Dioxys hermonensis, Wood, 2025

Wood, T. J., 2025, Resolving issues in the genus Dioxys (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae, Dioxyini) in the West Palaearctic with a new identification key, ZooKeys 1226, pp. 261-302 : 261-302

7. Dioxys hermonensis sp. nov.

Material examined.

Holotype: Israel • 1 ♂; Mt. Hermon ; 1500 m a. s. l.; 10 May 1975; K. M. Guichard leg.; NMHUK.

Diagnosis.

Dioxys hermonensis can be recognised as a Dioxys due to the metanotum with a conspicuous spine medially, the scutellum laterally produced into posteriorly projecting teeth, the axillae not produced into spines, body with pale to brownish hairs (not with long reddish hairs), first recurrent vein entering second submarginal cell, scutellum without visible carinae between lateral teeth and medial part of disc, labrum without transverse basal carina, and fore coxae with anterior surface rounded.

Within the Dioxys , D. hermonensis can be recognised due to the pale bodily pubescence and clear apical hairbands (Fig. 10 E ) combined with the scutum with short brownish hairs (Fig. 10 B ), these equalling or only slightly exceeding the diameter of a lateral ocellus. This places it in the pumilus - group of species ( cypriacus , pumilus , and varipes ). The genital capsule has the penis valves apically produced into triangular shapes, with a clear angle on the outer margin (Fig. 3 G ), whereas in D. cypriacus ( Cyprus) and D. varipes (western Mediterranean) the apexes of the penis valves are thickened but without the outer margin showing a distinct angle (Fig. 3 C, E ). This places it closest to D. pumilus (Fig. 3 A ; eastern Mediterranean, including the Levant). Dioxys hermonensis can be easily separated due to the apical margin of S 4 which is straight (Fig. 3 H ; in D. pumilus with the apical margin of S 4 medially emarginate, this emargination displaying a small but distinct tooth medially, Fig. 3 B ) and due to the lateral margins of S 5 which show a short and blunt but clearly distinct tooth (Fig. 10 F ; in D. pumilus with the lateral margins of S 5 rounded, never showing an upstanding tooth). Currently, D. hermonensis is known only from a single specimen collected from the southern side of Mount Hermon.

Description.

Female. Unknown.

Male. Body length: 6.5 mm (Fig. 10 B ). Head: Dark, 1.2 × wider than long (Fig. 10 C ). Clypeus strongly domed, densely punctate, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameters, interspaced raised and shiny. In frontal view, compound eyes with inner margins converging apically from point slightly above antennal insertions towards clypeus. Gena narrower than width of compound eye, in ventrolateral view with almost lamellate carina running from base of mandibles along ventral and posterior margin, becoming weak and obscure along posterior margin of vertex; ocelloccipital distance 1.5 × diameter of lateral ocellus. Face with moderately long and densely plumose white hair on paraocular areas and around antennal insertions, abruptly becoming sparse and obscure on clypeus and frons; longest hairs not equalling length of scape. Frons and vertex densely and deeply punctate, punctures separated by <0.5 puncture diameters, interspaces shiny. Antennae basally dark, A 6 – A 13 ventrally lightened orange; A 3 slightly exceeding length of A 4, clearly shorter than A 4 + 5; A 4 and A 5 almost rectangular, almost twice as broad as long, remaining segments becoming progressively more elongate.

Mesosoma: Scutum and scutellum densely punctate, punctures confluent to separated by 0.5 puncture diameters, interspaces shiny. Scutellum laterally produced into short curved posteriorly projecting teeth, axillae laterally rounded, not produced into spines; metanotum medially with short spine. Lateral teeth of scutellum lacking visible carinae joining remaining disc of scutellum. Mesepisternum covered with large flat punctures, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameters, internal surface of punctures shiny; mesepisternum with moderately long, white, and densely plumose pubescence. Scutum and scutellum with short densely plumose brownish to whitish pubescence, length of hairs equalling or only slightly exceeding diameter of lateral ocellus (Fig. 10 D ). Fore coxae with anterior surface rounded. Legs dark, apical tarsal segments lightened reddish-brown, tarsal claws with small inner tooth. Wings hyaline to slightly brownish within cells; wings with two submarginal cells, second submarginal cell slightly larger than first submarginal cell; first recurrent vein enters second submarginal cell 3–4 vein widths from first transverse cubital vein.

Metasoma: Terga bright, T 1 – T 5 entirely lightened orange-red, T 6 with dorsal surface black (Fig. 10 E ). Sterna predominantly bright, S 1 orange-red with black spot medially, S 2 entirely orange-red, S 3 predominantly orange-red with small black spot medially, S 4 – S 5 predominantly dark with small orange-red areas laterally. Terga densely and regularly punctate, punctures separated by 0.5 puncture diameters. Terga with short apical hair fringes composed of pale plumose hairs, not obscuring underlying surface except for short distance laterally. S 1 – S 4 with apical hair fringes, short on S 1, S 2, and S 4, not exceeding diameter of lateral ocellus, long on S 3, medially with hairs almost equalling 3 × diameter of lateral ocellus. Surface of S 4 covered with plumose white hair, appearing felt-like; apical margin straight (Fig. 3 H ). S 5 with lateral margins produced into short blunt teeth (Fig. 10 F ). Genital capsule with gonocoxae with inner margins forming obtuse angles, gonostyli long, parallel-sided, more or less featureless, outer margin finely hairy in apical 1 / 3 (Fig. 3 G ). Penis valves with outer margins apically converging, apexes produced into triangular shapes, with clear angle on outer margin.

Remarks.

This is the specimen reported by Warncke (1977) as D. pumilus from Mount Hermon – it bears a label reading “ Dioxys pumila det. Dr. Warncke ” (Fig. 10 A ). A label was added by Donald Baker in 1983 which reads: “ NOT pumila: penis valves of cincta / rotundata type. S 4 with simple margin, S 5 laterally subdentate ”. This astute observation allowed recognition of this species as distinct.

Etymology.

The name is taken from the name of Mount Hermon (Har Hermon), the locus typicus.

Distribution.

Israel (Mount Hermon). Likely present also on the Syrian and Lebanese parts of this mountain.

Figures

Figure 3. Male Dioxys in the pumilus - group, genital capsule and S 4 A, B Dioxys pumilus Gerstäcker, 1869 (Greece: Rhodes) C, D Dioxys varipes De Stefani, 1887 (Morocco) E, F Dioxys cypriacus Popov, 1944 (Cyprus) G, H Dioxys hermonensis sp. nov. (Israel).

Figure 10. Dioxys hermonensis sp. nov., male holotype (NHMUK) A label details B habitus, profile view C head, frontal view D scutum, profile view E terga, dorsal view F S 4 – S 6, ventrolateral view.