Cubitalia (Cubitalia) baal

Engel, Michael S., 2006, A new bee of the genus Cubitalia from Israel (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Beiträge Zur Entomologie = Contributions to Entomology 56 (1), pp. 61-67 : 62-67

Cubitalia (Cubitalia) baal , sp. n. ( Figs 1-13)

Diagnosis: The new species can be most readily identified by the bright, yellowish-orange vestiture of the mesosoma and anterior metasoma ( Figs. 1,2, 4, 6) which in combination with the structure of the male metabasitarsus ( Figs. 7-9) and terminaba ( Figs. 10-13 ) are immediately diagnostic. Overall, the species is most similar to C. boyadjiani , particularly in the female from which it can be separated by the absence of white setae laterally on the fifth metasomal tergum (such setae present in C. boyadjiani ). The female of the new species also belongs to the class of those species with a straight vertex, not distinctly raised behind the ocelli. W hile there is some superficial similarity to C. m onstruosa, the structure of the male sterna are quite different between the two (cf. Fig. 10-12 with those figures in R i s c h, 1999; vid e etiam Remarks, infra) and in the strong development of the double concavity along the margin of the male metabasitarsus ( Fig. 7). The combination of all of these features serves to separate the new species from all others in the genus.

Description: <3. Total body length 18.4 mm; forewing length 11.6 mm. Head broader than long (width 4.5 mm, length, as measured from vertex to clypeal apex, 3.5 mm), inner margins of compound eyes slightly divergent ventrally; face lateral to ocelli and above level of antenna! toruli and ocellocular area depressed; clypeus obtusely angulate in profile; vertex immediately behind ocelli slightly raised in a small dome ( Fig. 3). Intertegular distance 3.8 mm; median and parapsidal lines strongly impressed. Mesotibia not curved; mesotibial spur greatly thickened; mesobasitarsus with strong medial projection and depressed apically, as described and figured for C. boyadjiani (videTiLkLcis, 1984); metabasitarsus strongly modified as depicted in figures 7-9, inner surface with dense brush of setae ( Fig. 8). Pygidial plate apically truncate, apical margin relatively straight. Hidden metasomal sterna seven and eight as depicted in figures 10-12; apical aspect of genitalia as in figure 13 (remainder of genitalic capsule like that figured for the other species by T k a l c ú, 1984).

Figs 1-2: Cubitalia (Cubitalia) baal sp. n. - 1 lateral habitus of male holotype. - 2 lateral habitus of female paratype.

Integument of clypeus and labrum smooth; Iabrum with coarse punctures separated by a puncture width or less; clypeus with sparsely scattered, shallow, coarse punctures. M andibular surfaces smooth. Integument of remainder of head strongly tesselate except faintly imbricate (nearly smooth) in small patches immediately anterior to and bordering median ocellus and along outer margins of lateral ocelli. Face with faint punctures separated by 1—3 times a puncture width except on lower paraocular area punctures separated by a puncture width or less; punctures of vertex more distinct and contiguous; punctures on gena distinct and separated by a puncture width or less. Mesosoma strongly tesselate throughout except tegula faintly imbricate and impunctate; mesoscutum with distinct punctures separated by 2—3 times a puncture width centrally, along borders such punctures separated by 1—2 times a puncture width; mesoscutellum sculptured as on mesoscutum; metanotum strongly tesselate and impunctate (apparently slightly nodulate); propodeum strongly tesselate and impunctate on basal area, laterally with a few sparsely scattered, shallow, faint punctures; pleura with faint punctures separated by 1—3 times a puncture width. Metasomal terga imbricate and punctate, punctures shallow, small, and separated by 1—2 times a puncture width; metasomal sterna imbricate except smooth between lateral tufts on fifth metasomal sternum.

Figs 3-6: Cubitalia (Cubitalia) baal sp. n. - 3 facial aspect of male holotype. - 4 dorsal habitus of male holotype. - 5 facial aspect of female paratype. - 6 dorsal habitus of female paratype.

Figs 7-9: Cubitalia (Cubitalia) b a a l sp. n., male hind leg. —7 anterior surface of metabasitarsus. - 8 oblique, inner-posterior surface of metabasitarsus. - 9 outer dorsal surface of metabasitarsus.

