Hoplitis (Anthocopa) serainae Müller, 2012, spec. nov.
Creators: name: Müller, Andreas
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2012
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Megachilidae
Hoplitis
Hoplitis serainae

description: Hoplitis (Anthocopa) serainae spec. nov.
Holotype: Greece, Korfu: Sgombou, 7.5.1984, ɗ (leg. L. Norén), [ETHZ].
Paratypes: Greece, Korfu: Sgombou, 7.5.1984, 2 ɗ (leg. L. Norén). Peloponnese: Kalamata, 2.5.1964, 3 Ψ, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Schwarz); Kalamata, 15.5.1964, 3 ɗ (leg. M. Schwarz); Andritsena, Vassae, 31.5.1998, 1 ɗ (leg. W. Arens); Gortis near Atsiholos (Arkadia), 8.5.2000, 1 ɗ (leg. W. Arens); antikes Alifira (Arkadia), 9.5.2000, 2 ɗ (leg. W. Arens); Olympia im Alfios-Tal, 13.5.2000, 1 ɗ (leg. W. Arens); Kardamili env. (Messinia), 35km NE of Kalamata, 170m, 12.– 14.4.2005, 1 ɗ (leg. P. Bogusch); 5km NE of Kalamata, 24.4.2005, 3 ɗ (leg. J. Halada); 12km NWW of Sparti, 26.– 27.4.2005, 1 Ψ, 1 ɗ (leg. J. Halada). Rhodes: Elousa, 200m, 12.5.2005, 1 ɗ (leg. A. Müller). Turkey, Antalya: Lykien, Patara, 14.4.1998, 1 ɗ (leg. W. Arens). Kutuhaya: 30km N of Kutahya, Porsuk Baraji, 15.6.1997, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Halada). Nevsehir: Ürgüp, 6.6.1978, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Schwarz); Ürgüp, Capadocia, 13.6.1998, 2 ɗ (leg. M. Halada). Gaziantep: Nizip, 27.5.1978, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Schwarz). Siirt: 20km NW of Sirnak, 1500m, 5.6.1980, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Schwarz). Hakkari: 10km W of Uludere, 1000m, 4.6.1980, 2 ɗ (leg. M. Schwarz). Jordan: North Shuna, 20.– 22.4.1996, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Halada); 10km W of Jarash, 1.5.1996, 1 ɗ (leg. M. Halada); Irbid region, Saham village, 300m, 19.4.2003, 1 ɗ (leg. I. Pljushtch); Wadi Shu'ayb, 20km W of Amman, 22.4.2007, 5 ɗ (leg. C. Praz, C. Sedivy & A. Müller).
Diagnosis. No reliable morphological characters are known so far to separate the females of H. serainae and H. nicolaei spec. nov. The description of the female of H. serainae below is based on specimens from localities, where only males of H. serainae but no males of H. nicolaei were collected. For characters distinguishing these two species from the females of other Anthocopa species see under H. nicolaei. The male of H. serainae is easily recognizable amongst the southeastern European Anthocopa species by the shape of tergum 7, which is edged laterally almost at right angles and endowed medially with two moderately long teeth (Fig. 21). These teeth are only slightly longer than wide and separated from each other by a semicircular incision, which is about as wide as the basal diameter of one tooth. Apart from the shape of tergum 7 and the gonoforceps, the male of H. serainae is morphologically nearly identical to H. nicolaei.
