Andrena (Avandrena)
Creators: name: WOOD, T. J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Andrenidae
Andrena

description: Key to Andrena (Avandrena) females
Note, the female of A. gavia is unknown, and is therefore not included in the key. Care should be taken in central Spain to ensure that material conforms to A. liturata; if the tergal margins are strongly depressed, it is likely that it belongs to A. gavia, but this should be established. For additional illustrations of A. erodiorum and A. juliae, see Wood & Ortiz-Sánchez (2022) and Wood (2023b).
1. Posterior face of the hind femur with a row of long apically pointed spines, clearly distinct against whatever hairs may be present............................................................................................. 2
- Posterior face of the hind femur without spines, with only scattered hairs........................................ 8
2. Face with entirely black pubescence, mesosoma with abundant black hairs....................................... 3
- Face never with entirely black pubescence, with at least some pale hairs medially (Figures 1C; 4C; 13A; C; E; F), mesosoma without abundant black hairs, mesepisternum predominantly pale-haired (Figure 4A; avara -group).................... 4
3. Process of the labrum very narrow, triangular with a pointed apex. Posterior face of hind femur with 4–6 spines....................................... panurgina De Steffani (Portugal, Spain, France, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Greece)
- Process of the labrum broad, rounded rectangular, 4 times wider than long. Posterior face of hind femur with 9–12 spines............................................................................. heterodoxa Pérez (Italy: Sicily)
The condition of specimens is critical in identifying members of the avara -group, since many characters are based on pubescence characters. Particular care should be taken with abraded specimens or specimens with matted hairs.
4. Terga with strongly developed apical hairbands, hairbands exceeding length of marginal areas, obscuring underlying surface (Figure 13B); tergal discs with short pale hairs, intermixing with apical hairbands. Facial foveae relatively long, ventrally extending to below level of antennal insertions. Terminal fringe golden-orange.. eureka Warncke (south-western Morocco)
- Terga with comparatively more weakly developed hairbands, hairbands either not exceeding length of marginal areas or weak and not obscuring underlying surface (beware abraded specimens; Figures 4F; 13D; F; H), tergal discs with sparse and scattered hairs, not intermixing with apical hairbands. Facial foveae shorter, terminating at or above level of antennal insertions. Terminal fringe orange-brown to brown........................................................................... 5
5. Tergal margins strongly depressed, most abruptly so on T3–4, forming a clear step with tergal discs AND tergal discs with clearly visible punctures that contrast the underlying surface (Figure 4F). Margins of T3–4 with loose hairband occupying entire width of margin, hairs not obscuring underlying surface, apical extent of hairbands slightly but distinctly exceeding apex of marginal areas.............................................. baldocki spec. nov. (southern Spain and Portugal)
- Tergal margins either not strongly depressed (Figures 1D; 13F; H), or if depressed then tergal discs obscurely punctate, punctures small, weak, and disappearing into underlying microsculpture (Figure 13D). Margins of T3–4 with hairbands of a different form, either shorter (occupying a smaller proportion of the marginal area) or weaker........................ 6
6. Tergal margins comparatively strongly depressed, most visible on T3–4, forming a clear step with tergal discs (Figure 13D). Margins of T2–4 with apical hairbands well-developed, short but dense and obscuring underlying surface....................................................................... caligata Warncke (Tunisia, Libya, Italy: Sicily, Israel *)
- Tergal margins weakly depressed, not forming clear step with tergal discs (Figures 1D; 13F; H). Margins of T2–4 with apical hairbands weakly developed, long or short but not obscuring underlying surface................................... 7
7. Pubescence dark, face with abundant black and dark brown hairs, with pale hairs restricted to area around antennal insertions (Figures 1C; 13E). Terga with light brown to brown pubescence, T2–4 with narrow apical hairbands, apical extent of hairbands not or only slightly exceeding apex of marginal areas, T2–4 with apical rims narrowly lightened hyaline-brown (Figures 1D; 13F)..................................................... avara Warncke (southern Spain, northern Morocco)
- Pubescence bright, face with whitish pubescence medially, black hairs restricted to the inner margins of the compound eyes (Figure 13G). Terga with pale pubescence, T2–4 with long apical hairbands, apical extent of hairbands clearly exceeding apex of marginal areas, T2–4 with apical rims more broadly lightened hyaline-yellow (Figure 13H)............................................................................................... liturata Warncke (Spain and France)
