Andrena (Truncandrena) dorchini Pisanty, 2022

Pisanty, Gideon, Scheuchl, Erwin, Martin, Teresa, Cardinal, Sophie & Wood, Thomas James, 2022, Twenty-five new species of mining bees (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae: Andrena) from Israel and the Levant, Zootaxa 5185 (1), pp. 1-109 : 72-75

Andrena (Truncandrena) dorchini Pisanty sp. nov.

( Figs. 167–178 )

Female ( Fig. 170 ).

Body length: 8.5–9.5 mm.

Colour. Clypeus basolaterally with rainbow-like pattern of alternating metallic hues, black centrally. Rest of head black with slight bluish-metallic hue ( Fig. 167 ). Anterior side of flagellomeres 2–10 reddish to reddish-brown. Pronotum, mesepisternum, mesonotum, scutellum, metanotum and propodeal corbicula distinctly bluish-metallic with some golden reflections, especially pronounced on mesonotum ( Figs. 168, 175 ). Posterior part of propodeum bluish, hardly metallic. Legs moderate to dark brown. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma moderate to dark brown ( Fig. 170 ). Tergal discs black with moderate metallic luster, more pronounced on 1–2. Tergal marginal zones reddish basally, yellowish apically ( Fig. 169 ).

Pubescence. Body hair mostly brightly coloured, medium to long, minutely plumose ( Fig. 170 ). Clypeus, supraclypeal area, lower part of paraocular area and area around antennal sockets with dense short to medium white hair ( Figs. 167, 170 ). Upper parts of paraocular area and frons with thin short to medium brown hair. Facial foveae brown. Vertex with medium to long erect hairs, brown on anterior part, white on posterior part. Genal area with few short brown hairs near upper margin of compound eye, otherwise with dense short to medium white hair, longer on ventral part. Mesonotum, scutellum and metanotum with moderately dense, short to medium, white to brownish-white erect hairs ( Figs. 168, 170 ). Mesepisternum with minutely plumose long white hair ( Fig. 170 ). Propodeal corbicula incomplete, posterodorsal fringe with medium-lengthed white plumose hairs, corbicular surface with few simple to weakly plumose medium-lengthed white hairs. Femora with mostly white hair. Tibia and scopae with white to golden hair, outer basal part of hind tibia with some brown hair. Flocculus absent. Femoral and tibial scopal hairs simple, white ( Fig. 170 ). Tergal disc 1 with medium-lengthed, moderately dense white hair, 2 with short white hair, 3–4 with very short brown hair. Tergal marginal zone 1 with interrupted band of short greyish-white hair, 2–4 with distinct, continuous narrow bands of short dense white hair covering apical half of marginal zone. Prepygidial fimbria white laterally, brown centrally; pygidial fimbria brown ( Fig. 169 ).

Head ( Figs. 167–168 ). 1.2 times broader than long. Mandible bidentate. Galea shagreened. Labral process trapezoidal, not much broader than long, transversely striated mostly on basal half. Clypeus moderately convex, sculpturing obscured by pilosity, surface shagreened and matt, strongly and very densely punctured, distance between punctures 0–0.5 puncture diameters, with distinct, narrow impunctate midline. Lower part of paraocular area densely obliquely punctured. Flagellomere 1 longer than 2+3, 2 slightly shorter than 3 ( Fig. 167 ). Frons and upper part of paraocular area longitudinally striated, interspersed with oblique punctures. Facial foveae moderately broad, almost rectangular, slightly tapering downwards, extending from level of middle of lateral ocellus to lower end of antennal socket, 0.5 times as broad as antennocular distance, narrowly separated from compound eye. Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus 1.2 ocellus diameters. Ocelli arranged in a strongly obtuse triangle, almost linear. Ocelloccipital distance about 1.2 ocellus diameters. Vertex weakly carinate ( Fig. 168 ).

