Lonchopria (Biglossa) comforti Gonzalez & Velez-Ruiz & Engel 2014, new species
Creators: name: Gonzalez, Victor H.
name: Velez-Ruiz, Rita I.
name: Engel, Michael S.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Colletidae
Lonchopria
Lonchopria comforti

description: Lonchopria (Biglossa) comforti Gonzalez & Engel, new species
ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 60420568-D290-44AD-938C-AC193F47A9AE
(Figs. 1‒18)
DIAGNOSIS: The female of this species can be recognized by the following combina- tion of characters: clypeus largely asetose and impunctate except on depressed, me- diobasal area (Figs. 3, 5); integument dark brown to black with weak metallic bluish or greenish highlights on face and mesoscutum (Figs. 5, 6); mesoscutum imbricate with punctures separated by at least a puncture width (Fig. 6); and metasomal terga with sparse basal and apical yellowish fasciae (Figs. 1, 2, 8). The male can be recognized by the following combination of characters: clypeus with punctate, depressed median area occupying about basal two-thirds of clypeal length (Fig. 11); legs unmodified, not swollen nor with tooth or projections; malar area linear; head, mesosoma (excluding legs), and metasomal terga with distinct bluish or greenish highlights (Figs. 9, 10); and metasomal terga with distinct apical yellowish fasciae. The female of L. comforti resembles that of a presently unnamed species of Lonchopria from Norte de Santander, Colombia (Gonzalez & Engel, in press), both with the clypeus largely asetose and im- punctate except on depressed, mediobasal area, and the body pubescence dark brown to black. It differs from that species in the larger depressed median area of the clypeus (occupying about basal two-thirds of clypeal length in L. comforti; basal half of clypeus in the unnamed species); head and mesosoma with weak metallic bluish or greenish highlights, sometimes on the metasomal terga (absent in the unnamed species); meta- somal terga with sparse basal and apical yellowish fasciae (absent in the unnamed spe- cies); and metasomal terga dull and strongly imbricate (metasomal terga shinier and weakly imbricate in the unnamed species). Additionally, L. comforti is known from the Central cordillera while the unnamed species occurs from the Eastern cordillera, near the border with Venezuela (Gonzalez & Engel, in press).
DESCRIPTION: ♀: Body length 11.7 mm (10.5–12.7, x= 11.2, n = 13); forewing length 8.2 mm (8.2–8.8, x= 8.5, n = 10); head width 3.6 mm (3.4–3.8, x = 3.6, n = 13), length 2.9 mm (2.6–2.9, x= 2.8, n = 13). Head 1.2 times wider than long; inner orbits of compound eyes slightly converging below (Fig. 5); intertorular distance about twice as long as median ocellar diameter, 0.7 times of torulorbital distance; torulus diameter about as wide as median ocellar diameter; ocellocular distance 2.5 times median ocellar diame- ter, about twice as long as ocelloccipital distance; interocellar distance 0.9 times length of ocellocular distance, 2.2 times median ocellar diameter; compound eye about three times longer than broad; gena widest medially, 0.9 times narrower than compound eye in profile; mandible not apically expanded, with small preapical tooth (Fig. 4); clyp- eus protuberant in profile, disc convex with distinct median depression on basal two-thirds (Figs. 3, 5); scape 5.7 times longer than broad; pedicel about as long as broad, 0.6 times length of first flagellomere; first flagellomere 1.3 times longer than broad, 1.5 times longer than second; second flagellomere broader than long, slightly shorter than third, remaining flagellomeres progressively increasing in length, apical flagellomere longest. Intertegular distance 2.5 mm (2.5–2.7, x= 2.6, n = 13). Protibial spur with apical portion of rachis long, about as long as malus length, with distinct row of eight elon- gate branches, not including apical portion of rachis (7–9 branches in some paratypes); inner metatibial spur with distinct row of nine elongate branches, not including apical portion of rachis (10 branches in some paratypes).
