Plebeia (Nanoplebeia) pleres Engel, 2021

Engel, Michael S., 2021, A key to the species of Nanoplebeia, with descriptions of four new species (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Melittology 2021 (106), pp. 1-14 : 2-5

Plebeia (Nanoplebeia) pleres Engel , new species

ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FBEE9187-D910-4E9D-AA50-4C67875FE137

( Figs. 3 , 9 , 16 )

DIAGNOSIS: This new species, as well as the others presented herein (vide infra), belongs to that group of species superficially similar to Plebeia (Nanoplebeia) minima (Gribodo) , in that they differ from the wholly orange to yellow orange bodies of P. (N.) franki (Friese) ( Figs. 5 , 12 ) and the extensively maculated pleura and wholly yellow or yellow orange metasoma and legs of P. (N.) margaritae Moure ( Figs. 1 , 4 , 11 ). From these and all other species, P. (N.) pleres has the basal area of the propodeum smooth rather than reticulate to microreticulate. Among the remaining species, P. (N.) pleres is distinguished by the combination of yellow to tawny maculation (rather than more lemon yellow or white of some other species) ( Figs. 9 , 16 ); the more extensive maculation of the mesoscutellum ( Fig. 16 ), which extends to the axillae or, in some individuals, nearly occupies the entire mesoscutellum; the generally absence of large brown patches on the clypeus ( Fig. 9 ), the sparse and fine punctation of the face ( Fig. 9 ), the more diffuse pubescence of the face and largely simple setae of the clypeus ( Fig. 9 ), and the more faint but still elongate markings of the paraocular area ( Fig. 9 ).

DESCRIPTION: ⚲: Total body length approximately 2.65–3.45 mm, forewing length (including tegula) 2.65–3.43 mm. Head wider than long, width 1.23–1.46 mm, length 1.12–1.23 mm; compound eye length 0.90–0.98 mm; upper interorbital distance 0.77– 0.88 mm, lower interorbital distance 0.53–0.73 mm. Scape length 0.40–0.54 mm. Malar area nearly linear, anteriorly about 0.17–0.20× flagellar diameter. Preoccipital ridge weakly present dorsomedially, absent laterally. Mesoscutellum low, weakly convex, extending beyond metanotum and over propodeal base in profile, posterior margin semicircular. Metatibia with proventral margin comparatively straight, superior distal angle acute; metabasitarsus apical margin diagonal, superior distal angle acutely rounded, extending to about 0.75× length of metatarsomere II.

Integument of head and mesosoma generally black to dark brown; labiomaxillary complex yellowish brown; mandible and labrum yellow except mandibular apex reddish brown; clypeus yellow except yellowish brown to brown along proximal and lateral borders; supraclypeal area tawny; scape yellow, pedicel and flagellum brown except apical half of first flagellomere tawny; lower paraocular area largely yellow to tawny except dark brown mesially near antennae and clypeal base from anterior tentorial pit to torulus, yellowish marking much broader than dark brown area; upper face dark brown to black except narrow extension of yellowish marking along compound eye to about level of inward arch in ocular margin; gena dark brown and blending to brown ventrally; postgena brown, like lower part of gena. Pronotum and propleura yellow; mesoscutum black with thin stripes of yellow to tawny along lateral borders; axilla yellow to tawny; mesoscutellum dark brown with yellow to tawny along rounded posterior margin, yellow maculation about as broad as lateral stripe of mesoscutum posteriorly, with transverse paralateral patches of yellow to tawny laterally in transverse anterior mesoscutal furrow; legs yellow except brown to light brown on prolateral surfaces of metatibia and metabasitarsus except often proximally on metatibia in fundus somewhat yellow brown and sometimes inferiorly along proventral border yellow to yellow brown; wing membranes hyaline clear, veins brown; metasoma dark brown to brown except lighter brown to yellowish brown on discs of terga I and II, sometimes disc of tergum III, except laterally blending to brown and dark brown.

Integument typically smooth and shining between minute, widely spaced punctures except as noted; clypeus with coarser, shallow, setiferous punctures separated by less than a puncture width; supraclypeal area with sparse, minute punctures; lower and upper face with minute, setiferous punctures separated by 3–5× a puncture width, such punctures becoming even sparser in ocellocular space; vertex and gena as on upper face although punctures closer and somewhat coarser bordering compound eye; postgena smooth and nearly glabrous. Mesoscutum smooth, shining, with minute, setiferous punctures separated by 3–5.5× a puncture width; similar punctures on axilla except shallower and closer anteriorly; punctures of mesoscutellum as on mesoscutum except sparser in anterior two thirds, in posterior third punctures shallower, coarser, and closer, giving a somewhat roughened appearance; mesepisternum smooth, shining, with minute, setiferous punctures separated by 2–6× a puncture width, particularly sparse on hypoepimeral area and sparser posteriorly and ventrally; metepisternum smooth with somewhat shallower and coarser setiferous punctures; basal area of propodeum smooth, shining, glabrous; lateral surface of propodeum with shallower setiferous punctures; posterior surface of propodeum smooth and nearly glabrous. Metasoma smooth and shining, except faintly and finely reticulate-imbricate in marginal zones of terga II–V and most of tergum VI; sterna largely smooth to faintly reticulate-imbricate.

