An update and revision of the Andrena fauna of Morocco (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Andrenidae) with the description of eleven new North African species
Author
Wood, Thomas James
Laboratoire de Zoologie, Universite de Mons, 7000, Mons, Belgium
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5653-224X
thomasjames.wood@umons.ac.be
Author
Michez, Denis
Laboratoire de Zoologie, Universite de Mons, 7000, Mons, Belgium
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8880-1838
Author
Cejas, Diego
Laboratoire de Zoologie, Universite de Mons, 7000, Mons, Belgium
Author
Lhomme, Patrick
Laboratoire de Zoologie, Universite de Mons, 7000, Mons, Belgium & International Center of Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Rabat, Morocco
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6735-9104
Author
Rasmont, Pierre
Laboratoire de Zoologie, Universite de Mons, 7000, Mons, Belgium
text
ZooKeys
2020
974
31
92
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.974.54794
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.974.54794
1313-2970-974-31
9B8888660F074DECAE7B88DFB0A4621C
20CAFA6BA01359369DA3F27F90E22660
Andrena (Poecilandrena) nigriclypeus Wood
sp. nov.
Figures 77-82
Material.
Holotype
: Algeria: Tlemcen, 20 km N de Maghnia, Bab Taza,
34.968N
, -
1.7622W
, 9.iv.1983, 1♂, leg. R. Leys & P. v. d. Hurk. Deposited in the NMNL.
Diagnosis.
The subgenus
Poecilandrena
is poorly defined and has been treated as a wastebasket for species with few apomorphies (
Pisanty et al. 2018
), and so unsurprisingly it has been found to be strongly polyphyletic, containing at least five clades (
Pisanty et al. 2020
), and in future revisions, only the
labiata
and
viridescens
groups are likely to remain in the
Poecilandrena
. However, until this point it is desirable to keep superficially similar species together, even if the subgenus itself is clearly polyphyletic, so that they may be dealt with together in future revisions. Based on the criteria outlined by
Pisanty et al. (2018)
,
A. nigriclypeus
can be placed into the
Poecilandrena
sensu lato
by the combination of small body size (<10 mm), red marked abdomen, non-carinate pronotum, mesepisternum weakly areolate with large, spaced shallow punctures, propodeal triangle moderately rugose, genal area not broadened, and sternite eight columnar.
Currently only one species of
Poecilandrena
sensu lato
is known from North Africa, the similarly red-marked
A. maximiliani
Scheuchl, 2009 which was described from Tunisia (see
Scheuchl 2009
for discussion of previous unconfirmed records of
Poecilandrena
from North Africa).
Andrena nigriclypeus
is similar to
A. maximiliani
as both have male genitalia with pronounced but apically truncate (square-ended) gonocoxal teeth. However, it can be easily separated because the clypeus is black, not yellow, and the gonostyli are completely different, small and narrow and with a shallow emargination in the outer edge before the apex whereas in
A. maximiliani
they are long, broad, and flattened. The only other similar species is
A. paradisaea
Warncke, 1975 from Turkey which has a red abdomen and a black clypeus in the male. However, this species has clearly hooked hind tibial spurs and the genitalia are completely different with a broad-based penis valve, spatula-shaped gonostyli with an evenly rounded outer margin, and pointed gonocoxal teeth (see photograph in
Pisanty et al. 2018
: fig. 122).
Description.
Female
: Unknown.
Male.
Body length 8 mm (Fig.
77
).
Head
: Black, slightly broader than long (Fig.
78
). Clypeus domed, centrally slightly flattened therefore appearing weakly three-faced. Front 2/3rds weakly shagreened, broadly shiny, basal 1/3 and lateral areas strongly shagreened, dull. Shiny area unevenly punctured, punctures separated by 1-2 puncture diameters, puncture density increases slightly in dull areas, punctures separated by one puncture diameter. Process of labrum rectangular, two times broader than long. Gena and vertex with white hairs, turning to black hairs on gena behind dorsal 1/3 of compound eyes (Fig.
79
). Scape with short white hairs, lower paraocular areas and areas around the antennal insertions with mixture of black and white hairs. None of the facial pubescence exceeds scape in length. A1-3 dark, A4-13 dark brown, A3 equalling A4+5. Ocelloccipital distance short,
1/2
width of lateral ocellus.
Mesosoma
: Scutum and scutellum densely shagreened, dull, slightly shiny centrally. Surface evenly and weakly punctured, punctures separated by 1-2 puncture diameters. Episternum and propodeum strongly microreticulate, with weak raised reticulation, very weakly shining. Episternum with very shallow wide punctures between raised reticulation. Propodeal triangle well-marked with raised external carina, internal surface with weakly raised longitudinal rugosity. Legs dark, tarsal segments 2-5 on first two pairs of legs and all segments including the basitarsi on hind legs lightened dark red-orange (Fig.
77
). Wings hyaline, venation amber, nervulus interstitial.
Metasoma
: T1 predominantly dark, red-marked only on apical margin, T2-4 red, T5-6 black (Fig.
80
). T2-5 with apical margins lightened yellow, slightly hyaline apically. All tergites densely and uniformly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameters, underlying surface finely shagreened, weakly shining. T6+7 with short golden hairs. S8 arched, centrally at vertical apex of the arch with a patch of dense yellowish hairs, remaining part of relatively hairless sternite narrowly projecting beyond (Fig.
81
). Genitalia simple, gonocoxites with pronounced but apically truncate and square-ended teeth (Fig.
82
). Penis valve triangular basally with slightly raised winged margins. Gonostyli narrow, apically strongly truncate with a shallow emargination in outer margin (Fig.
82
).
Figures 77-82.
Andrena (Poecilandrena) nigriclypeus
sp. nov.
77
male profile
78
male face
79
male dorsum
80
male tergites
81
male sternite eight
82
male genitalia.
Distribution.
North-western Algeria close to the Moroccan border (Fig.
145d
).
Floral preferences.
None recorded.
Etymology.
The name
nigri
(black) +
clypeus
(clypeus) was chosen because of the entirely black male clypeus, which is unusual within small red-marked
Andrena
species.