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The bee genus Chilicola Spinola (Xeromelissinae) is recorded from the State of Bahia, Brazil for the first time, based on a new species of the megalostigma group of the subgenus Hylaeosoma Ashmead. Chilicola (Hylaeosoma) kevani sp. n. is described and figured from males collected in Wesceslau Guimarães, Bahia. The species can be distinguished on the basis of coloration, size, integumental sculpturing, and structure of the hidden metasomal sterna and genitalia. A revised key to the species of the megalostigma group is provided.
Apoidea, Anthophila, Colletidae, Xeromelissinae, taxonomy, new species, Chilicola, Hylaeosoma, Brazil
The Neotropical genus Chilicola Spinola (Xeromelissinae) comprises small (ca. 3–8 mm in length), slender bees. The body is typically very long and usually black, without dense pubescence, and superficially resembling bees of the genus Hylaeus Fabricius (Hylaeinae). The genus occurs from Mexico to Chile, with its greatest diversity in Chile (
The subgenus Hylaeosoma Ashmead has been thoroughly characterized by
The present paper describes a sixth species of the megalostigma group, which also represents the first record of the genus Chilicola for the State of Bahia in Brazil. In addition, we provide an expanded and updated identification key to species for the megalostigma group.
Species of Chilicola subgenus Hylaeosoma.
Taxon | Sex known | Distribution |
Subgenus Hylaeosoma Ashmead | ||
megalostigma species group (= Group B, | ||
Chilicola megalostigma (Ducke, 1908) | ♀♂ | Bolivia, Brazil, Peru |
Chilicola polita Michener, 1992 [1994] | ♀♂ | Mexico to Costa Rica |
Chilicola stenocephala Brooks & Michener, 1999 | ♀♂ | Colombia: Amazonas |
Chilicola yanezae Hinojosa-Díaz & Michener, 2005 | ♀♂ | Mexico: Morelos |
Chilicola muruimuinane Smith-Pardo & Gonzalez, 2007 | ♀♂ | Colombia: Caquetá, Putumayo |
Chilicola kevani sp. n. | ♂ | Brazil: Bahia |
longiceps species group (= Group A, | ||
Chilicola longiceps (Ashmead, 1900) | ♀♂ | Mexico: Jalisco; St. Vincent |
Chilicola huberi (Ducke, 1908) | ♀ | Brazil: Ceará |
Chilicola aequatoriensis Benoist, 1942 | ♀♂ | Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela |
Chilicola mexicana Toro & Michener, 1975 | ♀♂ | Mexico: México, Hidalgo, Morelos |
Chilicola griswoldi Michener, 1992 [1994] | ♀♂ | Mexico: México, Michoacán |
Chilicola gracilis Michener & Poinar, 1996 | ♂ | Dominican amber (Miocene) |
Chilicola electrodominica Engel, 1999 | ♀ | Dominican amber (Miocene) |
Chilicola belli Michener, 2002 | ♀♂ | Colombia, Venezuela |
Chilicola canei Michener, 2002 | ♀♂ | Colombia: Antioquia |
Chilicola involuta Michener, 2002 | ♀♂ | Ecuador: Azuay |
Chilicola smithpardoi Michener, 2002 | ♀♂ | Colombia: Antioquia |
Chilicola umbonata Michener, 2002 | ♂ | Colombia: Valle; Ecuador: Loja |
Chilicola bochica Gonzalez in Gonzalez and Giraldo 2009 | ♀♂ | Colombia: Boyacá |
Morphological terminology used herein is adapted from
Genus Chilicola Spinola
Subgenus Hylaeosoma Ashmead
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:E90007EC-B88D-40D2-ABDD-CD5E5BB34D30
http://species-id.net/wiki/Chilicola_kevani
Figs 1–8♂, Brazil, Bahia (Wesceslau Guimarães, Estação Ecológica, 18.I.2011 [18 January 2011], Rede Entomológica, P. Ferreira Leg. // Colletidae: Chilicola (Hylaeosoma) sp. n. ?, Det. Oliveira & Mahlmann, 2011 // Coletada na flor: Cyperaceae: Scleria arundinacea Kunth. The specimen is in excellent condition and is deposited in the Entomological Collection of the Zoological Museum of the Federal University of Bahia (MZUFBA), in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
♂, with same label data as holotype. Paratype deposited in the Division of Entomology (Snow Entomological Collections), University of Kansas Natural History Museum (SEMC), Lawrence, Kansas, USA.
This species is quite similar to other species of its group but differs from them in the markedly larger body size (ca. 7.6 mm), the largely honey yellow integument (Figs 1, 3) (except dark brown on head, flagellum, disc and sides of pronotum, mesoscutum, mesoscutellum, metanotal disc, basal dorsal surface of propodeum, most of the mesepisternum, and large portions of T4–T7 and S5–S6: refer to Description, infra), and the form of the hidden sterna (Figs 4, 5) and genital capsule (Figs 6–8).
Photomicrographs of paratype (SEMC) male of Chilicola (Hylaeosoma) kevani Oliveira, Mahlmann, and Engel sp. n. 1 Lateral habitus 2 Facial aspect.
