A new species, Lasioglossum (Eickwortia) hienae, from Mexico (Apoidea: Halictidae) Author Gibbs, Jason Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA (dialictus @ gmail. com); corresponding author. Author Dumesh, Sheila Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M 3 J 1 P 3 (mexalictus @ outlook. com). text Journal of Melittology 2013 2013-07-26 2013 13 1 11 https://doi.org/10.17161/jom.v0i13.4518 journal article 10.17161/jom.v0i13.4518 2325-4467 13737224 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FA15FB9E-5A53-4C10-8003-4F5ABAA04035 Lasioglossum ( Eickwortia ) hienae Gibbs & Dumesh , new species ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: D336B46B-D9D7-472C-BA58-7A4D2FDAB589 ( Figs. 1–4, 6, 7 ) DIAGNOSIS: Females of L . hienae can be distinguished from other Halictidae by the following combination of characters: forewing with vein 1rs-m, and 2rs-m weak [as in L . ( Dialictus ) Robertson, L . ( Evylaeus ), and L . ( Sphecodogastra ) Ashmead]; anterior third of forewing infuscate ( Fig. 1 ); mandible strongly bidentate ( Fig. 3 ); mesoscutum granulate, obscurely doubly punctate ( Fig. 4 ). Lasioglossum hienae is most similar to L . nyctere , but the latter has the mesoscutum tessellate with distinct double punctures (fine punctures separated by 1–2 diameters, coarse punctures separated by 5–10 diameters) ( Fig. 5 ). Lasioglossum alexanderi has completely infuscate forewings, mesoscutum distinctly singly punctate, and metapostnotum regularly carinulate to posterior rim ( vide McGinley, 1999 ). Additional useful characters for recognizing L . hienae include the following: Integument blackish brown ( Fig. 1 ). Off-white, appressed tomentose setae on the pronotal lobe, dorsolateral angle of pronotum, posterior margin of mesoscutum, metanotum, posterior surface of the propodeum and basal portions of T2–T3 ( Figs. 4, 6, 7 ), which sharply contrast with the black integument. Head wider than mesosoma ( Fig. 2 ); compound eyes weakly divergent below ( Fig. 2 ). Pronotal lateral ridge complete; pronotal lobe acutely projected laterally ( Fig. 2 ). Hind wing with distal hamuli organised 3-1- 1-1-2 [typically 2- 1-2 in L . ( Dialictus ), L . ( Evylaeus ), and L . ( Sphecodogastra )]. Femora slender; inner metatibial spur pectinate, with four long branches (not including apex of rachis). Metapostnotum smooth with virtually no microsculpture ( Figs. 4, 6 ). The male of L . hienae is unknown. Males of L . nyctere are similar to females, except they have smaller heads, normal mandibles, and a remarkably slender metasoma. They bear a close resemblance to males of the augochlorine genus Neocorynura Schrottky. It is expected that males of L . hienae may have similar traits. Figures 1–2. Holotype female of Lasioglossum ( Eickwortia ) hienae , new species . 1. Lateral habitus. 2. Face. Scale bars = 1 mm. DESCRIPTION: ♀ , Length 6.5 mm . Head length 1.95 mm . Head width 2.31 mm . Intertegular distance 1.43 mm . Color . Entire body blackish brown ( Fig. 1 ), except: Antennal flagellomere 10 reddish brown apically. Tegula dark reddish brown ( Fig. 4 ). Legs dark brown, except medio- and distitarsi reddish brown ( Fig. 1 ). Forewing membrane dusky, anterior margin deeply infuscate ( Fig. 1 ). Pterostigma and venation reddish brown. T2 with margin translucent reddish brown ( Fig. 7 ). Structure . Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.84) ( Fig. 2 ). Labrum with basal tubercle; apical process broadly triangular. Mandible bidentate, preapical tooth nearly as long as apical tooth ( Fig. 3 ). Clypeus 3x wider than long, extending 2/3 below suborbital line ( Fig. 2 ). Compound eyes weakly divergent below, upper ocular distance 0.93x lower ocular distance ( Fig. 2 ). Gena 1.4x wider than compound eye in lateral view, widest at midlength. Hypostomal carinae subparallel. Ocelli unmodified. Vertex broad, extending 1.5 OD above lateral ocellus in frontal view ( Fig. 2 ). Pronotum maximum width 2.13 mm ; dorsolateral angle obtuse; pronotal ridge carinate, not interrupted by sulcus; pronotal lobe acutely projecting laterally ( Fig. 2 ). Femora and metatibia slender. Inner metatibial spur pectinate, four-toothed, basal tooth longer than width of rachis. Tegula ovoid ( Fig. 4 ). Forewing with marginal cell very narrowly truncate; submarginal cells three; veins 1rs-m and 2rs-m weak. Propodeal lateral carina not reaching dorsal margin, oblique carina