Heriades danuncia 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 danuncia

description: Heriades danuncia Rojas-Arias, Griswold & Ayala. sp. nov.
(Figs. 2J, 16–17)
Diagnosis. Ocelli medium-sized (Fig. 3B); punctation large along the whole body; dorsolateral angles of pronotum with tuft of plumose, short, whitish to yellowish hairs (Fig. 17B, D); tergal fasciae with row of thick, whitish hairs (Fig. 3J); body with bare areas on frons, disc of scutum, mesepisternum and terga. Male: outer surface of mandible with strong outer and condylar ridges, from base to midpoint, where is strongly interrupted; clypeus with plumose, white to goldish, dense hairs, decreasing in length towards mid clypeus and absent on lower third (Fig. Fig. 17A); S5 with two subtriangular lobes and one line of capitate hairs directed and increasing in length outward (Fig. 17E); S6 with one posterior tuft of simple, short hairs and one subapical, dense line of capitate hairs, gonostylus with quadranqular apex, and long hairs (Fig. 17F). Female: outer surface of mandible with slight elevation at base of outer ridge; apical margin of clypeus with strong emargination and more than five small tubercles or crenulated; upper area of clypeus with medium-sized punctures. This species is similar to H. micheneri (Fig. 25A, B) but different by having slightly larger mesepisternum punctures and slightly wider scape.
Description. Male: Body length, 5.9 mm (5.2–6.3, n=6); forewing length, 3.6 mm (3.4–3.9, n=6).
Head. Length 1.6 mm (1.5–1.7, n=6), width 1.6 mm (1.5–1.8, n=6); eyes about 2.9 times longer than broad, 1.9 times wider than gena in profile; lower interocular distance 0.8 mm (0.7–0.9, n=6); upper interocular distance 1 mm (0.9–1, n=6); interantennal distance 2 times antennocular distance; lateral ocelli medium-sized, 1.4 times DOP in interocellar area, median ocellus smaller; interocellar distance 3.3 times OD; ocellocular distance 3 times OD; OPR distance 3.5 times OD; labrum with basal, medial, wide elevation; outer surface of mandible with strong outer and condylar ridge, from base to mid distance, strongly interrupted (Fig. 17A); clypeus 1.5 times broader than long, apical margin with shallow emargination; juxtantennal carina absent but strongly angulated; scape black, length 0.7 times alveolocellar distance, 2 times longer than wide; pedicel black, about 1.3 times longer than F1 and about 0.8 times longer than F2; flagellum black, first broader than long remaining flagellomeres 1.8 longer than first; F11 2 times longer than broad. Mesosoma. Scutum 2.4 times longer than scutellum, 2.9 times longer than tegula, and 3.4 longer than axilla; intertegular distance 1.1 mm (1.1–1.3, n=6); metanotum with transverse ridge, in posterior view with two small medial rounded elevations on top; propodeum with small to middle pits (Fig. 3G, H), 0.06 mm long; legs dark amber. Metasoma. T1 1.4 mm broad (1.2–1.5, n=6); T3 1.6 mm broad (1.4–1.7, n=6); T6 with posterior margin not projected; posterior margin of S1 truncate without emargination (Fig. 2 Jb), in profile, with posterior margin projected and strong process apex on one half of distance from apex to base (Fig. 2 Ja), process in posterior view with sub-quadrate shape (Fig. 2 Jc).
Sculpturing. Clypeus with small (at base 0.4 times OD), almost contiguous, coarse and equally sized punctures; supraclypeal area with punctures slightly denser than base of clypeus; frons with punctures notably bigger, coarser and denser than supraclypeal area; on frons in front of ocelli slightly smaller than frons; vertex with bigger, sparser punctures than on supraclypeal area, with micropunctures between punctures as on vertex; hypostomal area with punctation bigger than on clypeus; gena with bigger, coarser and sparser punctures than on hypostomal area; anterior surface of pronotum with punctures sparser than on clypeus, and smaller, less coarse on pronotal lobes; disc of scutum with bigger (0.7 times OD), denser punctures than on vertex, with micropunctures between punctures; rest of mesosoma as on scutum except: scutellum with punctures smaller and sparser, mesepisternum with equal DBP as on scutum; metepisternum with smaller punctures, less dense and coarse; T1 with smaller (0.6 times OD), slightly denser punctures than on scutum, without micropunctures between punctures; T2 with punctures smaller and sparser than on T1; T3 with bigger, denser and coarse punctures than on T1, slightly rounded, separated by less than one quarter of DOP; T4 and T5 with bigger, denser and as coarse punctures as on T3; dorsal surface of T6 with slightly smaller and sparser punctation as on T5, on posterior surface with notably smaller and slightly sparser punctation, DBP less than one third DOP; sides of S1 with punctation bigger and parser than T1, and in process smaller and sparser; sides of S2 with punctures smaller than on T1, disc of S2 microreticulate without punctures.
