Tetralonioidella heinzi, Dubitzky, 2007

Dubitzky, Andreas, 2007, Revision of the Habropoda and Tetralonioidella species of Taiwan with comments on their host-parasitoid relationships (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae), Zootaxa 1483 (1), pp. 41-68 : 63-65

Tetralonioidella heinzi sp. n.

( Figs 1C, D , 6B , 7A, B, 8A)

Male. BL: 9.9–14.3 mm (11.3 mm). FWL: 8.6–10.3 mm (9.3 mm).

Structure. Head oval, about 1.3 times broader than long. Inner margin of compound eyes divergent (space between compound eyes dorsally about 1.2 times as broad as ventrally), face therefore trapezoid in frontal view. Proboscis in repose reaching coxa of foreleg. Galea lanceolate in lateral view, apically pointed. Surface of galea shiny, smooth to very weakly tesselate, with small but distinct punctation. Labrum nearly rectangular, about 1.5 times broader than long, shiny, with large and dense punctation except for the slender impunctate median line. Ventral margin of labrum convexly rounded, with a broad incision in the middle. Clypeus with dense punctation, about 1.5 times broader than long. SCA shiny, with distinct, dense punctation and a strong lamellate keel in the middle. All other parts of head smooth to weakly tesselate, shiny with irregular, dense punctation. Lateral region of vertex flattened. Ocelli arranged in a straight line, distance to hind margin of vertex about twice OD. Antenna long, reaching behind hind margin of tegulae ( Fig. 1D ). Scape tesselate, dull, nearly as long as following three AS together, with dense punctation on ventral side. AS 3 short, about as long as broad ( Fig. 6B ). AS 4 nearly twice as long as broad, 1.5 times longer than AS 3. Further AS distinctly longer than broad. Margins of AS 4– AS 13 convex anteriorly, concave posteriorly in dorsal view, AS 4– AS 12 therefore distally nodiform along posterior margin ( Fig. 6B ). Mesoscutum shiny, with large and dense punctation. Scutellum wrinkled, caused by honeycombed and coarse punctation, with a broad lamellate, longitudinal keel in the middle. Lateral parts of scutellum with two long backward curving spines. Propodeum strongly tesselate, dull with coarse wrinkles basally and two smooth oval maculations in the middle. Mesepisternum strongly tesselate, dull, with large and dense punctation. Lateral part of propodeum tesselate, dull with coarse punctation. Forewing not papillate, hind wing with only few weak papillae distally. Femur of middle and hind leg thickened, convex on outer side, slightly concave on inner side. Hind tibia thickened, apically broadened. Inner spur of hind tibia distinctly curved, apex truncate, ventrally curved. Hind basitarsus slightly concave to flattened dorsally and with a broad distinct groove ventrally. All T shiny to weakly dull, with small punctation (=1). Apical margin of T1–T4 straight to slightly convex, apical margin of T5 and T6 broadly concave in the middle. T7 with distinct, triangular incision apically, apex therefore two-cornered. S1–S5 smooth and shiny, with dense punctation on disc and sparse punctation on marginal zone. Apical margin of S1–S5 with broad, concave incision in the middle. S6 triangular, weakly dull, with dense, small punctation. Apical part of S7 triangular, with small incision on apex (Fig. 7A). S8 with distinct incision apically (Fig. 7B).

Integument colour. Galea chestnut brown with dark blackish brown region in the middle. Glossa and PLB yellowish brown. Mandible dark reddish brown to black. All other parts of head including both sides of antenna black. Thorax black, except tegula (brownish transparent) and distal parts of tarsi (blackish brown). claws bright yellowish brown basally to dark reddish brown apically. Spurs dark brown to black. T1–T6 black basally, dark amber transparent on marginal zone. T7 black to blackish brown. S1–S5 black basally, amber transparent apically. S6 dark brown to amber transparent. S7–S8 transparently amber.

Pubescence ( Fig. 1D ). Galea bare, with only few, tiny hairs basally. Mandible with row of long yellowish grey hairs along ventral margin and short feathered hairs basally on outer surface. Labrum with dense pubescence of short, feathery grey hairs, intermixed with long, simple, yellowish grey hairs. Clypeus and POA, as well as, SCA with yellowish grey pubescence of short, feathery hairs, intermixed with long, simple to branched hairs. Frons, vertex, occiput and GA with long, branched, yellowish orange pubescence, sometimes intermixed with short feathery hairs. Scape and pedicel with short, yellowish grey pubescence, AS 3 with very short and dense hairs apically. Other segments nearly bare. Surface of compound eyes with single sparse microtricha. Mesoscutum and scutellum with yellowish orange to fox-red pubescence of long, branched hairs. Mesepisternum and lateral part of propodeum with yellowish grey to bright grey pubescence of long branched hairs. Tegula with short yellowish grey hairs. Dorsal and ventral surface of forewing with short, blackish brown setae, being most dense distally. Femur of fore to middle leg with medium long, grey to yellowish grey, branched hairs. Tibia of all legs as well as hindfemur with short, yellow, feathery hairs. Tarsi with thin yellow pubescence of simple hairs dorsally and dense strong, brown hairs ventrally (especially basitarsi). All T usually covered with short, fox-red, feathery hairs, intermixed with few long to short simple hairs in the same colour basally and laterally. S1–S5 with thin yellow transparent pubescence of long simple hairs basally and single short, branched hairs on marginal zone. Ventral surface of apical part of S7 with stiff, short setae laterally (Fig. 7A). S8 completely bare (Fig. 7B).

