Colletes nigropilosus Ferrari 2017, new species
Creators: name: Ferrari, Rafael R.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Insecta
Hymenoptera
Colletidae
Colletes
Colletes nigropilosus

description: Colletes nigropilosus Ferrari, new species
(Figs. 49A–F)
Diagnosis. The combination of labral median area depressed and margined by ridges, malar area about 1.5/2.5x (♀ / ♂) as long as basal depth of mandible, legs with black hairs, and metasomal terga black and not covered with appressed hairs is sufficient to separate C. nigropilosus n. sp. from all other Chilean species of the genus.
Colletes nigropilosus n. sp. is most similar to C. mastochila, but it differs by having the clypeal lower 1/5 without a mid-longitudinal ridge in female (clypeal lower 1/5 bearing ridge in the female C. mastochila); and lateral surface of propodeum with smooth interspaces (lateral surface of propodeum with imbricate interspaces in C. mastochila). Colletes nigropilosus n. sp. is also similar to C. alocochila, but these species can be distinguished by the mesoscutal anterior 1/3 densely punctate in the former (mesoscutal anterior 1/3 only moderately densely punctate in C. alocochila); and T1 pubescence mostly black in C. nigropilosus n. sp. (T1 with only off- white hairs in C. alocochila).
Description. FEMALE (Figs. 49A, 49C, 49E): Dimensions (mm): Approximate body length 10.6; head width 3.4; head length 3.0; intertegular distance 2.7; forewing length 8.0.
Colouration: Black except reddish-brown on distal 1/3 of mandible, 1/4 of distitarsi and 2/3 of tarsal claws. Dark-brown on tegula, wing veins (except basal veins of forewing black), stigma, ventral surface of front and hind femurs, anterior surface of mid femur, proximal 3/4 of distitarsi, ventrally reflexed lateral areas of T1–T2. Palebrown on tibial spurs, proximal 1/3 of tarsal claws, marginal zones of S1–S5.
Structure: Labrum medially concave; concavity margined by lateral ridges. Clypeal mid-longitudinal area evenly shallowly and very narrowly (0.4x MOD) depressed on upper 2/3; adjacent lateral area convex; apicomedial ridge absent. Malar area ~1.6x as long as basal depth of mandible (31:19). F1 ~1.3x as long as its apical width (38:28). UID:LID (71:68). Genal area flat behind upper summit of compound eyes in lateral view. Dorsolateral angle of pronotum triangular acute. Horizontal surface of metapostnotum ~0.4x as long as metanotum (21:47); metapostnotal pits well-delimited; posterior transverse carina straight and interrupted medially. Posteromedial surface of front coxa without spine. Posterior hind tibial spur ciliate. Hind basitarsus ~ 3x longer than broad (49:17). Outer rami of hind tarsal claws 1.5x as long as inner rami (21:14). Posterolateral area of S6 flat and lacking carina; marginal zone depressed.
Pubescence: Black, plumose, erect, moderately long on lateral slopes of clypeus and supraclypeal area, vertexal area, pronotal lobe, mesoscutum, scutellum, anteroventral surface of mid trochanter, ventral margin of mid femur, T2 (except moderately short), S1 (except fulvous); such hairs long on paraocular, frontal and genal areas, metanotum, mesepisternum, metepisternum, anteroventral surface of front trochanter and femur, ventral surface of hind trochanter, T1; very long on interantennal area and upper margin of lateral surface of propodeum. Black, erect, moderately long setae on mandible, posterior surface of front tibia, dorsal surface of mid and hind tibiae and basitarsi (except slightly shorter on mid tibia); such hairs long on posterior margin of basitarsi (except very long on hind basitarsus). Fulvous, suberect, moderately short, thick setae on ventral surface of tarsi; thickest towards distal margin. Black, suberect, long hairs, which are branched only apically on anterior surface of hind femur and tibia. Disc of T3 with black, erect, short setae; longer on T4 and S3–S6; longest on T5. S2 with black, erect, moderately short hairs, which are branched only apically.
Surface sculpture: Clypeus densely and moderately finely punctate on mid-longitudinal depression and upper margin; convex area smooth and shiny (except lower 1/5 longitudinally striate). Malar area moderately densely punctate medially; finely punctate towards eye; coarser below; interspaces smooth. Supraclypeal area smooth and shiny. Paraocular area punctures crowded and moderately fine below; densely punctate above. Frontal area densely and moderately coarsely. Vertexal area with moderately finely punctures intermingled with minute ones; interspaces smooth. Mesosomal interspaces smooth and shiny throughout. Mesoscutum and scutellum densely and moderately coarsely punctate (except sparsely punctate on mesoscutal mid-posterior area). Metanotum densely and moderately finely punctate. Mesepisternum moderately densely and moderately coarsely punctate (except densely punctate anteriorly episternal groove and near scrobe). Metepisternum rugulose above; obliquely striate medially; smooth below. Lateral surface of propodeum finely and sparsely punctate. Upper area vertical surface of metapostnotum rugose medially. Metasomal terga minutely and moderately sparsely punctate (except sparsely punctate on T1); interspaces smooth (except imbricate on marginal zones of T1–T5). Metasomal sterna finely punctate and moderately densely punctate (except sparsely punctate on mid-longitudinal band of S2–S5); interspaces imbricate throughout.
