Neocorynura minae Smith-Pardo

Smith-Pardo, Allan H., 2016, Two new species of Neocorynura from Guatemala (Hymenoptera: Halictidae: Augochlorini) with a key to the species known from the country, Zootaxa 4161 (2), pp. 193-206 : 198-199

Neocorynura minae Smith-Pardo sp. n.

Figs. 4–6

Diagnosis. This new species can be easily distinguished from other species of Neocorynura by the overall color pattern of the body: head and mesosoma metallic reddish-purple and the mesosoma red-brown with metallic basal bands that are yellowish green. The species superficially resembles N. rubida Smith-Pardo in size and coloration, but it can be separated by the punctation of the clypeus more or less densely distributed (distance between punctures ≤ 1 PD), in addition to having the post-occipital carina enlarged, the base of the propodeum broadly striate (= space between striae wider than striae width), and by having the anterior margin of the second submarginal cell shorter than that of the third submarginal cell.

Description. Female: Holotype ( Fig. 4 ): Total body length 9.05 mm; forewing length 6.8 mm. Head about as long as wide, length 1.82 mm, width 1.91 mm; upper interorbital distance 1.07 mm, lower interorbital distance 0.97 mm; apical half of clypeus below lower tangent of compound eyes ( Fig. 4 c); occipital carina present, strong and complete ( Fig. 4 d). Anterior border of mesoscutum medially narrowed and slightly projected over pronotal dorsal surface ( Fig. 4 d); median line distinctly impressed, parapsidal lines present but hard to distinguish due to the dense punctuation of the mesoscutum; intertegular distance 1.35 mm. Basimetatibial plate with narrowed apex, all borders strongly delimited ( Fig. 4 g); inner metatibial spur with four branches, not including apex of rachis as a branch ( Fig.4 h). Forewing with cu-a basad basal vein by about three times vein width; 1m-cu confluent with 1rs-m; 2m-cu strongly basad 3rs-m, latter crossvein weakly bent; marginal cell with apex minutely truncate (by about vein width) and appendiculate; first submarginal cell slightly longer (0.8 mm) than combined lengths of second and third submarginal cells (0.6 mm); anterior border of second submarginal cell shorter than that of third submarginal cell; distal hamuli arranged 4–1–3 on hind wing. Basal area of propodeum about as long as mesoscutellum.

Clypeus imbricate with punctures separated by 1 PD; face coarsely imbricate below level of antennal toruli with punctures separated by 2 PD; integument blending to densely punctured above level of antennal toruli and including vertex; gena with small punctures and distinctly striate, similar on postgena except more imbricate. Pronotum imbricate with small punctures separated by 1.0–2 times a puncture width; mesoscutum densely punctate, punctures smaller than those on clypeus; mesoscutellum and metanotum with similar sculpturing as mesoscutum, punctures separated by 0.5–1 PD; pleura coarsely imbricate and punctured, punctures next to each other except hypoepimeral area strongly imbricate with punctures separated by 0.5–1 PD; basal area of propodeum strongly sulcate, with sulci radiating from basal margin and separated in between them by more than the width of one sulcus ( Fig. 4 b,e), sulci reaching apical border. Metasoma strongly imbricate with scattered minute punctures ( Fig. 4 f).

Head and most of mesosoma metallic reddish purple, margins of mesonotum coppery yellow, mesopleura mostly metallic purple to dark pink, hypoepimeral area metallic coppery ( Fig. 4 a), tegula semitranslucent brown ( Fig.4 d), and legs light brown. Wing veins amber orange, except costa and subcostal brown, membranes hyaline. Metasoma reddish brown with metallic green to yellow basal bands covering most of each tergite surface ( Fig.4 b,f), T4 completely metallic yellow, T5 with area surrounding pygidial plate light brown, basal third (near gradulus) of T2–T4 with tomentose setae.

Pubescence generally light brown on head, mesosoma, and T2–T5, intermingled with some pale golden and dark brown setae; dark brown setae predominate on mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and metasomal sterna and distinctly more elongate on latter two; pronotal dorsal surface and around pronotal lobe with numerous short, plumose, white to light brown setae; metasomal terga with distinct, broad (covering two thirds of surface) tomentose bands composed of dense, appressed, short, plumose setae basally posterior to gradulus.