Male genitalia ( Fig. 8A ). Apical part of gonostylus with short hairs on inner side and apex. Basal part of gonostylus with a dense brush of short hairs on inner side and rectangular process dorsally. Rectangular process with long hairs along dorsal and apical margins. Penis valve with two rectangular processes laterally.

Female. BL: 10.5 mm. FWL: 8.2 mm.

Structure. Head oval, about 1.3 times broader than long. Inner margin of compound eyes divergent as in male. Proboscis short, similar to male. Galea in repose reaching fore coxa. Clypeus broad, about 1.7 times broader than long. Other parts of head similar to male. Antenna rather long, reaching middle of tegula. Length and structure of AS similar to male, except AS 4– AS 12 is straight along posterior margin in dorsal view, not nodiform as in male. Structure of thorax similar to male but spines of scutellum distinctly shorter. Fore wing apically not papillate, with numerous setae instead, hind wing with only few weak papillae distally. Middle and hind leg more slender, especially femur and tibia not thickened as in male. Inner hind tibial spur straight, not curved as in male. Basitarsus of hind leg regularly rounded, without distinct groove ventrally like male. All T similar to male but apical margin of T5 convex. Pygidial plate retracted, therefore not visible. All S similar to male. Apical margin of S2–S4 medially concave, S5 convex. S6 triangular.

Integument colour. Colour of proboscis, mandibles and head similar to male. Scape and pedicel chestnut brown beneath. AS 3– AS 12 dark brown ventrally, blackish brown dorsally. Thorax black. Tegula brownish transparent. Legs chestnut brown to dark brown. Claws bright yellowish brown basally, blackish brown apically. Spurs dark brown. Colouration of metasoma similar to male.

Pubescence ( Fig. 1C ). Pubescence of body as in male, but no microtricha on compound eyes visible.

Diagnosis. T. heinzi n. sp. is similar to T. hoozana Strand and T. nepalensis Lieftinck , from which it easily can be distinguished by the following characters (character states of T. hoozana and T. nepalensis in parentheses): absence of numerous distinct papillae on the apical part of forewings in both sexes, with dark setae instead (forewing strongly papillate, setae absent); male antenna long, reaching behind hind margin of tegula, AS as in Fig. 6B (short, reaching only front margin of tegula, AS as in Fig. 6C ); inner spur of male hind tibia distinctly curved (more or less straight); distinct ventral groove on basal part of male basitarsus of hind leg developed (basitarsus of male hind leg entire, without ventral groove); S7 (Fig. 7A) of male, with strong lateral setae ventrally (S7 ( T. hoozana : Fig. 7C) with long, thin lateral setae ventrally); male genitalia as in Fig. 8A (as in Fig. 8B, T . hoozana only).

The absence of papillae on forewing as well as the bristle-like setae on the ventral surface of S7 are unique features within this genus. The non-papillate forewing is a unique feature within the Melectini.

Etymology. This species is named heinzi in honour of my beloved father, Heinz Dubitzky, to whom I am forever grateful for his wonderful support of me and my studies, as well as for inspiring my interests in biology and the beauty of nature, in general.

Distribution. T. heinzi sp. n. is currently known only from the surroundings of the medium altitude TESRI station near Tengchi (Kaohsiung Hsien), Meifeng (Nantou Hsien) and Taipingshan (Ilan Hsien). The seasonal/altitudinal distribution of this species is illustrated in Fig. 10 .

Biology. The males of T. heinzi sp. n. collected by the author were exclusively found at flowers of Torenia concolor in close association with Habropoda christineae sp. n. The fact that this was the only species of Habropoda and Tetralonioidella found at the same time and locality undoubtedly indicates a host-cleptoparasite relationship between these two species. This is also supported by the convergent seasonal and altitudinal distribution pattern ( Figs 9 , 10 ) of both species.

Type material. Holotype, ♂, TAIWAN: Meifeng , ca. 2150 m, Nantou Hsien, Malaise trap, VIII. 1984, leg. K.S. Lin & K.C. Chou ( TARI) . Paratypes, 4 ♂♂, 1 ♀, TAIWAN : 2 ♂, Tengchi , near Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute ( TESRI), ca. 1600 m, 23°07`N / 120°47`E, 6.VII.2000, leg. A. Dubitzky (CAD) ; 1 ♂, same data as holotype ( TARI) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Taiheizan (= Taipingshan today), 30.VII.1935 (♂), 13.VIII.1935 (♀) ( TARI, ZSM) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Habitus of new species of Habropoda and Tetralonioidella of Taiwan. A, B Habropoda christineae; C, D, Tetralonioidella heinzi (D with attached orchid pollinium). A, C, female; B, D, male.

FIGURE 6. Antenna of male Tetralonioidella of Taiwan. A, T. himalayana formosana; B, T.heinzi; C, T. hoozana. Scale bars, 1 mm.

FIGURE 8. Male genitalia of Tetralonioidella of Taiwan. A, T. heinzi; B, T. hoozana; C, T. himalayana formosana. All dorsal view, except A below, showing ventral aspect; Scale bars, 250 µm.

FIGURE 9. Seasonal-altitudinal distribution pattern of Habropoda on Taiwan.

FIGURE 10. Seasonal-altitudinal distribution pattern of Tetralonioidella on Taiwan.