Anthidium (Proanthidium) qingtaoi Niu and Zhu, 2020

Sardar, Sayan, Kasparek, Max, Rameshkumar, A. & Kazmi, S. I., 2021, Four species of anthidiine bees (Apoidea: Megachilidae) new to India, The Canadian Entomologist (e 7) 154 (1), pp. 1-10 : 4-5

2. Anthidium (Proanthidium) qingtaoi Niu and Zhu, 2020

( Fig. 3 )

Anthidium (Proanthidium) qingtaoi Niu and Zhu 2020: 59 , ♀, ♂.

Diagnosis: Female. Length 8.5 mm ( Fig. 3A ). Head broader than long; clypeus yellow with two elongated brown spots, apical margin smooth, slightly emarginated medially; mandibles with 10 teeth, upper three teeth and apical sharp and large, six small teeth present between the apical and third large tooth ( Fig. 3B ); lower paraocular area maculated; F1 twice as long as broad, F2, F3, and F4 with reddish colouration on dorsal surface ( Fig. 3C ); vertex with narrow yellow band interrupted medially. Omaular carina absent; pronotal lobe lamellate; outer part of tegulae and anterior part of pronotal lobe with yellow maculation; scutellum with small triangular tooth posterolaterally and with a narrow yellow band on posterior margin interrupted medially ( Fig. 3D ) overhanging metanotum and propodeum; axillae black; arolia absent; the femora, tibiae, tarsi with outer surface yellowish and inner reddish brown. Yellow bands on T1–T3 interrupted medially, T4–T6 with uninterrupted bands ( Fig. 3E ); median V-shaped black area present on T4 and T5 directed forwards and on T6 inverted ( Fig. 3F ).

Materials examined. 1 ♀, India, Ladakh , Chumathang (13694 ft), 33.3593° N, 78.3369° E, sweeping net, 11.ix.2008, B . Mitra (NZC Regn.: 26024/ H3 ) .

Floral association. Melilotus officinalis ( Fabaceae ) ( Niu et al. 2020a).

Distribution in Asia. India (new record), China (Xizang) ( Niu et al. 2020a).

Comments. The examined specimens were mostly similar to the original description of Anthidium qingtaoi ( Niu et al. 2020a) , but mandibles had 10 instead of nine teeth, and F2, F3, and F4 had reddish colouration anteriorly instead of only F3. These two features are more similar to A. kashgarense as described by Niu et al. (2020a).

Anthidium qingtaoi is morphologically similar to A. kashgarense , but it can be distinguished from the latter species by its pale yellow integumental markings, a genal area completely black without yellow marking, its vertex with a narrow yellow band sometimes interrupted medially, black axillae, presence of a black spot on clypeus, yellow band on scutellum narrow and sometimes interrupted, and yellow bands on T4–T6 uninterrupted or narrowly interrupted. ( Anthidium kashgarense has chrome yellow integumental markings, lower part of gena with yellow marking, vertex with a broad and uninterrupted yellow band, yellow axillae, clypeus yellow without black spot, yellow band on scutellum broad and uninterrupted, and yellow bands on T4–T6 widely interrupted.)

Figures

Fig. 3. Anthidium qingtaoi ♀: A, habitus, dorsal view; B, head, frontal view; C, antenna; D, scutellum showing lateral spines; E, metasoma, dorsal view; and F, tergites T5–T7. Scale bars measure 1 mm.