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

Andrena (incertae sedis) ornithogali Pisanty & Wood sp. nov.

(Figs. 230–241)

Female (Fig. 233).

Body length: 7–9 mm.

Colour. Body black (Fig. 233). Flagellomeres 3–10 greyish-black anteriorly. Legs dark brown to black. Wings hyaline, veins and stigma dark brown (Fig. 233). Tergal marginal zones brown (Fig. 232).

Pubescence. Head and dorsal side of mesosoma mostly with moderately dense, medium-lengthed, minutely plumose hair (Figs. 230, 231, 233). Clypeus, frons, paraocular and supraclypeal areas with black hair; some specimens with few bright hairs around antennal sockets (Figs. 230, 233). Facial foveae black in anterior view, somewhat brownish in dorsal view (Figs. 230–231). Vertex with mixed, short to long, black and brownish-white erect hairs. Genal area with short black hairs. Mesonotum, scutellum and metanotum with medium-lengthed white to brownish hairs interspersed with shorter, thinner black hairs (Figs. 231, 233). Mesepisternum with long black hairs, becoming more plumose towards ventral area. Propodeal corbicula incomplete, posterodorsal fringe with long, strongly plumose black hairs, corbicular surface with sparse, medium-lengthed, simple golden hairs. Foreleg and midleg femora and outer side of tibiae with black hairs; inner side of tibiae and all tarsi with brown to golden hairs. Flocculus whitish to golden. Femoral and tibial scopae with moderately long, simple to weakly plumose golden hairs (Fig. 233). Tergal discs with sparse, minute inconspicuous white hairs medially, and weak tufts of short white hair laterally; disc 1 additionally with few short black hairs basolaterally. Tergal marginal zones 2–4 with weak, narrow interrupted bands of sparse short white hair. Terminal fringe light brown to black, with flanking white hairs (Fig. 232). Sternal marginal zones with distinct bands of medium-lengthed whitish to golden hair (Fig. 233).

Head (Figs. 230–231). 1.2–1.3 times broader than long. Mandible bidentate. Galea shagreened. Labral process rectangular, much broader than long, mostly smooth. Clypeus almost flat, shagreened and mat except for small medioapical area that is smooth and shiny, densely and distinctly punctured, distance between punctures 1–1.5 puncture diameters, with distinct narrow impunctate midline (Fig. 230). Lower part of paraocular area shagreened, densely and finely punctured; upper part and frons longitudinally striated, interspersed with fine punctures. Flagellomere 1 about as long as 2+3+4, 2 as long as 3 or slightly shorter. Facial foveae long and narrow, 0.4 times as broad as antennocular distance, extending from level of middle of lateral ocellus to slightly below antennal socket, outer margin almost reaching compound eye (Figs. 230–231). Distance of fovea from lateral ocellus 2–2.5 ocellus diameters. Ocelloccipital distance about 1.4 ocellus diameters. Vertex moderately carinate. Genal area 1.4 times broader than compound eye (Fig. 231).

Mesosoma (Fig. 231). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum distinctly elevated, not forming a lateral carina. Mesonotum fully shagreened, shallowly punctured, distance between punctures about 1 puncture diameter; scutellum similar, punctation stronger (Fig. 231). Mesepisternum and propodeum alveolate-reticulate, impunctate. Propodeal triangle narrow, very finely alveolate, medioapical area more finely sculptured, basal margin occasionally with very narrow band of radial rugae (Fig. 231). Inner side of hind tibia not carinate. Inner hind tibial spur straight and of uniform width, apex curved. Hind pretarsal claw with distinct inner tooth. Nervulus interstitial to slightly postfurcal (Fig. 233).

Metasoma (Fig. 232). Tergal discs shiny, sparsely and very finely punctured, distance between punctures about 4 puncture diameters; disc 1 very superficially shagreened to almost smooth, 2–4 weakly shagreened. Tergal marginal zones shiny, weakly shagreened, 2–4 weakly depressed. Pygidial plate with impunctate, slightly raised margin, without elevated medial area.

Male (Fig. 234).

Body length: 7–7.5 mm.