Photomicrographs of male paratype (SEMC) of Chilicola (Hylaeosoma) kevani Oliveira, Mahlmann, and Engel sp. n. 3 Dorsal habitus 4 Seventh metasomal sternum 5 Eighth metasomal sternum 6 Genital capsule, dorsal view 7 Genital capsule, lateral view 8 Genital capsule, ventral view.
♂: Structure: Total body length 7.60 mm; forewing length 4.70 mm. Head elongate (Fig. 2), length 2.12 mm, width 1.05 mm; compound eyes converging below (Fig. 2), upper ocular distance 0.65 mm, lower ocular distance 0.25 mm; paraocular depressed area well developed for reception of scape, terminating at level of upper tangent of compound eyes; area adjacent area to inner edge of depression above antennal alveoli with prominent gray oval spot, with diameter about 1OD and 2.5×longer than wide; F1 slightly longer than pedicel and about 2× longer than wide; F2 and F3 as long as broad; F11 approximately 3× longer than wide; malar area about 2× wider than long; occeloccipital distance about 2.5OD as measured from apex of preoccipital carina; preoccipital carina markedly laminate (Figs 1, 2); metasomal T1 longer than wide, length 0.90 mm, width 0.80 mm; T2 and T3 weakly constricted in basal half in profile; apex of T7 slightly truncate; distal margin of S6 terminating in two lateral lamellate projections from which arise a tuft of relatively long and thick bristles; S7, S8, and genitalia as in figures 4–8: S7 with two lateral projections between basal apodemes and more apical ventral and dorsal lobes, each lateral projection about 2× longer than wide (Fig. 4); apex of inferior lobe of S7 strongly narrowed and curved inward apically, outer edge with a comb of very long bristles (Fig. 4); superior lobe of S7 broad (Fig. 4); S8 basad of apodemes strongly narrowed, not forming a broad triangular area (Fig. 5); apical bifurcation of S8 nearly orthogonal to central axis of sternum, bearing small bilobed process between diverging processes, each lobe with prominent setae (Fig. 5); genital capsule as in figures 6–8, with gonostylus broadly rounded apically and curved ventrally near apex.
Sculpturing: Integument strongly polished and shining (as in other species of the megalostigma group), generally smooth or with very faint imbricate microsculpture, with scattered shallow punctures, most punctures separated by more than 2–3× a puncture width; two small, half-moon-shaped foveae on each side of head near concavity of compound eyes; dorsal base of propodeum with approximately 18 longitudinal carinae set in slight depression and radiating from basal margin.
Coloration:Integument predominantly honey yellow or amber colored (Figs 1, 3); head dark brown except labiomaxillary complex, labrum, apical margin of clypeus, scape, and pedicel honey yellow; F1 and F2 lighter brown than remainder of flagellum; pronotum largely brown with anterior margin and pronotal lobe honey yellow to amber colored; mesoscutum and mesoscutellum brown; metanotum and dorsal base of propodeum light brown; tegula translucent, honey yellow; axillary sclerites and base of C+Sc honey yellow, otherwise wing venation brown, pterostigma prominent and slightly darker brown than other veins; wing membrane hyaline, slightly and faintly infumate apically; majority of preëpisternum and mesepisternum brown; lower portion of metepisternum light brown; outer surface of metatibia slightly brownish, particularly in apical half; outer surface of metabasitarsus slightly brownish; distal margin of T3 with brown band interrupted medially (absent in paratype); T4–T7 brown except some honey yellow present at lateral extremities of T4; S5–S6 brown, with slightly brownish area apically on S4.
Pubescence:Mostly consisting of golden setae (Figs 1–3); head with scattered, largely simple setae, those on supraclypeal area, above compound eyes, vertex, gena, and postgena longer; setae dorso-apically on scape longer, ca. 1DS, remainder much shorter; a few short, branched setae on face near concavity of compound eyes. Mesosomal setae generally simple except more plumose around pronotal lobe; posterior margin of pronotum and lateral margins of mesoscutum with numerous, minute, pale, branched setae, becoming more whitish around pronotal lobe; discs of mesoscutum and mesoscutellum with relatively short and sparse setae; posterior margin of metanotum with minute whitish plumose setae interspersed with longer, gold setae, laterally with long setae, about 1.5DS, such setae apically curved; meso- and metapleura and lateral surface of propodeum generally with long, largely simple setae scattered over surface, although setae more numerous than on mesosomal dorsum, setae of preëpisternum slightly shorter and distinctly branched; pro- and metacoxae, protrochanter, and ventral surface of profemur with dense, long branched setae, such setae about 0.5× length of scape, density of setae on posterior of metacoxa about one-half that of procoxa; setae longer on inner surfaces of metatibia and metabasitarsus. Metasoma generally with sparsely scattered, long setae, mostly apically on terga and sterna, setae becoming progressively longer on more apical segments; lateral areas of S5 with very long, thick setae, extending to apex of metasoma (Fig. 1), such setae typically curved apically; S6 with lateral setae about one-third shorter, apically curved; setae distribution on S7–S8 and genitalia as in figures 4–8.
