Meliturgula (Meliturgula) bonheimi, Eardley, Connal, 2009

Eardley, Connal, 2009, A revision of the Southern African species of Meliturgula Friese (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae: Panurginae), Zootaxa 2261, pp. 39-51 : 41-49

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.275230
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6218508
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/B50C878A-FFB8-482E-C995-FCDDFD0415A8
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Meliturgula (Meliturgula) bonheimi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Meliturgula (Meliturgula) bonheimi View in CoL sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 )

Named for Derek Bonheim, who has been a friend for more than 40 years.

This species belongs to Meliturgula s.str. This subgenus displays two distinct forms; one characterized by Meliturgula braunsi , the other by M. scriptifrons . Meliturgula bonheimi is more similar to M. scriptifrons in the convexity of the clypeus, narrow facial fovea and divided propodeum. Within this group only M. bonheimi and M. scriptifrons have a glabrous ridge separating the anterior and posterior surfaces of the propodeum. By contrast, the extensive yellow facial maculation of M. bonheimi resembles M. braunsi , as does the curved posterior edge of the first submarginal cell.

Diagnosis. Lower region of face mostly yellow ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 a), facial fovea narrow, propodeum distinctly divided (cf. Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 d), metasoma mostly orange ( Figs 1 View FIGURE 1 b–d).

Description. Female. Lengths (holotype): head 2.0 mm; scutum 1.5 mm; fore wing 5.4 mm; body 7.5 mm. Pubescence mostly brownish-white, vertex and anterior region of scutum pale brown ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 a–c), ventral surfaces of tarsi and medioposterior regions of T4–T5 orange ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 c–d). Integument, head above antennal sockets, most of paraocular area adjacent to eye and gena black, supraclypeus, clypeus, most of paraocular area below antennal sockets (yellow markings reaching eye ventrally only), anterior surface of antennal scape and mandible yellow ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 a); mesosoma mostly black, metanotum yellow, legs orange; metasoma orange, except a dark lateral spot on T2 and pygidial plate blackish ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 b–d), poorly defined blackish areas medially on T4–T5 ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 b–d), S2–S6 extensively blackish, pygidial plate black ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 d). Structure: clypeus convex, shape as in Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 a, facial fovea narrow; fore wing with first submarginal cell slightly arched posteriorly; propodeum angulately divided with short, anterior, subhorizontal (clearly sculptured) and long, subvertical, posterior (weakly glabrous) surfaces, cf. Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 d.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. This species is only known from the type locality in northwest Namibia.

Material Examined. Female holotype and three female paratypes ‘ Namibia, Karibib : 65 km SW Usakos 1.3.1990, leg. Max Schwarz’, holotype and two paratypes in MSAA, one paratype in SANC.

Meliturgula(Meliturgula) braunsi Friese ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 a–e)

South Africa. Foraging on flowers of: Mesembryanthemum sp., Ruschia uncinata (Mesembryanthemaceae)

Meliturgula braunsi Friese, 1903: 34 View in CoL ; Eardley 1991c: 124 –126, 132–13.

Meliturgula (Meliturgula) braunsi Friese View in CoL : Patiny 1999a: 248 –249, 253; Patiny 2004: 2, 7, 9, 12.

Meliturgula (Meliturgula) wilmattae Cockerell View in CoL ( Fig. 2 View FIGURE 2 f–g) South Africa.

Meliturgula wilmattae Cockerell, 1932: 448 View in CoL ; Eardley 1999c: 124.

Meliturgula (Meliturgula) wilmattae Cockerell View in CoL : Patiny 2000: 303; Patiny 2004: 2, 7.

Meliturgula (Meliturgula) haematospila Cockerell ( Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 )

South Africa, Namibia. Foraging on flowers of: Acacia sp. ( Fabaceae ), Adenolobus pechuelii (Fabaceae) , Aptosimum decumbens , Aptosimum sp. ( Scrophulariaceae ), Boerhavia deserticola (Nyctaginaceae) , Corbichonia rubriviolacea (Molluginaceae) , Cucumis sp. ( Cucurbitaceae ), Gisekia Africana (Gisekiaceae) , Heliotropium rariflorum (Boraginaceae) , Hermannia modesta , Hermannia sp. ( Sterculiaceae ), Indigofera rautanenii , Indigofera sp. ( Fabaceae ), Limeum arqute-carinatum ( Molluginaceae ), Peliostomum leucorrhizum (Scrophulariaceae) , Sesuvium sesuvioides (Aizoaceae) , Trianthema crystallina , Tribulus sp. ( Zygophyllaceae ), Zygophyllum simplex (Zygophyllaceae) , daisy.