Colour. Similar to female. Clypeus and paraocular areas black (Fig. 235).

Pubescence. Clypeus with dense, long, white plumose hairs, especially dense on apical margin (Figs. 234, 235). Paraocular area with thin, minutely plumose black hairs, becoming longer towards ventral part. Scape and area around antennal sockets with medium to long white hairs and few black hairs (Fig. 235). Vertex with long, erect, mostly white hairs. Genal area with medium-lengthed black hairs dorsally, longer white hairs ventrally. Scutellum, metanotum and periphery of mesonotum with mixed black and white, short to long, minutely plumose hairs (Figs. 234, 236). Mesepisternum with long plumose hairs, black on dorsal part, white on ventral part. Lateral part of propodeum with long plumose hairs, mostly black, a few white. Femora and fore- and mid-tibiae with black and white hairs. Hind tibia with white hairs. Tarsi with white to golden hairs (Fig. 234). Tergal discs with sparse, minute inconspicuous white hairs medially, and sparse short white hair laterally; disc 1 additionally with few medium black hairs basolaterally. Tergal marginal zones 2–5 with very sparse short white hair laterally, not forming distinct hair bands. Terminal fringe whitish-golden (Fig. 237).

Head (Figs. 235–236, 238). 1.3 times broader than long. Mandibles very long, significantly crossed (Fig. 235). Malar area with short apicoventral tooth at the base of the mandible (Fig. 238). Labral process short and broad, appressed and inconspicuous. Clypeus slightly elevated, apical part much broader than basal part, fully shagreened, distinctly punctured, distance between punctures 0.5–2 puncture diameters, punctures sparser medioapically, without impunctate midline (Fig. 235). Lower part of paraocular area shagreened, densely and finely punctured; upper part and frons longitudinally striated, interspersed with fine punctures. Flagellomere 1 longer than 2+3, 2 as long as 3 or slightly shorter. Ocelloccipital distance 2 ocellus diameters. Vertex moderately carinate. Genal area 1.7 times broader than compound eye, dorsoposterior margin weakly carinate (Fig. 236).

Mesosoma (Fig. 236). Dorsolateral angle of pronotum strongly elevated and pointed, forming a strong lateral carina. Mesonotum fully shagreened, very shallowly and inconspicuously punctured, distance between punctures about 1 puncture diameter; scutellum shagreened, densely and distinctly punctured (Fig. 236). Mesepisternum and propodeum alveolate-reticulate, impunctate. Propodeal triangle very narrow, very finely sculptured, without rugae (Fig. 236). Nervulus interstitial to slightly postfurcal (Fig. 234).

Metasoma (Fig. 237). Similar to female, but tergal discs shinier and very superficially shagreened.

Genitalia and hidden sterna (Figs. 239–241). Dorsal gonocoxite lobes weakly developed, rounded. Gonostyli broadening apically, blade flattened and spatulate, inner apical margin distinctly concave. Penis valves broad basally, gradually narrowing apically (Fig. 239). Sternum 8 columnar, apical process slightly broadened (Fig. 240–241).

Diagnosis. Andrena ornithogali is related to a group of species formerly classified under Margandrena or Ptilandrena, which possess elongate labial palpi, enlarged male gena and mandibles, and/or male genitalia with conspicuously widened penis valves (Wood 2021a; Pisanty et al. 2022). Four of these species (A. karia Wood, A. krausiella Gusenleitner, A. menahemella Scheuchl & Pisanty and A. sibthorpi Mavromoustakis) have at least partially red-marked terga, and thus cannot be confused with A. ornithogali. From the remaining five species (A. crocusella Pisanty & Scheuchl, A. elsei Scheuchl & Gusenleitner, A. grossella Grunwaldt, A. hyacinthina Mavromoustakis, A. muscaria Warncke), A. ornithogali differs in the shorter glossa, maxillary and/or labial palps (longer in A. crocusella, A. grossella and A. hyacinthina); toothed malar area (unique to this species); short, mostly shagreened and mat clypeus (shinier in A. crocusella, A. grossella and A. hyacinthina, more elongate in A. hyacinthina and A. muscaria); broader fovea (narrower in A. crocusella, A. elsei and A. hyacinthina, tapering below in A. muscaria); weakly carinate male gena, without modifications (strongly carinate in A. hyacinthina, pointed posteroventrally in A. muscaria, mostly unmodified in A. crocusella and A. grossella); almost impunctate mesonotum (more distinctly punctured in A. crocusella and A. hyacinthina); finely alveolate propodeal triangle, mostly lacking rugae (distinctly rugose basally in A. crocusella, A. elsei, A. grossella and A. hyacinthina); poorly developed dorsal gonocoxite lobe (strongly developed in A. muscaria); penis valves without pointed lateral extensions (present in A. crocusella and A. grossella); and hook-shaped apex of gonostylus, with concave inner margin (unique to this species).

