Andrena (incertae sedis) asluji Pisanty & Scheuchl & Martin & Cardinal & Wood 2022, sp. nov.

Andrena (incertae sedis) asluji Pisanty sp. nov.

(Figs. 195–203)

Female (Fig. 198).

Body length: 6.5–7 mm.

Colour. Clypeus, supraclypeal area and lower half of paraocular area black. Frons and upper half of paraocular area dark with bluish-bronze metallic luster (Fig. 195). Anterior side of flagellomeres 4–10 orange (Figs. 195, 198). Genal area black, dorsal part sometimes with metallic luster. Mesosoma black, mesonotum with bronze-bluish metallic luster (Fig. 196). Legs dark brown, apical tarsomeres reddish-brown. Wings hyaline, veins brown, stigma orange to brown peripherally, yellowish-orange medially (Fig. 198). Tergal disc 1 reddish medially and apicolaterally, black basolaterally; 2 reddish with black lateral maculations; 3–5 ranging from fully reddish to mostly black. Tergal marginal zones yellowish (Fig. 197).

Pubescence. Clypeus with short, thin white hairs. Paraocular area and area around antennal sockets with thicker, medium white to yellowish hairs (Fig. 195). Facial foveae with dense minute hairs appearing black in ventral view, whitish to golden in dorsal view (Figs. 195–196). Vertex with short to medium, white to golden hairs. Genal area with dense, short to medium white hairs. Mesonotum with short, whitish to golden hairs. Posterolateral margin of scutellum with dense, medium yellowish to golden hairs (Fig. 196). Mesepisternum with long white hairs. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, dorsoposterior fringe with long, white plumose hairs. Corbicular surface with white simple hairs, mostly minute, a few medium-lengthed. Leg hair mostly white to whitish (Fig. 198). Scopal hairs simple, whitish, relatively short and sparse, underlying cuticle clearly visible. Flocculus incomplete, white. Tergal discs with minutely plumose white hairs, medium-lengthed on lateral parts, short on mediobasal parts of terga 2–4, minute and inconspicuous elsewhere. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with distinct, continuous white hair bands covering entire zone length, 2–3 becoming sparser medially, 4 evenly dense. Prepygidial fimbria white laterally, whitish medially; pygidial fimbria whitish-golden (Fig. 197).

Head (Figs. 195–196). 1.2 times broader than long. Galea shagreened, apex weakly pointed. Labral process trapezoidal, apex distinctly narrower than base, shiny, basal half transversely striated. Clypeus slightly protuberant apically, slightly convex, very smooth and shiny except for narrow basolateral shagreenation, strongly punctured, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters, a narrow impunctate midline is weakly indicated (Fig. 195). Flagellomere 1 slightly longer than 2+3, 2 slightly shorter than 3. Frons and upper half of paraocular area longitudinally striated, impunctate. Facial foveae broad, slightly tapering below, extending from level of upper end of lateral ocellus to upper end of antennal socket, 0.7 times as broad as antennocular distance, distance from lateral ocellus 1 ocellus diameter (Figs. 195–196). Ocelloccipital distance 1 ocellus diameter. Vertex slightly carinate, almost rounded (Fig. 196).

Mesosoma (Fig. 196). Pronotum with slightly elevated dorsolateral angle, without lateral carina. Mesonotum shiny, moderately shagreened, very shallowly and imperceptibly punctured, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters. Scutellum smooth and shiny medially, shagreened posteriorly, with densely punctate midline (Fig. 196). Mesepisternum finely alveolate, impunctate. Propodeal corbicula finely reticulate, impunctate. Posterolateral part of propodeum finely rugose-alveolate. Propodeal triangle similar, becoming more rugose mediobasally. Inner side of hind femur rounded, not carinate. Hind pretarsal claw distinctly bidentate. Recurrent vein 1 meets submarginal cell 2 at its distal third. Nervulus strongly antefurcal (Fig. 198).

Metasoma (Fig. 197). Tergal discs shagreened, finely and very shallowly punctured, distance between punctures 1–2 puncture diameters. Tergal disc 1 strongly shagreened and matt, 2 and especially 3–4 more weakly so, somewhat shiny. Tergal marginal zones weakly depressed; marginal zone 1 shagreened basally, weakly shagreened apically; 2–4 weakly shagreened basally, smooth apically. Pygidial plate with elevated margin, without elevated medial area.

Male (Fig. 199).

Body length: 5.5 mm.

Colour. Head Black. Clypeus and lower half of paraocular area black (Fig. 200). Frons and upper half of paraocular area with slight metallic luster. Anterior side of flagellomeres 3–11 orange. Mesonotum, scutellum and metanotum black with weak metallic luster (Fig. 201). Legs moderate to dark brown, tarsi brown basally, reddishbrown apically. Wings hyaline, veins brown, stigma brownish-yellow medially (Fig. 199). Tergal discs brown to black, tergal marginal zones reddish-yellow basally, yellow apically (Fig. 202).

