Heriades briceida Rojas-Arias, Griswold & Ayala. 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Rojas-Arias, Laura
name: Griswold, Terry
name: Hinojosa-Díaz, Ismael
name: Morrone, Juan J.
name: Barajas, Ricardo Ayala
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Heriades
Heriades briceida

description: Heriades briceida Rojas-Arias, Griswold & Ayala. sp. nov.
(Figs. 2D, 6–7)
Diagnosis. Ocelli medium-sized (Fig. 3B); tergal fasciae with row of thick, white hairs (Fig. 3I). Male: clypeus with plumose, dense, thin, white hairs directed medially, all with similar length (Fig. 7A); hairs on hypostomal area and fore tarsal segments larger than on clypeus; posterior margin of S1 truncate (Fig. 2 Db); disc of S1 with strong process, in profile, with sides projected forming an acute angle (Fig. 2 Da), and in posterior view with emargination on top, two rounded corners, and white hairs on posterior surface (Fig. 2 Dc); posterior margin of S5 with two subtriangular lobes, and one row of capitate hairs directed laterally (Fig. 7E); posterior margin of S6 with two lines of a few capitate, long, thick, hooked hairs, directed medially, and a few simple, long hairs medially (Fig. 7F). Female: outer surface of mandible without tubercle; apical margin of clypeus with five or more tubercles, or several not well-defined tubercles; frons with plumose, white hairs (Fig. 7C); T3 with medium-sized (0.3 times DOP as on scutum), and sparse punctures (0.5 times DOP (Fig. 7D) similar to H. viridiana sp nov. but differing in not having clypeus with softer emargination, without tubercles in middle of apical margin, and mesepisternum with denser punctures.
Description. Male: Body length 5.9 mm (5.9–7.3, n=4); forewing length 3.4 mm (3.4–4, n=4).
Head. Length 1.6 mm (1.6–1.8, n=4), width 1.7 mm (1.7–1.9, n=4); eyes about 3.6 times longer than broad, 1.8 times wider than gena in profile, lower interocular distance 0.9 mm (0.8–0.9, n=4), upper interocular distance 1 mm (1–1.1, n=4); interantennal distance 1.9 times antennocular distance; lateral ocelli medium-sized, 2.2 times DOP on interocellar area, median ocellus slightly smaller; interocellar distance 2.2 times OD, ocellocular distance 1.9 times OD; OPR 2.2 times OD; labrum with basal, medial, low elevation; clypeus 1.7 times broader than long, apical margin without emargination; juxtantennal carina absent but strongly angulated; scape black, length 0.7 times alveolocellar distance, 2.3 times longer than broad; pedicel black about 1.4 times longer than F1 and about 0.6 time longer than F2; flagellum black; F1 slightly broader than long; F2 1.3 times longer F1; F11 2.4 times longer than broad. Mesosoma. Scutum 2.6 times longer than scutellum, 3.3 times longer than tegula, and 4.8 longer than axilla; intertegular distance 1.3 mm (1.2–1.3, n=4); metanotum with transverse ridge, in posterior view ridge straight; propodeum with middle pits, 0.08 mm long (Fig. 3H); legs black. Metasoma. T1 1.5 mm broad (1.5–1.8, n=4). T3 1.7 mm broad (1.7–1.9, n=4); posterior margin of T6 not projected; posterior margin of S1 truncate, subquadrangular, with large, shallow emargination (Fig. 2 Db) sided by two rounded, small cusps, in profile with strong ventral process, in more than one half of distance from apex to base, posterior view with two cusps (Fig. 2 Dc).
