Andrena (Aciandrena) pisantyi Wood 2023, sp. nov.

Andrena (Aciandrena) pisantyi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 583375D4-944A-4409-9D22-EB4306293514

Figs 21–22

Andrena (Aciandrena) nitidilabris auctorum – Warncke 1967: 187, 293; 1974: 15. — Gusenleitner & Schwarz 2002: 535.

Diagnosis

Andrena pisantyi sp. nov. is challenging to confidently place in a subgenus. Warncke placed A. nitidilabris auctorum within the Aciandrena, and A. pisantyi can be placed there due to its small body size (Fig. 21A), antefurcal nervulus, narrow foveae which do not strongly narrow further ventrally (Fig. 21B–C), propodeal triangle with fine granular shagreen (Fig. 21D), tarsi lightened orange (Fig. 21E), hind tarsal claws lacking an inner tooth in the female sex, its more or less impunctate terga (Fig. 21F), and its simple male genital capsule (Fig. 22D). The clypeus is strongly flattened over its entire surface, which is similar to the situation found in some species formerly placed in the subgenus Distandrena Warncke, 1968 (= Micrandrena) such as the species around A. mariana Warncke, 1968 (see Wood 2023 for revision of this group). However, these species have the foveae very strongly narrowed below, almost linear, clearly narrower ventrally than dorsally, whereas in A. pisantyi the foveae are narrow, but they are not noticeably narrower ventrally than dorsally. They also show an inner subapical tooth on the hind tarsal claws, whereas this is not found in Aciandrena or A. pisantyi. Andrena pisantyi is therefore placed in Aciandrena, pending revision of this group with more powerful genetic techniques as indicated above in the section on genetic analysis.

At a specific level, A. pisantyi sp. nov. can be separated from the majority of other Aciandrena species due to its strongly flattened clypeus, which is shagreened over the majority of its area, only becoming smooth and shining along its apical margin (Figs 21B, 22B). A flattened clypeus can also be found in A. longistilus Pisanty & Wood, 2022 (Israel, Jordan, Syria, southern Turkey) and A. anathema Pisanty, 2022 (Israel and the West Bank). In the female sex, A. pisantyi can be separated from both of these species by the structure of the supraclypeal plate, which is covered by clear longitudinal striations, whereas in the two comparison species the supraclypeal plate has at most occasional obscure and weakly defined longitudinal sculpture. Both species also have the clypeus evenly shagreened, without a clear shining zone along the fore margin. In the male sex, both comparison species share the black, flattened clypeus; A. longistilus can be separated because the genital capsule is clearly elongate, with broad gonostyli. The genital capsule of A. anathema is more similar, but has the gonostyli relatively broader, with the inner margin raised, thickened, and forming an obtuse angle (cf. Fig. 24F; in A. pisantyi with the gonostyli relatively narrower, more or less parallel-sided and spatulate, the inner margin not noticeably raised or thickened or forming an obtuse angle, Fig. 22D), the tarsi are dark (orange in A. pisantyi, Fig. 22A), and the clypeus is less extensively smooth and shining, this area covering ¼ of the clypeal surface (in A. pisantyi with the apical half of the clypeus smooth and shining, Fig. 22B).

Etymology

Named in honour of the Israeli entomologist Gideon Pisanty for his work on the taxonomy of Andrena, both in the discovery and description of new species and at higher levels of classification.

Material examined

Holotype

TUNISIA • ♀; 55 km S of Foum Tatahouine; 25 Feb. 1992; K. Warncke leg.; OÖLM.

Paratypes

ALGERIA • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Saida, 15 km S of Sfissifa, Ben Ikhou, stn 6; 6 Apr. 1983; R. Leys and P.v.d. Hurk leg.; RMNH.

ISRAEL • 12 ♀♀; Holot Mash’abbim Nature Reserve; 10 Mar. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Holot Mash’abbim [Nature Reserve]; 16 Mar. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU • 18 ♂♂; Holot Mash’abbim [Nature Reserve]; 13 Feb. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU • 14 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Holot Mash’abbim [Nature Reserve]; 13 Feb. 2022; L. Friedman leg.; SMNHTAU • 63 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀; Holot Mash’abbim [Nature Reserve]; 18 Feb. 2022; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; Holot Shunera; 10 Mar. 2017; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; Horbat Mamshit; 7 Mar. 2015; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; Mashabe Sade; 16 Feb. 1976; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; Nahal Zin; 27 Feb. 2008; H. Carmely leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀; Retamim; 273 m a.s.l.; 3 Apr. 2009; A. Freidberg leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♀; Shivta Junction; 16 Mar. 2020; G. Pisanty leg.; SMNHTAU • 1 ♂; Retamim; 3 Apr. 2009; A. Friedberg leg.; SMNHTAU.