Color black, except as follows: F3–10 ventrally yellowish; apex of mandible, pro- and mesofemora, distitarsi, and discs of metasomal sterna dark reddish brown; frons, vertex, and mesoscutum with weak metallic bluish or greenish highlights. Tegula brownish; wing membranes translucent orange, veins and pterostigma dark orange.
Head and mesosoma with mainly yellowish to light reddish brown setae mixed with dark brown to black setae on frons, vertex, mesoscutum, and pleura dorsally; legs with dark brown to gray setae except coxae and femora of all legs with yellowish setae. Metasoma with dark brown setae except distal margins of T1–T4 and basal areas of T2–T5 with yellowish fasciae.
Clypeus largely impunctate, smooth, and shining, except lateral areas and midbasal depression imbricate, with punctures separated by a puncture width or less; supraclypeal area impunctate, smooth, and shining on center, otherwise with small contiguous punctures; subantennal area impuctate, weakly imbricate to nearly smooth and shining; paraocular area weakly imbricate with punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width; frons imbricate with punctures contiguous and forming rows above antennal toruli, punctures sparser (1–2 times a puncture width) below median ocellus; vertex weakly imbricate with punctures separated by less a puncture width or less, sparser behind ocelli; gena imbricate with punctures separated by 1–2 times a punc- ture width; postgena weakly imbricate with punctures sparser than on gena. Mesos- cutum imbricate with punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width anteriorly, along lateral and posterior borders, and on central disc, otherwise punctures consider- ably more sparse (Fig. 6); mesoscutellum imbricate with punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width, sparser on disc; metanotum imbricate with punctures smaller and shallower than those on mesoscutum, separated by about a puncture width or less. Pleura imbricate with punctures separated by a puncture width or less; metepi- sternum transversely striate near wing base. Propodeum with basal area strongly and finely imbricate and impunctate, lateral and posterior surfaces strongly imbricate with punctures separated by 1–2 times a puncture width or less. Metasoma finely imbricate with small punctures separated by 2–4 times a puncture width on T1, those on T2– T4 smaller and denser, T5 with larger punctures than on T1, separated by 2–4 times a puncture width basally, much closer distall; sterna with punctures separated by a puncture width or less.
♂: As described for the female, except for usual secondary sexual characteristics and the following: Body length 8.5–9.7 mm (x= 9.1, n = 6); forewing length 7.1–7.8 mm (x= 7.4, n = 5); head width 3.0– 3.3 mm (x = 3.2, n = 6), length 2.4–2.7 mm (x = 2.6, n = 6). Inner orbits of compound eyes converging below (Fig. 11); intertorular distance 2.4 times median ocellar diameter, about as long as torulorbital distance; ocellocular dis- tance 2.9 times median ocellar diameter, 1.9 times ocelloccipital distance; interocellar distance 0.8 times length of ocellocular distance; compound eye 2.4 times longer than broad; mandible apically expanded, with large preapical tooth (Fig. 12); frontal line carinate, extending from median ocellus to supraclypeal area, abruptly ending at that point as small tooth (better seen in profile) (Fig. 11); scape 8.0 times longer than broad; flagellum in repose reaching mesoscutellum, first flagellomere 1.6 times longer than broad, 1.2 times longer than second; second flagellomere 1.3 times longer than broad, about as long as third. Intertegular distance 2.0– 2.2 mm (x= 2.2, n = 6). Protibial spur with apical portion of rachis long, 0.6 times length of malus, with distinct row of 10–13 elongate branches (not including apical portion of rachis); inner metatibial spur ciliate.
Color as in female but with legs largely dark reddish brown and with more con- spicuous metallic bluish or greenish highlights on head, mesosoma, and metasomal terga (Figs. 10, 11).
Pubescence paler, longer, and sparser than in female. Metasoma with denser and longer apical fasciae on T2–T5.
Integument with sculpturing as described for the female, except frons strongly imbricate and with denser punctures, and mesoscutum and mesoscutellum weakly imbricate to nearly smooth. Genital capsule and associated hidden sterna as in Figs. 13–18.
