A new bee from the Oligo-Miocene Dominican (Hymenoptera:) Ms Engel

To cite this version:

Ms Engel. A new fossil bee from the Oligo-Miocene Dominican amber (Hymenoptera:Halictidae). Apidologie, Springer Verlag, 1997, 28 (2), pp.97-102. ￿hal-00891408￿

HAL Id: hal-00891408 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00891408 Submitted on 1 Jan 1997

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A new fossil bee from the Oligo-Miocene Dominican amber (Hymenoptera:Halictidae)

MS Engel

Department of Entomology, Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

(Received 19 February 1997; accepted 11 April 1997)

Summary — A new species of fossil bee, Oligochlora grimaldii n.sp, is described and figured. The specimen is preserved in Oligo-Miocene amber from the . The genus Oligochlora is not represented among the modern fauna and was originally based on two species, also from Dominican amber inclusions. O grimaldii generally agrees with the original generic definition except in the structure of the pronotal lateral angle which is slightly acute. A revised diagnosis for the genus is given in order to accommodate this specimen and a key is presented to its included species. Augochlorini / bee fossil / Halictinae / paleontology / systematics

INTRODUCTION ural History. The specimen is a representa- tive of the genus Oligochlora Engel, an The bee fauna of the Dominican amber has extinct member of the tribe Augochlorini. recently received increased attention (Poinar, The genus was originally proposed on the 1994; Engel, 1995, 1996; Michener and basis of two species, Oligochlora eickworti Poinar, 1996; Rozen, 1996). There are cur- Engel and O micheneri Engel. The species rently seven bee species described from presented herein, while being representa- Dominican amber inclusions and of these, tive of this genus, has one feature slightly four are from the subfamily Halictinae. The incongruent with the generic diagnosis as halictines were unknown from amber inclu- it was originally formulated. In light of the sions until 3 aside years ago (Poinar, 1994), new information this species provides, the from one dubious specimen genus is newly diagnosed with this charac- listed by Bachofen-Echt (1949) as belonging ter, the pronotal lateral angle, revised. The to the Halictus. genus age of the Dominican amber deposits is dis- Herein I present the description of a fifth cussed by Grimaldi ( 1995) while the apoid halictine species recently discovered by fauna of these deposits is reviewed by Mich- Grimaldi, of the American Museum of Nat- ener and Poinar (1996). MATERIALS AND METHODS Key to the species of Oligochlora

