Epeolus andriyi, Onuferko, Thomas M., 2018

Onuferko, Thomas M., 2018, A revision of the cleptoparasitic bee genus Epeolus Latreille for Nearctic species, north of Mexico (Hymenoptera, Apidae), ZooKeys 755, pp. 1-185 : 14-15

3. Epeolus andriyi sp. n. Figs 8, 9

Diagnosis.

The following morphological features in combination (excluding any that are specific to the opposite sex of the one being diagnosed) can be used to tell E. andriyi apart from all other North American Epeolus : the axilla is large, with the tip extending well beyond the midlength of the mesoscutellum but not as far back as its posterior margin, dilated laterally but relatively straight along the medial margin, and like the mesoscutellum ferruginous; the axilla’s free portion is clearly less than 2/5 as long as its entire medial length; the mesopleuron is closely (i≤1d) and evenly punctate; the metasomal terga are black; T1 has a distinct basal fascia, which may be narrowly interrupted medially; the mesoscutum and metasomal terga have bands of bright or pale yellow short appressed setae; at least the T1-T3 apical fasciae are distinctly interrupted medially; and the pseudopygidial area of the female is lunate with the apex <2 × the medial length. Epeolus andriyi is most similar to E. howardi , but in E. howardi the axillae extend further posteriorly, as far back as or beyond the posterior margin of the mesoscutellum, and both the axillae and mesoscutellum are entirely red whereas in E. andriyi the mesoscutellum is dark brown or black along the anterior margin. Epeolus andriyi is also similar to E. scutellaris , but in E. scutellaris the T1-T3 apical fasciae are complete or only very narrowly interrupted medially, and the pseudopygidial area of the female is lunate with the apex>2 × the medial length.

Description.

FEMALE: Length 8.2 mm; head length 1.9 mm; head width 2.6 mm; fore wing length 5.5 mm (margins of both worn in holotype).

Integument coloration. Mostly black; notable exceptions as follows: partially to entirely ferruginous on mandible, antenna, pronotal lobe, tegula, axilla, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, mesopleuron, and legs. Mandible with apex darker than all but extreme base; preapical tooth lighter than mandibular apex. Antenna brown except scape, pedicel, and F1 extensively orange. F2 with orange spot basally. Pronotal lobe and tegula pale ferruginous to amber. Mesoscutum with reddish-brown spot anterolaterally between pronotal lobe and tegula. Wing membrane dusky subhyaline, slightly darker at apex. Legs more extensively reddish orange than brown or black.

Pubescence. Face with tomentum densest around antennal socket. Clypeus, upper paraocular and frontal areas, and vertexal area mostly exposed. Dorsum of mesosoma and metasoma with bands of off-white to pale yellow short appressed setae. Mesoscutum with paramedian band. Mesopleuron with upper half hairy, except beneath base of fore wing (hypoepimeral area); ventrolateral half nearly bare. Metanotum with tomentum sparser medially, uniformly off white. T1 with discal patch quadrangular and very wide, the basal and apical fasciae only narrowly joined laterally by few sparsely scattered pale hairs. T1-T3 with apical fasciae interrupted medially and narrowed before becoming somewhat broader laterally; T2 with fascia without anterolateral extensions of tomentum, although few sparsely scattered pale hairs present. T4 with fascia narrowed medially. T5 with two patches of pale tomentum (both quite faint in holotype because much of pubescence discolored or rubbed off) lateral to and contacting pseudopygidial area. T5 with pseudopygidial area lunate, its apex less than twice as wide as medial length, indicated by silvery setae on impressed disc of apicomedial region elevated from rest of tergum. S5 with apical fimbria of coppery to silvery hairs not extending beyond apex of sternum by more than 1/4 MOD.

Surface sculpture. Punctures dense. Labrum with larger and sparser punctures (i=1-2d) than clypeus (i<1d). Small impunctate matte spot lateral to lateral ocellus. Mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, and axilla coarsely and densely rugose-punctate. Tegula densely punctate mesally (i≤1d), less so laterally (i=1-2d). Mesopleuron with ventrolateral half densely punctate (i≤1d), the interspaces shining; mesopleuron with punctures more or less equally dense throughout. Metasomal terga with punctures very fine, dense (i≈1d), evenly distributed on disc; the interspaces shining somewhat.

Structure. Preapical tooth inconspicuous, blunt and obtuse. Labrum with pair of small subapical denticles, each preceded by small discrete longitudinal ridge. Frontal keel not strongly raised. Scape with greatest length 1.8 × greatest width. F2 noticeably longer than wide (L/W ratio = 1.5). Preoccipital ridge not joining hypostomal carina, from which it is separated by no less than 1 MOD at its terminal. Mesoscutellum weakly bigibbous. Axilla large, its lateral margin (L) half as long as mesoscutellar width (W) (L/W ratio = 0.5) and tip extending well beyond midlength of mesoscutellum but not as far back as its posterior margin; axilla with tip clearly visible, but unattached to mesoscutellum for less than 2/5 the medial length of axilla; axilla with lateral margin arcuate. Fore wing with three submarginal cells. Pygidial plate apically truncate.

MALE: Description as for female except for usual secondary sexual characters and as follows: F2 shorter, not noticeably longer than wide (L/W ratio = 1.1); S4 and S5 with much longer coppery to silvery subapical hairs; pygidial plate apically rounded, with large deep punctures more or less evenly spaced throughout, with the interspaces shining.

Etymology.

This species is named in honor of my father, Rev. Andriy Onuferko, in gratitude for encouraging my interests in the natural world and for his assistance in collecting Epeolus in the field.

Distribution.

Presently known from a single location along the Patuxent River in Maryland, USA (Fig. 9).

Ecology.

HOST RECORDS: The host species of E. andriyi is/are presently unknown.

FLORAL RECORDS: Unknown.

Discussion.

Epeolus andriyi and E. howardi are very similar to one another, and both species have been collected in Maryland, USA in late August. Although E. andriyi is known from only two specimens, in both the axillae are shorter than in any examined specimen of E. howardi . The status of E. andriyi as a separate species is further supported by a separate BIN, but unusually its nearest neighbor is E. lectoides , from which E. andriyi exhibits a large barcode sequence divergence (7.1%).

Material studied.

Type material. Primary: USA: Maryland: Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary (38.7839°N; 76.7014°W) (Anne Arundel County), 31.viii.2004, B. Hollister (♀ holotype [04-MD-1692], RSKM).

Secondary: USA: Maryland: Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary (38.7839°N; 76.7014°W) (Anne Arundel County), 31.viii.2004, B. Hollister (♂ allotype [04-MD-1691], RSKM).

DNA barcoded material with BIN-compliant sequences.

Available. BOLD:AAX7179. See Type material for specimens examined and sequenced (indicated by unique identifier number in square brackets).