Sculpturing. Clypeus with small (at base 0.4 times OD), contiguous, coarse punctures, getting smaller towards sides and apical margin; frons with punctures bigger, coarser and denser, and on frons in front of ocelli slightly smaller than on frons; vertex bigger than on supraclypeal area, with micropunctures between punctures; hypostomal area with punctures smaller than on clypeus; pronotum, anterior surface and dorsolateral angles with punctures bigger, less coarse than on clypeus; disc of scutum with punctures slightly smaller (0.5 times OD), sparser than on vertex (Fig. 7B); mesepisternum with punctures as on scutum with micropunctures between punctures; metepisternum with smaller punctures, as coarse and defined as on mesepisternum; T1 with (0.4 times OD) punctures as on scutum, becoming smaller towards posterior margin; T2 as on T1 but smaller; T3 with bigger, slightly sparser and equally coarse punctures than on T1, slightly rounded, separated by less than one third DOP, with micropunctures between punctures; T4 and T5 with bigger, denser and coarser than on T3; S1 with punctures smaller, sparser than on T3, in posterior margin with notably smaller, less dense punctation; sides of S2 with similar punctation than on T1; sides of S2 with bigger punctation than on S1, becoming smaller towards disc and posterior margin.
Vestiture. Clypeus with hairs directed medially; frons with plumose, thin, white hairs with similar length, directed dorsally (Fig. 7A); pronotal lobe on posterior area of carina with thin, white hairs; scutum and disc of mesepisternum with simple, short, golden on its entire surface; anterior and posterior margin of mesepisternum with few plumose, thin, short, scattered, white hairs; disc of metepisternum without appressed tuft thick, short hairs; tergal fasciae of thick hairs, present from T1 to T3; T4 to T6 with simple, thick, sparse, short, white hairs in punctures (Fig. 7B).
Terminalia. S5 slightly bilobated with two subtriangular lobes on posterior margin, and a line of capitate hairs directed to sides, with transverse line of preapical hairs, thin and amber (Fig. 7E); S6 with acute apex, without blackened preapical margin, with two submarginal lines with few capitate, long, thick, hairs, with same length; genital capsule in dorsal view, 1.2 mm length and 0.5 mm width (2.5 times longer than wide) (Fig. 7F); gonobase 0.08 mm length, of 5.6 times wider than long, and gonocoxite 0.4 mm length; gonostylus 1.1 mm length with rounded apex; penis valve 0.7 mm length (Fig. 7G).
Female: Body length 6.1 mm (5.6–6.1, n=3); forewing length 3.7 mm (3.3–3.8, n=3). Similar to male except: Head. Length 1.6 mm (1.5–1.6, n=3), width 1.7 mm (1.6–1.8, n=3); eyes about 3.5 times longer than broad, 1.7 times wider than gena in profile, lower interocular distance 0.9 mm (0.8–0.9, n=3), upper interocular distance 1.1 mm (1–1.1, n=3); interantennal distance 1.5 times antennocular distance; interocellar distance 2.5 times OD, ocellocular distance 2 times OD, OPR 2.2 times OD; dorsal margin of mandible with carina; clypeus with shallow emargination on all length and crenulated of apical margin; scape 3.4 times longer than broad; pedicel 2.9 times longer than broad, about 2 times longer than F1 and 2.4 longer than F2, remaining flagellomeres 1.8 times longer than first. Mesosoma. Scutum 2.8 times longer than scutellum; intertegular distance 1.4 mm (1.3–1.4, n=3). Metasoma T1 1.5 mm broad (1.2–1.5, n=3). T3 1.8 mm broad (1.6–1.8, n=3) (Fig. 7D).
Sculpturing. Clypeus with medium-sized punctures (0.4 times OD), dense (0.3 DBP) and coarse punctation, with micropunctures between punctures; supraclypeal area with punctures smaller than base of clypeus, bigger, coarser, and equal DBP on frons, slightly smaller and sparser, with micropuntures between punctures on frons in front of ocelli; vertex sparser and slightly bigger than on clypeus; gena evenly punctate, slightly bigger and more DBP than on frons in front of ocelli; scutum with bigger and denser punctures than on vertex; rest of mesosoma as on scutum except: scutellum with bigger and sparser punctures; mesepisternum with punctures slightly angulated on ventral half; terga bright, microreticulate between punctures; T1 with punctures smaller (0.3 times OD), sparser (0.3 times DOP) than on scutum, with rounded shape; T2 with punctures slightly bigger than on T3; T3 with punctures 0.3 times DOP as on scutum, semicircular shaped, and sparser (0.5 times DOP); dorsal surface of T6 with smaller, denser, and more coarsely punctures than on T5; sterna with punctation smaller and sparser than on scutum (Fig. 7D).