Measurements were made using an ocular 1. Pronotal lateral angle obtuse; propodeal micrometer on a WILD-M5a microscope and triangle glabrous and shining, without striae. should be considered since the approximate opti- eickworti Engel mal angle for measuring was not always achiev- able through the amber. The following abbrevi- — Pronotal lateral angle acute to orthogonal; ations are used in the descriptions for granular, not shining, morphological structures: F, flagellomere; S, propodeal triangle with or without weak basal striae. sternum; T, tergum. A brief generic diagnosis is given incorporating new information and rele- 2. Pronotal lateral angle acute, lateral ridge vant characters for the recognition of the genus carinate; propodeal triangle without basal from other amber halictine A more thor- genera. striae; Sc+R heavily sclerotized and black, ough description can be found in Engel (1996). Format for the specific description follows that of remainder of wing veins brown; postgena Engel (1995), while morphological terminology punctate. that of Michener and Eickwort follows (1944) grimaldii new species (1969). — Pronotal lateral angle orthogonal, lateral ridge rounded; propodeal triangle with basal SYSTEMATICS striae; Sc+R sclerotized and colored as other wing veins; postgena impunctate and gran- Genus Oligochlora Engel ular. micheneri Engel Oligochlora Engel, 1996, J Kans Entomol 69 336. Soc, suppl (1997), Oligochlora grimaldii Engel, new species Type species: Oligochlora eickworti Engel, (fig 1) 1996 (original designation). Description Brief Diagnosis Female (male unknown), total body length Female (male unknown), epistomal sulcus approximately 7.2 mm; approximate fore forming obtuse angle. Preoccipital ridge wing length 4.3 mm. Head length 1.7 mm; 1.4 maximum rounded. Compound eyes bare. Mouthparts length of compound eye mm; width of 0.5 distance not greatly elongated or narrowed. Hypos- compound eye mm; tomal ridge carinate, anterior angle rounded, from compound eye to lateral ocellus 0.26 carina slightly protruding beyond posterior mm; maximum width of gena 0.45 mm. border of head. Pronotal lateral angle vari- Scape length 0.82 mm, reaching back able (obtuse to acute), not strongly produced beyond lateral ocellus; pedicel about as long anteriorly; dorsal ridge carinate; lateral ridge as wide, as long as F1; F1 as long as wide variable (carinate to rounded). Mesoscutum and slightly longer than F2; following flag- broadly rounded anteriorly. Marginal cell ellomeres each about as wide as long, each apex truncated and feebly appendiculate. slightly longer than preceding flagellom- Anterior basitarsal brush present. Inner hind eres; F 10 longer than wide. Maxillary palpi tibial spur pectinate. Basitibial plate small, extending posteriorly to just over half of sub-triangular, anterior border not well premental length. Median and parapsidal defined. Penicillus present and set forth on lines of mesoscutum strongly impressed. a short distal process extending just beyond Scutellum longer than individual lengths of juncture between basitarsus and following metanotum and propodeal triangle; tarsomere. propodeal triangle longer than metanotum. Basal vein distad of cu-a crossvein by two tures, integument shining. Postgena with times vein width; Sc+R heavily sclerotized strong punctures separated by a puncture and black, remainder of wing veins brown; width or less, integument otherwise smooth second submarginal cell not narrowed ante- and weakly shining. Mesosoma metallic- riorly; wings hyaline. Strigular concavity green and shining, except at pronotal lobe of antenna cleaner as as shallow; malus long where it is light brown with a patch of metal- with a series of on velum, minute teeth inner lic green highlights. Pronotum weakly gran- surface. Inner hind tibial spur with at least ular. Mesoscutum strongly granular with three visible not the teeth, including apex shallow punctures on borders, becoming as a tooth. weaker and disappearing by central disc. Mandible brown. Head metallic green. Tegula brown and smooth. Scutellum with Clypeal and supraclypeal surfaces not minute punctures separated by a puncture clearly visible, apparently imbricate with width or less; integument otherwise imbri- scattered weak punctures; clypeal apex cate and shining. Metanotum granular, apparently black and not metallic, basal half integument shining. Pre-episternum granu- and supraclypeal area colored as rest of lar with scattered shallow punctures. head. Face strongly granular and shining; Hypoepimeron with minute punctures sep- vertex weakly granular. Gena imbricate with arated by less than a puncture width, integu- a few widely scattered, minute, weak punc- ment between granular. Mesepisternum anteriorly with shallow punctures and gran- ble. Sterna with scattered long simple hairs ular as on pre-episternum; posteriorly turn- (visible on S1-3). ing into minute punctures as on hypoepimeron; ventrally both giving way Material to granular integument without punctures. Type Metepisternum dorsally with a few weak transverse striae, medially and ventrally Holotype: female, Oligo-Miocene Domini- granular. Legs brown with scattered, strong can amber, specimen number DR-14-839 metallic green highlights on outer surfaces, (fig 1), deposited in the Department of Ento- except for tarsi which lack any such high- mology, American Museum of Natural His- lights. Propodeal triangle strongly granular, tory, New York, NY, USA. without striae, integument not shining; dor- sal and lateral ridges rounded; propodeal lateral surface strongly granular; posterior Preservation surface apparently the same only weaker (not easily visible). Terga and sterna imbri- The bee is in fairly good condition. The cate and brown; terga with strong metallic body is linearly extended with the head green highlights at least on lateral surfaces thrust forward, exposing its undersurface, (dorsally not visible). and the metasoma only slightly angling Face with scattered simple hairs, hairs downward. The right anterior end of the bee longer on clypeus and lower half of face is not visible from the side as the combina- than those above. Similar hairs on vertex tion of a fracture plane and Schimmel (a and gena. Postgena with sparse long sim- whitish mold) obscures this view. Likewise, ple