Pubescence. Head and dorsal part of mesosoma with white to yellowish, minutely plumose hairs (Figs. 199– 201). Mesepisternum and propodeum with long white plumose hairs. Legs with short white to whitish hairs (Fig. 199). Tergal hair as in female. Terminal fringe white (Fig. 202).

Head (Figs. 200–201). 1.2 times broader than long. Labral process trapezoidal, shiny, apical margin weakly emarginate. Clypeus slightly protuberant apically, almost flat medially, very smooth and shiny, strongly punctured, distance between punctures 2 puncture diameters, without impunctate midline (Figs. 199–200). Flagellomere 1 about as long as 2+3, 2 slightly shorter than 3. Frons and upper half of paraocular area longitudinally striated, weakly punctate, puncture density increasing dorsolaterally. Ocelloccipital distance 1 ocellus diameter. Vertex moderately carinate (Fig. 201). Genal area rounded posteriorly.

Mesosoma (Fig. 201). Pronotum without or with slightly elevated dorsolateral angle, without lateral carina. Mesonotum and scutellum weakly shiny, distinctly shagreened, anterior half of mesonotum sparsely punctured, distance between punctures 2–4 puncture diameters (Fig. 201). Rest of mesosoma as in female.

Metasoma (Fig. 202). Similar to female.

Genitalia and hidden sterna (Fig. 203). Genital capsule more or less rounded. Dorsal gonocoxite lobe developed, weakly pointed. Gonostyli spatulate, apical half gradually broadening, apex rounded. Penis valves broad basally, basal part flanked by dorsal lamella, strongly tapering apically (Fig. 203). Sternum 8 simple, columnar, slightly narrowing apically, apical process slightly broadened.

Diagnosis. Andrena asluji belongs to a group of unclassified desert-dwelling Andrena characterised by a shiny, flattened female clypeus, smooth scutellum, usually reddish terga, and characteristic genitalia. This group includes A. gafsensis Wood, A. helouanensis Friese, A. maidaqi Scheuchl & Gusenleitner and A. tenebricorpus Wood. The female of Andrena asluji differs from these species in the reddish tergal colouration (completely dark in A. tenebricorpus), shorter fovea (reaching level of lower end of antennal socket in A. helouanensis and A. maidaqi), ocelloccipital distance equalling 1 ocellus diameter (0.3 in A. gafsensis, 1.5 in A. maidaqi, 1.5–2 in A. helouanensis), shagreened mesonotum (completely smooth in A. helouanensis, smooth centrally in A. gafsensis, A. maidaqi and A. tenebricorpus), shagreened, almost impunctate terga (smooth and distinctly punctured in A. gafsensis, A. helouanensis and A. tenebricorpus), and brightly coloured scopa and terminal fringe (brown in A. helouanensis and A. tenebricorpus). The male of A. asluji differs from all these species (the male of A. tenebricorpus is unknown) in the fully dark clypeus. Additionally, flagellomere 1 is as long as 2+3 (shorter than 2+ 3 in A. helouanensis and A. maidaqi), the mesonotum and terga are shagreened (smooth in A. helouanensis), the dorsal gonocoxite lobes are straight (directed sideways in A. helouanensis and A. maidaqi), and the gonostyli are unmodified (blade strongly broadened in A. gafsensis and A. maidaqi). Andrena asluji also resembles A. (incertae sedis) aegyptiaca Friese, but differs in the simple-haired scopa and the more shagreened mesonotum and terga.

Distribution: Sandy habitats in southern Israel.

Flight period: February–March.

Flower records: Brassicaceae: Eremobium aegyptiacum; Maresia sp.; Thymelaeaceae: Thymelaea hirsuta.

Holotype: ISRAEL: Holot Mash’abbim Nature Reserve [Holot Mash’abbim], 30.999ºN 34.758ºE, 18.ii.2022, G. Pisanty, pan trap, ♀ (SMNHTAU:384650).

Paratypes: ISRAEL: Holot Mash’abbim Nature Reserve, 30.999ºN 34.757ºE, 10.iii.2017, G. Pisanty, on Brassicaceae (1♀); 17.iii.2017, G. Pisanty, on Brassicaceae (1♀); [Holot Mash’abbim], 14.ii.2012, G. Pisanty, partly on Eremobium aegyptiacum (4♂); 17.iii.2012, G. Pisanty, on Thymelaea hirsuta (1♂); 30.999ºN 34.7578ºE, 18.ii.2022, G. Pisanty, pan traps (2♂); 30.999ºN 34.758ºE, 18.ii.2022, G. Pisanty, pan traps (2♀); Mishor Rotem, 21.ii.1966, M. Weichselfish, on Maresia (1♂) (OLML, RMNH, SMNHTAU).

Etymology. Named after Bir ‘Asluj (Be’er Mash’abim), a historical landmark located 2 km north of the type locality. The species epithet is an adjective.