Scrapter oxalensis Kuhlmann, 2025, sp. nov.

Scrapter oxalensis sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 2877519D-52EF-4EBA-8AD7-B96FE1B9016D Figs 2–3, 7–9, 23–28 Diagnosis The female of S. oxalensis sp. nov. can be separated from that of all other species in this group by the following character combination: scutellum relatively large (slightly longer and broader), flat and dull (Fig. 7D), propodeum dorsolaterally (lateral to the matt propodeal triangle) very finely shagreened and matt (Fig. 7D), hair on posterior surface of propodeum longer than length of basal area of propodeum (Fig. 7D), foreleg blackish-brown, disc of T2 finely and sparsely punctate, apical tergal depressions narrow, brownish translucent without reddish discoloration of the adjacent apical area of the disc (Fig. 7B). Females of S. oxalensis and S. oxaloides sp. nov. are very similar but the former has slightly broader apical tergal depressions (Fig. 7B) and the basal area of propodeum shows slightly sparser and coarser reticulation (Fig. 7D). The male is characterized by propodeum densely covered with thick, plumose hair of ± equal length (Fig. 8B), foreleg completely dark brown to blackish, sometimes to a small extent distitarsus and apical parts of mediotarsi orange-brown (Fig. 8A), hind tibia apicomedially moderately swollen, hairs apically on inner side long (Fig. 9A), S3–S5 with sparse apical hair fringes (Fig. 8D), genitalia as in Fig. 9B. Etymology The specific epithet refers to the specific host plants of the genus Oxalis (Oxalidaceae) of this bee species. Type material (137 specimens) Holotype SOUTH AFRICA • ♂; Nieuwoudtville, Hantam Botanical Garden, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 15 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; SANC. Paratypes SOUTH AFRICA • 6 ♂♂; 12 km NW of Nieuwoudtville, Farm Avontuur, Renosterveld along Pad; 770 m a.s.l.; 31°15′27″ S, 19°03′38″ E; 17 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; NHML • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 31 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK • 4 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 31 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; NHML • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 11 Jun. 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK • 17 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; NHML • 1 ♀; Farm Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′42″ S, 19°09′00″ E; 25 Aug. 2006; K. Timmermann leg.; RCMK • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville, Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 11 Sep. 2003; M. Kuhlmann leg.; NHML • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; 30 May 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; SANC • 5 ♀♀, 26 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; NHML • 1 ♀, 12 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; 31 May 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK • 4 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; SANC • 7 ♀♀, 14 ♂♂; same data as for preceding; NHML • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; 11 Aug. 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK • 6 ♀♀; Nieuwoudtville, Farm Glen Lyon, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 7 Aug. 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg; RCMK • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; NHML • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 18 Aug. 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; SANC • 1 ♀; Nieuwoudtville, Flower Reserve East; 735 m a.s.l.; 31°21′55″ S, 19°08′52″ E; 10 Aug. 2004; M. Kuhlmann leg.; NHML • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 1 Sep. 2002; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; Nieuwoudtville, Hantam Botanical Garden, Renosterveld; 700 m a.s.l.; 31°24′03″ S, 19°08′34″ E; 15 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK • 2 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; SANC • 6 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; NHML • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; 23 May 2013; M. Kuhlmann leg.; RCMK • 3 ♀♀; same data as for preceding; NHML. Description Female BODY LENGTH. 7–8 mm. HEAD. Head wider than long. Integument black, except part of mandibles dark reddish-brown. Face sparsely covered with relatively long, greyish, erect hair (Fig. 2). Clypeus strongly convex with fine and very sparse (i=2–5 d) punctation; surface between punctures smooth and shiny (Fig. 2). Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally dark brown, ventrally dark yellow. MESOSOMA. Integument black, tegulae brownish. Mesoscutal disc between punctures reticulate and slightly matt to shiny; disc very densely (i= 0.5–1d), sometimes sparser (i=2–3 d), and relatively coarsely punctate (Fig. 7C). Metanotum slightly shorter than basal area of propodeum, apically with narrow carinate depression (Fig. 7D). Propodeum on basal half medially finely but distinctly carinate (Fig. 7D). Propodeum with relatively dense, apically long and laterally short; mesoscutum with short and sparse; scutellum, metanotum and mesepisternum with sparse, greyish to yellowish, erect hair (Fig. 7A). WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation and stigma brown. LEGS. Integument black; fore and mid tarsi sometimes reddish-brown, especially distally. Vestiture and scopa greyish to brown. METASOMA. Integument black to dark reddish-brown; apical margins of terga broadly yellowish translucent (Fig. 7B). Disc of T1 with very few, very short, greyish-white, erect hairs; following terga with increasingly more and longer, but still short and few, greyish-white, erect hairs; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga (Fig. 7B). Prepygidial and pygidial fimbriae greyish to slightly brownish. T1 and T2 very shallowly, indistinctly, sparsely and finely punctate; T3 and T4 very finely but relatively densely (I = 1–2d) punctate; between punctures shagreened and slightly matt to shiny; apical tergal depressions finely sculptured and slightly matt to shiny (Fig. 7B). Male BODY LENGTH. 7–8 mm. HEAD. Head as long as wide. Integument black, except mandible partly dark reddish-brown. Face covered with long, silvery-white, erect hair. Malar area medially narrow, almost linear. Antenna dorsally brown, ventrally dark yellow (Fig. 3). MESOSOMA. Integument black. Mesoscutal disc between punctures reticulate, slightly matt; disc finely and relatively densely (i =1–1.5 d) punctate. Basal area of propodeum ± triangular, distinctly covered with carinae that cover the majority of its surface (Fig. 8B). Mesoscutum and mesepisternum sparsely covered with long, greyish, erect hair; scutellum, metanotum and propodeum covered with long, greyish to yellowish, erect hair (Fig. 8A). WINGS. Slightly yellowish-brown; wing venation brown; stigma light yellowish-brown. LEGS. Integument black; fore femora apically dark yellowish-brown, fore tibia anteriorly dominantly yellowish-brown; all tarsi sucessively more yellowish brown distally. Hind tibia inside subapically broadened with a tuft of long hair (Fig. 9A). Vestiture greyish-white. METASOMA. Integument black to dark reddish-brown, apical margins of terga broadly translucent yellow to slightly yellowish-brown (Fig. 8C). Discs of T1–T4 covered with short, greyish, erect hair; following terga with increasingly longer hair; apical tergal hair bands missing on all terga (Fig. 8C). Terga finely shagreened and slightly matt to shiny (Fig. 8C). T1 impunctate or almost impunctate, following terga very finely and relatively densely (i= 1–1.5 d) punctate (Fig. 8C). Apical tergal depressions broad, very finely shagreened and slightly matt. S2-S5 especially laterally with sparse but very long apical hair tufts (Fig. 8D). TERMINALIA. Genitalia (Fig. 9B), S7 (Fig. 9C) and terminal plate of S8 (Fig. 9D) as illustrated. Distribution Only recorded from the Bokkeveld Plateau (Northern Cape Province) and potentially endemic to this region. Floral hosts Oxalidaceae: yellow flowering Oxalis spec., O. pes-caprae, O. massoniana T.M.Salter var. flavescens. Seasonal activity May–September.