Andrena (Taeniandrena) levante Wood & Praz, 2021

Wood, Thomas J., Ghisbain, Guillaume, Michez, Denis & Praz, Christophe J., 2021, Revisions to the faunas of Andrena of the Iberian Peninsula and Morocco with the descriptions of four new species (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 758, pp. 147-193 : 156-159

Andrena (Taeniandrena) levante Wood & Praz sp. nov.

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Figs 3 , 10 , 12–19

Diagnosis

Females of Andrena levante Wood & Praz sp. nov. are close to those of A. gelriae , with hair bands that are not as dense, as wide, or as complete as in A. gredana stat. nov. ( Figs 7 , 15 ). The clearest difference can be seen on the scutum which is strongly and densely shagreened and dull ( Fig. 14 ), with dense punctures that are almost contiguous (except posteriorly), giving the overall surface a duller appearance than in either A. gelriae or A. gredana ( Fig. 6 ) that have sparser punctation. The pubescence of the scutum and scutellum is also denser, shorter, and thicker than either comparison species ( Figs 4 , 12 ).

As for other similar species of Taeniandrena , male identification is much easier. Males can be recognised as part of the group with A3 equal to or slightly shorter than A4 (A3 1–1.03 times as long as A4). The genitalia are distinctive, with the gonocoxa diverging from close to their base (without their inner margins parallel for at least 50% of their length), the penis valve uniformly wide (not constricted medially), and with the blades of the gonostyli comparatively short, apically as wide as long ( Fig. 10 ). Andrena levante sp. nov. differs from A. gelriae vocifera in numerous morphological features; this taxon will be characterised elsewhere (Praz & Wood, in prep.).

Etymology

The term ‘ El Levante ’ is the Spanish name for the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula that constitutes the majority of the known range of this species (Almería, Granada, Málaga, Murcia, Valencia).

Material examined

Holotype SPAIN • ♂; 80 km SW of Valencia, Muela de Cortes reserve ; [39.219° N, 0.957° W]; 14 May 2003; J. Halada leg.; BOLD accession number: HYMAA245-21; OÖLM (illustrated Figs 10 , 16–19 ).

Paratypes SPAIN • 4 ♂♂, 23 ♀♀; Murcia, Sierra de Españula ; 14 May 2003; J. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 2 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; TJWC (illustrated Figs 12–15 ) • 2 ♂♂; Málaga, between Mijas and Benalmadena; 16 Apr. 1983; NMNL • 1 ♂; Almería, E-Sierra Nevada , near Alboloduy; 6–7 May 2003; J. Halada leg.; CPC • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; OÖLM • 1 ♂; Murcia, 25 km SW of Cartagena; 12 May 2003; J. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 7 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Valencia, 80 km SW of Valencia, Muela de Cortes reserve ; 14 May 2003; J. Halada leg.; OÖLM • 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; TJWC • 1 ♀; Granada, Maitena , 9 km E of Granada; 1400 m a.s.l.; 1 Jun. 1970; M.J. and J.P. Duffels leg.; NMNL .

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 11–12 mm ( Fig. 12 ).

HEAD. 1.3 times as wide as long ( Fig. 13 ). Clypeus dark, flattened over most of its area, densely and uniformly punctate with exception of raised central impunctate line, punctures separated by <0.5 puncture diameters, underlying surface shagreened, weakly shining, particularly apically. Face, gena, vertex, and scape with light brownish hair, longest not exceeding half of scape in length. Antennae dark, A4–12 lightened to light brown below. Foveae broad, occupying almost all area between lateral ocellus and top of compound eye, filled with short brown hairs.