hairs, those on posterior border of head portions of this same material and fracture with a few short branches. Pronotal lateral obscure a direct anterior view of the head. surface with extremely short, suberect, sim- The face, however, can be seen from above ple hairs, not obscuring the surface. Mesos- and in profile, with only the distal-most por- cutum with scattered simple short hairs, tions being obscured. The legs are held becoming more sparse posteriorly. Scutel- under the body and therefore do not interfere lum with long simple hairs. Metanotum with with views of the pleura, however, the dis- long hairs each with a few short branches. tal portions of several of the legs are miss- Propodeal triangle without hairs. Pleura with ing. The wings are folded over the dorsum. scattered simple hairs, becoming longer ven- The right fore wing is partially damaged trally and those posteriorly with a few with the basal vein mostly missing as well as branches. Anterior basitarsal brush strong, some distal portions of the wing. The meta- extending along distal third of basitarsus. soma is not clearly visible dorsally due to Hairs of legs generally simple, except for a fracture plane towards the posterior end those comprising the scopa on the hind legs of the bee and Schimmel running over this and for those on the inner surface of the plane thereby obscuring much of the sur- mesotrochanter which arc long and face. branched. Dense setal pad present on inner basal surface of mesofemur (fig I). Propodeal lateral and posterior surfaces with Etymology long hairs, most with short branches. T1 with long simple hairs on lateral surfaces The specific epithet honors friend and col- and bordering central disc of anterior sur- league Dr DA Grimaldi who has contributed face; T2 with long simple hairs, more widely significantly to insect paleontology and in scattered than on T1, those of disc not visi- particular to the study of amber. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Zusammenfassung — Eine neue fossile Biene in einem dominikanischen Bern- I am sincerely thankful to DA Grimaldi for bring- stein aus dem Oligo-Miozän (Hymenop- ing this newly discovered bee to my attention, tera:Halictidae). Eine neue Schmalbie- preparing the specimen, and allowing me to study nenart, Oligochlora grimaldii wird it; and to advisor, JK Liebherr, for free access my beschrieben, die aus einem Bernsteinein- to his mount which was used camera-microscope schluß der Dominikanischen ent- to produce the figure presented here. I am fur- Republik ther indebted to the National Science Founda- stammt, dessen Alter dem unteren Oligo- tion for their support of this work in the form of zän oder dem oberen Miozän zugerechnet a Predoctoral Fellowship and to the American wird. Das ist die fünfte Halictusart, die bis Museum of Natural History for a collection study jetzt aus Bernsteineinschlüssen bekannt ist. work at their institution. grant supporting my Sie dem Tribus an. Die I extend to two gehört Augochlorini Lastly, my gratitude anonymous Gattung kommt in der heuti- reviewers who kindly examined a pre-publica- Oligochlora Bienenfauna nicht mehr ist aber tion version of the paper and provided construc- gen vor, tive criticisms. durch die beiden anderen, auch aus domi- nikanischem Bernstein stammenden Arten, Résumé — Une nouvelle abeille fossile de O eickwortii und O micheneri bekannt. Die l’ambre dominicaine de l’oligo-miocène hier beschriebene Art unterscheidet sich von (Hymenoptera : Halictidae). Une nouvelle der Diagnose der anderen Arten in der Struk- espèce d’abeille de la famille des Halicti- tur des pronotalen seitlichen Winkels. Die dae, Oligochlora grimaldii, est décrite ici à Variabilität dieses morphologischen Merk- partir d’inclusions dans l’ambre de la répu- mals ist neuerdings in die generelle Defini- blique Dominicaine, datées de l’oligocène tion von Arten aufgenommen worden, die inférieur ou du miocène supérieur. C’est le vom Spitzwinkel (O grimaldii) bis zum cinquième halictidé de l’ambre connu à ce stumpfen Winkel reicht (O eickworti). Die jour et c’est un représentant de la tribu des neue Art unterscheidet sich von den zuvor Augochlorini. Le genre Oligochlora n’est beschriebenen durch den spitzen, pronotalen pas représenté parmi la faune actuelle et seitlichen Winkel, das Auftreten eines Kiels n’est connu que par deux autres espèces, O an der pronotalen seitlichen Kante, die starke eickworti et O micheneri, qui proviennent und dicht gepunktete Postgena, stark sklero- également de l’ambre dominicaine. L’espèce tisierte Sc+R Flügeladern und das Fehlen décrite ici diffère de la diagnose du genre von Riefen auf dem propodealen Dreieck. par sa structure de l’angle latéral pronotal. La variabilité de ce caractère morpholo- / fossile Biene / Halictinae / désormais dans la défini- Augochlorini gique, incorporée Paläontologie / Systematik tion du genre, va de l’angle aigu (O gri- maldii) à l’angle obtus (O eickworti). La nouvelle espèce diffère des espèces précé- REFERENCES demment décrites par l’angle latéral prono- tal aigu, la présence d’une carène sur la crête Bachofell-Echt A (1949) Der Bernstein und seine Ein- latérale des fortes et pronotale, postgènes schlüsse. Springer-Verlag, Wien, Austria densément perforées, une veine alaire Sc+R Eickwort GC (1969) A fortement sclérotinisée et l’absence de stria- comparative morphological study and generic revision of the augochlorine bees tions sur le triangle propodéal. (Hymenoptera:Halictidae). Univ Kans Sci Bull 48, 325-524 Halictinae / Augochlorini / abeille soli- Engel MS ( 1995) Neocorvnura electra, a new fossil bee species from Dominican amber (Hymenop- taire / fossile / systématique / république tera:Halictidae). J New York Entomol Soc 103, 317- Dominicaine 323 Engel MS (1996) New augochlorine bees (Hymenop- (Hymenoptera). Bull Amer Mus Nat Hist 82, 151- tera:Halictidae) in Dominican amber, with a brief 326 review of fossil Halictidae. J Kans Entomol Soc, Michener CD, Poinar GO Jr (1996) The known bee 69 suppl, 334-345 fauna of the Dominican amber. J Kans Entomol Soc, 69 suppl, 353-361 Grimaldi DA (1995) The age of Dominican amber. In: Amber, Resinite, and Fossil Resins (Anderson KB, Poinar GO Jr (1994) Bees in fossilized resin. 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