Wainia (Caposmia) atrorufa Kuhlmann & Gess & Koch & Gess 2011, comb. nov.

(Figs 3a–f, 6a–d)

Osmia atrorufa Friese, 1913a: 577; Friese 1913b: 591. The description of this species was published twice.

Female type: Kapstadt, 1896, Capland / (Friese’s handwriting): Osmia atrorufa ♀ 1910 Friese det. / (red label): Type / Coll. Friese / Zool. Mus. Berlin (ZMHB).

Wainia (Wainia) sp. A.: Gess and Gess 1999: 148 (nesting in snail shells); Gess and Gess 2003: 182 (flower visiting).

Wainia (Caposmia) sp. A.: Gess and Gess 2008: 96, 104–107, Figs 15 & 16 (nesting in snail shells).

The male of this species, previously unknown, is described here for the first time.

Diagnosis. The male of W. atrorufa, with a body length of 11–15 mm, is the largest of all the southern African species of this genus. Its size in combination with the brown setae abundantly covering its body clearly characterises the species. Further diagnostic characters are given in the key for species identification.

Description

Male. Bl = 12.0–15.0 mm. Head. Head slightly wider than long. Integument black except mandibles medially slightly dark reddish-brown. Face densely covered with long, erect light to dark brown setae, vertex with long, sparse dark brown to blackish pilosity. Mandibles bidentate. Clypeus as in Fig. 3a. Paraocular area moderately finely and densely punctate (i <d); surface between punctures smooth and shiny. Antennae black. Mesosoma. Integument black. Scutum medially with larger and more dispersed, laterally with finer and denser puncturation (Fig. 3b), posterior lateral angle obtuse and with distinct lamella (Fig. 3b). Propodeum medially reticulate and dull. Mesosoma with long brown to blackish pilosity. Wings. Wings brownish transparent, veins and stigma dark brown.

Legs. Integument black, tarsi reddish-brown. Vestiture yellowish-brown to dark brown, front basitarsi densely covered with very short, reddish-brown velvety pilosity. Metasoma. Integument black with dispersed puncturation (Fig. 3c), terga covered with erect brown to black setae, but without apical tergal setal band (Fig. 3c). T7 with truncate transverse preapical carina (Fig. 3e). Metasomal sterna S3-S6 as illustrated (Fig. 3d). Genitalia. Genitalia as illustrated (Fig. 3f).

Material examined (25 specimens). SOUTH AFRICA: 5 ♀, Richtersveld, W of Brandkop (28.29S 16.40E), 15.ix.1996, F.W., S.K. & R.W. Gess; ex nest in snail shell Trigonephrus sp. (Acavidae), 96/97/145, 137 & 134 (AMGS); 2 ♀, 4 ♂, Namaqualand, W of Wallekraal (30.22S 17.27E), 8.x.1997, F.W. & S.K. Gess; ex [nest in] Trigonephrus shells, 97/98/143 & 146 (AMGS); 1 ♀, Namaqualand, 7 km WNW of Wallekraal on road to Hondeklip Bay, 14-16.ix.1992, F.W. and S.K. Gess; on red fls of Hermannia sp. (Sterculiaceae); 92/93/94 (RCMK); 2 ♀, 1 ♂, 60 km N Port Nolloth (28.47S 16.38E), 27.ix.1997, F.W. & S.K. Gess; ex [nest in] shells of Trigonephrus, 97/98/778 (AMGS); 3 ♀, Lamberts Bay (32.05S 18.19E), 28.ix.2005, F.W. & S.K. Gess; ex [nests in] shells of Trigonephrus, sp. emerged in lab., 05/06/93 (AMGS); 5 ♂, c. 5 km E of Port Nolloth (29.16S 16.53- 54E), 24.ix.2005, F.W. & S.K. Gess; Ex shells of Trigonephrus, sp. emerged in lab. during last week of July 2006, 05/06/89 (AMGS, 1 ♂ RCMK).

Distribution. Western South Africa from Lamberts Bay to the Richtersveld.

Flower visiting. A female was collected from red flowers of Hermannia sp. (Malvaceae, formerly Sterculiaceae) at Wallekraal, West Coast Sandveld.

Nesting. This bee was found nesting from south of the Orange River southwards to Lamberts Bay (Gess and Gess 2008). Nests were in shells of Trigonephrus Pilsbry (Dorcasiidae) (voucher specimens AMGS) (Figure 10f and g). The nest like that of W. (C.) gessorum consists of linearly arranged cells separated by a thin partition constructed from petal pieces arranged at right angles to the outer wall of the shell. The pollen provision is packed in to fill the entire cell and adheres to the shell. At the outer end of the nest there is a succession of thick partitions constructed from several layers of petal pieces followed by a layer of cemented sand. The final seal is very robust and is constructed similarly but with the sand layer much thicker and more heavily cemented. The nature of the bonding agent was not established.