Melittidae - Eremaphanta

author(s) : Denis Michez
Morphologically, the genus Eremaphanta is characterized by some unique features like the presence of extensive yellow markings in both sexes, the stigma as long as the first submarginal cell, the second submarginal cell twice as long as the first and the weak differentiation of male S7 (Popov 1940, Michener 1981). Some species are among the smallest bees (e.g. E. minuta female is 4 mm in length).
Characters supporting the specific status for the nine Eremaphanta species are found in: the ratio between palpi and glossa lengths, the development of apical bands on terga and the appearance (sculpture, coloration) of the propodeal triangle. Colour patterns of the integument are also specific. On the contrary, the morphology of genitalia and hidden male sterna (S6-8) are strictly uniform among species, whereas these structures are diagnostic in most groups of Apoidea, notably in other Melittidae s.l. (Michener 2000). The yellow markings constitute a major characteristic of Eremaphanta. In most species, the integument coloration provides evidence for the association of the sexes. In the five species for which both sexes are described: E. convolvuli, E. dispar, E. fasciata, E. popovi and E. vitellinus, the coloration patterns are quite similar in males and females. However, these yellow markings are notably wider in Eremaphanta females than in males, unlike the other Melittidae s.l. (Macropis, Meganomiinae and Promelitta).
From a biogeographical point of view, most Eremaphanta are endemic and sympatric in Turkestan (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) (Popov 1955, Michez & Patiny 2006). Two species were recorded outside these limits: E. iranica in the south of Iran and north of Oman, and E. dispar in Pakistani Baluchistan.

Citation:
Michez D. 2011. The genus Eremaphanta Popov 1940. Atlas Hymenoptera, Mons, Gembloux. http://www.zoologie.umh.ac.be//hymenoptera/page.aspx??ID=20

