Chilicola (Chilioediscelis) mirzamalae Willis and Packer

Willis, Erin & Packer, Laurence, 2008, Revision and phylogenetic analysis of Chilioediscelis (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) with descriptions of three new species, Zootaxa 1762 (1), pp. 29-52 : 40-41

Chilicola (Chilioediscelis) mirzamalae Willis and Packer new species

Diagnosis: C. mirzamalae females possess a triangular flange on their hypostoma, a trait that does not appear in any other species of the subgenus. Chilicola mirzamalae males can be distinguished by the entirely dark metatibia (all other species have at least some yellow) and by the punctation of their mesopleuron: C. mirzamalae males have punctures equally dense above and below the scrobe, in all other species the punctures are sparser above. Lastly, the tegula of C. mirzamalae females is entirely dark. In the other species the tegula is pale straw.

Pubescence: As in C. andina .

Surface Sculpture: As in C. andina except as follows, labrum with sparser and more uneven punctures (i=1–2d); clypeus impunctate; mesoscutum densely and regularly punctate (i~d); mesopleuron more evenly punctate (i=1–2d).

Structure: As in C. andina except as follows: Head: Labrum not concave dorsally. Frontal line not raised indetectable amongst striae. Ratio of pedicel:F1:F2:F3 (5:6:6:8). Flagellomeres slightly longer than broad. Malar space slightly more than two-thirds the basal depth of mandible (5:6). Gena narrower, ratio of width:eye (11:19);

Mesosoma: Pronotal collar short, noticeably less than diameter of median ocellus, present medially. Ratio of scutellum:metanotum:propodeum (18:8:11). Scrobal groove entire. Ventral surface of metatrochanter acutely angulate in lateral view. Carina of metatibia incomplete. Metabasitarsus 6 times as long as deep (36:6). Ratio of length of stigma to marginal cell on wing margin (20:42). Stigma convex in marginal cell;

Metasoma: S1 slightly swollen apically. S7 with ventral lobe elongate, broadly triangular, with long setae on outer margin; dorsal lobe elongate, parallel-sided, with small concave process at base anteriorly and very long robust setae arising from basal ridge, basal portion of lobe glabrous. S8 with apical lobe weakly concave, lateral lobe very large. Genital capsule broadest at apical third.

Description: Female: Length 8.4mm, forewing length 4.9mm, head width 2.2 mm, intertegular span 1.7mm.

Colouration: Black to dark brown with yellow spot on protibia basally and often on the base of the mandible. Ventral surface of flagellum light brown.

Pubescence: As in C. andina .

Surface Sculpture: As in male except punctures finer and facial striae stronger.

Structure: As in male except as follows: Head: Clypeus broader (34:22). Subantennal sutures less strongly convergent below. Compound eyes only slightly convergent below (46:43). Scape almost 6 X as long as broad (23:4). Ratio of pedicel:F1:F2:F3 (6:5:5:4). Flagellomeres about as long as broad. Gena narrower (15:21);

Mesosoma: Hind leg unmodified. Metabasitarsus less than 3 X longer than greatest depth (23:8);

Metasoma: S1 not swollen apically. Apical impressed areas less extensive, less than 0.33 X as long as corresponding tergum.

Material Studied: Holotype male, allotype female and one female paratype: CHILE, Region VIII: Shangrila, Las Trancas, Chillán area, SE Recinto, 1600m, 19–22.i.1979, L. Peña. One male paratype with data as in holotype except collected on xii.1983. Two paratype females with data same as holotype male except 1500m, 13–17.xii.1983 for one and 1200m, i.1984 for the other. Additional paratype females: CHILE, Region IX: Malleco, La Raices, Lonquimay area, 1600m, 13–20.ii.1980, L.Pena, one female and ARGENTINA, Rìo Negro, San Carlos de Bariloche, 2.xii.1964, A.J.Giai, one female. Four additional paratype males and two paratype females with same data as holotype except 78 km E of Chillán, S36.54.5 W71.29, 12.xii.03, F.D. Parker, one male collected in net, all others collected in pan traps. All material except one male and one female paratype ( PBYU) are in the AMNH.

Etymology: This species is for the senior author’s good friend Nancy Mirza. The species name is a reference to both her unique jaw structure and the flange found on the hypostomal area of the female bee; malae is latin for jawbones or cheeks.