MESOSOMA. Scutum densely punctate, punctures separated by <0.5 puncture diameters over majority of surface except becoming slightly sparser centrally and posteriorly, underlying surface shagreened, weakly shining ( Fig. 14 ). Scutellum with sparser punctures separated by 1 puncture diameter, shagreenation weaker, generally shining. Episternum and propodeum with dense raised reticulation, underlying surface dull, propodeal triangle weakly indicated by weak carina, little differentiated from general reticulation. Scutum and scutellum with short, orange-brown, semi-squamiform hairs, episternum with longer light brownish to white hairs, becoming orange-brown on propodeum. Legs dark, hind tibiae and tarsi of mid and hind legs orange, general pubescence light brown basally, becoming orange apically, flocculus, femoral and tibial scopae light brown to golden. Wings hyaline, venation dark orange, stigma orange, nervulus interstitial.

METASOMA. Terga dark, finely shagreened and weakly shining, apical part of marginal areas lightened semi-translucent brown ( Fig. 15 ). T1 very finely and subtly punctured, punctures on disc scarcely visible against shagreenation, those on margin more visible, separated by 1 puncture diameter. T2–4 more densely and visibly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameters. Terga with whitish hairbands, on T1 represented by two very widely separated spots (separated by almost entire width of tergal margin), T2 widely interrupted, T3+4 complete. Remaining tergal surface covered with short, fine brown to ferruginous hairs visible when viewed obliquely or in profile. Terminal fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden, pygidial plate rounded, flat, without raised margin.

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Body length 10–11 mm ( Fig. 16 ).

HEAD. 1.3 times as wide as long ( Fig. 17 ). Clypeus flattened and densely punctate, punctures separated by <0.5 puncture diameter, sculpturing as in female. Gena and lower part of face with white hairs, becoming light brown on scape and vertex, longest equalling length of scape. Antennae dark, A4–13 extensively lightened to dark brown below. A3 as long as A4.

MESOSOMA. Scutum, scutellum, episternum, and propodeum structurally as in female ( Fig. 18 ). Scutum and scutellum with fine light brown to golden hairs that equal length of scape, becoming light brown to whitish on propodeum and episternum. Legs dark, apical tarsal segments lightened dark red, pubescence whitish to light brownish. Wings hyaline, venation dark orange, nervulus slightly postfurcal.

METASOMA. Terga dark, finely shagreened and weakly shining, apical part of marginal areas lightened semi-translucent brown ( Fig. 19 ). Terga finely but clearly punctate, puncture separated by 0.5– 1 puncture diameter. T2–5 with hairbands, on T2 medially interrupted, complete on T3–5. S8 strap-like, slightly broadened apically, uniformly hairy. Genitalia elongated oval-shaped in dorsal view, gonocoxa with inner margins clearly diverging, not parallel, forming 90° angles apically ( Fig. 10 ). Penis valve moderately broad, basally parallel sided before tapering apically. Gonostyli comparatively short, apical blades as wide as long.

Distribution

Areas broadly near the coast in southeastern Spain, from Málaga to Valencia ( Fig. 3 ). All sites are mountainous (Sierra de Mijas, Sierra Nevada, Sierra de Españula, Muela de Cortes, Sierra de la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán).

Figures

Fig. 3.Distribution of Andrena (Taeniandrena) benoisti Wood & Prazsp. nov. [blue dots], A. (T.) wilkella (Kirby, 1802) [black dots], A. (T.) gredana Warncke, 1975 stat. nov. [red dots], and A. (T.) levante Wood & Praz sp. nov. [green dots] in Iberia. Not to scale.

Figs 4–11. 4–8. Andrena gredana Warncke, 1975 stat. nov. (TJWC). 4. Female profile. 5. Female face. 6. Female scutum. 7. Female terga. 8. Male genitalia. 9. Andrena gelriae van der Vecht, 1927, male genitalia. 10. Andrena levante Wood & Praz sp. nov., male genitalia. 11. Andrena intermedia Thomson, 1870, male genitalia. Not to scale.

Figs 12–19. Andrena levante Wood & Praz sp. nov. (TJWC). 12. Female profile. 13. Female face. 14. Female scutum. 15. Female terga. 16. Male profile. 17. Male face. 18. Male scutum. 19. Male terga.