Anthidiellum africanum Kasparek & Wood & Ferreira & Benarfa 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Kasparek, Max
name: Wood, Thomas
name: Ferreira, Sónia
name: Benarfa, Noudjoud
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Anthidiellum
Anthidiellum africanum

description: Anthidiellum africanum Kasparek sp. nov.
(Figures 2–4)
Type material
Holotype. Female. ALGERIA: Tébessa: Hammamet (35.42°N, 07.96°E), 865 m, 25 June 2021, R. Abdelkarim leg. (nou047; CMK).
Paratypes. 3♀, same data as holotype (nou045, nou050, nou058; CMK). 25♀, same location as holotype, 18 June – 02 July 2022, B. Noudjoud leg., S/ Marrubium vulgare (nou123–134, 136–142, 144–149). – TUNISIA: 2♀, Fernana, 18 July 1979, J. Schmidt leg. (ms7714, ms7716; CMK). – 1♀, Ain Draham, 1 km S Kroumirie, 23 June 1994, M. Hauser leg. (mh100; CMK).
Other material examined
ALGERIA: 1♀, Tébessa: El Kouif (35°30 ʹ N, 08°17 ʹ E), 940 m, 11 July 2020, R. Abdelkarim leg. (nou054; CMK). – 2♀, same location as holotype, 30.vi., 02 July 2022, B. Noudjoud leg., S/ Marrubium vulgare (nou135, 143). – MOROCCO: 1♀, High Atlas: Taddert, 16 June 2000, Brandl leg. (awe031). – 1♂, Mischliffen [Michlifen] nr. Ifrane, 1900 m, 17 July 1975, A. W. Ebmer leg. (awe030). – 1♂, Ouzoud 2.5 km NE (32°01 ʹ 27″N, 6°41 ʹ 39″ W), 949 m, 07 May 2015, V. Soon leg. (tuz020).
Literature data
MOROCCO: Record listed by GBIF, see under ‘material ̍. – TUNISIA: Hammam-Lif (Warncke 1980). – Jendouba, 25 km S (36.299°N, 8.751°E), 19.vii.1979 (GBIF).
Diagnosis
The female is characterised by a combination of the absence of apically hooked bristles on the labial palpi, rich yellow maculations on the integument, and fine punctation of the clypeus and the terga. The male is characterised by a combination of rich yellow maculations on the integument and fine punctation of the clypeus and terga. A detailed comparison of the new taxon with its closest congeners is given in Tables 2 and 3.
Description/variation (female) (Table 2)
6–7 mm. Head: Finely punctured, clypeus yellow with dentate, black apical margin; lower paraocular area with yellow maculation reaching beyond antennal sockets; mandible brown with light brown base; three shallow teeth and one strong apical tooth; punctation on supraclypeal area finer than on clypeus; yellow, 3–4 antennal diameters wide preoccipital band present, reaching middle of compound eye, and sometimes continued as reddish-brown extension to malar area; punctation of head fine; labial palpi with long, apically hooked bristles. – Mesosoma: Black, rarely with anterolateral yellow band or remnants of it; scutellum black at base, yellow posteriorly; posterolateral margin semitransparent; axillae yellow. – Metasoma: Terga with fine, dense punctation; yellow bands on T1–T2 broadly interrupted in the middle, T3–T3 interrupted in the middle with a narrow gap; T6 black, sometimes with a yellow spot on each side; scopa yellow.
Description/variation (male) (Table 3)
6–7 mm. Head: Clypeus yellow with light brown apical margin; punctation fine; mandible yellow with three black teeth; lower paraocular area with yellow maculation reaching beyond antennal sockets; supraclypeal area black or black with lower half yellow; preoccipital band 2–3 antennal diameters wide, reaching upper part of compound eye. – Mesosoma: Scutum black with L-shaped anterolateral yellow band; scutellum as in female; posterior part of axillae yellow. – Metasoma: Punctation fine, shining; yellow bands on T1– T2 widely interrupted in the middle; bands on T3–T6 interrupted, lateral bands contiguous or sub-contiguous medially.
Etymology
The epithet indicates that it occurs in Africa. No other species of the breviusculum group is known from Africa.
Biology
The flight period extends from May to July. Only two males were collected, as compared to 36 females.
Distribution (Figure 6)
North-western Africa. The species is found in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.
description: Published as part of Kasparek, Max, Wood, Thomas, Ferreira, Sónia & Benarfa, Noudjoud, 2023, Taxonomic status of the disjunct populations of the resin bee Anthidiellum breviusculum (Pérez, 1890) s. l. in the Mediterranean (Apoidea: Anthidiini), pp. 2047-2063 in Journal of Natural History 56 (45 - 48) on pages 2049-2054, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2022.2152749, http://zenodo.org/record/7615290