Vestiture. Clypeus with plumose, white to goldish, and dense hairs, decreasing in length towards mid clypeus, absent on lower third; supraclypeal area and frons with plumose, thick, white to goldish hairs directed medially and dorsally respectively, hairs similar in length (Fig. 17A); hypostomal area without plumose, long, hairs; dorsolateral angles of pronotum with rounded tuft of a few, plumose, thick orange hairs; anterior and posterior margin of mesepisternum with plumose, thin, long, scattered, white hairs; disc of metepisternum without characteristic tuft of thick, short, white hairs; tergal fasciae with row of thick, short, white to golden hairs, present from T1 to T3; disc of T1 to T6 with simple, long, thin, white hairs in punctures increasing in length towards posterior terga (Fig. 17B).
Terminalia. S5 with two subtriangular lobes directed posteriorly, and one line of capitate hairs directed and increasing in length toward sides, and some simple short hairs towards sides, without subapical line (Fig. 17E); S6 with acute, right-angled apex, with one posterior tuft of simple, short hairs and one subapical, dense line of capitate hairs (Fig. 17F); genital capsule in dorsal view 1.1 mm length, and 0.5 mm width, 2.4 times longer than wide, gonobase 0.09 mm length, 4.9 times wider than long, and gonocoxite 0.4 mm length, gonostylus 1 mm length with quadrate apex, and long hairs, penis valve 0.7 mm length (Fig. 17G).
Female: Body length 5.9 mm (5.5–5.9, n=3); forewing length 3.7 mm (3.3–3.7, n=3). Similar to male except: Head. Length 1.5 mm (1.5–1.6, n=3), width 1.6 mm (1.6–1.7, n=3); eyes about 3.5 times longer than broad, 1.6 times wider than gena in profile; lower interocular distance 0.8 mm (0.8–0.9, n=3); upper interocular distance 1 mm (1–1.1, n=3); interantennal distance 1.8 times antennocular distance; interocellar distance 3.3 times OD, ocellocular distance 2.8 times OD, OPR 3.5 times OD; labrum without wide, basal, medial tubercle; mandible on outer surface with outer and condylar ridge subparallel without tubercle; dorsal margin of mandible with carina; clypeus with shallow emargination on two fifths and crenulated apical margin (Fig. 17C); scape 2.6 times longer than broad; pedicel 1.2 longer than broad, about 2 times longer than F1 and F2, remaining flagellomeres 2 times longer than F1. Mesosoma. Scutum 2.6 times longer than scutellum; intertegular distance 1.2 mm (1.2–1.3, n=3). Metasoma. T1 1.3 mm broad (1.3–1.4, n=3); T3 1.5 mm broad (1.5–1.6, n=3) (Fig. 17D).
Sculpturing. Mandibles with smooth, microreticulate integument; clypeus punctures with medium-sized (0.5 times OD), contiguous and coarse, integument slightly dull and smooth between punctures; supraclypeal area with punctures slightly bigger and sparser than on base of clypeus; frons with bigger, coarser, and slightly denser punctation than on base of clypeus, with micropunctures between punctures; vertex with punctures bigger, coarser, and sparser than on clypeus with few micropunctures between punctures; gena evenly punctate, less coarse than on frons in front of ocelli; scutum with bigger and denser punctures than on vertex, smaller towards anterior margin; rest of mesosoma as on scutum except: scutellum with sparser punctures; mesepisternum with sparser punctures, smaller towards ventral half; metasomal terga bright with few micropunctures between punctures; T1 with smaller (0.4 times OD), punctures than on scutum, with rounded shape; T2 with smaller, sparser than on T1, semicircular shaped punctures; T3 with punctures bigger (0.7 times DOP), notably less coarse than on scutum, horseshoe-shaped, and slightly sparser (0.3 times DOP); dorsal surface of T6 with smaller, and more coarsely punctures than on T5; sterna with punctation smaller and slightly denser than on scutum, microreticulate on posterior margin.