HOLOTYPE: ♀, Colombia: Antioquia, Envigado, San Sebastian, Papa [Solanum tuberosum L. variety Diacol capiro]-Bosque. Trans. Papa ppal. En: Jama 11:30am. 2459 m.s.n.m., 06°08’04.6”N, 075°32’17”W, 19°C, 65%HR, Enero 22, 2010. Col. Sepúlveda-Cano, P., Osorio, N. (MEFLG).
PARATYPES: 1♀, with same data as holotype (MEFLG); 1♀, with same data as ho- lotype except collected at 10:00am (SEMC); 3♀♀, with same data as holotype except collected 21 January 2010 and at 12:00 m. and 3:30am, and 18 January 2010 at 11:30am, respectively (MEFLG); 1♀, Colombia: Antioquia, Envigado, Las Palmas, Cultivo- Bosque. Trans. Borde. En: Jama 9:00am. 2505 m.s.n.m., 06°09’07.3”N, 075°30’48.4”W, 20°C, 59%HR, Agosto 28, 2009. Col. Sepúlveda-Cano, P. (MEFLG); 1♀, Colombia: Antioquia, Envigado, Loma del Escobero, Papa [Solanum tuberosum L. variety Dia- col capiro]-Bosque. Trans. Papa ppal. En: Jama 12:00 m. 2459 m.s.n.m., 06°07’03”N, 075°32’16”W, 19°C, 65%HR, Enero 22, 2010. Col. Sepúlveda-Cano, P., Osorio, N. (ME- FLG); 1♀, with data as on previous female except 20 January 2010 (MEFLG); 1♀, with data as on previous female except collected 21 January 2010 and at 9:00am (SEMC); 1♀, Antioquia, 25 km S, Medellin, 21 January 1984, James H. Cane (SEMC); 2♀♀, Antioquia, Retiro, En: Gutifera [Clusiaceae], Febrero de 1975, Col: A. Molina (MEFLG); 2♂♂, Antioquia, Rionegro, En: Eupatorium tinifolium [Ageratina tinifolia (Kunth) R.M.King & H. Rob], Julio de 1975, Col: J. Cano (MEFLG); 1♂, Antioquia, Rionegro, En: Eupatorium tinifolium [Ageratina tinifolia (Kunth) R.M.King & H. Rob], Julio de 1975, Col: R. Añez (MEFLG); 1♂, Antioquia, Rionegro, En: Tibouchina lepidota [Tibouchina lepidota (Bonpl.) Baillon], Julio de 1975, Col: R. Añez (MEFLG); 2♂♂, Antioquia, Rionegro, En: Eupatorium tinifolium [Ageratina tinifolia (Kunth) R.M.King & H. Rob], Julio de 1975, Col: J. Cano (SEMC); 1♀, Caldas, Pensilvania, VI-25-1978, J.H. Cane (SEMC).
COMMENTS: Unlike the holotype, some female paratypes have lighter body pubes- cence and the integument largely dark reddish brown with more metallic bluish or greenish highlights on the head, mesosoma, and metasomal terga.
This species has been collected between 2000 and 2500 m elevation in the Central Andes of Colombia. It appears to be present year-round, as specimens have been cap- tured from January through August.
ETYMOLOGY: This species honors Mr. Mark Douglas Comfort (6 August 1962 – 24 November 2014). Doug was a courageous, resilient, smart, kind, and gifted man, who was a lifelong musician and songwriter. He was a committed member of the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Salina, Kansas, who strongly advocated for healthy, purposeful, and active living. Doug is survived by his wife Louise and two sons, Kane and Lucas, his father Dave, and siblings Mike, Mitch, Jeff, and Julie. “Uncle Doug” is sorely missed.
description: Published as part of Gonzalez, Victor H., Velez-Ruiz, Rita I. & Engel, Michael S., 2014, A new paracolletine bee from Colombia (Hymenoptera: Colletidae), with an updated checklist of the tropical Andean bee fauna, pp. 1-26 in Journal of Melittology 2014 (43) on pages 3-12, DOI: 10.17161/jom.v0i43.4812, http://zenodo.org/record/8132191