Integument dark brown except with faint greenish tinge on mesosoma, clypeus and labrum yellow ( Fig. 3), tarsomeres beyond basitarsi light brown. W ing veins dark brown, membrane hyaline. Setae of head and legs yellow ( Figs. 1, 3, 4), those of mesosoma and first and second metasomal terga bright yellowish-orange ( Figs. 1, 4), remainder of setae black. Setae on mesosoma and metasoma largely obscuring integumental surface.

9. Generally as described for the male except in usual sex differences and in the following details: Total body length 19.7 mm; forewing length 11.3 mm. Head broader than long (width 4.5 mm, length, as measured from vertex to clypeal apex, 3.7 mm), vertex straight in frontal aspect, not raised immediately behind ocelli. Intertegular distance 4.1 mm. Legs unmodified. Pygidial plate broadly and weakly curved at apex, surface strongly and transversely striate. Integument of head black ( Fig. 5). Setae of head black ( Figs. 2, 5, 6), those of mesosoma and first and second metasomal terga orange ( Figs. 2, 6), remaining setae black (without lateral patches of white on fifth metasomal tergum: Fig. 2) except outer and inner surfaces of legs with infuscate setae (i.e., appearing dark brown or smoky in color rather than truly black), some with slight dirty orange tinge.

Type material: Holotype: <3 “ Palästina: Montfort ” [an older specimen, without more precise date, collector, or locality data] . Paratype: 9 “N. Israel, M t. Hermon , 1500 m, 26.iv. 1992, R. Kasher //at S ym phytum brachycalyx [B o r a g i n a c e a e] ”. Both specimens are located in the Division of Entomology, University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Lawrence, Kansas .

Etymology: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition and is the name of one ofthe idol gods of the Phoenicians discussed in the Old Testament. Baal, the son of the pagan god Dagon, was typically worshipped as a house god or one governing the local lands such as vineyards, thereby also representing a god of nature and fertility. Indeed, the name itself means “lord” and was sometimes been used for landlords or other property holders in Biblical times. Baal was also believed to be a warrior god who, holding a thunderbolt in hand, would descend from the clouds (also bringing with him the winter rains) and impose divine order over chaos. In the Bible, Baal is also known as Baalzebub, or Beelzebub, and becomes one of the fallen angels who followed Satan, himself cast from Heaven as the lead angel in the rebellion against God.

Remarks: There are considerable differences in the shape of the terminalia of the new species and that of C. m onstruosa which may be superficially confused with the new species. Readers should carefully compare the structure of the sclerites as depicted herein and in R i s c h (1999). For example, the eighth metasomal sternum in C. baal is considerably broader apically relative to its width at the level of the apodemes ( Fig. 12 ), and the apicolateral angles are not as prominently produced, thereby lacking a small apical, marginal depression between them. Medially, the sternum has a broad and strongly protuberant convexity. In C. m onstruosa this same sclerite is apically narrowed relative to the width of the disc at the level of the apodemes, the apicolateral angles are prominent and taper inward to form a small apical, marginal depression before the medial convexity, and the medial convexity is acutely-triangular and short, scarcely surpassing the apical tangent of the lateral angles. Considerable differences also exist in the complex shape of the seventh metasomal sternum (cf. Figs. 10-11 with those in R i s c h, 1999) as well as the apical aspect and position of setae for the penis valves and gonostyli. The male metabasitarsus of C. baal has a distinct double concavity bearing setae ( Fig. 7) while other species have a single concavity bearing setae.

Figures

Figs 10-13: Cubitalia (Cubitalia) AWsp. n., male terminalia [orientations duplicate those ofTKALCü (1984) for ease ofcomparison with his work]. - 10 apical aspect ofseventh metasomal sternum. - 11 ventral surface ofseventh metasomal sternum. - 12 ventral surface ofeighth metasomal sternum. - 13 apical aspect ofpenis valve and gonostylus. Figures 10-12 share the left scale bar (= 1 mm), while the right scale bar (= 1 mm) is for figure 13.