Melitta (Afromelitta) richtersveldensis Michez & Kuhlmann & Dellicour 2014, new species
Creators: name: Michez, Denis
name: Kuhlmann, Michael
name: Dellicour, Simon
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Melittidae
Melitta
Melitta richtersveldensis

description: Melitta (Afromelitta) richtersveldensis Michez & Kuhlmann, new species   
ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 36A5D557-0F98-4567-94A3-74E614EDE8D1  
(Figs. 1–9)  
 DIAGNOSIS: As for the subgenus (vide supra).   
 DESCRIPTION: ♂: After Dellicour et al. (2014): Total body length 10.8 mm; head length 3 mm, width 3 mm; head black; antenna blackish; galea pointed apically, outer surface matt and sculptured; glossa shorter than labial palpus; malar area shorter than scape; clypeus densely punctate; first flagellomere shorter than second flagellomere; face with dense whitish setae, with fringe of black setae along compound eye; vertex with black setae. Mesosomal length 4.2 mm, width (between tegulae) 3.5 mm; black; disc of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum smooth and shiny between punctures; basal area of propodeum large, dull, rugose, with basal carinae, with black and yellowish setae intermixed; ventrally with whitish setae; legs black except tarsi brownish, without distinctive structures such as plates or spines; metabasitarsus narrower than metatibia; pilosity whitish to yellowish; forewing length 7.1 mm; wing membranes hyaline. Metasomal length 5.4 mm, width 3.4 mm; black; metasomal terga II–V with white, apical bands of setae (Figs. 8, 9); discs of terga I and II with erect, yellowish setae; discs of terga III–V with erect black setae; prepygidial fimbria brown; sternum VI with dense tufts of reddish setae apicomedially (Fig. 1); discs of sterna I–VI with long yellowish setae; apicolateral structure of sternum VII with blade swollen, with long yellow setae, weakly incised medioapically (Fig. 2); sternum VIII with apical spines, apical plate circle shaped (Fig. 3); gonostylus as long as gonocoxa, truncate apically (Figs. 4, 5); digitus elongate, rounded apically.   
 ♀: As described for the male except as noted: Total body length 11.4 mm; head length 3.2 mm, width 3.5 mm; head similar to male except antenna reddish ventrally, face with black and whitish setae intermixed. Mesosomal length 4.2 mm, width 3.6 mm; legs as in male except for typical gender differences (e.g., scopa present on hind legs); fore and mid legs with brown setae on external surfaces (Fig. 6); scopal setae black; forewing length 7.5 mm. Metasomal length 6 mm, width 4.2 mm; pygidial plate with lateral grooves (Fig. 7).   
 HOLOTYPE: ♂, South Africa, 5km SE Lekkersing road side, 300m, on Zygophyllum foetidum, S29°03’28’’ E19°07’16’’, 24.ix.2009, leg. M. Kuhlmann. Deposited in the South African National Collection of Insects, Pretoria, South Africa.   
PARATYPES: 4♂♂, 2♀♀, same data as holotype. Deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.  
ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is based on the Richtersveld, a mountainous region in the northwest of South Africa.
description: Published as part of Michez, Denis, Kuhlmann, Michael & Dellicour, Simon, 2014, Validation of some species- and genus-group names in Melitta (Hymenoptera: Melittidae), pp. 1-8 in Journal of Melittology 44 on pages 2-3, DOI: 10.17161/jom.v0i44.4811, http://zenodo.org/record/13620266