Lasioglossum (Dialictus) gloriosum Gardner & Gibbs 2023, sp. nov.

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) gloriosum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 863681D4-D141-45E1-A3F0-E49F2334394B

Figs 27–29, 76F, 83A, 84A, 102D, 103B, 104B, 105A

Diagnosis

Females of L. gloriosum sp. nov. have the tegula relatively large (maximum length more than half ITS and exceeding posterior margin of mesoscutum in dorsal view), with inner posterior margin weakly concave, and densely punctate (IS ≤ 1 PD); mesoscutum, scutellum, and mesepisternum shiny and very densely punctate (IS <1 PD) (mesoscutum becoming tessellate and slightly more sparsely punctate anteromedially); metapostnotum shiny with coarse rugae reaching posterior margin; mesoscutum lateral and posterior margins, metanotum, and pleura with abundant tomentum; T1 anterior slope coriarious; and metasoma red-orange.

Females of L. gloriosum sp. nov. are most similar to those of L. diabolicum sp. nov., L. gaudiale, and L. indagator sp. nov. Females of L. diabolicum and L. gaudiale have the mesoscutum more sparsely punctate between parapsidal lines (some IS>1 PD) and the mesoscutum, metanotum, and pleura with tomentum sparse or absent. In addition, females of L. diabolicum and L. indagator have the tegula smaller (not exceeding posterior margin of mesoscutum in dorsal view) and usually more sparsely punctate laterally at midlength (IS ≥ 1 PD). Females of L. indagator also have the metapostnotum rugae not reaching posterior margin. Females of L. gaudiale have the gena about as wide as eye in lateral view, metapostnotum rugae usually not reaching posterior margin, T1 anterior slope shiny, and scutellum often sparsely punctate (IS = 1–2 PD). Some other species in the L. stictaspis species complex can be very similar, but can be separated by the same characters as for L. diabolicum except for the tegula.

Males of L. gloriosum sp. nov. have the tegula very large (maximum length ≥60% ITS and exceeding posterior margin of mesoscutum in dorsal view), with inner posterior margin somewhat strongly concave with a rounded posterior projection, and densely punctate (IS <1 PD); face broad (length/width ratio ≤ 0.83) and covered with very dense tomentum up to the median ocellus; mesoscutum usually densely punctate (IS ≤ 1 PD) and fringed with tomentum; pleura with extensive tomentum; metapostnotum shiny with strong subparallel rugae usually reaching posterior margin; T2–T3 with extensive basolateral tomentum; and head and mesosoma usually blue-green to olive green. They are most similar to those of L. gaudiale and L. indagator sp. nov. See the diagnosis for L. gaudiale for a comparative diagnosis between these three species.

Etymology

The specific epithet ʻ gloriosum ʼ is an adjective derived from the Latin noun ʻ gloria ʼ (glory, fame) plus the adjectival suffix ʻ -osum ʼ (fullness or abundance). It refers to the numerous distinctive characters possessed by this species which make it highly recognisable. An appropriate translation would be the glorious sweat bee.

Material examined

Holotype UNITED STATES – Utah • ♀; Emery Co., North Temple Wash, San Rafael Desert; [38.667° N, 110.648° W]; elev. 1615 m; 15 Jun. 1983; T. Griswold leg.; CUIC.

[Verbatim label: UTAH EmeryCo 5300’/ North Temple Wash / San Rafael Desert / VI-15-83 TGriswold // DIALICTUS hunteri (Crawford) det. Eickwort // CORNELL UNIVERSITY INSECT COLLECTION // HOLOTYPE / Lasioglossum (Dialictus) gloriosum Gardner and Gibbs]