Vestiture. Clypeus and frons with simple, short, whitish hairs on punctures (Fig. 17C); T1 to T4 with apical fasciae of one row of thick, goldish hairs (Fig. 17D).
Type material: Holotype male (BBSL 337774, SM0310945): MEXICO: Sonora, Alamos, 387 m. 7/IX/1970, GE, RM Bohart, T. Griswold (EBCh). Allotype (LR0006): MEXICO: Sonora, Alamos, 387 m, [27°01’32”N 108°56’29”W] 7/IX/1970, GE, RM Bohart, (BBSL). Paratypes: MEXICO: Sonora, Alamos, 387 m, [27°01’32”N 108°56’29”W], 3/IX/1991, J. L. Neff, T. Griswold, J. G. Rozen, (EBCh, 1♀ 9♂), 7/IX/1970, GE, RM Bohart, 1/ IX/1975, B. Villegas (BBSL 2♂), 7/IX/1970, GE, RM Bohart, T. Griswold (BBSL 8♂), 7/IX/1977, R. W. Brooks (KUNHM-ENT 1♂), 440 m, [27°01’32”N 108°56’29”W], L. M. Godinez, R. Ayala (EBCh 7♂). Guaymas, 105 m, [27°55’04”N 110°54’32”W] 26/IX/1966, CE & AS Bohart (BBSL 1♀).
Additional material examined: UNITED STATES: Colorado, Alamosa Co. North Zapata Creek; Mosca 25kmE, 6-11/VII/2011, M. E. Irwin, (BBSL 1♂). MEXICO: Chihuahua, Santo Nino, [1426 m, 27°31’20”N 104°50’14”W], 1/ 5-IX-1968, 31/VIII/1968, T. A. Sears, R. C. Gardner, C. S. Glaser (BBSL 13♂). Sinaloa, Choix, [240 m, 26°42’32”N 108°19’28”W], 25/VII/1969, T. A. Sears, R. C. Gardner, C. S. Glaser (BBSL 1♂). Choix, 4miNW, 442 m, [26°43’43”N 108°17’51”W], 29, 27, 31/VIII/1968, T. A. Sears, R. C. Gardner, C. S. Glaser (BBSL 4♀ 18♂). Choix, 5.5miNW, 465 m, [26°43’41”N 108°17’46”W] 5/IX/1968, T. A. Sears, R. C. Gardner, C. S. Glaser (BBSL 2♀ 12♂). Choix, 6miNW, 442 m, [26°43’43”N 108°17’51”W], 6/VIII/1968, T. A. Sears, R. C. Gardner, C. S. Glaser (BBSL 2♂).
Distribution. This species is present mainly in the northern Mexico, in the states of Chihuahua and Sonora, in the Sierra Madre Occidental and Chihuahuan biogeographic provinces (Morrone et al. 2022). There is a questionable record of one male from Colorado, United States (Fig. 16). Altitudinal range: 19 to 1511 m.
Etymology. This species is dedicated to Dra. Danuncia Urban, taxonomist and melittologist from Brazil, at Universidade Federal do Paraná, who contributed to the knowledge of Neotropical bees, especially Eucerini and Anthidiini.
Comments. In males, the DBP on frons can vary from 0.25 to 0.20 DOP, as well as in the DOP on T3. The males of this species are the most distinct ones among the genus by having tubercles on carinae on outer surface of mandible, and gonostylus, with subquadrate tips with tuft of simple and hooked hairs. Females of this species differ from H. micheneri as well by having usually more orangish hairs in tuft of dorsolateral angles of pronotum, while in H. micheneri hairs are usually whitish to yellow.
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 228-232, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5570.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14734877