MALE (Figs. 49B, 49D, 49F). As in female, except for usual secondary sexual characteristics and as follows:
Dimensions (mm): Approximate body length 8.4; head width 3.1; head length 2.7; intertegular distance 2.2; forewing length 7.5.
Colouration: Wing veins pale-brown (except basal veins of forewing black). Distitarsi and marginal zones of T1–T3 dark-brown.
Structure: Clypeal mid-longitudinal area evenly broadly (0.4x MOD) depressed on upper 2/3. Malar area ~2.4x as long as basal depth of mandible (41:17). F1 ~1.3x as long as its apical width (32:24). UID:LID (70:62). Genal area concave behind upper summit of compound eyes in lateral view. Horizontal surface of metapostnotum ~0.5x as long as metanotum (20:36); posterior transverse carina sinuous and complete. Hind basitarsus 3x longer than broad (45:15). Outer rami of hind tarsal claws ~1.8x as long as inner rami (26:14). Marginal zone of S6 not depressed. S7, S8 and genital capsule as in Figs. 50A, 50B, 50C, respectively.
Pubescence: Lateral slopes of clypeus and supraclypeal area with off-white hairs. Paraocular and genal areas, pronotal lobe, mesoscutum and scutellum with off-white and black hairs intermixed. T1 covered with very long pubescence. Hairs on S2 ordinarily plumose. Marginal zones of S2–S5 with plumose, erect, short hairs.
Surface sculpture: Malar area densely punctate. Supraclypeal area with very sparse moderately coarse punctures. Frontal area punctures crowded. Metepisternum rugulose below; obliquely striate medially. Lateral surface of propodeum with rugulose interspaces. Metasomal terga finely punctate.
Type material. Holotype ♀ —“ CHILE Region I; Chusmiza; 30.x.00 L. Packer ”. “ Colletes; alocochila; Moure, 1956; det. J.S. Ascher, 2003”. “ Colletes ”. “HOLOTYPE: Colletes nigropilosus ♀; Ferrari, new species”. {PCYU}.
Paratypes: CHILE — Region XV: 1.5km SE of Campamento Planchones, (-18.657, -69.537), 3493m, 31/x/ 2013, [Monckton & Postlethwaite], 1♀, {PCYU}; idem, except 24/ix/2013, [Postlethwaite & Monckton], 1♂. Belén, (-18.467, -69.513), 3297m, 25/x/1952, [L.Peña], 1♂, {DZUP}. E of Zapahuira, (-18.348, -69.552), 3573m, 14/iv/2004, [L.Packer], 1♂, {PCYU}. Zapahuira, (-18.341, -69.595), 3328m, 28/i/1972, [Pasten], 1♂, {PUCV}. Putre, (-18.194, -69.561), 3530m, ii/1948, [G.Kuschel], 2♂♂, {DZUP}; idem, except 30/ix/1970, 1♂, {AMNH}. Road CH- 11 km 114.5, 3566m, 3/ii/2013, [Postlethwaite & Monckton], 2♀♀, {PCYU}; idem, except km 117.1, (- 18.416, -69.900), 3587m, 29/ix/2015, [L.Packer], 1♂. Region I: 82km NE of Huara, (-19.673, -69.179), 3437m, 21/ix/2013, [Almeida & Packer], 1♀, {RPSP}. Codpaquilla, 22/iv/1971, [H.Toro], 1♂, {AMNH}. Chusmiza, (- 19.682, -69.188), 3419m, 19/iv/1971, [W.Sielfeld], 1♀, {AMNH}; idem, except, x/1997, [H.Toro], 1♀; idem, except 30/x/2000, [L. Packer], 1♂, {PCYU}. Road CH-15 near Chusmiza turnoff, (-19.721, -69.221), 3304m, 29/x/ 2013, [Monckton & Postlethwaite], 2♀♀, {PCYU}; idem, except 21/ix/2013, [Postlethwaite & Monckton], 1♂. Region II: Guatin, (-22.766, -68.083), 3277m, 23/viii/1982, [L.Peña], 2♂♂, {AMNH}.
Range. Chile (Regions XV, I, II). See also Fig. 46A.
Biogeographic distribution. South American transition zone: Desert, Puna and Atacama provinces. Northern Chilean species distributed in the summer rainfall area at altitudes of 3200–3600m a.s.l.
DNA barcode. Available. BOLD: ACU7011 (2♀♀1♂). Distance from the nearest neighbour (C. alocochila): 8.59–10.09%.
Floral hosts. Compositae— Baccharis scandens (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. Leguminosae— Medicago sativa L.
Etymology. The specific epithet is a reference to the fact that the female C. nigropilosus n. sp. is entirely covered with black pubescence.
Comments. As with its closest allies (i.e. C. alocochila and C. mastochila), C. nigropilosus n. sp. is only found across the driest regions of Chile, in the north. Therefore, it is not surprising that most of the material that I studied was misidentified as either C. alocochila or C. mastochila. Colletes nigropilosus n. sp. is apparently more common than C. mastochila, but not as abundant as C. alocochila.
The two male paratypes of C. nigropilosus n. sp. deposited at the DZUP belong to the type series (allotype and paratype) of C. alocochila.
description: Published as part of Ferrari, Rafael R., 2017, Taxonomic revision of the species of Colletes Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Colletidae: Colletinae) found in Chile, pp. 1-137 in Zootaxa 4364 (1) on pages 94-97, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4364.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1116008