Lasioglossum (Dialictus) paralepidii Landaverde-González & Gardner & Moo-Valle & Quezada-Euán & Ayala & Husemann 2023, sp. nov.

Lasioglossum (Dialictus) paralepidii Gardner sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: D68E4E0E-879C-4944-9AFE-025ADC3580AE Figs 6F, 17–18. 29B, 31B, 32B, 35B, 36B Diagnosis Females of L. paralepidii sp. nov. can be recognised by the diagnostic combination of tegula enlarged (reaching posterior margin of mesoscutum in dorsal view), sparsely punctate (i = 1–3 pd), becoming dense on lateral and posterior margins (i ≤ 1 pd), and with inner posterior margin weakly concave; mesoscutum densely punctate (i ≤ 0.5–1 pd), becoming moderately sparse submedially and anteromedially (i = 1–2 pd); supraclypeal area very densely punctate (i ≤ 0.5–1 pd); mesepisternum very densely punctate (i <0.5 pd); metapostnotum mostly shiny with weak microsculpture and strong anastomosing rugae reaching posterior margin; and T2–T3 apical impressed areas evenly covered with dense, short, simple setae. Males can be recognised by the same characters, except the tegula is more densely punctate (i ≤ 1 pd), the metapostnotum shiny with strong anastomosing rugae, and the metasomal terga apical impressed areas are glabrous. In addition, the paraocular area is covered with dense appressed tomentum contrasting with the clypeus and supraclypeal area, which are mostly bare. Differential diagnosis Both sexes of L. paralepidii sp. nov. are most similar to L. aureoviride sp. nov. and some members of the L. stictaspis species complex. They are also very similar to the subtropical Florida species L. lepidii. See the differential diagnoses for L. aureoviride and the L. stictaspis species complex for comparison. Males of L. lepidii have the face below the eye emargination, including the clypeus and supraclypeal area, completely covered with dense appressed tomentum. Females of L. lepidii are morphologically nearly identical to L. paralepidii sp. nov., and reliable diagnostic characters separating the two are not known; it is best to identify females by geography and/or in association with males. Etymology The specific epithet ‘ paralepidii ’ sp. nov. is formed from the Greek prefix ‘ para -’ (‘near’) and the specific epithet ‘ lepidii ’, referring to its close relationship to L. lepidii. Type material Holotype MEXICO – Quintana Roo • ♂; Felipe Carrillo Puerto; 19.35° N, 88.03° W; 10–14 Oct. 1986; USDAARS staff leg.; BBSL 1100921. Paratypes MEXICO – Quintana Roo • ♀; Isla Mujeres; 21.2412° N, 86.7397° W; 25 Jan. 1981; George E. Bohart leg.; BBSL 1100936 • 1 ♀; 12 km NW of Reforma; [18.89° N, 88.65° W]; 14 Oct. 1986; Charles D. Michener leg.; SEMC SM0753055 • 1 ♀; 8 km W of Puerto Morelos; [20.85° N, 86.95° W]; 16 Oct. 1986; Charles D. Michener leg.; SEMC • 2 ♂♂; Felipe Carrillo Puerto; 19.35° N, 88.03° W; 10–14 Oct. 1986; F.D. Parker leg.; BBSL 1100928, 1100930 • 4 ♂♂; same collection data as for holotype; BBSL 1100922 to 1100925 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 13 Oct. 1986; F.D. Parker and Terry L. Griswold leg.; ex Mentha sp.; BBSL 1100934 • 1 ♂; Vallarta, 17 km W of Puerto Morelos; 20.8619° N, 87.0304° W; 6–8 Oct. 1986; Terry L. Griswold leg.; BBSL 1100937. – Yucatán • 1 ♀; Progreso Beach, N of Mérida; [21.28° N, 89.66° W]; 29 Jun. 1966; University of Kansas Mexico Expedition leg.; SEMC • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; SEMC • 1 ♀; Tixcuytún; 20.2061° N, 89.1549° W; 7 Jun. 2011; Quezada-Euán and Moo-Valle leg.; ZMH 842060. Other material examined MEXICO – Tabasco • 1 ♀; 38 mi SE of Villahermosa; 17.6872° N, 92.5216° W; 9 Sep. 1974; George E. Bohart and W.J. Hanson leg.; BBSL 1101072 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; BBSL 1101071. Floral records LAMIACEAE Martinov: Mentha L. • SOLANACEAE Adans.: Capsicum L.: C. chinense Jacq. DNA barcodes None confirmed, but it is reasonably likely that some of the sequences listed for L. aureoviride sp. nov. actually correspond to L. paralepidii sp. nov. (see the discussion of DNA barcodes for L. aureoviride). Description Female MEASUREMENTS. Length 4.02 mm; head length 1.18 mm; head width 1.27 mm; fore wing length 2.57 mm. COLOUR. Head and mesosoma metallic blue-green with golden reflections on mesoscutum, clypeus, and supraclypeal area; clypeus apical half black; scape and pedicel dark reddish brown, F1–F10 dark reddish brown, F8–F10 becoming light brown ventrally; tegula dark reddish-brown; wing membrane subhyaline, venation and pterostigma brown; legs dark brown; metasoma black with rims of terga and sterna reddish brown. PUBESCENCE. Dull white; head and mesosoma with abundant long setae (1–2.5 OD); lower paraocular area, gena, and preëpisternum with sparse subappressed tomentum; mesoscutum with dense erect setae ~1 OD long interspersed with subappressed setae 0.25–0.5 OD long; propodeum with abundant plumose setae on lateral and posterior surfaces (1.5–2.5 OD); T1 with dense and complete setose fan, T2–T3 basal margins with dense appressed tomentum and