# A new species of the bee genus Ammobates Latreille, 1809 from sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Michael Kuhlmann

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Michael Kuhlmann. A new species of the bee genus Ammobates Latreille, 1809 from sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Apidae). OSMIA, 2021, 9, pp.45-50. 10.47446/OSMIA9.6. hal-03379159

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ARTICLE

# A new species of the bee genus *Ammobates* LATREILLE, 1809 from sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Michael KUHLMANN<fnref n="1" /> ID

KUHLMANN, M. (2021). A new species of the bee genus *Ammobates* LATREILLE, 1809 from sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Apidae). *Osmia*, **9**: 45–50. https://doi.org/10.47446/OSMIA9.6

**Abstract**

The cleptoparasitic bee *Ammobates* (*Ammobates*) *roggeveldi* n. sp. is described from a female specimen collected in western South Africa. This is only the second species of the genus recorded from sub-Saharan Africa.

**Keywords** | Anthophila • Apoidea • taxonomy • Greater Cape Floristic Region • South Africa

Une nouvelle espèce d'abeille d'Afrique subsaharienne du genre *Ammobates* LATREILLE, 1809 (Hymenoptera : Apidae)

**Résumé**

Une nouvelle espèce du genre cleptoparasite *Ammobates*, *Ammobates* (*Ammobates*) *roggeveldi* n. sp., est décrite à partir d'un spécimen femelle collecté en Afrique du Sud occidentale. C'est seulement la deuxième espèce de ce genre rapportée pour l'Afrique subsaharienne.

**Mots-clefs** | Anthophila • Apoidea • taxonomie • région floristique de Greater Cape • Afrique du Sud

Reçu • Received | 17 July 2021 || Accepté • Accepted | 13 October 2021 ||

Publié (en ligne) • Published (online) | 15 October 2021
Reviewers | P. BOGUSCH • G. LEMOINE || http://zoobank.org/4DE4D398-78BF-48FE-B667-9E05B31A0761

INTRODUCTION

Ammobates LATREILLE, 1809 currently includes 50 species (ENGEL, 2009), mostly from the Palaearctic, and one each in the Oriental and Afrotropical regions (MICHENER, 2007). The genus is subdivided in three subgenera: *Ammobates* s. str. (41 species, known from Morocco through Europe and North Africa to southern India with a single species in South Africa and Namibia), *Euphileremus* POPOV, 1951 (six species ranging from the Canary Islands eastwards to Uzbekistan) and *Xerammobates* POPOV, 1951 (three species in Tunisia and Turkmenistan) (MICHENER, 2007; ENGEL, 2009).

During fieldwork in western South Africa, a new
*Ammobates* species was discovered. The female was
collected by sweep net and readily recognizable as

undescribed in the field because it is completely black
while in the only other sub-Saharan *Ammobates* species,
A. auster EARDLEY, 1997, the metasoma and legs are at least
partly orangish (EARDLEY & BROTHERS, 1997). Because of its
biogeographic significance herein the conspicuous second
*Ammobates* species from sub-Saharan Africa and the
southern hemisphere is described based on a female
specimen collected in the Greater Cape Floristic Region
(GCFR) of western South Africa (BORN *et al.*, 2007; LINDER
*et al.*, 2010). The new species was found in Mountain
Renosterveld vegetation (VAN DER MERWE *et al.*, 2008) along
a dry river bed in the northern extension of the Hantam-
Roggeveld Centre of plant endemism (CLARK *et al.*, 2011)
south of Calvinia (Northern Cape Province), South Africa
(figure 1).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

For morphology, the terminology of MICHENER (2007) was
used. Puncture density is characterized by the relationship
between puncture diameter (d) and the space between
these punctures (i). Body length was measured from the
vertex to the apex of the body. Images were taken with a

Keyence VHX-5000 Digital Microscope.

The holotype of the new species will be housed in the Iziko
South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa (SAMC).

