Xylocopa unicolor Smith, 1860

63. Xylocopa unicolor Smith, 1860 View in CoL

Fig. 61

Xylocopa unicolor Smith, 1860b: 135 View in CoL , ♀ ♂.

Type material examined

Lectotype

INDONESIA • ♀; Amb. [Amboyna]; [ 30 Nov. 1857 – 4 Jan. 1858]; OUMNH, ENT-HYME2819-01 ( lectotype indicated by Baker 1993, de facto lectotype by present designation).

Paralectotype

INDONESIA • 1 ♀; Amb. [Amboyna]; [ 30 Nov. 1857 – 4 Jan. 1858]; OUMNH, ENT-HYME2819-02 .

Type locality

Amboyna [= Ambon].

Notes

Baker (1993: 216–217) wrote the following:

“ Two ♀♀ in the UMO type collection, and formerly standing as unicolor in Saunders’ collection bear identical labels ‘Amb.’ [white disc] and ‘ Xylocopa unicolor Smith. ’ [Smith’s hand] and may be accepted as syntypes of that species. Smith’s ♂ syntype, labelled ‘Amb’ [white disc], ‘ Xylocopa unicolor Smith’ [Smith] and ‘nec unicolor Sm. Det. M.A. Lieftinck 1955 ’, and a third ♀, labelled ‘B’ [or β?: small, square, blue label, not Wallace], ‘ Xylocopa unicolor Smith’ [Smith], and ‘nec unicolor Sm. Det. M.A. Lieftinck 1955 ’, doubtless, in spite of the variant labelling, the basis of Smith’s 1863 record from Bouru, both also formerly standing as unicolor in Saunders’ collection (now in the Museum’s general collection), are, as Lieftinck’s labelling indicates, not conspecific with the Amboyna ♀♀.

Lieftinck (1956: 67) stated ‘I have selected one of SMITH’s examples marked “Amb” as the lectotype of unicolor ’. This was not a valid type fixation since Lieftinck gave no information that would enable recognition of the specimen allegedly selected (cf. ICZN Rec. 74C), and, further, did not label, as lectotype or otherwise, either specimen. The specimen now designated as LECTOTYPE of unicolor , and labelled accordingly, is that in better condition and intact. The second Amboyna ♀ (when taken, in fresher condition, with entire wing margins), having the mesoscutum crushed and its pubescence matted, and lacking the apical segments of tarsus R I, and Smith’s supposed ♂ (described but not named by Lieftinck) have been labelled as paralectotypes. The Bouru ♀, curiously referred to by Lieftinck (1956: 67) as of unknown locality, has been labelled as of no type status: it was apparently regarded by Lieftinck as [‘would well go with’] buruana, but was not included by him under the material of that species listed on p. 70 of his paper”.

As for Xylocopa coronata , Baker’s reasoning for rejecting Lieftinck’s (1956b) designation of a lectotype is valid, but again Baker also did not label a specimen as lectotype! In order to finally define this lectotype, the specimen indicated by Baker is formally designated here as the lectotype ( Fig. 61).

Current status

Xylocopa ( Maiella) unicolor Smith, 1860 ( Ascher & Pickering 2024).

Distribution

Indonesia ( Maluku: Ambon, Boano, Ceram, Haruku, Saparua) ( Lieftinck 1956b).

Species described by Smith (1862) from the islands of Halmahera, Sulawesi, and Ternate