The presence of a malar area tooth in the male (Fig. 238) is unusual and apparently unique among the Chrysandr ena + Euandrena + Margandrena + Ptilandrena clade (Pisanty et al. 2022), and is characteristic of other subgenera, especially Hoplandrena and Andrena s.s. (in the latter, the tooth is present on the mandible itself, rather than the malar area). However, A. ornithogali is most probably unrelated to these lineages, which are also characterised by broad facial foveae, a complete propdeal corbicula (in Andrena s.s.), peripherally smooth propodeal triangle (in Hoplandrena), distal position of recurrent vein 1, and centrally elevated pygidial plate. Similar instances of convergent trait evolution in Andrena have been documented in various other male characters (Pisanty et al. 2022).

Distribution: North and central Israel, Syria. Likely present also in Lebanon.

Flight period: December–April.

Flower records: Asparagaceae: Ornithogalum lanceolatum; Asteraceae: Taraxacum cyprium.

Pollen analysis. Eight pollen loads were examined, six from Odem Forest and two from Bloudan. The pollen loads from Odem Forest contained pure Ornithogalum - type pollen, confirming field observations. However, the two samples from Bloudan contained pure pollen from an unknown monocotyledon species (Liliaceae sensu lato). This should be further investigated, but the use of a different host plant could explain the different flight periods of the sampled populations which may be adapted to local conditions and plant availability in each area.

Holotype: ISRAEL: Odem Forest Nature Reserve [Ya’ar Odem NR], 27.ii.2020, G. Pisanty, pan trap, ♀ (SMNHTAU:331858).

Paratypes: ISRAEL: Horbat Nappah [Golan, Nafech], 1.i.1974, A. Freidberg (1♀); Jerusalem,?.ii.? (1♀); Mount Hermon [Har Hermon], 1645 m, 33.2994°N 35.7675°E, 16.iv.2021, G. Pisanty (1♀); Odem Forest Nature Reserve [Ya’ar Odem N.R.], 1.iii.2018, G. Pisanty (58♀); [Ya’ar Odem NR], 27.ii.2020, G. Pisanty, pan traps (241♀); 33.186°N 35.7356°E, 27.ii.2020, G. Pisanty, sweeping (6♀); 33.206°N 35.736°E, 27.ii.2020, G. Pisanty, on Ornithogalum lanceolatum (8♀); 33.207°N 35.736°E, 2.i.2021, on Ornithogalum lanceolatum (2♂); [Ya’ar Odem NR, Jubat Al Kabira], 33.206°N 35.736°E, 21.xii.2020, G. Pisanty, pan trap (1♂); 2.i.2021, pan traps (2♀, 22♂); 33.207°N 35.732°E, 21.xii.2020, G. Pisanty (1♂); 33.207°N 35.736°E, 2.i.2021, on Taraxacum cyprium (8♂); SYRIA: Bloudan [Bludan], 57 km NW Damaskus, 24.iv.1992, K. Warncke (3♀, 2♂) (ES, NHMUK, OLML, RMNH, SMNHTAU, TJW, ZMHB, ZSMC).

Etymology. Named after the plant genus Ornithogalum, which seems to be the main pollen host for the Golan Heights population. The species epithet is an adjective. Not to be confused with Andrena ornithogala nomen nudum, an unpublished name applied by Warncke to a Micrandrena taxon from Turkey.