Sphecodopsis roggeveldensis, Pöllein & Kuhlmann, 2025

Pöllein, Daniela & Kuhlmann, Michael, 2025, Taxonomic revision of the southern African bee genus Sphecodopsis Bischoff, 1923 (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Nomadinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 980, pp. 1-157 : 60-63

Sphecodopsis roggeveldensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DBBD50B7-F26C-48D6-9CB7-CD899A793383

Figs 45–46

Diagnosis

The female of S. roggeveldensis sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: S6 bifid posteriorly, apical notch about as long as its apical width, shape as shown in Fig. 46C ; body length around 5 mm; metasoma partially red ( Fig. 45B ); fore tibia and tarsi usually black ( Fig. 45A ); T6 covered with black hair ( Fig. 46B ); head and mesosoma with conspicuously dense, long, black hair ( Fig. 45C–D ); T5 with black hair on the disc and bright white hair on the apical margin ( Fig. 46B ); T6 apically slightly rounded ( Fig. 46B ); mesoscutum with more dispersed punctation (i=0.25–0.5 d), surface smooth ( Fig. 45D ). The male is unknown.

Etymology

The species is named after the Roggeveld Mts where it was discovered.

Type material (3 specimens)

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA • ♀; Roggeveld Mts , 2 km SE of Farm Allemansdam, burnt area ; 31°49′32″ S, 19°59′55″ E; 1290 m a.s.l.; 29 Aug. 2018; MK leg.; SAMC.

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA • 1 ♀; Roggeveld Mts , 2 km S of Farm Perdekloof, river , dolerite ; 31°47′35″ S, 19°58′16″ E; 1220 m a.s.l.; 1 Sep. 2017; MK leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 20 Sep. 2022; RCMK .

Description

Female

BODY LENGTH. 5.2 mm.

HEAD. Head distinctly wider than long. Vertex almost straight and flat, except for the ocelli. Integument black, except part of mandibles red or reddish-brown. Face covered with long, black hair. Face and clypeus with dense (i=0.25–0.5 d), coarse and deep punctation ( Fig. 45C ). Surface between punctures slightly matt. Antenna black.

MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegula orange. Mesoscutum slightly shiny.Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum densely (i=0.25–0.5 d) and finely but deeply punctate ( Fig. 45D ). Propodeum with dense (i=0.25– 0.5 d), coarse and shallow punctation, metapostnotum matt ( Fig. 46A ). Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, white hair ( Fig. 45D ). Metanotum, mesepisternum and propodeum sparsely covered with long, black hair mixed with shorter, dark brown hair, metapostnotum glabrous ( Figs 45D , 46A ).

WINGS. Fuscous; wing venation dark brown and stigma dark brown to black ( Fig. 45A ). LEGS. Integument black. Coxa and trochanter sparsely covered with long, black hair and shorter white hair. Femur with few long, black hairs. Tibia and tarsi sparsely covered with long, black hair and covered with shorter white hair; patches with dense white pubescence apically on the tibia of hind legs ( Fig. 45A ).

METASOMA. Integument of T1 dark basally. Rest of T1 and T2 red, T3 to a variable extent black, from T3 basal half red to almost completely black; T4–T6 black. T1–T4 sparsely covered with short, white and black hair ( Fig. 45B ). T5 marginal zone with bright white hair, disc covered with long, black hair. T6 narrow and almost straight apically, with dense, long, black hair ( Fig. 46B ). Shape of S6 ( Fig. 46C ) as illustrated.

Male

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the northern part of the Roggeveld Mts.

Host bees

Unknown.

Seasonal activity

August–September.

Figures

Fig. 45. Sphecodopsis roggeveldensis sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (Farm Perdekloof, RCMK). A. Habitus (lateral view). B. Metasoma (dorsal view). C. Head. D. Mesoscutum and mesoscutellum (dorsal view).

Fig. 46. Sphecodopsis roggeveldensis sp. nov., paratype, ♀ (Farm Perdekloof, RCMK). A. Propodeum. B. T5 and T6. C. S6.