Male ( Figs. 5 , 6 ): as described for the female except as follows: Body length 6.52 mm; forewing length 5.1 mm. Head width 1.73 mm, length 1.57 mm. F2 longer than F1. Mandible slender and pointed and without preapical teeth. Labral surface smooth. Paraocular lobe as obtuse as in the female. Mesoscutum slightly wider than long ( Fig.5 d). Basitibial plate absent ( Fig.5 h); inner metatibial spur almost one fourth the length of metabasitarsus, rather slender and serrated ( Fig. 5 g). Hamuli with a spacing pattern 3-1-1-2. Basal area of propodeum more broadly sulcate. Metasoma with a slightly more elongate appearance ( Fig. 5 a); S6, S7, S8, and genital capsule as in Fig. 6 .

Mandible without grooves on outer surface, slightly carinate along posterior margin, anterior margin continuous. Subantennal and lower ocular areas with punctures separated by 0.5–1 PD. Mesoscutellum with punctures of irregular size and shape. Posterior side of propodeum with coarse punctures.

Head and mesosoma metallic green ( Fig. 5 a,b,c,d), except pronotum metallic yellow and mesopleura metallic greenish blue. Tegula slightly more translucent. Legs uniformly dark brown. T1 with metallic blue reflections ( Fig. 5 f), basal third of T2–T4 with metallic green reflections.

Mandible with some coarse, light brown, unbranched setae. Labrum mostly bare. Postgena with setae white, branched and 1.0–2.0 OD in length setae that are sparsely distributed. Metanotum in general with dark brown, longer setae (0.5–2.0 OD) sparsely distributed. Legs (especially hind ones) in general less pubescent; protrochanter with some clear, poorly branched setae minute—1.0 OD in length scattered on its surface; profemur with white setae, 0.5–1.5 OD in length on posterior margin; protibia more densely covered on inner side; mesofemur with most of the inner side bare; metatrochanter poorly covered with branched, minute–0.5 OD setae; metafemur with some light brown, minute–1.0 OD in length setae, sparsely distributed on anterior margin. Metasomal pubescence as in the female except bands of white, minute setae covering only a third of area; sterna with less pubescence, setae more scattered on S1–S3.

Etymology. The specific epithet honors my beloved niece Mina Smith whom came to this world to bring happiness to our family.

Type material. Holotype: ♀; GUATEMALA: Quetzaltenango, 25 km SW Zunil , 800m, R. Brooks & J. Ashe Colls., 20 June 1993, ex: Bidens sp. [ Asteraceae ], #054 [collecting event].

Paratypes: 19♀, 12♂ with same data as the holotype (9♀ 6♂ SEMC, 4♀ 2♂ AMNH, 4♀ 2♂ CAS, 2♀ 2♂ PCYU) ; 2♀, 4♂ with same data as the holotype, except: ex: tall yellow composite, #055 ( SEMC) ; 1♀ Chimaltenango, Yepocapa, Oct. 1944 (no additional data, SEMC). NICARAGUA: Granada Dept. [Department]: Res.Nat. Volcan Mombacho [Mombacho Volcano, Natural Reservation] , 1150.05’N 85 58.83’W, 1200 m. R. Brooks, Z. Fallin & S. Chatzimanolis Colls., 2-VI-2002, ex: flowering shrub, NIC1BFCO2-158 [collection event] ( SEMC ).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Female (Holotype) of Neocorynura minae sp. n.: a) lateral habitus, b) dorsal habitus, c) frontal view of head, d) dorsal view of mesosoma, e) mesoscutellum, metanotum and base of propodeum (propodeal triangle), f) dorsal view of metasomal segment 1 (T 1) and base of T 2, g) metabasitibial plate h) hind tibial spurs.

FIGURE 5. Male (Paratype) of Neocorynura minae sp. n. a) lateral habitus, b) dorsal habitus, c) frontal view of head, d) dorsal view of mesosoma, e) part of mesoscutellum, metanotum and base of propodeum (propodeal triangle), f) dorsal view of metasomal segment 1 (T 1) and base of T 2, g) hind tibial spurs, h) base of metatibia.

FIGURE 6. Male terminalia of Neocorynura minae sp. n.: a) genital capsule, b) S 6, c) S 7 and S 8.