8. Mesepisternum entirely black-haired (Figures 6A; 8B; D). Process of the labrum narrow (quadrate, slightly wider than long) with deep emargination medially........................................................................ 9
- Mesepisternum never entirely black-haired, usually with abundant pale hairs, at most with 60–70% of hairs black (Figure 9A). Process of the labrum variable, usually several times broader than long......................................... 10
9. Clypeus with shallow but large, round, and clearly visible punctures (Figure 6A). Scutum uniformly shagreened and dull (Figure 6F). Terminal fringe dark brown. Slightly larger, 7–8 mm ......................................................................................... canohirta (Friese) (North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, western Turkey)
- Clypeus with obscure and latitudinally compressed punctures, disappearing into underlying sculpture of clypeus (Figure 6C). Scutum laterally shagreened, becoming polished and shining medially (Figure 6E). Terminal fringe golden-brown (Figure 6B). Slightly smaller, 7 mm ............................................................ collisa spec. nov. (Cyprus)
10. Small, 7–7.5 mm. Process of the labrum narrowly triangular. Associated with Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae).................................................................................. euphorbiae Pisanty (Israel & Lebanon *)
- Larger, usually clearly in excess of 8 mm. Process of the labrum more or less rounded rectangular, with or without median indentation, never narrowly triangular. Not associated with Euphorbia .......................................... 11
11. Mesepisternum predominantly dark-haired, at least 50% of hairs black. Pronotum laterally with deep longitudinal shining impression in ventral half (Figure 11D). Fore margin of the clypeus upturned............................................................................................. melacana Warncke (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya)
- Mesepisternum predominantly pale-haired, usually with no more than 30% of hairs black. Pronotum with or without (Figure 9C) a longitudinal shining impression; if mesepisternum with abundant black hairs, then never with a longitudinal impression on the pronotum. Fore margin of the clypeus not upturned................................................... 12
12. Western species, present in Spain. Pronotum rounded, without a humeral angle, at most with hints of an angulation dorsolaterally but this does not descend and form a longitudinal angle (Figure 9C). Dorsal surface of propodeum with weak to strong sculpture, in some species with distinctly raised network of raised rugosity.............................................. 13
- Eastern species, present in Libya, Turkey, or Israel. Pronotum laterally with a distinct humeral angle. Dorsal surface of propodeum entirely microreticulate, without strong or weak raised network of reticulation.......................... 15
13. Dorsolateral parts of propodeum and propodeal triangle with fine granular reticulation, without any rugosity (Figure 9E)........................ melacanoides spec. nov. (southern Spain: Cádiz and Granada, probably also Albacete & Málaga).
- Dorsolateral parts of propodeum and propodeal triangle with raised sculpture, either forming an interlinked network of raised rugae or more irregular pattern of raised rugosity........................................................... 14
14. Propodeum (including propodeal triangle) and mesepisternum with strongly produced but fine interlinked network of raised rugae. Facial foveae occupying ¾ of space between the compound eye and lateral ocellus.Apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden-brown...................... erodiorum Wood & Ortiz-Sánchez (south-eastern Spain: Albacete)
- Propodeum with fine granular reticulation, with weak network of raised rugosity, propodeal triangle slightly depressed, basal ⅔ with raised longitudinal rugae. Facial foveae occupying ½ space between the compound eye and a lateral ocellus. Apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate dark brown......................... juliae Wood (south-western Spain: Cádiz)
15. Scutum and scutellum (particularly scutellum) with weak shagreen, more or less smooth and shining between punctures. Tibial scopae composed of uniformly golden weakly plumose hairs. Clypeus with an impunctate longitudinal mid-line....................................................................... caudata Warncke (south-western Turkey, Israel)
- Scutum and scutellum shagreened, at most weakly shining between punctures. Tibial scopae composed of simple hairs, dorsally dark brown, ventrally white. Clypeus uniformly punctate............ ochropa Warncke (north-eastern Libya: Cyrenaica)
description: Published as part of WOOD, T. J., 2024, Further revisions to the Palaearctic Andrena fauna (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae), pp. 1-150 in Zootaxa 5483 (1) on pages 22-25, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5483.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/13209307