<figure><img src="image_3.png" /></figure>

<footnote n="1">¹ [MK] Zoological Museum, University of Kiel, Hegewischstraße 3, D-24105 Kiel, Germany • mkuhlmann@zoolmuseum.uni-kiel.de</footnote>

<footnote>https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3664-6922 • zoobank http://zoobank.org/B99AE0ED-FA89-4DFE-A658-1C8DF37F9FAB</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 1.** Collecting site (S31°47′35″ E19°58′16″) of *Ammobates roggeveldi* n. sp. in Mountain Renosterveld vegetation (VAN DER MERWE et al., 2008) along a dry river bed in the northern extension of the Hantam–Roggeveld Centre of plant endemism (CLARK et al., 2011), south of Calvinia, South Africa. Photo M. KUHLMANN (1 September 2017).</figcaption></figure>

## TAXONOMY

### Ammobates (*Ammobates*) roggeveldi n. sp.

http://zoobank.org/AC6C9904-3E15-4CBC-83AD-48B6F0E3E89C

### Diagnosis

The female can be most readily separated from the only other sub-Saharan *Ammobates* species by the metasomal terga entirely black to dark brown (figure 2a) (in *A. auster* in both sexes metasomal terga are at least partly bright orange to reddish orange). Medial apical emargination of S5 deep (figure 4b) (in *A. auster* shallow; see EARDLEY & BROTHERS, 1997: 411, figure 103). Apical emargination of S6 about twice as broad as in *A. auster* and S6 laterally beset with a row of stout yellowish setae that are about as long as the width of S6 (figure 4b) (in *A. auster* as long or shorter than half of the width of S6; see EARDLEY & BROTHERS, 1997: 411, figure 104).

The new species belongs to subgenus *Ammobates* s. str. based on the following characters (MICHENER, 2007): second submarginal crossvein distal to second recurrent vein, female T6 without median ridge (figure 4a), labrum about twice as long as its basal width (figure 2c), clypeus strongly protuberant (figure 2a) and body length 9.5 mm (species of the other two subgenera < 8.5 mm).

### Description

#### • Female

Total body length 9.5 mm. Head wider than long (length 2.20 mm, width 3.50 mm, ratio l:w 0.63). Intertegular distance 2.60 mm.

**Sculpture.** Head smooth and shiny, with dense small punctures separated by half puncture width or less (figure 2b). Labrum smooth and superficially shagreened with scattered punctures separated by 1–3 times puncture width on disc and gradually more tightly packed until separated by less than puncture width towards its base (figure 2c). Mesosoma smooth and shiny, with small to medium punctures separated by 1–2 times puncture width less on mesoscutum, slightly more narrowly spaced on other parts. Mesoscutellum, postscutellum and propodeum rugoso-punctate. Metasoma with anterior-facing surface of first metasomal tergum densely and finely punctuate, punctures separated by puncture width or less, punctures on apical depression gradually more dispersed and apical margin impunctate. Following terga with similar pattern (figure 3b). Metasomal tergum six medially coarsely rugoso-punctate (figure 4a). Metasomal sterna five and six as in figure 4b.

**Coloration.** Head black except dark reddish-brown on medial part of mandible. Antenna black (figure 2b, c). Mesosoma black. Tegula dark reddish-brown at outer margin. Legs black, except reddish-brown spot at outer apices of tibiae I and II, tarsi 3-5 dark to light brown. Membrane of forewing fuscous, hindwing more hyaline; veins dark blackish-brown (figure 2a). Metasomal terga black (figure 3b). Metasomal sterna black, except apical margins hyaline dark brown.

**Pubescence.** Pubescence silvery white. Head loosely covered with long erect setae. Labrum with scattered, erect, minute to short, simple setae. Mesosoma with
<figure><img src="image_5.png" /><figcaption>**Figure 4.** Female holotype of *Ammobates roggeveldi* n. sp.</figcaption></figure>

a. Metasomal tergum T6. b. Metasomal sterna S5 and S6.

Photos M. KUHLMANN.

DISCUSSION

The record of a second *Ammobates* species in the
southwest of the African continent underpins the
outstanding biogeographic position of the GCFR as a
center of wild bee diversity and endemism (KUHLMANN,
2005, 2009). The region is particularly vulnerable to climate
change induced range shifts of bees and their host plants
which increase their risk of extinction (KUHLMANN *et al.*,
2012).

