(Figs. 1a–g; 2a–h)

Diagnosis. This species is unique within this species-group in having a short body length of about 5,0– 5,5mm.

Description

Female. Bl = 5,2–5,3mm. General habitus (Fig. 1e). Head. L = 1,4–1,5mm; W = 1,7–1,8mm. Head wider than long (Fig. 1a). Integument black except mandibles sometimes partly reddish-brown. Face shiny and with loose long, greyish, erect hairs. Mandibles bidentate. Malar area very short, linear. Clypeus and supraclypeal area convex in profile. Clypeus strongly and densely punctate, often with median–longitudinal depression; surface sometimes partly or completely sculptured. Clypeoantennal distance 0,3mm. Supraclypeal area sparsely punctate; surface usually sculptured. Paraocular area moderately strongly and densely punctate; surface partly sculptured. Antennae blackish to brownish. Mesosoma. L = 1,0– 1,1mm; W (ITS) = 1,2–1,3mm. Integument black. Scutum polished; surface often chagreened anteriorly; disc densely and strongly punctate (i = 1,0–1,5d) (Fig. 1b). Scutellum as illustrated in Fig. 1c. Scutum, scutellum, metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum with long, greyish, erect hairs. Basal area of propodeum as illustrated in Fig. 1c; propodeum slightly dull, with minute punctures close to eachother; surface completely sculptured. Wings. Hyaline. Legs. Integument brownish-black. Vestiture greyish to yellowish. Ts finely serrate (Fig. 1f). Bp broad and rather rounded than pointed at apex (Fig. 1g). Metasoma. L = 2,7–2,9mm; W = 1,8–1,9mm. Integument black except the margins of T pallid brownish and pallid yellowish (usually T1–T3); margins extensively translucent (Fig. 1d). Apical hair bands on T1–T4 very weak (sometimes present only laterally). Prepygidial fimbria mostly yellowish.

Male. Bl = 5,0– 5,3mm. General habitus (Fig. 2e). Head. L = 1,3–1,4mm; W = 1,6–1,7mm. Head wider than long. Integument black except mandibles sometimes partly reddish-brown. Clypeus, supraclypeal area and paraocular area covered with erect, greyish hairs; vertex covered with erect, greyish to yellowish, erect hairs; the lower half of paraocular area, supraclypeal area and clypeus also covered with appressed, whitish hairs. Mandibles simple. Malar area very short, linear. Antennae brownish-black. Flagellomeres knotty. A4 about 2,0 times longer than A3. Mesosoma. L = 0,8–0,9mm; W (ITS) = 1,1–1,2mm. Integument black. Scutum polished; strongly and sparsely punctate (i = 1,5–2,0d); surface slightly sculptured anteriorly (Fig. 2a). Scutellum as illustrated in Fig. 2b. Scutum, scutellum,metanotum and propodeum with long, greyish to yellowish, erect hairs; mesepisternum with long, greyish, erect hairs. Basal area of propodeum as illustrated in Fig. 2b; propodeum shiny, strongly and densely punctate; surface finely sculptured. Marginal region of posterior truncation shiny and reticulate. Wings. Hyaline. Legs. Integument brownish to black. Vestiture greyish. Metasoma. L = 3,0– 3,2mm; W = 1,5–1,6mm. Integument black except the margins of T pallid brownish to pallid yellowish; margins extensively translucent (Fig. 2c). Apical plate broad and rounded apically. Posterior margin of S4 with a row of a few, erect bristles; metasomal sterna S5 without and S6 at least with weak (lateral) hair patches (Fig. 2d). S7 and S8 as illustrated in Fig. 2f. Genitalia. Genitalia as illustrated in Fig. 2g –h; gonocoxa dull and gonostylus with dorso-lateral projection.

Type material (193 specimens). Holotype, male, South Africa, Northern Cape, Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve, dolerite flats, S31°22'10,8" / E19°08'50,2" 750m, nesting site, 16.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, SANC.

Paratypes: 122♀, 70♂. South Africa. Northern Cape: 1♀, Nieuwoudtville Botanic Gardens, 09.ix.1987, leg. C.D. Eardley, HYMA07248, SANC; 2♀, 7♂, Nieuwoudtville Flower Reserve, dolerite flats, 15.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC; 56♀, 27♂, idem., 16.viii.2007, KTPC; 6♀, 10♂, idem., 17.viii.2007, KTPC; 2♀, idem., 19.viii.2007, KTPC; 3♀, idem., 20.viii.2007, KTPC; 4♀, idem., 24.viii.2007, KTPC; 10♀, idem., 06.ix.2007, KTPC; 6♀, idem., 10.ix.2007, KTPC; 1♀, 2♂, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve, dolerite hills, 17.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC; 17♀, idem., 19.viii.2007, KTPC; 1♂, idem., 21.viii.2007, KTPC; 1♀, idem., 08.ix.2007, KTPC; 4♂, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East, 03.ix.2003, leg. M. Kuhlmann, KTPC; 2♂, idem., 07.ix.2003, KTPC; 5♂, idem., 11.ix.2003, KTPC; 2♀, 2♂, Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve, Rondell, Car Park East, 20.viii.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC; 1♂, Nieuwoudtville, Farm Glenlyon, Renosterveld, 07.ix.2003, leg. M. Kuhlmann, KTPC; 7♂, idem., 11.ix.2003, KTPC; 1♂, idem., 12.ix.2003, KTPC; 1♀, Nieuwoudtville, pad to Farm Glenlyon (road to R27), 03.ix.2007, leg. K. Timmermann, KTPC; 4♀, idem., 07.ix.2007, KTPC; 1♀, idem., 17.ix.2007, KTPC; 1♀, idem., 20.ix.2007, KTPC; 1♂, Nieuwoudtville, pad to Farm Glenlyon (road to R27), slope, 02.ix.2007, leg. K. Timmermann; KTPC; 4♀, idem., 03.ix.2007, KTPC.

Etymology. This species is named after the bifurcate metasomal sternum S8 of the males.

Distribution (Fig. 5). This species was only found in the vicinity of Nieuwoudtville.

Floral visitation. Ruschia unca (Mesembryanthemaceae), Oxalis spec. (Oxalidaceae).

Seasonal activity (first–last observations). viii–ix.

Remarks. This species is treated as Patellapis new species 7 in Timmermann and Kuhlmann (2008b).