Mesosoma ( Figs. 168, 175 ). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum not to weakly elevated, in some specimens creating a transverse ridge that is distinctly separated from the mesonotum, not forming a lateral carina. Mesonotum, scutellum and metanotum with unique sculpturing of very dense, almost contiguous coarse punctures merging into a coarsely rugged background, creating a finely areolated appearance ( Figs. 168, 175 ). Mesepisternum finely alveolate, finely and shallowly, obliquely punctured. Propodeal corbicula finely reticulate. Basal part of propodeum narrow and strongly sloping. Posterolateral part of propodeum finely alveolate, very densely and coarsely punctured. Propodeal triangle very finely alveolate, basal margin slightly to strongly rugose ( Fig. 168 ). Inner hind tibial spur slightly broadened basally, more or less straight. Hind pretarsal claw with inner tooth. Nervulus interstitial to weakly postfurcal.

Metasoma ( Fig. 169 ). Tergal discs uniformly, finely shagreened, disc 1 finely, obliquely punctured, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters, discs 2–4 very finely and imperceptibly punctured, distance between punctures 2–3 puncture diameters. Tergal marginal zones narrow, of uniform width, weakly depressed, impunctate, shagreened basally, smooth apically, 2–4 occupying about 1/3 of tergal length. Pygidial plate without central elevated area.

Male ( Fig. 171 ).

Body length: 8–8.5 mm.

Colour. Clypeus yellow with narrow dark basolateral margin and two mediolateral black spots ( Fig. 172 ). Rest of body similar to female.

Pubescence. Head and mesosoma with relatively long, mostly white hair, longer on dorsal side ( Figs. 171–173 ). Clypeus and paraocular and supraclypeal areas with dense and long, minutely plumose white hair. Scape with short white hair ( Fig. 172 ). Area around upper margin of compound eye with few brown hairs. Dorsal side of mesosoma with long, minutely plumose, erect white hair, denser peripherally, sparse on center of mesonotum ( Figs. 171, 173 ). Mesepisternum and propodeum with long plumose white hairs. Femora and tibiae with mostly white hair, tarsi with white to yellowish hair ( Fig. 171 ). Tergal discs with sparse but conspicuous, minutely plumose white hair, long on disc 1, gradually shorter on following terga. Tergal marginal zones 2–5 with distinct bands of sparse, short white hair arising from apical half of marginal zone and extending onto following disc, interrupted on 2–4, continuous on 5 ( Fig. 174 ).

Head ( Figs. 172–173 ). 1.3 times broader than long. Galea finely shagreened. Labral process broad and short, weakly trapezoidal, apical margin slightly emarginate. Clypeus convex, sculpturing obscured by pilosity, surface more or less smooth, densely and shallowly punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameters, with distinct impunctate midline. Lower part of paraocular area densely obliquely punctured. Flagellomere 1 slightly shorter than 2+3, 2 shorter than 3. Frons and upper part of paraocular area longitudinally striated, interspersed with oblique punctures. Ocelli arranged in a strongly obtuse triangle, almost linear. Ocelloccipital distance 1.4 ocellus diameters. Vertex weakly carinate ( Fig. 173 ).

Mesosoma ( Fig. 173 ). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum weakly elevated, distinctly separated from mesonotum, not forming a lateral carina. Mesonotum and scutellum strongly and uniformly shagreened, densely and coarsely punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–1 puncture diameters ( Fig. 173 ). Mesepisternum and anterolateral part of propodeum finely alveolate-reticulate, finely and shallowly, obliquely punctured. Basal part of propodeum narrow and strongly sloping. Posterolateral part of propodeum finely alveolate, coarsely punctured, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters. Propodeal triangle narrow, very finely and shallowly alveolate, without rugae. Nervulus interstitial to weakly postfurcal.