Probable hosts of *Ammobates* species are *Ancyla* LEPELETIER
DE SAINT-FARGEAU, *Tetraloniella* ASHMEAD and *Anthophora*
LATREILLE (WARNCKE, 1983; MICHENER, 2007; ENGEL, 2009).

Species of the latter two genera can be locally abundant in
the area and are the only suitable hosts with respect to
their body size (KUHLMANN, unpubl.). However, the
surprisingly few records of the two relatively large and
conspicuous *Ammobates* species in southern Africa
suggest that the unknown host(s) might be rare, too. The
geographical spread of *A. auster* records ranging from the
Namib Desert to Karoo and Fynbos biomes (EARDLEY &
BROTHERS, 1997) indicate that more than a single host
species is likely used so the reasons for the rarity of the
cleptoparasites remain unknown.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The Department of Environment and Nature Conservation (Northern Cape Province, South Africa) is gratefully acknowledged for giving permission to collect bees. Special thanks to Benoît GESLIN (Marseille, France) for editing and reviewing as well as Petr BOGUSCH (Hradec Králové, Czech Republic) and Guillaume LEMOINE (Cambrai, France) for their reviews.
REFERENCES

BORN, J., H. P. LINDER & P. DESMET (2007). The Greater Cape Floristic Region. *Journal of Biogeography*, **34**(1): 147–162.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2006.01595.x

CLARK, V. R., N. P. BARKER & L. MUCINA (2011). The Roggeveldberge – Notes on a botanically hot area on a cold corner of the southern Great Escarpment, *South Africa. South African Journal of Botany*, **77**(1): 112–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2010.07.001

EARDLEY, C. D. & D. J. BROTHERS (1997). Phylogeny of the Ammobatini and revision of the Afrotropical genera (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae). *Journal of Hymenoptera Research*, **6**(2): 353–418.
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4491805

ENGEL, M. S. (2009). Two new species of *Ammobates* from the Arabian Peninsula and Egypt (Hymenoptera: Apidae). *Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science*, **112**(3/4): 191–197.
https://doi.org/10.1660/062.112.0406

KUHLMANN, M. (2005). Diversity, distribution patterns and endemism of southern African bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). pp. 167–172.
In B. A. HUBER, B. J. SINCLAIR & K.-H. LAMPE (ed.). *African Biodiversity: Molecules, Organisms, Ecosystems*. Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on Tropical Biology, Museum Koenig, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 443 pp.
https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-24320-8_13

KUHLMANN, M. (2009). Patterns of diversity, endemism and distribution of bees (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Anthophila) in

southern Africa. *South African Journal of Botany*, **75**(4): 726–738.
http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2009.06.016

KUHLMANN, M., D. GUO, R. VELDTMAN & J. DONALDSON (2012). Consequences of warming up a hotspot: species range shifts within a centre of bee diversity. *Diversity and Distributions*, **18**(9): 885–897.
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LINDER, H. P., S. D. JOHNSON, M. KUHLMANN, C. A. MATTHEE, R. NYFFELER & E. R. SWARTZ (2010). Biotic diversity in the Southern African winter-rainfall region. *Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability*, **2**(1–2): 109–116.
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MICHENER, C. D. (2007). *The bees of the world*. 2nd edition. The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore (MA, USA), xvi + [i] + 953 pp. + 20 pls.

VAN DER MERWE, H., M. W. VAN ROOYEN & N. VAN ROOYEN (2008). Vegetation of the Hantam-Tanqua-Roggeveld subregion, South Africa. Part 1: Fynbos Biome related vegetation. *Koedoe*, **50**(1): 61–71.
https://doi.org/10.4102/koedoe.v50i1.130

WARNCKE, K. (1983). Zur Kenntnis der Bienengattung *Pasites* Jurine, 1807, in der Westpaläarktis (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Nomadinae).
*Entomofauna*, **4**(21): 261–347.
https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/ENT_0004_0261-0347.pdf

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