Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) mediale Pasteels
Creators: name: Eardley, Connal
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Anthidiellum
Anthidiellum mediale

description: Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) mediale Pasteels
(Figs 8–11)
Anthidiellum (Pygnanthidiellum) mediale PAStEELS, 1984: 96, 101–103, MALE HOLOtyPE (UNKNOWN, NOt EXAMINED) CRyStAL WAtERS, BREEDtSNEK, SOUtH AFRIcA.
Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) mediale PAStEELS: MIcHENER AND GRISWOLD 1994: 301.
This species was identified from the original description. The comb on the male S5 is as described by Pasteels (1984), yet the unique scutum was not described. Nevertheless, it is here assumed that Pasteels (1984) neglected to describe the scutum, as no other material with a similar male S5 has been examined.
Diagnosis. The scutum has the unique lateral margins curved distinctly downwards and glabrous and shiny (Fig. 8c). Within this species-group the other females are separated from one another mostly by their proposeal sculpture and punctuation, and their coloration. The male T5 has a unique narrow medial fringe of short, similar, black setae (20–30 setae) (Fig. 9d). This species-group’s males are separated by the structure of S4 and/or S5.
Description. Female. Integument of head and mesosoma black with limited golden-yellow maculation on most of lower face (mediolongitudinal supraclypeus black), sometimes on posterolateral vertex (yellow streak), mandible (basally or entirely), pronotal lobe, sometimes lateral axilla, sometimes posterolateral scutellum (slight), ventral forefemur (other femora orangish), dorsal tibiae and tarsi; metasoma black with yellow on lateral T1–T3, most T4 (interrupted mediolongitudinally), sometimes T5–T6, sometimes distal margins of metasomal terga translucent yellow to orangish, except T6; metasomal ventre yellowish-orange (Fig. 8a–d). Scopa very pale yellow (Fig. 8d). Lengths: face 2.2–2.5 mm; scutum 1.7–2.0 mm; forewing 4.5 mm; body 5.2–5.5 mm. Structure. Head. Epistomal suture incurved above epistomal pit; lower epistomal suture projection adjacent to inner antennal socket edge (Fig. 1a, 8a); preoccipital region rounded; scutum declivous and shiny laterally; omaulus carinate; fore and middle femora with spinose vestiture posteriorly; hind basitarsus wide (length 1.4x width) (Fig. 8d); propodeum striate dorsolaterally, vertical surface punctate dorsally and laterally, a little fine, reticular sculpture dorsomedially, glabrous and shiny medioventrally.
Male. Integument black with limited golden-yellow maculation on lower face (interantennal socket area black medially), sometimes lateral or entire vertex, most of mandible, anterodistal scape, pronotal lobe, lateral scutum (glabrous and shiny region), lateral axilla, sometimes posterolateral scutellum (Fig. 8a–c), ventral fore and middle femora, distal hind femur, dorsal tibiae and tarsi, lateral T1–T2, T3 (broadly interrupted mediolongitudinal), T4–T7 except translucent distal margin, metasomal ventre. Lengths: head 2.0– 2.2 mm; scutum 1.5–1.8 mm; forewing 4.9– 5.2 mm; body 5.1–5.8 mm. Structure. Head. Preoccipital region rounded on gena; scutum declivous and shiny laterally (cf. Fig. 8c); omaulus carinate; forebasitarsus not fringed; fore and middle femora with spinose vestiture posteriorly; propodeum striate dorsolaterally, vertical surface punctate dorsally and laterally, a little fine, reticular sculpture dorsomedially, glabrous and shiny medioventrally; T6 unmodified (Fig. 9c); T7 gently raised posteromedially, distal edge obtusely pointed posteromedially (Fig. 9c); S2–S4 unmodified, S5 with black, setose comb medially (about one-quarter of distal edge) (Fig. 9d, 10e); S6–S8 and gonocoxa as illustrated (Fig. 10a–e).
Distribution (Fig. 11). Anthidiellum mediale occurs in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa.
Material examined. Zimbabwe. Khami, 29.x.1938, Anthidium aspidopodum Mavromoustakis det G. Arnold (1♂ SAMC B004308); Sawmills, 28.x.1919 (1♀ TMSA); Lonely Mine, 9.xi.1919 (1♂ TMSA). Mozambique. 15 km SSE Manji, 15.29S 33.16E, 2–4.xii.2005, Kadlecova (1♂ SC); 25km N Massinga, 23.07S 35.00E, 26.xi.2005, Kadlecova (1♀ SC). South Africa. Skukuza, 24.59S 31.35E, 14–17.i.1985, 6.xii.2010, 21–27.xi.2011, 28.xi– 3xii.2011, C. Eardley G. Prinsloo (3♀ 2♂ SANC).
Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidium) zebra (Friese) (Figs 12–14)
Anthidium zebra FRIESE, 1904: 103, MALE AND FEMALE SyNtyPES (ONE MALE ZMHB, EXAMINED) WILLOWMORE, SOUtH AFRIcA. Anthidiellum (Pycnanthidiellum) zebra (FRIESE): MIcHENER AND GRISWOLD 1994: 301.
Anthidiellum medionigrum COcKERELL, 1933: 464, MALE HOLOtyPE (NHML, EXAMINED) AMANZIMtOtI, SOUtH AFRIcA; PAStEELS 1984: 97, SyN.
Anthidiellum aspidopodum MAVROMOUStAKIS, 1936 A: 45–47, FEMALE HOLOtyPE (NHML, EXAMINED) LONELy MINE, ZIMBABWE. Syn. nov.
Pygnanthidium (Pygnanthidium) aspidopodum (MAVROMOUStAKIS): MAVROMOUStAKIS 1963: 492; PAStEELS 1984: 99, SyN.
FIGURE 10. Anthidiellum mediale, MALE. A. gENItALIA. B. S8. c. S7. D. S6. E. 5.
Pasteels (1984) synonymised absonulum and aspidopodum, however, after the study of the holotype I disagree with Pasteels (1984) because the holotype of aspidopodum is devoid of propodeal punctuation, whereas that of A. absonulum has propodeal punctuation. I here synonymise zebra and aspidopodum because of the similarity in their propodeal sculpture. A female paratype of Dianthidium melanocephalum Cockerell was incorrectly identified and is in reality a female of A. zebra.
Diagnosis. This species belongs to the species-group in which the upper margin of the clypeus is rounded (see Fig. 1a). The propodeum is mostly finely reticulate, as in A. spilognathum, and not punctate, as in most other species. The female T5 is yellow, as in A. mediale; unlike most other species. The male S3 has a mediolongitudinal spinose carina that projects posteriorly beyond the distal edge of the sternum, as in A. spilognathum. S4 is uniquely concave mediolongitudinally and without a posteromedian spine, unlike the other species in this species-group. The S5 comb of similar, short black setae occupies the entire posterior edge.
Description. Female. Integument black mostly with bright yellow maculation (occasionally almost entirely black) on lower face (mediolongitudinal interantennal socket area black), posterolateral vertex, mandible, pronotal lobe, lateral scutum, axilla, posterolateral scutellum, sometimes mesepisternum, dorsal tibiae (most of foretibia, proximal end of middle tibia, hind tibia except medioanterior region), outer hind basitarsus (remainder of legs orangish), lateral T1–T3, lateral and dorsolateral T4, T5 (T1–T5 distal margins translucent orange) and T6; metasomal venter orange (Fig. 12a–c). Scopa very pale yellow. Lengths: face 2.2 mm; scutum 1.5 mm; forewing 4.4 mm; body 5.0 mm. Structure. Head. Epistomal suture convex above (Fig. 1a, 12a); lower epistomal suture projection adjacent to opposite inner antennal socket edge (Fig. 1a, 12a); preoccipital region rounded; omaulus carinate; fore and middle femora with sparse, plumose vestiture posteriorly; hind basitarsus wide (length 1.5x width) (Fig. 12c); propodeum coarsely striate dorsolaterally, vertical surface almost entirely fine reticulate sculpture.
Male. Integument black with bright yellow maculation on lower face (mediolongitudinal interantennal socket area black), posterolateral vertex (sometimes most vertex), mandible, pronotal lobe, lateral scutum, axilla, posterolateral scutellum, sometimes mesepisternum, ventral fore and middle femora, dorsal foretibia, proximal dorsal middle tibia, dorsal hind tibia except anteromedial region (remainder of legs orangish), lateral T1–T3, T4– T7 (T4 sometimes mediolongitudinally interrupted by black); distal margins of T1–T6 translucent orange, metasomal ventre orange (Fig. 13a–d). Lengths: head 1.8–2.2 mm; scutum 1.4–1.5 mm; forewing 4.1–4.7 mm; body 4.7–5.4 mm. Structure. Head. preoccipital region rounded on gena; omaulus carinate; forebasitarsus short, sparse posterior fringe; fore and middle femora with sparse, plumose vestiture posteriorly; propodeum coarsely striate dorsolaterally, vertical surface punctate dorsally, mostly reticulate sculpture; T6 slightly raised posteromedially (Fig. 13c); T7 weakly keeled posteromedially, distal edge truncate in dorsal view, obtusely pointed in ventral view (Fig. 13c–d); S2 unmodified; S3 with distinct posteriorly directed spine, distal fringe on entire distal edge, a little longer than spine (Fig. 13d); S4 concave mediolongitudinally (Fig. 13d); S5 comb of similar, short black setae on entire posterior edge, not broadly interrupted medially (Fig. 13d, i); S6–S8 and gonocoxa as illustrated (Fig. 13e–h).