♀:Unknown.
The specific epithet is a patronym honoring Dr. Peter G. Kevan, University of Guelph, who has encouraged the study and highlighted the importance of pollinators in Brazil, particularly through field courses on pollination biology and ecology.
Modified and updated from keys provided by
1 | Body size small (4.5–6 mm); integument predominantly dark brown to black; male S7 with inferior apical processes broad, without prominent comb of strong bristles along margin; male S8 with broad triangular area surrounding spiculum, without constriction at base of elongate apical extension, apical bifurcating processes with acute angle between them, without small bilobed area between diverging processes | 2 |
– | Body size relatively large (ca. 7.60 mm); integument predominantly honey yellow (Figs 1, 3); male S7 with inferior apical processes tapering rapidly to thin, elongate processes bearing prominent comb of strong bristles along margin (Fig. 4); male S8 basally narrowed around spiculum, strongly constricted at base of apical process, with diverging apical processes nearly orthogonal to longitudinal axis of sternum, with small bilobed area between diverging processes (Fig. 5) (Brazil: Bahia) | Chilicola kevani sp. n. |
2(1) | Minimum distance between compound eyes about that of width of compound eye; malar area short, almost one-half or less than its maximum width; female basal metatarsomeres with apical process variable, ranging from almost straight to curved; male S8 more typical for subgenus and megalostigma group, elongate extension bifurcate apically, with thin diverging processes separated by an acute angle | 3 |
– | Minimum distance between compound eyes about three-fourths width of compound eye; malar area long, more than one-half of its maximum width; female basal metatarsomeres with apical process distinctly curved; male S8 unique for subgenus, not bifurcate apically, apical extension spatulate, with broad apical area bearing prominent setae (Colombia: Amazonas) | Chilicola stenocephala Brooks & Michener |
3(2) | Frontal line without depression; female basal metatarsomeres with apical process variable, with or without long thicker setae | 4 |
– | Frontal line with conspicuous depression about 1OD in size just above level of antennal toruli, with antennal toruli forming a triangle of equal sides (isosceles); female basal metatarsomeres with apical process almost straight, terminating in a prominent setae thicker than other tarsal setae (Bolivia, Brazil, Peru) | Chilicola megalostigma (Ducke) |
4(3) | Total length ca. 4.5–5.2 mm; pronotal coloration variable; male S7 with more elongate processes relatively broad | 5 |
– | Total length ca. 5.5 mm; pronotum dark brown; female basal metatarsomeres with apical process almost straight, terminating in setae similar to other tarsal setae; male S7 with more elongate processes narrower, particularly in basal half (Mexico to Costa Rica) | Chilicola polita Michener |
5(4) | Pronotum yellowish to light brown; female basal metatarsomeres with apical process almost straight, ending in a seta clearly thicker than other tarsal setae; male seventh sternum with conspicuous median projections bent ventrally, apicolateral process with subquadrate apex (Mexico: Morelos) | Chilicola yanezae Hinojosa-Díaz & Michener |
– | Pronotum dark reddish brown; female basal metatarsomeres with apical process clearly curved, not terminating in a prominent seta; male seventh sternum without median projections, apicolateral process with broadly rounded apex (Colombia: Caquetá, Putumayo) | Chilicola muruimuinane Smith-Pardo & Gonzalez |
Among the species of the megalostigma group perhaps one of the most unusual is Chilicola stenocephala. In this species the form of the terminalia differs dramatically from other members of the group and, indeed, from other Hylaeosoma as well. While species of the group tend to have S8 bifid apically, with the bifurcation comprising thin, diverging processing at the apex of a narrow elongate extension of the disc (e.g., Fig. 5), Chilicola stenocephala instead has a broad apical expansion bearing prominent setae [refer to figures in
The authors are grateful to Patrícia Alves Ferreira (doctoral student of UFBA) and her advisors for providing the specimens referred herein. The material was collected as part of Patricia’s PhD project entitled “Influence of habitat loss on the networks interactions between plants and pollinators in fragmented landscapes in Bahia” and under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Blandina Felipe Viana (UFBA) and co-led by Dr. Danilo Boscolo (UNIFESP). Their project was supported by the Foundation for Research of the State of Bahia – FAPESB and as part of “Effect of reduced vegetation cover and biogeographic history of extinction thresholds”, itself a subset of the principal project “Integrating Levels of Organization in Ecological Predictive Models: Contributions of Epistemology, Modeling and Empirical Research” supported by the Support Program for Centers of Excellence PRONEX/FAPESB/CNPq and coordinated by Prof. Charbel El-Hani (UFBA). We are indebted to the institutions supporting these interdisciplinary projects which made possible the collections in which the new species of Chilicola was discovered. We are additionally grateful to two anonymous reviewers and Dr. Michael Ohl, the last as editor, for comments and assistance with the manuscript. This is also a contribution of the Division of Entomology, University of Kansas Natural History Museum and partially supported by US NSF DBI-1057366 (to MSE).