Description. Female: Body length: 6.5–7.5mm. Head: Second segment of the labial palpus about 2.2x as long as the first segment. Clypeus slightly convex with a medioapical projection, which is narrowly trapeziform in shape, distinctly polished, impressed medioapically and more or less bent downwards in its apical half. Pilosity of the lower face whitish, on the upper face and the vertex yellowish. Clypeus, supraclypeal area and frons very densely punctate with interspaces of usually less than the diameter of half a puncture. Punctation of vertex sligthly less dense with interspaces of the diameter of one half to one puncture. Head about 0.9x as long as broad. Vertex seen in front view evenly rounded. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 2.8–3.2x as long as the ocellar diameter. Thorax: Scutum and scutellum very densely punctate with interspaces of less than the diameter of half a puncture except medially and laterally, where the punctation is slightly less dense. Basal zone of the propodeum polished except for its upper third, which is shagreened. Hind tibial spurs yellowish, long and slender, straight and tapering towards the acute tip. Pilosity of scutum and scutellum yellowish, of the other parts of the thorax whitish. Pilosity on the inside of the hind leg basitarsus yellowish. Metasoma: Terga 1–5 with narrow whitish hair bands, which are broadly interrupted on terga 1–2. Disc of tergum 1 covered laterally with moderately long whitish hairs. Disc of terga 2–5 beset with rather short, erect and mostly brownish hairs. Base of terga 2 and 3 very weakly impressed. Punctation of disc of terga 1–5 rather dense with interspaces varying between the diameter of one half and two punctures. Punctation of tergum 6 distinctly denser than on the preceding terga. Scopa whitish.
Male: Body length: 6–7.5mm. Head: Second segment of the labial palpus about 2.3x as long as the first segment. Antenna blackish to weakly light-coloured on the anterior side and parallel-sided along its whole length. Antennal segments 4 and 5 slightly shorter than wide, segments 6–12 about as long as wide and segments 3 and 13 longer than wide. Pilosity of the lower face yellowish-white, on the upper face and the vertex light yellowishbrown. Head about 9x as long as broad. Vertex seen in front view evenly rounded. Distance between lateral ocellus and preoccipital ridge 2.7–3.4x as long as the ocellar diameter. Thorax: Punctation of scutum and scutellum, basal zone of the propodeum and colour and form of the hind tibial spurs as in the female. Pilosity of scutum and scutellum light yellowish-brown, of the other parts of the thorax whitish. Pilosity on the inner side of the hind leg basitarsus yellowish-white. Metasoma: Apical margin of terga 1–7 more or less light reddish-brown. Terga 1–5 with narrow yellowish-whitish hair bands, which are interrupted on tergum 1 and only inconspicuously developed medially on terga 2–3. Disc of tergum 1 covered laterally with long whitish hairs. Disc of terga 2–5 beset with rather short, erect and yellowish-brown to brownish hairs. Base of terga 2 and 3 weakly impressed. Punctation of tergal discs slightly denser than in the female with interspaces varying between the diameter of one half and one and a half, rarely two punctures. Apical margin of tergum 6 evenly rounded and with a lateral tooth, which is slightly shorter than wide. Tergum 7 edged laterally almost at right angles and endowed medially with two moderately long teeth, which are only slightly longer than wide and separated from each other by a semicircular incision, which is roughly as wide as the basal diameter of one tooth (Fig. 21). Apical margin of sternum 2 evenly rounded and loosely ciliated with moderately long and straight whitish hairs. Apical margin of sternum 3 very weakly emarginated medially and beset with long, nearly straight and whitish hairs, which are longer than the apical hairs on sternum 2. Apical margin of sternum 4 broadly but shallowly emarginated and beset with long and slightly incurved yellowish-white hairs, which are slightly longer than those on sternum 3. Apical margin of sternum 5 nearly straight to broadly and very shallowly emarginated and beset with incurved yellowish-white hairs, which are slightly shorter than those on sternum 3. Sternum 6 rather densely punctate and distinctly haired except for a triangular to roundish apical zone, which is slightly impressed, impunctate and unhaired. Apical margin of sternum 6 evenly rounded. Gonoforceps robust and in its apical half densely haired and nearly triangular in cross-section (Fig. 22).
Distribution. From Greece eastwards to eastern Turkey and southwards to Jordan. H. serainae was found to occur syntopically with H. nicolaei at several localities in Greece and Turkey.
Host plants. Two pollen samples from the same locality, where only males of H. serainae but no males of H. nicolaei were collected, consist of pollen of Linaceae.
Etymology. serainae = dedicated to my daugther Seraina.
description: Published as part of Müller, Andreas, 2012, New European bee species of the tribe Osmiini (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Megachilidae), pp. 29-50 in Zootaxa 3355 on pages 44-45, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.281575