Sphecodopsis atricapillata Pöllein & Kuhlmann, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Pöllein, Daniela
name: Kuhlmann, Michael
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Apidae
Sphecodopsis
Sphecodopsis atricapillata

description: Sphecodopsis atricapillata sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 711E47D5-5872-4DC6-BE7F-5F48B057C2AD
Figs 33–36
Diagnosis
The female of S. atricapillata sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch about as long as its apical width, shape as shown in Fig. 34C; body length 7–9 mm; metasoma partially red (Fig. 33B); fore tibia and tarsi usually black (Fig. 33A); T6 covered with black hair (Fig. 34B); head and mesosoma with conspicuously dense, long, black hair (Fig. 33C–D); T5 with black hair on the disc and bright white hair on the apical margin (Fig. 34B); T6 apically slightly rounded (Fig. 34B); mesoscutum very densely punctate (i =0–0.25 d), surface appears rugged (Fig. 33D). The male can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: metasoma at least partially red (Fig. 35B); fore legs usually black (Fig. 35A); head and mesosoma with conspicuously dense, long, black hair (Fig. 35C–D); mesoscutum more finely punctate (Fig. 35D); gonostylus shorter than gonocoxa and apically broader (Fig. 36C–D); penis valves less distinctly curved downward (Fig. 36C–D).
Etymology
The species is named for its conspicuous black hair.
Type material (50 specimens)
Holotype
SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, garden; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 23 Aug. 2003; MK leg.; on Chrysanthemum sp.; SAMC.
Paratypes
SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Namaqualand, Hester Malan N.R.; [29°38′ S, 17°58′ E]; 18 Jul. 1985; MSt leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; 8 km WNW of Leliefontein, Fynbos, roadside; 30°15′58″ S, 18°03′17″ E; 1190 m a.s.l.; 10 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 14 Sep. 2017; RCMK • 1 ♀; 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur, Fynbos; 31°16′18″ S, 19°02′55″ E; 770 m a.s.l.; 25 Aug. 2010; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 30 Aug. 2018; RCMK • 5 ♀♀, 1 ♂; N Cape, Fynbos, 2 km W of Nieuwoudtville, near Grasberg; 31°21′05″ S, 19°05′49″ E; 742 m a.s.l.; 23 Aug. 2003; KT leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East; 31°21′56″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 3 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; on Oxalis sp.; RCMK • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 7 Sep. 2003; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East; 31°21′56″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 735 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; RCMK • 7 ♀♀, 4 ♂♂; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, garden; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 23 Aug. 2003; MK leg.; on Chrysanthemum sp.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 27 Aug. 2003; RCMK • 1 ♀, 1 ♂; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 27 Aug. 2003; MK leg.; on Oxalis sp.; RCMK • 1 ♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 30 Aug. 2003; MK leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 7 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; on Oxalis sp.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; 1 ind. on Eriocephalus ericoides; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; N Cape, Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 700 m a.s.l.; 12 Sep. 2003; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 11 Aug. 2004; RCMK • 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂; Keiski Mts, 3 km E of Farm M’Vera, shale; 31°45′29″ S, 19°54′13″ E; 1190 m a.s.l.; 30 Aug. 2016; MK leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 15 Sep. 2016; RCMK • 1 ♀; Keiski Mts, 5 km S of Farm Nooiensrivier, burned area; 31°45′47″ S, 19°50′17″ E; 1275 m a.s.l.; 29 Aug. 2011; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♂; Ouberg Pass, 27 km SE of Vanrhynsdorp, Fynbos; 31°48′07″ S, 18°55′00″ E; 380 m a.s.l.; 13 Aug. 2012; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; W Cape, S of Lamberts Bay; [32°04′ S, 18°20′ E]; 7 Oct. 1999; MH leg.; RCMS • 1 ♀; 6 km NNW of Farm Kanariesfontein, 30 km W of Sutherland, roadside; 32°22′17″ S, 20°22′50″ E; 1310 m a.s.l.; 16 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMS • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; RCMK.
Description
Female
BODY LENGTH. 6.7–8.7 mm.
HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair. Face and clypeus with very dense (i =0–0.25 d), coarse and deep punctation (Fig. 33C). Surface between punctures slightly matt. Antenna black.
MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula reddish-brown. Mesoscutum slightly matt. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum very densely (i =0–0.25 d) and finely but deeply punctate (Fig. 33D). Propodeum with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, metapostnotum matt (Fig. 34A). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter yellowish-white hair (Fig. 33D). Metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, dark brown hair, metapostnotum without hair (Figs 33D, 34A).
WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation brown and stigma dark brown to black (Fig. 33A). LEGS. Integument black. Coxa and trochanter sparsely covered with long, black hair and shorter white hair. Femur with few long, black hair. Tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with long, black hair and covered with shorter, white hair; loose patches with dense, white pubescence apically on the tibia, except anterior leg, generally with less hair (Fig. 33A).
METASOMA. Integument of T1 dark basally. Rest of T1 and T2 red, T3 and T4 to a variable extent red, from completely red to completely black; T5 and T6 black. T1–T4 sparsely covered with short, white and black hair (Fig. 33B). T5 marginal zone with bright white hair, disc covered with long, black hair. T6 narrow and almost straight apically, with dense, long, black hair and shorter yellowish-white hair underneath (Fig. 34B). Shape of S6 (Fig. 34C) as illustrated.
Male
BODY LENGTH. 5.6–7.4 mm.
HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair. Face and clypeus with fairly dense (i=0–0.25 d), coarse and deep punctation (Fig. 35C). Surface between punctures slightly matt. Antenna black.
MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula reddish-brown. Mesoscutum slightly matt. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum fairly densely (i=0–0.25 d) and finely but deeply punctate (Fig. 35D). Propodeum with dense (i= 0.25–0.5 d), coarse and deep punctation, metapostnotum matt (Fig. 35E). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, yellowish-white hair (Fig. 35D). Metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, dark brown hair, metapostnotum without hair (Fig. 35D–E).
WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation dark brown and stigma dark brown to black (Fig. 35A).
LEGS. Integument black. Coxa and trochanter sparsely covered with long, black hair and shorter white hair. Femur with few long, black hair. Tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with long, black hair and covered with shorter white hair; scattered patches with dense white pubescence apically on the tibia, except anterior leg generally with less hair (Fig. 35A).
METASOMA. Integument of T1 dark basally. Rest of T1 and T2 red, T3 to a variable extent red, from basal half red to completely black and T4–T7 black. T1–T3 sparsely covered with short, white and black hair, from T4 increasingly more and longer hair (Fig. 35B). T6 marginal zone with bright white hair, disc with long, black hair. T7 covered with short, yellowish-white hair and longer, black hair (Fig. 35F).
TERMINALIA. Genitalia (Fig. 36C–D), S7 (Fig. 36A) and terminal plate of S8 (Fig. 36B) as illustrated.
Distribution
The species has been found in Namaqualand and the Roggeveld Mts southward to Sutherland.
Host bees
Unknown.
Seasonal activity
July–October.
description: Published as part of Pöllein, Daniela & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2025, Taxonomic revision of the southern African bee genus Sphecodopsis Bischoff, 1923 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae), pp. 1-157 in European Journal of Taxonomy 980 on pages 45-50, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2025.980.2805, http://zenodo.org/record/14981767