width; metepisternum smooth with sparsely scatered minute punctures; basal area of propodeum smooth, glabrous, shining, with prominent striae radiating from basal margin, striae long, extending beyond midlength of basal area, medially extending nearly to posterior rounded margin, striae closely spaced; lateral and posterior surfaces of propodeum smooth with scatered minute punctures, punctures of posterior surface sparser than those of lateral surface. Metasomal tergum I largely smooth, with scatered minute punctures, apical margin finely, weakly, transversely coriarious and impunctate; terga II–IV as on tergum I except minute punctures of disc more numerous, separated by 1–4× a puncture width, becoming weaker toward apical margin, apical margin as on tergum I; tergum V as on preceding terga except punctures more prominent and more closely spaced; sterna with basal areas smooth and impunctate, central discs finely coriarious and nodulose at setal bases.

Mandible dark brown; labrum dark brown; clypeus dark brown except metallic blue-green bordering epistomal sulcus; supraclypeal area and remainder of face brilliant metallic blue-green, with bluish color progressively more dominant toward vertex; gena as on vertex; postgena metallic golden-green; antenna dark brown except flagellomeres ventrally progressively lighter from flagellomere VII onward, and apex and venter of distalmost flagellomere brownish yellow. Pronotum dark brown with strong metallic blue-green highlights; propleuron as on pronotum; mesoscutum brilliant metallic blue-green; tegula brown, semi-translucent; mesoscutellum and metanotum as on mesoscutum; mes- and metepisternum as on mesoscutum; propodeum as on mesoscutum; legs largely brown except lighter on tarsi. Wing membranes hyaline and clear; veins dark brown to brown. Metasoma largely dark brown; terga with strong metallic blue highlights and areas of purplish highlights, particularly centrally on discs, highlights absent in marginal areas giving metasomal dorsum superficial banded appearance.

Pubescence largely white to off white; face with scatered, fine, simple, suberect to erect setae, such setae intermingled with shorter, highly branched to plumose setae on lower face and along ocular borders, such setae not obscuring integument, on upper face fine erect setae short, becoming longer again on vertex and between ocelli; gena with setae as on vertex except long, erect to suberect setae, some with a few apical branches, intermingled with shorter, plumose setae near ocular border; postgena with sparse, elongate, erect setae, some setae with a few apical branches. Mesoscutum with scatered, short, fine, erect, simple setae, some with a few, minute branches, intermixed with shorter erect setae, posteriorly with more elongate, erect setae with a few minute branches; mesoscutellum as on mesoscutum except elongate setae more numerous and some mid-sized, lateral setae plumose; metanotum as on mesoscutum except elongate setae more numerous; pleura with long, erect to suberect, simple setae, such setae becoming slightly longer ventrally; basal area of propodeum glabrous; lateral and posterior surfaces with setae as on pleura except more numerous on lateral surface and sparser and more erect on posterior surface. Setae of legs largely white to off white, except more tawny on tarsomeres, particularly so on inner surfaces. Metasomal tergum I with long, erect, simple setae on anterior-facing surface, such setae becoming sparse, short, and more inclined medioapically, dorsal-facing surface with sparse, short, suberect setae, narrow apical margin glabrous; terga II–IV with fine, short, suberect to subappressed, simple setae, intermingled with longer, suberect, simple setae, such longer setae progressively more numerous on succeeding terga; tergum V with setae more numerous than on preceding terga and short setae of disc more fuscous; central discs of sterna with abundant, elongate, erect, simple setae, a few with short branches.

♂: Latet.

HOLOTYPE: ♀, Peru: Madre de Dios, Pantiacolla Lodge, Alto Madre de Dios River, 400 m, 12°39’22’’S, 71°13’55’’W, 23–26 Oct 2000, R. Brooks, ex: flight intercept trap ( SEMC).

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet honors Ms. Kate Alisa Laïlle (b. 2006), beloved niece.

Figures

Figures 3–4. Holotype female of Stilbochlora kateae, new species. 3. Lateral habitus. 4. Dorsal habitus.

Figures 7–10. Facial views of species of Stilbochlora Engel et al. 7. Stilbochlora wedmanorum, new species. 8. S. kateae, new species. 9. S. graceae, new species. 10. S. eickworti (Engel et al.).

Figures 11–14. Mesosomal dorsa of species of Stilbochlora Engel et al. 11. Stilbochlora eickworti (Engel et al.). 12. S. graceae, new species. 13. S. kateae, new species. 14. S. wedmanorum, new species.

Figures 15–18. Mesoscutella, metanota, and propodea of species of Stilbochlora Engel et al. 15. Stilbochlora eickworti (Engel et al.). 16. S. graceae, new species. 17. S. kateae, new species. 18. S. wedmanorum, new species.