TUNISIA • 2 ♀♀; Tataouine, 5 km S of Tataouine; 23 Apr. 2012; C. Sevidy and A. Müller leg.; TJWC • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Remada; 10 Apr. 2001; M. Snižek leg.; TJWC • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; 55 km S of Foum Tatahouine; 25–29 Feb. 1992; K. Warncke leg.; OÖLM • 2 ♀♀; Ksar Hadada; 4 Apr. 1996; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM.

Other material

ALGERIA • 2 ♀♀; Ghardaia; OÖLM.

TUNISIA • 2 ♀♀; Chenini; 4 Apr. 1999; K. Deneš leg.; OÖLM • 1 ♀; Zarzis; 22 Mar.–3 Apr. 1988; H. Wolf leg.; OÖLM.

Description

Female

MEASUREMENTS. 4–5 mm (Fig. 21A).

HEAD. Dark, 1.2 times as wide as long (Fig. 21B). Clypeus strongly flattened over majority of surface, shallowly and irregularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5–2 puncture diameters; clypeal surface shagreened over majority of surface, dull, shagreen becoming weak apically, narrowly smooth and shining along apical margin. Process of labrum narrowly trapezoidal, apical margin truncate, slightly wider than long. Supraclypeal plate flat, with weak but distinct longitudinal striations. Gena equalling diameter of compound eye; ocelloccipital distance short, ½ times diameter of lateral ocellus. Foveae narrow, dorsally occupying ⅓ space between lateral ocellus and compound eye, very slightly narrowing ventrally, effectively as broad ventrally at level of antennal insertions as dorsally; foveae filled with dark brown hairs. Face, gena, frons, and scape with short, whitish hairs, becoming longer and light brown on vertex, none equalling length of scape. Antennae dark basally, A4–12 ventrally extensively lightened bright orange; A3 exceeding A4, slightly shorter than A4+5.

MESOSOMA. Scutum and scutellum with fine granular shagreen, dull to very weakly shining, weakly and sparsely punctate, punctures separated by 2–4 puncture diameters, becoming denser on scutellum, separated by 1–3 puncture diameters (Fig. 21C). Pronotum rounded. Mesepisternum and dorsolateral parts of propodeum with similar granular shagreen, not strongly contrasting propodeal triangle; propodeal triangle slightly elevated, with slightly coarser granular shagreen, laterally not delineated by carinae (Fig. 21D). Mesepisternum with moderately long, whitish hairs, scutum and scutellum with distinct short and scattered hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, sparse, composed of weakly plumose whitish hairs, internal surface with occasional long, white simple hairs. Legs dark basally, tarsi and hind tibiae lightened bright orange, pubescence whitish (Fig. 21E). Flocculus incomplete, composed of plumose hairs; flocculus and femoral and tibial scopa with pure white hairs. Hind tibial claws simple, without inner tooth. Wings hyaline, stigma and venation bright orange, nervulus antefurcal.

METASOMA. Tergal discs dark, marginal areas broadly lightened hyaline-yellow to orange (Fig. 21F). Tergal discs with strong granular microreticulation basally, weakly shining, sculpture becoming weaker apically, on tergal margins weakly shagreened and more strongly shining. Tergal discs essentially impunctate, obscure punctures disappearing into background sculpture. Terga with scattered, very short hairs; T2–3 laterally with weakly indicated and widely interrupted apical hairbands of short, whitish hairs, T4 with band complete, not obscuring underlying surface; apical fringe of T5 and hairs flanking pygidial plate golden orange. Pygidial plate narrowly pointed triangular, internal surface with longitudinal raised ridge.

Male

MEASUREMENTS. 4–5 mm (Fig. 22A).

HEAD. Dark, 1.2 times as wide as long (Fig. 22B). Head structurally as in female, though clypeus smooth and shining in apical half, this area comparatively larger than in female sex; A3 longer than A4, shorter than A4+5, but A4 very short, broader than long, ½ length of A5, A4 quadrate, as long as broad.

MESOSOMA. Mesosoma structurally as in female, with following exceptions: tarsi lightened orange, hind tibiae dark. Hind tarsal claws with inner tooth.

METASOMA. Terga structurally as in female, with weak whitish hair fringes laterally on T2–4, not obscuring underlying surface (Fig. 22C). S8 columnar, slightly broadened apically, ventral surface covered with light brown hairs. Genital capsule with gonocoxae produced into strong, apically rounded teeth (Fig. 22D). Gonostyli strongly flattened in apical ½, spatulate, parallel-sided. Penis valves narrow, occupying ½ of space between gonostyli, weakly narrowing medially.

Distribution

Algeria, Tunisia, and Israel.