Paratypes

UNITED STATES – California • 1 ♂; Los Angeles Co., Chatsworth; 34.26° N, 118.601° W; 1–8 Jul. 2017; LACM. – Nevada • 1 ♀; Clark Co., Lovell Canyon; 36.1526° N, 115.5719° W; 2 Jun. 2005; R. Andrus leg.; ex Lesquerella sp.; BBSL677120 • 1 ♀; Clark Co., Sandy Valley; 35.855° N, 115.6697° W; 15 Sep. 1998; W. Bowlin leg.; BBSL322996. – New Mexico • 1 ♀; Socorro Co., Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge; 34.3431° N, 106.7417° W; 18 Apr.–2 May 2011; K. Wetherill leg.; TAMU • 1 ♀; Socorro Co., Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge; 34.335° N, 106.7219° W; 12–26 Jun. 2017; K.W. Wright leg.; TAMU • 1 ♂; Albuquerque; [35.08° N, 106.61° W]; Cockerell leg.; UCMC • 1 ♀; La Joya Wildlife Preserve, 20 mi. N of Socorro; [34.34° N, 106.89° W]; 1–6 Aug. 1976; W. Rubink leg.; CSUC • 1 ♀; ibid.; 15–26 Jul. 1976; W. Rubink leg.; CUIC. – Utah • 1 ♀; Emery Co., 2 km S of Hatt’s Ranch; 38.8417° N, 110.3817° W; elev. 1375 m; 21–26 May 2002; M.E. Irwin, F.D. Parker leg.; BBSL FDP755762 • 1 ♀; Emery Co., Dugout Spring, 2.5 air mi. NE of Big Flat Top; [38.55° N, 110.42° W]; elev. 1463 m; 28 Jul. 1983; F. and A. Parker and T. Griswold leg.; CUIC • 2 ♀♀; Emery Co., Green River; 38.9885° N, 110.162° W; 9 May 2000; F.D. Parker leg.; BBSL389774, BBSL389784 • 1 ♀; Emery Co., North Temple Wash, San Rafael Desert; [38.667° N, 110.648° W]; elev. 1615 m; 15 Jun. 1983; T. Griswold leg.; CUIC • 1 ♀; Emery Co.; [39° N, 110° W]; 12 May 1965; G.F. Knowlton leg.; BBSL • 1 ♀, 2 ♂♂; Garfield Co., Lake Powell, 4 air mi. NNW of Bullfrog; [37.57° N, 110.78° W]; elev. 1158 m; 30 Jul. 1983; F. and A. Parker leg.; CUIC • 1 ♀; Kane Co., Tibbet Canyon; 37.1606° N, 111.5392° W; 13 Jun. 2002; C. Davidson leg.; ex Salsola paulsenii; BBSL443161 • 1 ♀; Millard Co., Oak Creek Canyon; [39.35° N, 112.26° W]; 27 May 1958; G.F. Knowlton leg.; ex Salix; SEMC • 1 ♂; San Juan Co., Bluff; [37.28° N, 109.55° W]; 15 Jul. 1967; J.H. Davidson, J.M. Davidson, M.A. Cazier leg.; CUIC • 1 ♂; Wayne Co., 4 mi. SE of Hanksville; [38.32° N, 110.68° W]; 28 Aug. 1985; T. L. Griswold leg.; ex Helianthus annuus; BBSL FaunalSurvey No. 000 039 447.

Description

Female

COLOURATION. Head and mesosoma blue-green to olive green; clypeus apex black; labrum reddish brown; mandible orange with black base and red apex; flagellum reddish brown dorsally, orange ventrally. Pronotal lobe brown; legs reddish brown; tegula brown to orange; wing membrane hyaline, veins with subcosta dark brown, otherwise brown to pale amber. Metasoma orange with dark spiracular spots on T3–T4 and rims of terga and sterna broadly translucent yellow.

PUBESCENCE. Body pile colour white. Tomentum dense on paraocular area, gena, pronotal collar and lobe, space between pronotal lobe and tegula, margins of mesoscutum, metanotum medially, metepisternum, T2–T3 basally, and T4 throughout; sparse on supraclypeal area, upper half of clypeus, preëpisternum, hypoepimeron, and mesepisternum. Mesoscutum pubescence thin to densely plumose. Wing setae light and dark, short and dense. Acarinarial fan complete, dense. T2 fringes dense, T3 fringes dense.

SURFACE SCULPTURE. Clypeus shiny, with punctures dense in basal half (IS <1 PD), nearly impunctate apically; supraclypeal area shiny, with punctures dense (IS ≤ 1 PD); paraocular area shiny, with punctures crowded (IS = 0 PD); frons shiny, with punctures crowded (IS = 0 PD); vertex shiny, with punctures crowded laterally (IS = 0 PD), becoming sparse (IS = 1–3 PD) and diversopunctate medially; gena shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); postgena lineolate. Tegula punctures crowded (IS = 0 PD), becoming slightly sparser medially (IS ≤ 1 PD); mesoscutum shiny, becoming tessellate anteromedially, with punctures dense (IS ≤ 1 PD); scutellum shiny, with punctures dense (IS ≤ 1 PD); metapostnotum weakly tessellate, with rugae strong, subparallel, reaching posterior margin; preëpisternum areolate; hypoepimeron shiny, with punctures crowded (IS = 0 PD); mesepisternum shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); metepisternum ruguloso-lineate dorsally, becoming tessellate ventrally; propodeum lateral surface tessellate, posterior surface weakly tessellate. T1 anterior slope coriarious, disc weakly coriarious, with punctures fine, moderately dense (IS = 1–2 PD), becoming minute and sparse on rim laterally (IS = 1–3 PD) and absent in small subapicolateral boss and on rim medially; T2 disc shiny, with punctures fine, moderately dense (IS = 1–2 PD), apical rim weakly coriarious, with punctures minute, sparse (IS = 1–4 PD).