Distribution (Fig. 14). Anthidiellum zebra apparently is widely distributed in southern and East Africa.
Material examined. Type material. Male syntypes of Anthidium zebra: ‘Willowmore Capland Dr. Brauns 5.1903, Anthidium zebra Fr. ♂ 1904 Friese det., Type, Holo Type, Anthidium zebra Fr. J. Pasteels det., 1963’, ZMHB. Male holotype of Anthidiellum medionigrum: ‘Amanzimtoti Natal Oct 16 W.P.C., Type, B.M. TYPE HYM 17a. 1952, BMNH#971060’, NHML. Female paralectotype of Dianthidium melanocephalum: ‘Bluff Durban 134. i.17 C.N.Barker Ac.No. 2000, Dianthidium melanocephalum Ckll. Cotype, Cockerell determ., Dianthidium melanocephalum Ckll J. Pasteels det., 1963’, SAMC–B004313’. Female holotype of Anthidiellum aspidopodum: ‘3560, Lonely Mine, S. Rhodesia. H. Swale, 1014–273., Anthidiellum aspidopodum Mihi G. Mavromoustakis det., Type, B.M. TYPE HYM 17a. 1910., BMNH€#971056’, NHML.
Additional material. Uganda. Semliki National Park, Bindibugyo Province, 25.xi.2001, M. Snizek (1♂ SC). Kenya. Voi, 23.iii. 4.iv.1997, M. Halada (1♂ SC); Malindi, 22km S, 26.v.1967, C. Michener (3♂ KU). Zambia. Livingstone, 30km W, 19–22.xii.2002, J. Halada (4♀ SC). Zimbabwe. Sawmills, 22–27.xii.1923, R.H.R. Stevenson (1♂ TMSA); Khami, 27.x.1938 (1♂ TMSA). Mozambique. Save, 15k SE, 21.13S 34.40E, 18– 19.xii.2005, Kadlecova (1♂ SC). Botswana. Serowe, Farmer’s Brigade, 2226 Bd, 1980, P. Forchhammer (2♀ SANC). Namibia. Otjiowarongo, 25km NW, 3.iii.1990, M. Schwarz (1♀ SC). South Africa. Langjan Nature Reserve, Alldays district, 22.52S 29.14E, 10–20.i.1980, G.L. Prinsloo, C.D. Eardley, P. Smith (1♂ SANC); Louis Trichardt, 42km N, 24.iii.1967, C.D. Michener (4♂ KU); Ben Albert’s Nature Reserve, 24.37S 27.23E, 24– 28.xi.1980, C.D. Eardley (1♂ SANC); Nylstroom, 13.ii.2003, V. Krivan (1♀ SC); Nelspruit, 20km SE, 27.xi.2003, J. Halada (1♀1♂ SC); Mara, xii.1974, R.H. Watmough (1♀ SANC); Loskop Dam, 20km SE, 25.22S 29.35E, 9– 13.ii.1981, S.J. van Tonder, C. Kok (1♀ SANC); Crystal Waters, Breedtsnek, 4.xi.1962, H. Empey (2♂ SANC); Saartjiesnek, 25.41S 27.54E, 12.xi.1983, C. Bellamy (1♀ SANC); Hope, near Ellisras, 17.xi.1962. H. Empey (1♂ SANC); D’Nyala Nature Reserve, Ellisras district, 23.45S 27.49E, 19–21.xii.1987, 8–12.xii.1989, M.W. Mansell (7♀ 5♂ SANC); Mogol Nature Reserve, Ellisras district, 23.58S 27.45E, 23.xi.1979, 25–26.i.1982, 27–29.ii.1984, S.J. vanTonder, C.D. Eardley (2♀2♂ SANC); Soutpan, 25.24S 28.06E, 16.xi.1983, C.D. Eardley (2♀1♂ SANC); Roodeplaat, xi.1978, xi.1979, 11.xii.2011, 6–12.ii.2012, C.D. Eardley (3♀1♂ SANC).
description: Published as part of Eardley, Connal, 2018, Taxonomic revision of the sub-Saharan Anthidiellum Cockerell (Apoidea: Megachilidae: Anthidiini), pp. 201-250 in Zootaxa 4402 (2) on pages 212-219, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4402.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1208804