Meliturgula haematospila Cockerell, 1935a: 559 View in CoL –560.

Meliturgula (Meliturgula) haematospila Cockerell View in CoL : Patiny 2000: 303; Patiny 2004: 2, 7, 9. Meliturgula haematospila ogilivei Cockerell, 1936b: 555 View in CoL .

Meliturgula (Meliturgula) scriptifrons (Walker) View in CoL ( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 )

Angola; Botswana, Eritrea; Kenya; Malawi; Namibia, South Africa, Sudan; Tanzania; Zimbabwe, Palaearctic. Foraging on flowers of: Gisekia Africana (Gisekiaceae) , Heliotropium rariflorum (Boraginaceae) , Heeria paniculosa (Anacardiaceae) , Indigofera auricoma , Indigofera rautanenii , Indigofera sp. ( Fabaceae ), Justicia sp. ( Anacardiaceae ), Mesembrythanthemum sp. ( Mesembryanthemaceae ), Ocimum americanum (Lamiaceae) , Ozoroa paniculosa var. salicina (Anacardiaceae) , Senna italica (Asteraceae) , Tribulus cristatus (Zygophyllaceae) , Zygophyllum simplex (Zygophyllaceae) .

Nomia scriptifrons Walker, 1871: 44 .

Meliturgula minima Friese 1912: 188 View in CoL .

Meliturgula minima View in CoL race pallidior Cockerell, 1935b: 236.

Meliturgula minima View in CoL var. perpallida Cockerell, 1935b: 236 . Meliturgula scriptifrons (Walker) View in CoL : Patiny 1999b: 63 –67.

Meliturgula (Meliturgula) scriptifrons (Walker) View in CoL : Patiny & Gaspar 2000: 16 –17, 25; Patiny 2004: 2, 8–10.

Meliturgula (Poecilomelitta) fuliginosa (Friese) View in CoL ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 )

Namibia. Foraging on flowers of: Tribulus sp. ( Zygophyllaceae ).

Poecilomelitta fuliginosa Friese, 1913b: 574 View in CoL .

Meliturgula (Poecilomelitta) fulginosa (Friese) : Patiny 1999a: 250; Patiny 2004: 2, 8–9. Poecilomelitta latifrons Cockerell, 1936b: 479 View in CoL –480.

Meliturgula (Poecilomelitta) eardleyana Patiny View in CoL ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 ) Namibia, South Africa.

Meliturgula (Poecilomelitta) eardleyana Patiny, 2000: 302 View in CoL –303; Patiny 2004: 2, 4–5, 8–10, 12.

Meliturgula eardleyana View in CoL is intermediate between M. fuliginosa View in CoL and M. rozeni View in CoL . The male face resembles M. rozeni View in CoL whereas the male metasomal terminalia are like those of M. fuliginosa View in CoL . The female face resembles that of M. fuliginosa View in CoL . This is the first description of the male of M. eardleyana View in CoL .

Diagnosis. Male. Anterior surface of antennal scape, lower surface of antennal flagellum and most of clypeus yellow, ventrolateral corner of clypeus black ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 c), eye moderately large ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 c).

Description. Female. As described by Patiny (2000).

Male. Lengths: head 1.4 mm; scutum 0.9 mm; fore wing 3.8 mm; body 5.0 mm. Pubescence mostly white ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 c–d), ventral surfaces of tarsi pale yellow ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 d). Integument black, except yellow on anterior surface of scape, ventral surfaces of basal five segments of flagellum (distal six segments brownish-yellow below), most of clypeus (ventrolateral corner of clypeus black), and all tarsi ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 c–d). Structure: vertex, frontal view, eyes moderately large (0.6x as wide as face at antennal socket level); eyes converge above (upper interorbital distance 0.83x lower interorbital distance); inner eye margins distinctly convex ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 c); antennal scape reaching lateral ocellus; scape about 7.5x as long as flagellar segment 1, which is twice as long as flagellar segment 2; flagellum reaches to about middle of scutum; labrum with median region concave, apical margin recessed, shiny, mediolateral region punctuate; S6 with posteromedian, bifurcate spine ( Fig. 6 View FIGURE 6 e); S7 as in M. scriptifrons ( Eardley 1991) , S8 and genital capsule as in M. fuliginosa ( Eardley 1991) .