disc of T4 with sparse tomentum throughout; T2–T4 evenly covered with dense, short, simple setae becoming long and plumose laterally (1–3 OD); tarsal segments with plumose, light-yellow setae. SURFACE SCULPTURE. Clypeus shiny and densely punctate (i ≤ 1 pd); supraclypeal area shiny and very densely punctate (i ≤ 0.5-1 pd); lower paraocular area shiny and densely punctate (I ≤ 1 pd); antennocular area imbricate and densely punctate (i ≤ 1 pd); upper paraocular area and frons shiny and finely, densely punctate (i <1 pd); ocellocular area shiny and densely punctate (i ≤ 1 pd); gena and postgena lineate; tegula finely and sparsely punctate (i = 1–3 pd), becoming dense on lateral and posterior margins (i ≤ 1 pd); mesoscutum weakly tessellate and densely punctate (i ≤ 0.5-1 pd), becoming moderately sparse submedially and anteromedially (i = 1–2 pd); mesoscutellum weakly tessellate and densely punctate (i <1 pd), becoming moderately sparse submedially (i = 1–2 pd); axilla shiny and densely punctate (i <1 pd); metanotum finely rugulose; mesepisternum imbricate and very densely punctate (i <0.5 pd); metapostnotum shiny laterally, becoming dull with finely reticulate microsculpture medially, covered with strong anastomosing rugae reaching posterior margin; propodeum with posterior surface weakly tessellate; T1–T2 weakly coriarious and minutely, moderatey sparsely punctate (i = 1–2 pd); T2–T3 apical impressed areas weakly coriarious and minutely, sparsely punctate (i = 1–4 pd). STRUCTURE. Head wide (length/width ratio = 0.93); eyes weakly convergent below (UOD/LOD ratio = 1.20); clypeus ³/5 below suborbital tangent; antennal sockets close (IAD/AOD = 0.52); frontal line ending 1–2 OD below median ocellus; gena narrower than eye; tegula inner posterior margin straight; inner metatibial spur pectinate, with three teeth; metapostnotum elongate (MMR ratio = 1.09), posterior margin sharply angled onto posterior surface, propodeum with oblique carina straight and lateral carina not reaching margin of dorsal surface. Male (holotype) MEASUREMENTS. Length: 4.16 mm; head length 1.05 mm; head width 1.05 mm; fore wing length 2.53 mm. COLOUR. Head and mesosoma metallic blue-green to golden green; clypeus apical half black; scape and pedicel brown; F1–F11 dark brown dorsally, light brown ventrally; tegula dark reddish brown; legs dark brown with tarsi light brown; wing membrane hyaline; venation and pterostigma brown; metasoma dark brown with rims of terga and sterna reddish brown. PUBESCENCE. Dull white. Head and mesosoma with abundant long setae (1–2 OD); paraocular area and lower frons with dense appressed tomentum; gena, preepisternum, and sometimes clypeus and supraclypeal area with sparse appressed tomentum; mesoscutum with dense plumose setae 0.5–1 OD long; propodeum with abundant plumose setae on lateral and posterior surfaces (1–2 OD); tarsal segments with plumose light-yellow setae; discs of T1–T6 evenly covered with dense, short, simple setae, becoming long and plumose laterally (1–3 OD). SURFACE SCULPTURE. Clypeus shiny and densely punctate (i <1 pd); supraclypeal area shiny and densely punctate (i ≤ 1 pd); paraocular area and ocellocular area shiny and densely punctate (i <1 pd); frons shiny with fine, crowded punctures (i = 0 pd); gena shiny; postgena lineolate; tegula densely punctate medially (i ≤ 1 pd); mesoscutum shiny or tessellate and moderately densely punctate (i = 1–2 pd), becoming denser laterad of parapsidal lines and on posterior margin (i <1 pd); mesoscutellum shiny and densely to moderately densely punctate (i = 0.5–2 pd); mesepisternum shiny and densely punctate (i <1 pd); metapostnotum shiny with weak microsculpture and strong rugae; propodeum with posterior surface shiny and moderately sparsely punctate (i = 1–2 pd); discs of T1–T3 shiny and finely, moderately densely punctate (i = 1–2 pd), apical impressed areas impunctate. STRUCTURE. Head round (length/width ratio = 1.00); antennal sockets separated (IAD/AOD = 1.35); frontal line ending 1–2 OD below median ocellus; tegula enlarged, reaching posterior margin of mesoscutum in dorsal view, with inner posterior margin straight or weakly concave; metapostnotum elongate (MMR ratio = 1.34), posterior margin rounded onto posterior surface; genitalia not examined. Distribution Only known from the Yucatán Peninsula. Remarks Uncommon. Some morphologically similar specimens were examined from María Cleofas, Isla Tres Marías, Nayarit. These specimens have the metapostnotum rugae not reaching the posterior margin and are believed to be an undescribed species. It seems likely that there is a large complex including many undescribed species related to L. lepidii, L. aureoviride sp. nov., and L. paralepidii sp. nov. occurring throughout the Neotropics. Further revisionary work is needed to elucidate this complex. Lasioglossum paralepidii is a member of the L. gemmatum species complex and partially corresponds to mOTU 5 in Landaverde-González et al. (2017a).

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