Vestiture. Clypeus with few plumose, short, white hairs on sides; frons without plumose hairs; gena with plumose, white hairs evenly distributed; disc of T4 to T6 without plumose hairs in punctures (Fig. 7C).
Type material: Holotype male (No. LR 0003): MEXICO: Jalisco, Chamela, Est. Biol. [71 m, 19°29’47”N 105°02’46”W], 10-14/VII/1989, Griswold (BBSL). Allotype (LR0004): MEXICO: Jalisco, Chamela, [71 m, 19°29’47”N 105°02’46”W], 15/VII/1986, R. Ayala (BBSL). Paratypes: MEXICO: Jalisco: Chamela, [71 m, 19°29’47”N 105°02’46”W], 3/VII/1984, 11/VII/1985, 17/X/1985, 4-15/VII/1986, R. Ayala, 8/VIII/1985, 26-30/ IX/1985, F. D. Parker, T. Griswold (BBSL 5♀ 8♂). Chamela, Est. Biol. [71 m, 19°29’47”N 105°02’46”W], 10-14/ VII/1989, Griswold (BBSL 1♂), 20/VII/1989, R. Brooks, C. Michener, A. Roig (KUNHM-ENT 1♀). [La Huerta], Cuiztmala Playa 8kmS Careyes, [26 m, 19°16’45”N 104°47’25”W], 4/X/1985, T. Griswold (BBSL 1♂).
Additional material examined: MEXICO: Morelos, Yautepec 7.3mi. S, 3000’, [18°53’21”N 99°03’46”W], 16/VIII/1962, Ordway & Naumann (KUNHM-ENT 1♀). Oaxaca, 23mi South Matias Romero, [213 m, 16°52’05”N 95°02’39”W], 14/VIII/1963, F. D. Parker, L. A. Stange (BBSL 1♂). 3miWest El Camarón, [680 m, 16.56125 - 96.027467], 6/VIII/1963, F. D. Parker, L. A. Stange (BBSL 1♂). Tehuantepec, 44miW, [47 m, 16°19’22”N 95°14’33”W], 21/VII/1952, E. E. Gilbert, C. D. MacNeil (BERK 2♂). Tehuantepec, 28miW, 1750 ft, [16°22’08”N 95°19’54”W], 26/VI/1961, U. Kans. Mex. Exped. (KUNHM-ENT 1♀).
Distribution. This species is distributed along the Pacific slope of Mexico, with records in central Mexico, being endemic to it, in the states of Morelos and Oaxaca, present in tropical dry forest (Fig. 6). Altitudinal range: 26 to 1251 m.
Etymology. This species is dedicated to Briceida Cuevas Cob, bilingual Mayan poet and founder of the Asociación de Escritores en Lenguas Indígenas de Mexico.
Comments. Males of this species are similar to H. viridiana sp. nov., but can be recognized by having black flagellum, process of S1, in posterior view, with rounded corners, similar to two cusps on top, and in tufts and pubescence of apical margin of S5 and S6. We used location data to establish the female of this species.Although we highlight some differences with females of H. viridiana sp. nov., further analysis needs to be done due to the small number of specimens, and the similarities among females of other Neotropical species.
description: Published as part of Rojas-Arias, Laura, Griswold, Terry, Hinojosa-Díaz, Ismael, Morrone, Juan J. & Barajas, Ricardo Ayala, 2025, Neotropical bees of the genus Heriades Spinola, 1808 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae: Osmiini) with description of nine new species, pp. 201-259 in Zootaxa 5570 (2) on pages 213-217, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5570.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14734877