Pubescence generally white to yellowish; clypeus with numerous, short, suberect, simple setae intermixed with sparser, suberect, short, minutely branched setae; supraclypeal area with similar setation as on clypeus except sparser; lower face with short, suberect, plumose setae predominant but rather diffuse and clearly not obscuring integument, such setae similar on upper face except sparser; scape with minute, erect, simple setae and sparser long, erect, simple bristles, bristles nearly as long as scape diameter; vertex with setae similar to those of upper face except largely simple and intermixed with sparse, long, erect, simple setae; gena with abundant decumbent to suberect, plumose setae, such setae more numerous than those on face but not entirely obscuring integument, such setae becoming simple on lowermost part of gena; postgena with sparsely scatered, long, erect, simple setae, such setae most numerous along hypostoma. Mesoscutum with abundant, fine, suberect, short, laterally directed (directed obliquely posteriorly away from midline), simple setae, such setae infrequently with one or two minute branches, along anterior border elongate, erect setae with minute branches along rachis; mesoscutellum with sparse, fine, suberect to erect, short, simple setae, posteriorly with abundant elongate, erect setae with minute branches along one side of rachis; mesepisternum with scatered, short, decumbent to suberect, plumose setae, such setae becoming sparser ventrally and posteriorly, intermixed with long, erect, largely simple setae, such setae slightly shorter dorsally and with a few minute branches, becoming more numerous and longer ventrally; hypoepimeral area with plumose setae more numerous; metepisternum with dense, moderate-length, decumbent, plumose setae, largely obscuring integument; basal area of propodeum glabrous, posterior surface largely glabrous except exceedingly sparse, erect, simple setae, lateral surface as on metepisternum. Setae and bristles of legs largely simple and yellow; metatibial fringe setae elongate, simple except setae at superior distal angle plumose; penicillum, inferior parapenicillum, and rastellum more amber golden; bristles of retrolateral surface of metabasitarsus amber golden. Setae of metasomal terga rather sparse, discs of terga I–IV nearly glabrous, with minute, decumbent, simple setae laterally and apically, such setae progressively more numerous and longer on terga IV–VI; sternal discs with long, erect, simple setae with arched apices, laterally with minute, simple, decumbent to suberect setae.

♀: Latet.

♂: Latet.

HOLOTYPE: ⚲, Venezuela: T.F. Amazonas, Dpto. Atures, Caño Ucata, Fibral nr. San Juan [near east shore of Rio Orinoco], [no date], 4°20’N, 67°45’W [4.333, -67.75], F. Guanchez coll. ( SEMC).

PARATYPES: 15⚲⚲, Venezuela: T.F. Amazonas, Dpto. Atures, Caño Ucata, Fibral nr. San Juan [near east shore of Rio Orinoco], [no date], 4°20’N, 67°45’W [4.333, -67.75], F. Guanchez coll. ( SEMC).

VARIATION: In some individuals the metasoma is significantly lighter, with nearly all terga tawny, and the extent of yellow or yellow brown on the prolateral surface of the metatibia can vary. Similarly, the mesoscutellum can be largely yellowish with an anterior medial brown patch, although such individuals have the same extent of maculation on the mesoscutum and axillae. There can also be a brown patch dorsoapically on the scape, while the underside of the flagellum can be lighter brown. The supraclypeal area can have at times more extensive yellow along the epistomal sulcus.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is taken from the Ancient Greek adjective plḗrēs (πλήρης, meaning, “complete”), and refers to the complete yellow maculation of the mesoscutellar apical margin.

Figures

Figures 1–3. Lateral habitus of select species of Nanoplebeia Engel, workers. 1. Plebeia (Nanoplebeia) margaritae Moure. 2. P. (N.) orphne, new species. 3. P. (N.) pleres, new species.

Figures 8–10. Faces of select species of Nanoplebeia Engel, workers. 8. Plebeia (Nanoplebeia) asthenes, new species. 9. P. (N.) pleres, new species. 10. P. (N.) chondra, new species.

Figures 15–17. Mesoscuta and mesoscutella of select species of Nanoplebeia Engel, workers. 15. Plebeia (Nanoplebeia) asthenes, new species. 16. P. (N.) pleres, new species. 17. P. (N.) chondra, new species.

Figures 4–7. Faces of select species of Nanoplebeia Engel, workers. 4. Plebeia (Nanoplebeia) margaritae Moure. 5. P. (N.) franki (Friese). 6. P. (N.) orphne, new species. 7. P. (N.) minima (Gribodo).

Figures 11–14. Mesoscuta and mesoscutella of select species of Nanoplebeia Engel, workers. 11. Plebeia (Nanoplebeia) margaritae Moure. 12. P. (N.) franki (Friese). 13. P. (N.) orphne, new spe- cies. 14. P. (N.) minima (Gribodo).