Eremaphanta 

Asia
Somme des données
Somme des données Eremaphanta
E. (Eremaphanta) convolvuli Popov 1940
Diagnosis. female and male. Length = 5-6mm. Head nearly as long as wide, with sparse white appressed hairs. Labial palpus as long as glossa; longer than maxillary palpus. Galea shiny, with narrowly rounded apex. Maxillary palpus shorter than galea (Lpalpus/Lgalea = 0,5). Labrum yellow and smooth; semicircular, nearly four times as wide as long. Clypeus, face and vertex weakly punctate, smooth and shiny. Flagellum dorsally brownish; ventrally yellowish. Genal area black, covered with white short appressed hairs. Mesoscutum entirely black, weakly punctate, smooth and shiny, with short white appressed hairs. Propodeal triangle minutely rugose; median part elevated and more rugose. Posterior half of propodeum smooth and shiny. Legs 1-3 entirely yellow. Terga glabrous. S1-S2 with emarginate premarginal line. S3-S5 with straight apical margin. Female. Clypeus entirely yellow, with scarce white hairs. A3-A12 broader than long. Flagellum twice as long as scape. Pronotum, scutellum and axilla yellow. Mesepisternum dorsally yellow, ventrally black. Propodeum and propodeal triangle yellow. Terga yellowish to brown. Male. Clypeus with yellowish apex, covered with short white appressed hairs. A3-A4 broader than long. Pronotum medially brown; margins yellow. Scutellum black with yellow apical margin (entirely yellow in some specimens). Metanotum yellow. Mesepisternum, propodeum and propodeal triangle black. External face of Tb3 and Bt3 with small reddish spots at the base of the hairs; with scopa-like hairs. Bt3 shorter than other tarsomeres. T1 brownish. T2-T6 yellowish to brown. Gonostylus as long as penis valve. S7-S8 and genitalia as figured in Popov (1940).
Distribution Eremaphanta convolvuli
E. (Eremaphanta) fasciata Popov 1957
Diagnosis. Female and male. Labrum semicircular. Flagellum dorsally brownish, ventrally yellow. Pronotum brown in the middle; margins yellow. Mesoscutum black, with few short erect white hairs. Mesepisternum black. Propodeum black, smooth and shiny. Anterior part of propodeum weakly rugose; with a minute median groove. Propodeal triangle with smooth and shiny apical area. Discs of T1-T5 glabrous. Female. Head entirely black (clypeus apex yellow in some specimens), weakly punctate, cuticle smooth, with few white erect hairs, mainly around antennal sockets. Labial palpus as long as glossa, half as long as maxillary palpus. Galea tapering; surface smooth and shiny, weakly punctate; distance between punctures wider than puncture diameter. Maxillary palpus as long as galea. Clypeus hairless. Flagellum twice as long as scape. Genal area black covered with white short appressed hairs. Scutellum and axilla yellow. F1-F3 yellow with brown spots. Discs of T1-T5 yellow on basal half; brown on apical half. S3-S5 with straight premarginal line. Male. Clypeus, face and vertex with white erect hairs. Mesoscutum, propodeum and propodeal triangle black. External face of Tb3 and Bt3 with small reddish spots at the base of hairs. T1-T6 with a median black stripe; basal and apical margins yellow. Gonostyli longer than penis valve.
Distribution Eremaphanta fasciata
E. (Eremaphanta) iranica Schwammberger 1971
Diagnosis. Female. Unknown. Male. Tb1-Tb3 and tarsi yellow; other parts of the body entirely black. Head nearly as long as wide. Antennae dorsally brownish, ventrally yellowish. Propodeal triangle dull and rugose. Disc of terga with short brown appressed hairs. Marginal zone of T1-T4 with few appressed hair on lateral margins. Premarginal line of S1-S5 slightly emarginate or straight. S7-S8 and genitalia as figured by Schwammberger (1971).
Distribution Eremaphanta iranica
E. (Eremaphanta) minuta Popov 1957
Diagnosis. Female. Similar to E. popovi but slightly smaller. Length = 4mm. Body mainly yellow. Propodeal triangle and legs yellow. T1-T4 with short apical yellowish hair bands. Male. Unknown.
Distribution Eremaphanta minuta
E. (Eremaphanta) popovi Michez 2006
Diagnosis. Female and male. Legs yellow. T1-T5 yellow, with white apical hair bands. Female. Mesepisternum with upper part yellow, lower part black. Mesoscutum black. Pronotum yellow. Male. Head nearly as long as broad. Genal area, dorsal half of face and propodeum yellow. Flagellum dorsally brownish, ventrally yellowish. Pronotum brown in the middle; margins yellow. Hind margin of Bt3 and F3 with small reddish spots at the bases of hairs.
Distribution Eremaphanta popovi
E. (Eremaphanta) turcomania Popov 1940
Diagnosis. Female. Length = 6,5mm. Body almost entirely yellow, except black spots along inner margins of eyes, median portion of mesoscutum and bases of S1-S5. Galea yellow. Face and clypeus glabrous. Vertex with dense white erect hairs. Genal area yellow, with white short erect hairs. Head shiny and weakly punctate. Clypeus three times broader than long. Flagellum short, one and a half times as long as scape. A3-A12 broader than long. Propodeal triangle yellow, minutely rugose, with a median groove. T1-T5 glabrous, without apical hair bands. Premarginal line of sterna emarginate. Male. Unknown.
E. (Eremaphanta) vitellina (Morawitz 1875)
Diagnosis. Female. Length = 5-6mm. Pronotum, margins of mesoscutum, mesepisternum, scutellum, metanotum, propodeum and propodeal triangle yellow. Propodeal triangle rugose, with median groove. Legs and metasoma yellow. T1-T5 with glabrous disc, without apical hair bands. S2-S3 with emarginate premarginal line. Male. Head one and a half times wider than long. Face with ventral half (including clypeus) and genal area yellow. Clypeus, face and vertex with white short erect hairs. Flagellum yellow. Galea yellow, tapering, apex narrowly rounded. Maxillary palpus longer than galea. A3-A5 broader than long. Pronotum, margin of mesoscutum , mesepisternum, axilla, metanotum and propodeum yellow. Scutellum partly yellow, at least on margins. Propodeal triangle brown. Mesosoma with few white erect hairs. Propodeal triangle hairless. Legs yellow. F3 with few long white hairs. Tarsus 3 longer than Tb3. Bt3 as long as other segments. Metasoma yellow. Discs of T1-T5 glabrous, without apical hair bands. S7-S8 and genitalia as figured in Popov (1940)
Distribution Eremaphanta vitellina
E. (Popovapis) dispar (Morawitz 1892)
Diagnosis. Female and ale. Length = 5mm. Head black, twice as long as broad; few white erect hairs on vertex and around antennal sockets. Labial palpus elongated, longer than glossa, twice as long as maxillary palpus. Galea shiny, semi-circular, tapering narrowly rounded. Labrum long, smooth and shiny. Clypeus with yellow apical margin. Genal area black, covered with white short appressed hairs. Mesosoma black, with white short appressed hairs. T1-T5 with apical hair bands. Disc of T1-T5 glabrous. Female. Flagellum twice as long as scape. Flagellum dorsally brown, ventrally reddish. F1 yellow, black at the base. Legs 2-3 yellow. Metasoma brownish. S1-S4 with premarginal line weakly emarginate. Male. Flagellum three times as long as scape. Flagellum dorsally brown, ventrally reddish. F1-F3 black. Tb1-Tb3 black with yellow apex. Tarsi 1-3 yellow. Metasoma black. T2-T4 with lateral patches of short appressed hairs. Genitalia as figured in Popov (1940).
Distribution Eremaphanta dispar
E. (Popovapis) zhelochovtsevi Popov 1957
Diagnosis. Male. Length = 6mm. Clypeus protruding. Labrum twice as wide as long (see Popov 1957).
Distribution Eremaphanta zhelochovtsevi

References

Michener, C.D. 1981. Classification of the bee family Melittidae with a review of species of Meganomiinae. Contribution of the American Entomological Institute, 18, 1-135.
Michez D., Patiny S. 2006. Review of the bee genus Eremaphanta Popov 1940 (Hymenoptera: Melittidae), with the description of a new species. Zootaxa 1148:47-68.