absent ( Figs. 6, 7 ). T1 narrow, 0.7x width of T2; T5 with distinct pseudopygidial area ( Fig. 7 ). Surface sculpture . Face imbricate except as follows ( Fig. 2 ): Clypeus polished distally. Clypeus, supraclypeal area, and lower paraocular area sparsely punctate (i = 1–3 d). Upper paraocular area and frons reticulate. Gena weakly imbricate, punctures sparse (i = 1–2 d), postgena imbricate. Mesoscutum coarsely imbricate, granular; punctures very fine, mostly dense (i ≤ 1 d), difficult to distinguish from background microsculpture, except coarser and sparser on anterior portion (i = 2–4 d) ( Fig. 4 ). Mesoscutellum similar to mesoscutum. Mesepisternum with vertical carinulae converging on subpleural signum, coarser ventrally; hypoepimeral area imbricate. Metepisternum transversely carinulate on dorsal third, remainder imbricate. Metapostnotum smooth, weakly imbricate, not shiny ( Fig. 4 ). Propodeum imbricate, lower lateral surface with weak transverse carinulae. Metasomal terga mostly imbricate, apical impressed area coriarious, T1 smoother ( Fig. 7 ); punctures fine, dense (i = 1–1.5 d), nearly reaching posterior margin ( Fig. 7 ); T5 pseudopygidial area coarsely punctate (i = 1–1.5 d). Pubescence . Dull white, except tomentum faintly yellowish, largely dark brown on tibiae and tarsi ( Fig. 7 ). Entire body with sparse woolly setae (1–1.5 OD), longer on metanotum, mesopleuron and lateral portions of metasomal terga (1.5–2.5 OD). Paraocular area with short, subappressed tomentose setae ( Fig. 2 ). Gena with tomentum adjacent to compound eye ( Fig. 1 ). Pronotal lobe and posterior margin with dense tomentum ( Figs. 1 , 4 ). Mesoscutum with posterior margin tomentose ( Fig. 4 ). Metanotum almost entirely obscured by tomentum ( Fig. 4 ). Metafemur with well developed scopa ( Fig. 7 ). Propodeal posterior surface obscured by tomentum ( Fig. 7 ), dorsal portion of lateral surface with sparse tomentum. T1 with sparse, erect plumose setae; T2 –T4 with dense basal tomentose bands, thickest and most evident on T2 ( Fig. 7 ). Metasomal sterna with plumose scopa (3–4.5 OD). Figures 3–7. Females of Lasioglossum ( Eickwortia ) hienae , new species (3, 4, 6, 7) and L . ( E .) nyctere (Vachal) from Veracruz Prov., Mexico (5). 3. Mandibles. 4, 5. Dorsolateral views of mesosoma. 6. Dorsal habitus. 7. Dorsal view of metasoma and posterior view of propodeum. Scale bars = 1 mm. ♂ : Unknown. HOLOTYPE : ♀ , Mexico : Colima , Volcán Colima , South Road , W side of river, N19.45166 W103.71814 , 1163m , 0.5.x.10, S. Dumesh , PCYU-MEX10-0175 [on white label] / BeeBOL, CCDB-09841 E07, BOWMT150-10 [on green label] / HOLOTYPE Lasioglossum ( Eickwortia ) hienae [on red label]. Deposited in Packer Collection , York University. Specimen in good condition except midleg on right side removed for molecular study . DISTRIBUTION: Only a single female specimen is known, collected from the southern slope of the Colima volcano on the border of Colima and Jalisco Provinces, Mexico ( Figs. 8, 9 ). The specimen was collected at a relatively high elevation ( 1163 m ), as were other specimens in the subgenus ( McGinley, 1999 ) ( Figs. 8, 9 ). The nearest recorded location of L . nyctere is nearly 200 km distant. The type locality of L . hienae is at the edge of the predicted area of suitable habitat for L . nyctere ( Fig. 8 ). DNA BARCODES: A single partial DNA barcode sequence (407 bp) is available from the holotype specimen of L . hienae (GenBank accession: KF199918). A single partial DNA barcode sequence (382 bp) is also available from a specimen of L . nyctere from Veracruz Province (near the type locality) (GenBank accession: KF199919). Thirteen nucleotide differences occur over the overlapping 382 bp (= 3.6% genetic divergence). Lasioglossum hienae differs from L . nyctere in the following sites (relative to standard bee barcodes, vide Gibbs et al ., 2013 ): 273(C/T), 363(C/T), 435(C/A), 495(T/C), 543(A/C), 549(C/A), 564(A/G), 570(C/T), 577(C/T), 600(C/T), 603(T/C), 612(C/T), and 621(C/A). Additional sampling is needed to determine what fraction of these 13 differences is fixed between the two species, but this is consistent with species-level differences among closely related bees ( Gibbs, 2009 ). ETYMOLOGY: We are pleased to name this bee for our friend and colleague Hien T. Ngo in recognition of her studies of tropical native bees and a memorable fieldwork experience in Mexico with the senior author.