Updating the taxonomy of the bee genus Megalopta (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Augochlorini) including revision of the Brazilian species
Author
Santos, L. M.
Author
Melo, G. A. R.
text
Journal of Natural History
2014
2014-04-30
49
11
575
674
journal article
21076
10.1080/00222933.2014.946106
b5128e41-1646-4893-ba03-2d83c37cffbd
1464-5262
4004455
Megalopta purpurata
Smith, 1879
(
Figures 10A
,
11F
,
12C
,
15D
)
Megalopta purpurata
Smith, 1879: 48
.
Holotype
male,
Brazil
:
Amazonas
,
Tefé
(‘Ega’) (BMNH, not directly examined).
Diagnosis
The male differs from those of
M. guarani
sp. n.
and
M. karitiana
sp. n.
by the digitiform medial protruding process of S4, in lateral view; from
M. mapinguari
sp. n
and
M. xavante
sp. n.
by the mesosoma homogeneously blackish (
Figures 11F
,
12C
); also distinguished from
M. mapinguari
by medial protruding process of S4 lacking setae in the apex; from
M. atlantica
by the absence of rugulosities in basal area of metapostnotum (
Figure 12C
).
Description
Male.
(15) Scape missed. (16) Flagellum missed (
Figure 10A
). (17) Metanotum with integument, in dorsal view, not hidden by short plumose pilosity (
Figure 11F
). (18) Basal area of metapostnotum blackish; its length less than half of metanotum (
Moure 1958
); smooth, without rugulosities (
Figure 12C
). (19) Metepisternum with sparse pilosity, integument visible through pilosity; posterior upper margin of metepisternum unmodified, lacking a velvety process. (20). 1st and 2nd tarsomere of foreleg unobserved. (21) S3 with longitudinal sulcus, posterolateral margin notched. (22) S4 with medial protruding process, profile of process digitiform in lateral view; basal portion glabrous; posterolateral margin notched, notch not extending to basal half of sclerite.
Female.
Unknown.
Comments
The
type
was not examined directly, but through photographs obtained from the British Museum (
BMNH
). Its inclusion in the byroni species group was based on the following features: body coloration without metallic green reflections and S
4 in
basal area with a digitiform medial protruding process. Some characteristics of this species were extracted from Moure’ s (1958) redescription
.
Distribution
BRAZIL
. Amazonas: Tefé (
Figure 15D
).