Metasoma ( Fig. 174 ). Tergal discs uniformly, finely shagreened, punctation fine, sparse, shallow and oblique, distance between punctures 2–4 puncture diameters. Tergal marginal zones narrow, of uniform width, weakly depressed, basal part shagreened, sparsely punctured to impunctate, apical part smooth.

Genitalia and hidden sterna ( Figs. 176–178 ). Dorsal gonocoxite lobes well developed, elongate and pointed, pointing away from each other. Gonostylus blades very broad, triangular, dorsally concave, inner margin almost right angled, outer margin slightly concave, apex weakly pointed. Basal half of penis valves of moderate width, flanked by narrow, arched lamellae, apical half narrow ( Fig. 176 ). Sternum 8 columnar, narrowed at mid length ( Figs. 177–178 ).

Diagnosis. Andrena dorchini is closely related to the Andrena doursana species group. Five species are currently recognised in this group, the females of which are almost impossible to tell apart: A. alchata Warncke (female unknown), A. derbentina Morawitz , A. doursana Dufour, A. mizorhina Warncke and A. mucronata Morawitz. Andrena dorchini differs from members the doursana group by the blacker cuticle colour (usually strongly bluishmetallic in the doursana group), brown flagellum (flagellomeres 3–11 orange anteriorly in the doursana group), more triangular arrangement of ocelli (almost linear in the doursana group), stronger, coarser and denser mesonotal punctation especially in the female, and weaker and finer, almost imperceptible tergal punctation. Males are further separated by the yellow marked clypeus and black paraocular areas (with yellow on paraocular areas in A. alchata , only apex of clypeus yellow marked in A. doursana and A. derbentina , clypeus entirely dark in mizorhina ) and the absence of a medioapical spine on the clypeus (clypeus with a clear spine in A. mucronata ).

Distribution: Southern Israel, West Bank.

Flight period: February–March.

Flower records: Resedaceae : Reseda sp.

Pollen analysis. A single pollen load was analysed, containing 82% Echium - type ( Boraginaceae ), 14% Fabaceae 25μm in length, and 4% Anthemis - type ( Asteraceae , Anthemideae ).

Holotype: WEST BANK [ISRAEL]: Sartava Nature Reserve [Sartava NR], Wadi Jeruzaliya, –70–+ 300 m, 14.ii.2019, A. Dorchin, ♀ ( SMNHTAU:300457).

Paratypes: ISRAEL: Judean Desert , 11.iii.1980, A. Hefetz (1♀) ; Nahal Ramon [Raman], 25.iii.1961, J. Kugler (1♀) ; WEST BANK: Jericho , 5 km N, 20.iii.1988, Y. Zvik (1♀) ; Kfar Adumim [Kefar-Adomim], 3.iii.1990, R. Kasher (3♀) ; Nabi Musa Road , 1.iii.2015, T. Jumah, on Reseda (1♀) ; Peza’el , 18.ii.2020, O. Segal (1♂) ; Sartava Nature Reserve [Sartava NR], Wadi el-Ahmar, 2 km E Gittit, –80–+ 60 m, 13.ii.2019, A. Dorchin (2♀, 2♂) ; [Sartava NR], Wadi Jeruzaliya , –70–+ 300 m, 14.ii.2019, A. Dorchin (5♀) ; Wadi Qelt [Wadi Kelt], – 200 m, 6.iii.1975, K.M. Guichard (1♀) ( NHMUK, OLML, RMNH, SMNHTAU, TJW) .

Etymology. Named in honour of our colleague, Israeli melittologist Achik Dorchin (born 1975), who collected this species. The species epithet is an adjective.

Figures

FIGURES 167–178. Andrena (Truncandrena) dorchini sp. nov. 167. female head, 168. female vertex and mesosoma, 169. female metasoma, 170. female habitus, 171. male habitus, 172. male head, 173. male vertex and mesosoma, 174. male metasoma, 175. male mesonotum, 176. male genitalia, 177. male eighth sternum, ventrla view, 178. male eighth sternum, dorsal view.