STRUCTURE. Face length/width ratio 0.77 (± 0.01 SD); clypeus apicolateral denticles rounded obtuse points; gena/eye width ratio 0.84 (± 0.08 SD). Pronotal angle obtuse; intertegular span 0.79 (± 0.05 SD) mm; mesoscutum length /width ratio 0.94 (± 0.03 SD); mesoscutum/scutellum length ratio 2.89 (± 0.19 SD); scutellum/metanotum length ratio 1.52 (± 0.09 SD); metanotum/metapostnotum length ratio 0.85 (± 0.11 SD); forewing with 3 submarginal cells; tegula enlarged, exceeding posterior margin of mesoscutum; inner margin concave; tegula length 0.45 (±0.02 SD) mm, width 0.24 (± 0.01 SD) mm; propodeum lateral carinae not reaching dorsal margin; oblique carina weak, straight. T2 depressed apical rim less than 50% of tergum. (n = 10)

VARIATION. The pronotal lobe can vary from brown to orange, the clypeus apical half can vary from densely punctate (IS ≤ 1 PD) to nearly impunctate, the T1–T2 disc punctures can vary from moderately dense (IS = 1–2 PD) to sparse (IS = 1–3 PD), and the T1–T2 apical rims can be punctate or impunctate.

Male

COLOURATION. Head and mesosoma blue-green to olive green; clypeus apex black; labrum reddish brown; mandible orange with black base and red apex; flagellum reddish brown dorsally, orange ventrally. Pronotal lobe black; legs reddish brown; tegula reddish brown; wing membrane hyaline, veins with subcosta dark brown, otherwise brown to light brown. Metasoma black with depressed apical rims of terga and sterna and downcurved lateral areas of terga translucent reddish brown.

PUBESCENCE. Body pile colour white. Tomentum dense on face below lateral ocelli, pronotal collar and lobe, space between pronotal lobe and tegula, metepisternum, and T2–T3 basally; sparse on gena, scutum lateral and posterior margins, preëpisternum, mesepisternum, and T4 basally. Mesoscutum pubescence mostly densely plumose with sparse simple setae medially. Wing setae dark, short and sparse. Sterna pubescence short (0.5–1.5 OD), moderately plumose, sparse.

SURFACE SCULPTURE. Clypeus shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); supraclypeal area shiny, with punctures dense (IS ≤ 1 PD); paraocular area shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); frons shiny, with punctures crowded (IS = 0 PD); vertex shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); gena shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); postgena lineate. Tegula punctures crowded (IS = 0 PD) and indistinct, becoming rugulose on inner margin and slightly sparser (IS ≤ 1 PD) and more distinct on outer margin; mesoscutum shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); scutellum shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); metanotum rugulose; metapostnotum shiny to tessellate, with rugae strong, anastomosing, reaching posterior margin; preëpisternum areolate; hypoepimeron shiny, with punctures crowded (IS = 0 PD); mesepisternum shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD); metepisternum finely areolate, becoming smooth dorsally; propodeum lateral surface shiny, with punctures dense (IS <1 PD), becoming crowded dorsally (IS = 0 PD), posterior surface shiny and moderately densely punctate (IS = 1–2 PD). T1 anterior slope shiny, disc shiny, with punctures dense (IS ≤ 1.5 PD), absent in small subapicolateral boss and on rim medially; T2 disc shiny, with punctures dense (IS ≤ 1.5 PD), apical rim shiny, with punctures absent.

STRUCTURE. Face length/width ratio 0.8 (±0.02 SD); gena/eye width ratio 0.71 (±0.04 SD). Pronotal angle obtuse; intertegular span 0.7 (± 0.04 SD) mm; mesoscutum length/width ratio 0.92 (± 0.03 SD); mesoscutum/scutellum length ratio 2.67 (± 0.09 SD); scutellum/metanotum length ratio 1.78 (±0.18 SD); metanotum/metapostnotum length ratio 0.73 (± 0.08 SD); forewing with 3 submarginal cells; tegula enlarged, exceeding posterior margin of mesoscutum in dorsal view; inner posterior margin strongly concave, with broadly rounded projection angled toward axilla posteriorly; tegula length 0.43 (± 0.03 SD) mm, width 0.2 (±0.02 SD) mm; propodeum lateral carinae not reaching dorsal margin; oblique carina absent. (n = 5)

GENITALIA. As in Fig. 76F. Gonocoxite about 1.5 times as broad as gonostylus. Gonostylus boot-shaped, strongly concave on outer margin and sharply angled at inner basal margin, with sparse long setae dorsally and short setae along inner margin. Penis valves parallel, with sparse short setae laterally. Retrorse lobe not examined.

VARIATION. The mesoscutum and metasoma punctures can vary from dense (IS <1 PD) to moderately dense (IS = 1–2 PD), the metapostnotal rugae can vary from anastomosing to subparallel, sometimes not quite reaching the posterior margin, and the postgena can vary from shiny to lineate.

Range

Primarily Colorado Plateau with scattered records west to California (Fig. 29).

Floral hosts

AMARANTHACEAE: Salsola: S. paulsenii Litv. • ASTERACEAE: Helianthus: H. annuus • BRASSICACEAE: Physaria • SALICACEAE: Salix.

DNA barcodes

None available.